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Having my first laser session tomorrow...

Started by michelle666, April 11, 2012, 05:25:51 AM

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michelle666

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?
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justmeinoz

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.
"Don't ask me, it was on fire when I lay down on it"
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michelle666

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

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.
"Don't ask me, it was on fire when I lay down on it"
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Jeneva

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.
Blessed Be!

Jeneva Caroline Samples
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michelle666

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.
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Maja.V

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

michelle666

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?
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michelle666

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.
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Maja.V

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

Cindy

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
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michelle666

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!
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justmeinoz

I had a couple of times where it seemed to hit a nerve randomly, and Ow!
"Don't ask me, it was on fire when I lay down on it"
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Cindy

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

Just Silly

Things we do

Hugs
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michelle666

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?
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Jeneva

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.
Blessed Be!

Jeneva Caroline Samples
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michelle666

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.
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MiaOhMya!

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.
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michelle666

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.
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MiaOhMya!

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.

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