Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I'm going in tomorrow for my first session to clear my face. Is it considered proper etiquette to tip the technician who works on you?
Also, is it ok to moisturize afterwards?

Depends where you are.   Here in Australia someone professional would never expect a tip.  Their rates are high enough too.   :o
Rather than moisturiser, just treat as a dose of sunburn.  I was advised cold wet flannels ASAP, until you can feel the heat has gone, then Aloe Vera gel.  I had no problems doing that.

Oh, and welcome to the "Fried Follicle Club." :icon_flamed:

Karen.

I usually treat a sunburn with aloe gel, so that works out perfect!

If you ride a motorcycle or scooter, it's even easier.  Just wear an open face helmet and the wind chill will fix it on the ride home.  :) My Air-Mesh jacket worked great riding home after I had my stomach and chest done too.

The place I use, wipes the area down with a wet washcloth immediately after hitting it with the laser (one hand has the wand and the other the washcloth).  She is still able to fire the laser as fast as she wants but it really does help.  After she is done she wipes down with Aloe and sunscreen if it is exposed skin.  Usually if it is facial she will put some of their foundation on me to make sure I don't look all red afterward unless I'm headed straight back home.

Tipping does depend a bit on the region.  However I will say that I have found that without fail I get their best customer service and the best pricing because I tip well.  They lowballed my laser estimate for upper chest (just to below the breast), underarms, forearms, hands, and eyebrows because they knew I was a good customer.  I'm sure that I actually saved MORE than I've spent in tips ($1000 for 5 sessions and they are doing free touchups to my face since I'm already there (another $50 off)).  The massage therapist there that I'm seeing because Dr. Z asked me to actually gives me his weekly session rate and only charges for a relaxation massage vs deep tissue focused work.  Basically I can give him a $15 tip and it is still only the "going" rate for our area.  Our tattoo artist gives both Shannon and I his very best pricing and our price + generous tip is usually less than the shop would charge for just the tattoo from a walk in.

Quote from: justmeinoz on April 11, 2012, 06:29:44 AM
If you ride a motorcycle or scooter, it's even easier.  Just wear an open face helmet and the wind chill will fix it on the ride home.  :) My Air-Mesh jacket worked great riding home after I had my stomach and chest done too.

I do ride a motorcycle, but I only wear full face helmets. If I wore a 3/4 I would at the minimum be missing an eye and have a horrible scar on my face but more than likely I would have been killed.

Good luck, and if you have a thick beard, you might want to get some over the counter painkillers, unless you have a high pain threshold. I left in tears all 3 times so far. ;D

Quote from: Maja.V on April 11, 2012, 01:28:40 PM
Good luck, and if you have a thick beard, you might want to get some over the counter painkillers, unless you have a high pain threshold. I left in tears all 3 times so far. ;D

Its not too think, it's kinda patchy. I'm planning on taking some Advil or something about an hour before.
Have you noticed any difference in the beard after your three sessions?

I had my session about two hours ago, my face is a bit red. The pain wasn't too, too bad. It hurt the most around the jawline. I'm amazed that hairs started coming out right away, I'm kinda patchy looking right now and a bit red. Next appt is in 5 weeks. If all goes right I'll have 4 sessions in by the time I go to Key West and I'm hoping by then I won't have a shadow with some makeup.

Quote from: michelle666 on April 11, 2012, 02:13:34 PM
Its not too think, it's kinda patchy. I'm planning on taking some Advil or something about an hour before.
Have you noticed any difference in the beard after your three sessions?

Oh yes, it's almost completely clear, mostly just white hairs remaining.

I'm glad your first session went well :D

Glad it went well. The upper lip tends to be the most painful, at least for me, and of course it also needs the most treatment. I need a touch up about every four months now, and that only takes 10 minutes.

I haven't needed painkillers, I do moisturise every day and I'm using Olay with a touch of foundation and it looks good.

I'm very happy with the outcome.

Good Luck and happy de fuzzing

Cindy

Quote from: Cindy James on April 13, 2012, 03:19:31 AM
Glad it went well. The upper lip tends to be the most painful, at least for me, and of course it also needs the most treatment. I need a touch up about every four months now, and that only takes 10 minutes.

I haven't needed painkillers, I do moisturise every day and I'm using Olay with a touch of foundation and it looks good.

I'm very happy with the outcome.

Good Luck and happy de fuzzing

Cindy

For me, the upper lip was one of the easiest places. My jawline and neck though, OUCH!

I had a couple of times where it seemed to hit a nerve randomly, and Ow!

I use to run a goggle count. How full were the goggles with tears after each session.

Just Silly

Things we do

Hugs

I'm a week after the first session and I'm seeing some decent shedding.  I've noticed when I shave it's much easier over the hairs and I'm much smoother, especially my neck. One thing I've noticed is tiny white hairs, at first I thought they may have been gray hairs that I've never noticed before but it seems that they're a lot shorter than everything else and slide out with no effort at all. Some have come out with me just rubbing my finger over them. Has anyone else experienced this?

I personally believe that some of the hairs hit by the laser don't fully get killed, but are traumatized and lose their color producing parts.  My laser tech has assured me that they were always there and I couldn't see them, but ironically they don't seem as thick now as after the first few treatments so I do think they are being killed by the laser as the color parts regrow and give the root its color.  I know that fly against what she said, but it is what I am seeing.

I dont seem to have as many of those tiny white ones anymore. I'm still shedding like crazy though! Almost my whole neck is hairless at this point, my cheeks are pretty thin and there's a noticeable difference in the upper lip area. The sides of my chin still have some of the real black hairs that look like they're about to shed. I cant wait to see what happens after a couple of more sessions.

Yes, I've experienced the hairs that just come right out. They occur from about 1 to 2 weeks after the session. It's great! A good way to get those types is to use an exfoliating face wash. (yes to those who dont know...laser results are not immediate,the hair begins to fall out after a week or so).

Some tips I wish I'd known...for those undergoing laser:

**DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE OR APPLY MAKEUP FOR THE REST OF THAT DAY...AND IF YOU USE A COMPACT, THEN CHANGE YOU MAKEUP PAD AFTER EACH SESSION AS THE PADS ARE RIFE WITH BACTERIA!***

When I first started laser I would get these "laser pimples" that were VERY painful, and can potentially scar if not left to heal. They are much like pimples, but are deeper and do not pop (gross I know). Yes, laser pimples are WAY worse than regular pimples and can occur from about the day after the session to perhaps a week after until they heal. The best way to aoif them is GOOD FACIAL HYGIENE!

I used to think they were caused by the laser session itself, by simple inflammation, and that they were unavoidable. I would shave over them as I was full-time, and that would cut my skin. The fact is these pimples are avoidable, and occur due to bacteria being introduced to the pores. After stopping the makeup and face-touching for AT LEAST the rest of the day, and ideally the next day too, the laser pimples simply haven't returned after any of my sessions.

MORE TIPS:

-PUT AN ANTIBACTERIAL OINTMENT, LIKE BETADINE OR SOMETHING, ON YOUR FACE AFTER THE SESSION.Not only is it a protective barrier, but it wont sting, it promotes healing, and it stops bacteria entering your SUPER opened pores after the session. Doing that has created a NIGHT AND DAY difference in my results. It used to be after a session I would have those pimples, and perhap some minor skin irritation the next day...now it is completely absent.

-HOLD OFF ON SHAVING UNTIL AS CLOSE TO YOUR SESSION AS POSSIBLE. Give your skin time to recover, and reduce the chance of yet again introducing bacteria into the pores. You want have as closely as you dare to be, without nicking yourself, before the session.
As mentioned before, laser works by targeting the wavelength of light best absorbed by the hair. That means a longer hair will absorb more light energy, and hence more heat. This = PURE PAIN and NOT better results. Be clean shaven !

-USE NUMBING CREAM, AND BE SURE TO APPLY IT WITH A CLEAN TOOL (such as a tongue depressor)!! Apply it at least 1 hour before the first pulse, [/b]and an AMAZING tip that WORKS is after applying the cream take a square piece of plastic wrap and stick it to your face. The cream is held in place (as it tends to melt with facial heat), and it absorbs much better. I only went one session without the numbing cream (my first) and HOLY POOP!! Needless to say I paid the extra money for the cream. It doesnt remove all pain, actually it doesnt come close, but it DOES HELP.

-DO NOT WEAR MAKEUP TO THE SESSION, SUCK IT UP YOU LOOK FINE! Any makeup in the beard are will have to be removed anyway, but wearing makeup to the session increases the chance of either bacteria being introduced, or makeup residue absorbing light and effecting your results, maybe even burngni your skin. I am very well studied in Physics , and though I've never heard this mentioned, it makes perfect sense that it could really happen.

-DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOTTTTT UNDERGO ANY SORT OF FACIAL TANNING OF ANY KIND, OR EXPOSURE TO THE SUN! The darker your skin, the harder it is to get results! The nature of Laser is that it relies on the contrast between SKIN and HAIR. You want to be as pale as possible and keep as much contrast between the two as possible. The darker you become the more risk you may have for spotting or burning. WEAR SUNSCREEN AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. STAND IN THE SHADE IF YOU MUST! AVOID THE SUN, JUST DO IT!

-*BREATHE!* During the session it's really easy to hold your breath without knowing it. Some people even go into minor shock. The best thing you can do is remember to breathe slowly and deep. Keep yourself calm, and through the pain just think about how much less MENTAL pain you'll feel once all of you hair is gone.

These are my experiences after 1 year of monthly laser sessions.

After the sessions, how long does it take for regrowth? I'm still shedding here and there and have only seen regrowth in certain areas. I have large areas with nothing.

My experience is that after about one month you'll notice things have evened out to the final result. If you can afford it I'd really shoot for a session every 4 weeks.

You'll start by getting some weird hairless spots all over, starting outsay  as patchy islands of zero hair. As your sessions progress, and the number of hairless islands increase, they'll start to connect together into large areas of no hair. Pretty soon you'll have so many hairless spots that you'll have only islands of hair remaining instead. I called it my irradiated look.

It's very common that the "goatee" areas ...upper lip, chin, neck below chin....will take the longest to clear. Those areas are the single greatest concentration of follicles on the entire body, and they're tough buggers too! You will see results there, but more akin to thinning at first rather than total hairlessness.

The recommended time is 6 weeks, but I agree with MiaOhMya!.  My tech recommends 4 weeks and I have found that yes I do have growth that quickly.  It isn't really a try to get more $ tactic either since they only charge $50 after 5 treatments.

Quote from: Jeneva on May 01, 2012, 02:23:17 PM
The recommended time is 6 weeks, but I agree with MiaOhMya!.  My tech recommends 4 weeks and I have found that yes I do have growth that quickly.  It isn't really a try to get more $ tactic either since they only charge $50 after 5 treatments.

Right good, I'm not the only one! Its true also that as Jeneva said generally the more often you come in then the less places seem to charge. Try to make it a monthly routine amd you'll get hrmm lets see 52 divide 4= 13 sesssions per year...as opposed to what, 'round 8 if ya go every six weeks?

That is a big difference not only in results, but in mental health too. I used to put at least 3 layers of foundation to cover the beard shadow (always took 45 minutes at minimum) and now I get by with hardly one layer  (now I can look fit as a shiny horse in maybe 5 minutes!).

Oh hey Jeneva did you ever experience the "laser pimples" as I did???

Quote from: MiaOhMya! on May 01, 2012, 03:04:42 PM
Oh hey Jeneva did you ever experience the "laser pimples" as I did???

I don't get pimples, but I do get a sort of thick ridge around the hair as it sheds.  I hate that part.

Quote from: Jeneva on May 01, 2012, 02:23:17 PM
The recommended time is 6 weeks, but I agree with MiaOhMya!.  My tech recommends 4 weeks and I have found that yes I do have growth that quickly.  It isn't really a try to get more $ tactic either since they only charge $50 after 5 treatments.

I'm going to start going every 4 after my next appointment in a couple of weeks. I have 6 sessions already paid thanks to a groupon, I'll talk to my laser lady and see what the cost is going to be after that for monthly.

Quote from: Jeneva on May 01, 2012, 04:09:11 PM
I don't get pimples, but I do get a sort of thick ridge around the hair as it sheds.  I hate that part.

I got some pimples but nothing too bad.

I have my second session tonight! Hopefully there's less pain. I've had very little regrowth so I'm expecting a bit less this time around. 

Quote from: michelle666 on May 02, 2012, 06:11:35 AM
thanks to groupon

groupon rocks!  ;D

I would like to mention that I've been to 2 different lazer places,
the 1st one I went to hurt way more than what I was told to expect.
She, said it would feel like being popped with a rubberband, oh this
was on the front of my neck.  I compared it to a bee stinging me,
after that visit I did not return and did not go back.  That was a waste
of my groupon but, it was worth it. 
I found Athens lazer hair removal from a recommendation that was
posted here on susans place.  When I arrived and talked with the
tech, told her about my previous experience needless to say she
was in shock.. 
After going over her technique I felt at ease.  I
chose to have my underarms done.  She uses a cold air delivery
system that the lazer goes into.   When she started I was very
nervous as to what it was going to feel like.  Wow, I was amazed
it felt a lot better, and nothing like a rubberband..  Now, I've
finished my 6 sessions and I'm hair free!  :D  I think I'll start
on my legs next..
ps.  thanks for the tips MiaOhMya :)

Quote from: brianna on June 03, 2012, 11:42:40 PM
groupon rocks!  ;D

I would like to mention that I've been to 2 different lazer places,
the 1st one I went to hurt way more than what I was told to expect.
She, said it would feel like being popped with a rubberband, oh this
was on the front of my neck.  I compared it to a bee stinging me,
after that visit I did not return and did not go back.  That was a waste
of my groupon but, it was worth it. 
I found Athens lazer hair removal from a recommendation that was
posted here on susans place.  When I arrived and talked with the
tech, told her about my previous experience needless to say she
was in shock.. 
After going over her technique I felt at ease.  I
chose to have my underarms done.  She uses a cold air delivery
system that the lazer goes into.   When she started I was very
nervous as to what it was going to feel like.  Wow, I was amazed
it felt a lot better, and nothing like a rubberband..  Now, I've
finished my 6 sessions and I'm hair free!  :D  I think I'll start
on my legs next..
ps.  thanks for the tips MiaOhMya :)

The place that I'm going to used a laser that has a tip that is freezing cold that goes over the area as it's treated. It works very nicely.

I have done 4 sessions so far. I got very black hairs after the treatment but it was burnt hair, it still sucked though :).


Because of the hyperpigmentation risk I stopped the treatments in March and will start again in September. But its not fun right now because the hair comes back :(, I was prepared for it because she said that inactive hair will start to grow so it may seem that the old hair is coming back. However I hope that she is right and that the regrowth will stop after a few more treatments.


Anyone got more experience with this regrowth thing?


I wrote this in a hurry so sorry about that  :embarrassed:

All the super black hairs that I had, fell out. Right now I'm almost totally smooth with a couple of patches here and there, but the patches are getting smaller and lighter as the days go on. I haven't had much regrowth at all. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I will keep my fingers crossed for you too Michelle :).


I was pretty much hairless besides around my chin and overlip. So its a bit depressing that the hairfree patches are almost not visible anymore :(.


I hate beard, I hate hate hate hate. Its so stubborn being there and looking icky =/. Why cant it understand that I dont want it :).

The hair grows in about 6 week cycles, the reason for the multiple sessions is to cover the cycles and then you just need touch ups. It is a waste of time having a repeat until the next cycle of hair grows. Remember to shave before the session for laser, you want to zap the root not burn the hair.

I go for a ten minute touch up, mainly the upper lip every 3 months or so.

The effect has been stunning. It has totally made me a different woman. A big confidence booster and just fantastic. I put on light foundation every day and my skin looks, and feels great.

Cindy

its great to be hair free

it never seems to go as much as you like though

Quote from: meia on June 06, 2012, 12:13:23 PM
its great to be hair free

it never seems to go as much as you like though

I'm with you there. Lots of areas on my face have zero visible hair growth, but I can still feel the stubble a couple days later.  Its that less visible white vellus hair, but I've not let it grow out a proper length because I have conditioned myself to believe that ANY hair on my face is bad. I alsoshave my remaining patches, so its easy to give the razor a swipe over that invisible stubble aswell. Meh I really need to back off and let that hair grow... :-\

Hello everybody,

I have done my first laser session two weeks ago and some areas are great, but others, like the upper lip, I still see stuff.... Yet, the hair does not seem to grow.... It is like stuck...

How much hair did y'all have two weeks after your first session? My neck is completely hair free though. :-)

thanks in advance for any answer!
Andrea

After 8 regular monthly sessions everything is basically gone.  The growth cycle isn't completely lined up for every hair, so the overlap cycle seems to have worked well enough :) I also have dark hair and light skin so am an ideal laser candidate.

I'm now doing maintenance sessions every 2 months and a week shy of my next session there's enough growth the bother me but is easily managed. It's all young thin whispy stuff that's not hugely noticeable, except to me :) I still have a number of white mature hairs that laser didn't catch but tweezing those is quick and easy.

IIRC ten days or so after my first session is when loads and loads of hair pretty much fell out and it was great :) I think I had about a 75% reduction just from that first session, and all subsequent sessions were to catch the rest. Each session after that it just got thinner and thinner. Having a good sweaty workout at about that time after a session was great as sweaty pores just kinda pushed the hair out and I could just wipe it all off.

Hi Shawna,

Thanks for your response! :-)

Say, is having sessions 4 weeks or so apart the best possible way to get rid of as many hairs as possible? I keep reading different stuff on the internet: some people say you should wait 6-8 weeks from one session to the next, but then most people seem to have them 4 weeks apart. My tech also recommended to have them 4 weeks apart...

Cheers,
Andrea

Use a good moisturizer with a high SPF.  One to keep your skin light for the laser, and two, your skin will be sensitive to the sun.

Quote from: Ms. OBrien on June 14, 2012, 07:59:52 PM
Use a good moisturizer with a high SPF.  One to keep your skin light for the laser, and two, your skin will be sensitive to the sun.

This is very good advice!!! Sun exposure is baddd, and tanning is RIGHT OUT. Apparently tanning after laser can promoye hyperpigmentation...as in permanent dark splotches on the skin.You also want to remain as fair as possible to keep the contrast between hair and skin as great as possible. You'd be keen to avoid the sun alltogether...that goes for anyone really as the sun is proven time and again to be the worst thing for aging as it is.
.

It's SO important to find people who know what they're doing. After four treatments at one spa clinic (through Groupon), I haven't seen the sort of results that I should be. They were using a LightSheer, and I don't think that the techs were well trained.

I just had a treatment from a really experienced aesthetician (friend of my bff), and holy s#*% what a difference!

She used a http://www.opusmed.com/f1laser.html (http://www.opusmed.com/f1laser.html) and the difference is amazing. It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced (and I have a very high pain tolerance), but I can easily tell that the results will be drastic.

Quote from: rachl on June 23, 2012, 06:58:59 PM
She used a http://www.opusmed.com/f1laser.html (http://www.opusmed.com/f1laser.html) and the difference is amazing. It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced (and I have a very high pain tolerance), but I can easily tell that the results will be drastic.

As long as you're not getting burned by it!  My first session really hurt and I remember trying to rub as much aloe vera gel into my face as I could for about the next 6-8 hours.  Each session after that was less intense but could definitely feel it each time.  In the last few sessions, my tech has changed the aperture to increase the intensity on the laser and it's back to the higher pain levels but she's nuking the little buggers that refused to die before.

Now in maintenance mode, there is more growth than I'd like to see but it's not dense at all. Since laser, I haven't had to use foundation or concealer regularly but I keep a little concealer around at the end of the day just in case.  Eventually I'll get electro for whatever's left at the end of this maintenance round of laser.

Quote from: ShawnaB on June 25, 2012, 12:03:27 PM
As long as you're not getting burned by it!  My first session really hurt and I remember trying to rub as much aloe vera gel into my face as I could for about the next 6-8 hours.  Each session after that was less intense but could definitely feel it each time.  In the last few sessions, my tech has changed the aperture to increase the intensity on the laser and it's back to the higher pain levels but she's nuking the little buggers that refused to die before.

Now in maintenance mode, there is more growth than I'd like to see but it's not dense at all. Since laser, I haven't had to use foundation or concealer regularly but I keep a little concealer around at the end of the day just in case.  Eventually I'll get electro for whatever's left at the end of this maintenance round of laser.

She puts a little sheet of plastic over the skin so it doesn't burn. She started too high and I got a wicked blister on that spot, but elsewhere was relatively fine. I'm glad you had such good results. I'm hoping to be essentially done with 2 more sessions.

I have been having laser for 4 sessions now, which means 4 regular sessions and 4 touch ups. It was quite amazing that it shed so much after the first session, I wasnt shaved as close as I couldve been and i did have pretty substantial beard growth in general. i am light with dark hair so that helps. After the first I shaved too soon and I did break out, which I never do. It was sad for a little while but then it mostly all came off and I couldnt believe it. It does regrow in cycles and you have to let them come in and zap them at a proper interval. The laser and place is most important, good laser will make all the difference. Pick a place that only does laser hair removal and expect to pay more for a more thorough experience.
After the 3rd session which is the middle session, they recommend that I wait 8 wks instead of 5 to let more growth out. In between sessions it always all falls off and always grows back but finer, lighter, less noticeable each time. It is a quick way to kill many hairs so you dont have to spend years doing electrolysis, only a few sessions. After each regrowth and session they will increase the intensity and the zapped hairs will become more like charcoal, actually more noticeable until they push out and fall off, just be patient. Exfoliate as much as you can and shave rarely. As much as I loathe facial hair, this has been wonderful for me, but still does require patience in the short and long run.

Do any of you get numbing cream? I must have the only place who does that. For $15 I get a portion of prescription cream, smather it about and wait 45 min to an hour. The session still hurts, but not as much. Its a refrigerated white cream. Anyone else?

Quote from: MiaOhMya! on August 17, 2012, 03:43:32 PM
Do any of you get numbing cream? I must have the only place who does that. For $15 I get a portion of prescription cream, smather it about and wait 45 min to an hour. The session still hurts, but not as much. Its a refrigerated white cream. Anyone else?

In the beginning the cream would have been nice, but now I don't really need it.there isn't much left so it doesn't really hurt all that much. Now, when I have to get certain areas down there done before surgery, the cream is going to be a must have.

Just had my first one.

- First half: almost crying

- Second half: Accepting and breathing deeply.

Quote from: MiaOhMya! on August 17, 2012, 03:43:32 PM
Do any of you get numbing cream? I must have the only place who does that. For $15 I get a portion of prescription cream, smather it about and wait 45 min to an hour. The session still hurts, but not as much. Its a refrigerated white cream. Anyone else?

I had the cream for my first session.. still stung like heck, and the chin, jaw and upperlip OUCH! I have the second today and will be asking to get numbed  up again since the first time she used a lower setting to test out my skin reaction.  Since aparently my skin can bounce back quickly she may up it for round two.  But my tech said for the amount of folicals I have numbing was a good idea.. and she was right!