Hair Horror!

[MillieB]

Okay I'm really in a bad way about this whole subject at the moment and have just had on of those GD full force, right between the eyes episodes so please be gentle with me.

I have been having IPL for 10 months now and in general it has gone okay but my top lip is a constant problem area, we tried upping the power and this didn't go well and I got a blister which has turned into a scar! So a couple of months ago she tried laser which hurt like all hell but I thought had been quite effective but when I went today, the skin doc was concerned that the skin was in danger of getting perma damage so wanted to go back to IPL permanently (she had said two months ago that IPL wasn't working!!!!) Anyhow long story short I'm not going back there as I'm at least going to get a second opinion on this as I really need to get results (I'm supposed to be going f/t next month!! )

One of the problems that I have is redness on the top lip area as all of this hair removal has left it even more sensitive than ever, which of course looks like shadow even though I have had a really really close shave. So my plan is to give it a month to let the skin settle as I do think that she has damaged it, use a lightening gel (Jan Marini) and then try either Lightsheer laser which I've heard really good things about or go somwhere that will give me an anesthetic and really go to town with electro.

I really have tried to get things right as far as transition goes and it's heartbreaking that despite all of my efforts, this one thing will be like a bloody great beacon saying 'Look at me! right here, hairy trans person!'

Any advice would be greatly apprieciated, even if it's not what I want to hear.

[Rock_chick]

Hey Millie, feel you on the hair horror. I've got a degree of pigmentation on my top lip which gets me down. People tell me it's not obvious but for me it may as well be a flashing neon pink sign advertising the fact that i used to have a beard. I haven't had laser in nearly two months and it has gone down a fair bit. However I've basically decided to go with electro from now on...they zapped nearly all my beard and most of what's left is unzappable. But that also means less chance of more pigmentation from the laser.

Not sure what to recommend, if you have a sk:n clinic in your area i'd recommend them they were really good and knew what they were talking about. other than that all i can offer is some net hugs and the hope that you can get things sorted.

[Karla]

Those last remaining hairs choose to die hard, but they will go away eventually just as the others did.

Maybe you should give your skin a rest for a little while and then endure the electrolysis because i think it's the fall back method when it comes to hair removal.

Helena, I can't see any pigmentation in your photo but with time it might become smooth and like the other skin surrounding it.

*more net hugs*

[JasminB]

My advice swap practioners, go to a medical centre and get it done there under anesthetic at 28-32 setting.

I started at 28 with lightsheer diode(aurora I think) and moved up to 30 then 32 for final session. Eyes watered heavily even under anesthetic from the pain on upper lip at 30+ but it's bareable.

Even after the session at 32 I had no red marks/irritation the next day although some minor bruising(not visible) under the chin from where she was pushing the machine hard. Sticking to a quality product/aftercare regime is dire though.

Local laser place (ran by beautians)is $200 usd for face/neck combo, the med centre(ran by dr's) is $400 before anesthetic & aftercare solution but with only 3 treatments at med centre i have a 80-90% reduction leaving mainly ginger hairs I'll fix one by one with an electrologist.