Laser hair removal - anyone had laser hair removal done?

[saramac]

Hi Rachel,

Ipl and Spl are a different type of medium to Laser.
They use many different wavelengths of light to be attracted to certain things such as pigment, blood vessels and melanin in hair.
Laser uses 1 direct beam to target what its after.

I havent used SPL or know much about it but would assume it is in the same family as IPL.

IPL is good for treating different concerns as it has the many light waves to pick up different things.

[C~Q]

Ok, thanks!

[BellyBelly]

Its d-day tomorrow! I have decided to go without emla until I have decided if I can tolerate it or not, they told me to give it a go as they have some fan-dangle machine which doesn't hurt as much as the older model, so will give it a go. I will use the emla next time if I can't stand it though. Better shave tonight - will let you know how I go ladies!!! oOooooOh nervous now!!! But very excited

[BellyBelly]

I DID IT!!! WOOT! I cant believe I was getting so worked up about it. They use a Ruby machine (apparently there arent many around due to the cost, only a few in Victoria) and they said it's much less painful than the older ones they had... well....

Underarms - barely felt a thing! If anything, a bit of warmth on my skin. But could do that for hours on end - just did not feel it.

Bikini - same - felt like warmth, with one or two hairs getting a little pinch sensation, at the strength of about half the feeling of plucking a hair... nothing!!! I had a fair few pinchy feelings on the butt though (someones gotta report back about it lol) but nothing where I wanted her to stop.

All in all - MUCH less painful than waxing (I wouldnt even call it painful) and its more permanent! Hooray for laser!!!!!!!! I have no redness, no soreness, nothing. But I guess people react differently - for me, it was nothing Next session in 5 weeks time

[Astrolady]

Woohoo Kelly !! That was quick. Glad to hear you didn't explode any Melbourne windows due to screaming LOL

Love

[BellyBelly]

LOL :P

Waxing is more likely to do that to me... funny I was fine during pregnancy and now it is worse!!! Weird... maybe it was the person doing it who knows....

[MsPink]

way to go Kelly....you will sooooooooo love the results..

[FluffyLaRue]

oh I'm SOLD after reading this thread! I have the most awful wookie legs.... mmm Perfect chrissie gift for DH to get me! Kelly where in Melb did you go?

[BellyBelly]

I can't wait for my next session - I am so looking forward to no hair. One of the women who works there had her underarms done and said she has had no regrowth for 4 months!!! OMG! I can't wait for that. Over summer too - niiiiiice.

I went to Skin Systems in Camberwell - they have another branch somewhere I think closer to you. Just find out who has those Ruby machines - they rock - no pain!!! If you find it a bit ouchy, just get some Emla, but try it without first, it might not hurt and also Emla is $65 for a 30ml (?) tube.

[FluffyLaRue]

woohoo! I'm going to Camberwell! I used to live in Hawthorn and any excuse to head over to that part of town is a good one!
Maybe they can zap the eyebrow hairs that lost their sense of direction and turned up on my chin......

[BellyBelly]

Let me know how you go!!!!

[FluffyLaRue]

I'm currently lobbying DH to make it my Christmas gift heheheh. I've emailed them for a rough quote too.

[BellyBelly]

They have a special at the moment - bikini and underarm for $250. It works out half price underarm if you get your bikini done. Bearing in mind you need around 4-6 sessions - a session being every 4-6 weeks.

[Jodie259]

Just thought I would paste this news article from news.com.au today:

Burns, scarring from inept beauty therapists

BEAUTY treatment clients are suffering burns and scarring at the hands of poorly trained therapists and cosmetic surgeons in the unregulated laser therapy industry, health professionals have warned.

With cheap laser machines easily available via the internet and no laws regulating therapists, anyone can start treating clients, Fairfax newspapers report.

Health professionals have warned of the dangers of clients with skin imperfections who may be in the hands of poorly trained therapists.

Victorian Health Services commissioner Beth Wilson believes clients will be protected only if the state government introduces regulations similar to those in Britain, where laser and intense pulsed light (IPL) machines, salons and therapists must be officially registered.

as a beauty therapist myself - I can't stress enough that people should do their research before contemplating laser therapy. As the article says; there are a lot of 'cheap' laser machines on the market and even more untrained people using them. Some of them can be just pointless (think of the 'electrolysis machines' that were sold on morning TV)... and some of them can be dangerous and lead to permanent scarring.
The price of the treatment is not an indicator of the machine or the therapist using it. So paying more will not necessarily get you a better treatment.
In my years in the beauty industry - I have seen many "laser clinics" open - and close - because their machines were not effective.

Having said all that - laser is an awesome treatment if you have the right machine, the right therapist - and the right skin to be able to do the treatment.
Many people have the impression that laser is just "one" treatment and the hair never grows back. This could not be further from the truth. Any business that tries to claim that - avoid them! Laser involves many treatments...and they are usually quite expensive. The hair becomes finer... and with the best machines/hair type - you hair should stop growing back - but not 100%. Usually you will find that a small amount of hair will continue to grow back... but it will not be too obvious. It is usually finer & has lost it's colour pigment.

My advice for anyone contemplating laser is to do your research, and to only go to a salon/clinic that you have been recommended to by someone who has had successful treatment.
If you go to a salon/clinic - ask if they have a "guarantee". ie: after XX amount of treatments that the hair will be gone - or they either (1) continue treatments for free or (2) refund part of your money. If they cannot give that guarantee - then I would question the effectiveness of the machine/operator.

[Lissie]

Jodie,

One question - i am interested in lazer hair removal - will do my research first though but my question is do you have to have the hair a certain length for removal or can they do this on shaven or plucked or waxed areas - i mean does the hair have to be say 1mm long or something?

[BellyBelly]

Ideally you shave the day before, the hair needs to be in the growth phase. You are advised not to pluck or wax afterwards, only shaving so you get the best results. No waxing or plucking before the laser too!

[Jodie259]

there you go.... Kelly has answered the question.

The laser needs to "see" the dark pigmented hair - so you shouldn't pluck or wax it out....
as Kelly says... you shave just prior to the treatment.

Hairs are always in different stages of growth. This is the reason that laser cannot permanantly remove hair in one session. The "anagen" hairs are the brand new hairs growing beneath the surface. Those anagen hairs push out the "telogen" hairs (older ones). Hairs do not all grow at the same time... so one laser session will get one set of 'telogen' hairs... then a month or so later, another session will get the next phase of hairs.

[BellyBelly]

Ahhhhh now I get it Have been told before but that is so much easier to understand!!!! I tend to zone out when it gets too technical!!!