Bad reaction to first laser session.

[Alexa Ares]

Hi Ladies,
I have done over 30 hours of tattooing down the years and was expecting laser to the face to be okay.
I like think I'm a tough one so to speak.

Laser beat the crap out of me! I've got a glandular reaction and am getting checked out at A and E. 72 hours after treatment.
I have a very thick beard and dark hair so I NEED this, Need the beard gone so an willing to take pain.
Am booked in for next session in 3 weeks.

I just want to know others experience of laser and the first session, second session, third session. Etc. Chin area is all full of puss and white heads.  Cheek is fine. Can overall see some hairless.

I think I made a big error shaving 4 hours before laser. 12 would have been better.  I also hit the gym that day so face was probably warmer than it should have been.

Advise?
Opinions?
Is getting beat up by it normal first time out for trans females with thick beards?

[Colleen_definitely]

I broke out like that after my first one.  Lots of little infected follicles, and likely because I shaved about 2 hours prior to my first session.  It cleared up, and other than 2-3 infected follicles per session afterward it did not recur. 

[Alexa Ares]

Thanks Colleen,hopefully I'm the same.
And nothing too bad next time.

Would you advise me to leave at least 12 hours after shaving next time?  2 hours before must have hurt.

The therapist likes to do a dry shave too on the day, which I had for a patch test which marked up. But not for the treatment.

Ultimately these sort of procedures hurt,  as long as there's no long term damage I'm okay with some pain.
The idea of having alot less facial hair and minimal shadow is very good and something I need.

[Colleen_definitely]

I have always shaved about 2-3 hours prior to my sessions and haven't had any issues other than the first one. 

[Alexa Ares]

Okay next time out I  will shave the night before to be safe.  My technican is advising 3-4 weeks between laser.
I'm reading alot to suggest 4-6 so I guess we will see how my skin is next week. Right now alot of pain and swelling.

[Charlotte F]

Hey Alexa

Sorry to hear you've not had the best of experiences.  I normally have a high pain threshold but this does hurt like hell especially on the top lip and chin

I shave first thing in the morning and then go for an evening appointment.  I don't drink any caffeine that day and I make sure I drink lots of water throughout the day (try to get almost colourless pee).  About 30-60 minutes before the appointment I take some ibuprofen.  During the session, I use breathing techniques from yoga which help keep me relaxed and control the pain

I can't say it has ever been a pleasurable experience but at each session, the power gets turned up, however, the more techniques I have introduced, the less the pain has been

[Alexa Ares]

Hi Charlotte thanks for the advice and kind words.  I will take the Ibuprofen next time out. Your Avatar looks great BTW. Inspiring.

I will say overall am happy to be on this board, as everyone is decent here. Its taken me years to talk to Girls like me, but it is good to do so.

I read on another post about how well Laser cleared your face, and Im hoping if lucky I can get some similar results myself ie see some significant facial hair loss. As my Wife says, nothing quite screams Man like a beard does, so its a big part of Transiton for those of us with strong beards (I have this misfortune).

My Immune system has reacted badly to this first session, so will follow up in 5 weeks or so with a second one to assess how this goes. If its equally bad (Am on anti biotics, and alot of swelling 4 days after treatment), Electrolysis it will have to be for me.  If its not great but not terrible, I will try a 3rd.

I can already see areas where it has taken off some hair, but it has not been dramatic as yet...Im realistic about these processes and would say overall given my life, and responsiblities and desire to be certain that every change is what needs to be done, End Destination of Transition for me is not going to be a quick 18 month process, more likely 8-13 years. Which Im okay with as I have little support in my life beyond my wife and children so they are not people I want to alienate in a rush to be authentic at all costs. 

[jill610]

Wow this sounds so eerily familiar to my first laser. It was so terrible that I really thought about walking away from the set I had prepaid for. After a few days I started putting hydrocortisone creme on a few times a day for several day and that made a massive difference and within 2-3 days I was almost entirely cleared up.

I had my latest session yesterday, put the creme on when I got home and less than 24 hours later you'd never know it. So hang in there, the first time is definitely the worst and at least in my experience, it does get better.

On the shaving frequency I'm not sure I have seen a difference, on my first time I had shaved in the morning and the treatment was at 3 in the afternoon. The second time around I shaved about an hour before and the one yesterday I literally got off the plane from a red eye and four hours later had the laser with a tiny amount of growth (36 hours). Stunk more but no more or less pain or swelling.

[Allison S]

It is very painful.  I have a very dark and coarse beard I just finished my 2nd laser session after doing 3 IPL sessions (no help at all).  It's been such a long journey for me.. it's been 4 weeks in between for all my sessions. My skin feels rough after a laser session and it's as if I can't really shave (I don't try to). 

For pain lidocaine numbing cream is usually used. I heard placing cotton balls in front of teeth help with upper lip pain. I haven't tried it yet but I think I will next time..

[Charlotte F]

Hi Alexa

I'm sure it will get better but make sure you tell your tech what happened.  They might want to reduce the power a bit for the next session to see how you cope and then slowly work up from there at future sessions.  I know my tech varies the power depending on the part of the face/body she's working on and she likes to do a patch test or two at each session to see how much she can ramp things up the next time

There's no rush to transition.  Hell, it's taken me 30 years just to come out to my parents!  As long as you're taking positive steps forward, no matter how small, it will all work out on its own and in the time it takes.  The important thing is to be comfortable in what you're doing

[DawnOday]

For pain lidocaine numbing cream is usually used. I heard placing cotton balls in front of teeth help with upper lip pain. I haven't tried it yet but I think I will next time..

Nice to know balls are useful after the orchi.   Ask your doctor for a prescription of 2.5% lidocaine and 2.5% prilocaine.  Apply it about 1 1/2 to 2 hours before the appointment and cover it with plastic wrap. Numbs it up nicely. Also drink lots of water.

[Taylorcaudle]

Hi Ladies,
I have done over 30 hours of tattooing down the years and was expecting laser to the face to be okay.
I like think I'm a tough one so to speak.

Laser beat the crap out of me! I've got a glandular reaction and am getting checked out at A and E. 72 hours after treatment.
I have a very thick beard and dark hair so I NEED this, Need the beard gone so an willing to take pain.
Am booked in for next session in 3 weeks.

I just want to know others experience of laser and the first session, second session, third session. Etc. Chin area is all full of puss and white heads.  Cheek is fine. Can overall see some hairless.

I think I made a big error shaving 4 hours before laser. 12 would have been better.  I also hit the gym that day so face was probably warmer than it should have been.

Advise?
Opinions?
Is getting beat up by it normal first time out for trans females with thick beards?

Literally some people make it sound worse then it is. I just had my first appointment and it was like a derma roller. I was done in 15 minutes and i have thick ass hair. So it gets more intense every session so you will get used to it. No worrys.

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[jill610]

Literally some people make it sound worse then it is. I just had my first appointment and it was like a derma roller. I was done in 15 minutes and i have thick ass hair. So it gets more intense every session so you will get used to it. No worrys.

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Not my experience for sure.

[Dena]

Literally some people make it sound worse then it is. I just had my first appointment and it was like a derma roller. I was done in 15 minutes and i have thick ass hair. So it gets more intense every session so you will get used to it. No worrys.

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That sounds suspiciously like IPL instead of laser. If it is IPL, it's likely that it will be relatively ineffective.

[Alexa Ares]

Jill610, Yeah it sounds like Ive had the same first time experience with this. Im confident it will get better. Am feeling a bit better today, after the Technician gave me some special cream for this sort of thing yesterday and some anti biotics that I got off the Doctor. I will consider hydrocortisone cream if I see a bad reaction next time out, hopefully I wont react as badly.

dist123, Im the same, strong beard, so it makes sense its going to hurt a little for us. Something just to get through to be true to ourselves.

Charlotte F, My Tech shes been helpful and gone out of her way to assist (sent over the cream in a taxi as I felt too beat up to pick it up). She did say next time out to maybe do half the face every 2 weeks, so that way the face can be done overall every 4 weeks. Im still thinking just to do the whole face next time to see how I react. The setting, yes she could go a little lower, but I think it was low already.

Taylorcaudle, Thats good for you, that it did not hurt, but your comment is dismissive if not outright rude, its insensitive, Ive been prescribed anti biotics for the issue. I feel you should be aware different people react different to treatments, and I dont see the point of your post except to score some points? Prehaps look at if you cant say something constructive theres no need to comment. People like Us, take enough flack without having to bitch each other out.   Just my view!

Dena , Yes maybe IPL maybe not, you know better than me on this, as I have little experience.

[Taylorcaudle]

That sounds suspiciously like IPL instead of laser. If it is IPL, it's likely that it will be relatively ineffective.

No it was definatly a diode laser. I went to laser away. And she said that most girls freak out. Im her first trans person that has walked through her door. She said the laser increases with every session the only super pinching sensation was my jawbone.

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[Taylorcaudle]

Jill610, Yeah it sounds like Ive had the same first time experience with this. Im confident it will get better. Am feeling a bit better today, after the Technician gave me some special cream for this sort of thing yesterday and some anti biotics that I got off the Doctor. I will consider hydrocortisone cream if I see a bad reaction next time out, hopefully I wont react as badly.

dist123, Im the same, strong beard, so it makes sense its going to hurt a little for us. Something just to get through to be true to ourselves.

Charlotte F, My Tech shes been helpful and gone out of her way to assist (sent over the cream in a taxi as I felt too beat up to pick it up). She did say next time out to maybe do half the face every 2 weeks, so that way the face can be done overall every 4 weeks. Im still thinking just to do the whole face next time to see how I react. The setting, yes she could go a little lower, but I think it was low already.

Taylorcaudle, Thats good for you, that it did not hurt, but your comment is dismissive if not outright rude, its insensitive, Ive been prescribed anti biotics for the issue. I feel you should be aware different people react different to treatments, and I dont see the point of your post except to score some points? Prehaps look at if you cant say something constructive theres no need to comment. People like Us, take enough flack without having to bitch each other out.   Just my view!

Dena , Yes maybe IPL maybe not, you know better than me on this, as I have little experience.

Thats good for you, that it did not hurt, but your comment is dismissive

When she asked for opinons and other peoples experience i explained what i went through. I dont see how that was dismissive.



if not outright rude, its insensitive, Ive been prescribed anti biotics for the issue.

I understand people go through diffrent things and have diffrent experiences once again why i gave my opinon like she asked for.


I feel you should be aware different people react different to treatments, and I dont see the point of your post except to score some points?

The point of my post was exactily what she said in the ops post. Your the one whos being incredibly rude. She asked for peoples opinon on laser hair removal and i gave my first experience. My experience wasnt that bad. It has nothing to do with scoring points and you have no right to attack people on someone elses post when if the op is asking for opinons and you turn around and tell people there being rude. Back off


Prehaps look at if you cant say something constructive theres no need to comment. People like Us, take enough flack without having to bitch each other out.   Just my view!

Say something constructive? I explained how it feels like an intense derma roller in my opinon. Nobody was bitching anyone out so stop attacking people. Its incredibly wrong of you to do.

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