Quote from: Dyan on March 10, 2011, 11:23:45 PM
If you think laser hurts - try electrolysis.  OUCH!!!!

Did 6 sessions of laser then have done about 8 sessions of electrolysis. I would trade anything for electrolysis to hurt like laser. Electrolysis is what separates the guys from the women. Guys would never be able to handle this crap.

Thanks Dana!!    You just confirmed my lingering doubts about being TS. 

I must be really lucky. It didn't hurt that much for me on the first session, I had hardly any redness and I noticed that my beard was a quite a bit lighter when It grew a few days after. I have a whole lot of blonde hairs though, and they will not succumb to lasers. That means I'll have undergo the torture of electrolysis at some time in the future...so maybe not so lucky after all.

 

So for those who have done it, did laser first, then electrolysis work well for you? Is it just faster results, or did you save significant money that way too (due to fewer sessions and whatnot?)

I'm curious because I'm fairly certain some of my facial hair is blonde (I haven't let it grow fully in quite a while) so I may end up needing electrolysis either way. I hadn't really considered laser until this thread though.

See if you can find a place that uses the LightSheer Duet (trade name).  It is said to attack the blood supply to the follicles, not the hair itself - it does not carbonize the hair (I just had it done for the first time with that on Session #3).  I'll let you know if it seriously reduces my grey, but I won't know for a few weeks.

I just had my first laser (GentleLase) session and it's a facial massage compared to electrolysis. I used my usual electro combo of lidocaine 5% topical (over the counter) plus hydrocodone bitartrate 7.5mg/acetaminophen for laser today, and it was a breeze. I think I might not even take the hydrocodone next time.

To everybody who finds laser really painful, what anesthetic do you use? I'd recommend lidocaine or EMLA topical if you're not already using it.

I use no anesthetic for my face, but I did use EMLA for the scrotum.  There was no pain at all during the downstairs part, but the face was painful.  Not after, but during, particularly in the mustache area.

Quote from: LifeInNeon on March 19, 2011, 03:15:23 PM
So for those who have done it, did laser first, then electrolysis work well for you? Is it just faster results, or did you save significant money that way too (due to fewer sessions and whatnot?)

I'm curious because I'm fairly certain some of my facial hair is blonde (I haven't let it grow fully in quite a while) so I may end up needing electrolysis either way. I hadn't really considered laser until this thread though.

Faster results and a ton of money saved I would say. I started with electro and wasn't happy with the speed of results and decided to give laser a shot, omg I'm still kicking myself for not starting laser a long time ago.

As far as the blonde hair, some of mine is too, but if the majority of your beard is black/brown, laser is well worth it. I'll still need a fair amount of electro to get rid of the blonde stuff, but since it's hardly visable I'm in no hurry there.

Quote from: rieko on March 19, 2011, 05:45:26 PM......To everybody who finds laser really painful, what anesthetic do you use? I'd recommend lidocaine or EMLA topical if you're not already using it.

I find it pretty painful, but then again I use nothing for anesthetic before or after. My face is neon red for a few hours afterward but looks like a mild sunburn within half a day. Soreness usually last 3-4 days for me. I had my most recent session 2 days ago and I'm still a little red and tender, this is my 4th session.

These may be helpful to someone here (note... in none of these had I had laser done on my sideburns, didn't start that until the 3rd session)

Me, 3 days growth, pre laser:



Me after 1st session (24 hours growth):






Me after 2 sessions, no idea how much growth:



Didn't take any after the 3rd, but I just snapped this one a few minutes ago. This is after my 4th session (58 hours ago), 4th session for neck/chin/lip, second for sideburns. 58 hours growth, no shedding from this session yet:




I have noticed some hyperpigmentation in one spot, you can see it near the mole on my cheek... stays pretty red all the time now, looks like I've been outside on a really cold day :/

~Sara

Quote from: Colleen Ireland on March 19, 2011, 03:47:00 PM
See if you can find a place that uses the LightSheer Duet (trade name).  It is said to attack the blood supply to the follicles, not the hair itself - it does not carbonize the hair (I just had it done for the first time with that on Session #3).  I'll let you know if it seriously reduces my grey, but I won't know for a few weeks.

That is the one used on me. It works exactly the same as other lasers. The duet part is the larger laser head which incorporates a vacuum, they use it on large skin areas  where it can do a larger area than the smaller laser.

Cindy

Quote from: Miss_Anthropic on March 20, 2011, 11:29:47 PM
I find it pretty painful, but then again I use nothing for anesthetic before or after. My face is neon red for a few hours afterward but looks like a mild sunburn within half a day. Soreness usually last 3-4 days for me

~Sara

This describes me pretty well. On my 2 day growth, I don't really get anything that you can see with the exception of that one trouble spot on my chin, and a light shadow on my upper lip. But my beard area was practically eliminated on just the first treatment.

*Trembling in fear* Okay you girls have prepped me enough. I'll be going under the laser gun tomorrow. We'll see how much I can tolerate the pain. Plus, I have a lot more hair that you girls do, so I am imagining a lot of tears rolling down my cheeks. 

Quote from: Stephanie.Izann on March 24, 2011, 07:05:59 PM
*Trembling in fear* Okay you girls have prepped me enough. I'll be going under the laser gun tomorrow. We'll see how much I can tolerate the pain. Plus, I have a lot more hair that you girls do, so I am imagining a lot of tears rolling down my cheeks. 

Good luck! I'll be with you in spirit as I'm going in tomorrow to start on my chest, and believe me, there is plenty of hair there :/

~Sara

So, I'm pretty sure I'm an idiot for even thinking about it, but has anyone heard anything about that SensEpil at home, not laser, flashy light hair removal thing? 

This one.

Common sense tells me anything sold in an infomercial and available for three easy payments must be junk, but my eagerness has made me vulnerable.  I need someone to tell me that this device sucks before I hemorrhage $500 on it.  How do they know me so well?

It is useless. Has nowhere near the power of the salon lasers. Save your money for a professional job.

Cindy

That's good to know.  I keep hearing conflicting reviews on it.  I'm guessing people that paid the bill for it want to feel better about it.

It may have an effect on very light hair but for us

Cindy

Your $500 would be MUCH better spent at a professional laser hair removal clinic.  There is NO home laser/diode/LED device available that is capable of permanently removing hair.  Any device powerful enough to perform that task is regulated and sold only to medical professionals.

stick with it! I've been having my face done since '99.. the pain is pretty much non existent for me at this point, and my red blotchyness is gone in a few hours.
It definitely gets easier over time.

Ok it's true!  It hurts like a Mo-Fo!  ;p

It DID help to have lidocaine cream at 23%.  It numbed my face really well. The part that hurt was right under the nose.  WOW, talk about making a grown girl cry. OUCH.

Still, I left with a Star on my forehead (just like in Kinder) for being such a good girl throughout. 

Quote from: Stephanie.Izann on March 25, 2011, 10:07:22 PM
Ok it's true!  It hurts like a Mo-Fo!  ;p

It DID help to have lidocaine cream at 23%.  It numbed my face really well. The part that hurt was right under the nose.  WOW, talk about making a grown girl cry. OUCH.

Still, I left with a Star on my forehead (just like in Kinder) for being such a good girl throughout. 

Congrats Honey,
It does get less painful each time as the hair density decreases, also a lot quicker, my face now takes 15 mins as there is little hair left.. I've got a follow up session next tuesday. Going to start on my legs as well, so I've done face, chest, tummy,

And remember Big Girls do cry

Cindy