« on: May 19, 2020, 06:59:16 am »
Based on my experiences, laser works best on dark hair and light skin. Laser is less effective on red hair, and pretty much useless on blond or grey hair. If you have dark hair and light skin, laser seems to work well for most body hair (shoulders down). I had 15 laser hair removal treatments on my face and neck. After 10 - 14 days the dark hairs would slough off, but most of the hair came back. Facial laser treatments may have helped a little, but in my case the results were not permanent. On the other hand, my legs, back, and stomach were nearly hair-free after 4 - 5 laser treatments. There is some peach fuzz, some grey hairs, and occasionally a few dark hairs, but I would say laser took care of 98% - 99% of my dark body hair.
I used two different laser hair services in Colorado Springs, Ideal Image and Milan Laser. Both of them use similar equipment, and both of them have courteous staff. The only real difference between the two was price. Initially, the fee Ideal Image charged covered 10 treatments, but they extended my coverage to 15 and may have gone to the same pricing model used by Milan. The fee at Milan Laser covers 'lifetime' treatment, you can return for additional treatments as long as you want with no additional fee. In addition, Milan Laser is 20% - 25% less expensive than Ideal, depending on the area being treated.
Although it was expensive, for me the laser treatments on my back, legs, and stomach was worthwhile. I'm less sure that the money spent for facial and neck treatments was cost-effective.
Laser hair removal can be painful. On my stomach, back, and below the knees the discomfort was tolerable. My face, neck, and thighs are somewhat sensitive, and there are some areas on the back and sides of my thighs that took my breath away -- much worse than upper lip electrolysis. Of course as with most treatments, YMMV (your mileage may vary).
If you decide to get laser hair removal treatments, make certain they are using a laser. Some salons use IPL (Intense Pulsed Light). Although IPL will burn off hair above the skin, it is not nearly as effective as laser for permanent removal. I also tried a home laser unit from Tria, and they do work. It is not nearly as powerful as the medical-grade equipment used by Ideal and Milan, and it takes many more treatments to notice the change, but they are effective.
Love always -- Jessica Rose
