Jump to content
  • Welcome to the TransPulse Forums!

    We offer a safe, inclusive community for transgender and gender non-conforming folks, as well as their loved ones, to find support and information.  Join today!

I Had My First Laser Session Today


Sally

Recommended Posts

OK, I had that first session today and while I must say that it hurts a but less than electrolysis painless it ain't!

Someone told me that it would feel like getting snapped with a rubber band - if that is the case they were using a rubber band that could launch a Space Shuttle.

I had really not worked on a Tuesday since I started on this job the two exceptions both brought me in at 2 PM or after so a 10:30 appointment didn't make me need to fill out a schedule request and i would still be able to go in as myself and then come home before going to work, right?

Not a chance - start at noon so I had to go in male work mode but the ladies were very nice and when my technician, Lisa came over to introduce herself she asked me what I would like to be called, I replied that I would prefer to be called Sally, her response was, "OK, Sally would you follow me please."

We walked down the hall and into a rather spacious room with nothing in it but a table, a chair for the technician and the laser - I laid down on the table and we discussed my fair skin and Lisa gave me a little time as she wanted me to relax a bit more and assured me that she would be able to get me to work on time even with the additional time for the numbing cream to work.

I mentioned to Lisa that I had a couple of tiny scars from my electrolysis attempt and while noting that anyone who could burn you with electrolysis was not very good she did lower the power on the first unnumbed test because of my fair skin - YIKES!

She then applied the cream and turned the lights down low, turned on some soft music and told me to just relax while the cream was taking effect as she left the room she told me that the room could get a bit warm at times so she was going to leave the door open.

When she came back we started for real, she looked at the test spot and it was a bit too red for her liking so she turned the power down just a bit more - the first zap showed that the cream was working - this snap would have been from a rubber band that could barely move a freight train, the next was on the heaviest concentration of dark hairs that I have - WOW!

She decreased the power another setting and said that we would start with a much lower power for a couple of sessions and slowly work it up in each session as my skin becomes more accustomed to the laser - she wants to remove the hair but does not want to leave any burns or scarring.

It wasn't really too bad but it isn't anything that I would want to do as a hobby or to relax.

I scheduled my next appointment, went to work and filled out a time off request for that day - I am not going in as male again!

Love ya,

Sally

Link to comment
Guest chngnwnd

If it makes you feel any better, I cried through my entire session the last time I had a laser treatment - and I go again Friday (most likely with higher power).

Hang in there, it is worth the pain.

hugs

Bobbi

Link to comment
Guest Donna Jean

.

Wonderful, Sally....

You are finally getting it all done. Good for you....

Well, as a girl of many hours of electrolysis, I know the pain for gain equation...

You're not very much in need of massive amounts of Laser...it'll go fast, Honey...

Hang in there, girlfriend...

LOVE & HUGGS!

Donna Jean

Link to comment
Guest sarah f

Sally I am so happy that you have started. The pain is definately there during each session. I tried the cream but after a few sessions it just wasn't helping that much.

I am now over 10 sessions in and let me tell you it really hurts because of the intensity level they have it set at. I always have tears come to my eyes.

I just can't tell though wich hurts more between Laser and Electrolysis. I think it is a toss up.

I hope your skin starts to get used to the laser so they can turn it up and get rid of those nasty little hairs.

Link to comment

They actually hurt about the same but with laser it is only about 20 bursts for the entire chin where elctro is - how many thousands?

Love ya,

Sally

Link to comment
  • Admin

Good for you, Sally! Well, you know the saying, no pain, no... well, like I said, you know the saying.

Did they give you chemical ice packs to use afterwards? Those help me, along with the gel lotion skin care product.

But everyplace is different.

It does work, girl. Slowly, yes, but it does work.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

Link to comment

They didn't give me nothin' but then I didn't have any redness or any pain afterward, just when the laser fired.

Lizzy dragged me out into the Sun today - all over the French Quarter - I stayed in the shade but we even ate on a balcony by the statue of Joan of Ark and in the court yard of Pat O'Brien's where Lizzy learned that one Hurricane is beyond her limit now.

I did stay in the shade and had a wonderful day.

Love ya,

Sally

Link to comment
Guest Miss_Construe

OK, I had that first session today and while I must say that it hurts a but less than electrolysis painless it ain't!

Someone told me that it would feel like getting snapped with a rubber band - if that is the case they were using a rubber band that could launch a Space Shuttle.

... sorry ... :blush:

I am afraid that I have perpetuated that here at some point. I agree that it doesn't feel great. Not a friendly snap, but more like you trashed your older brother's room and now he is sitting on top of you, pulling a fresh rubber band back as far as it will go and snapping while repeatedly asking "why are you hitting yourself?"

I have only had one session, but now my 9am shadow doesn't look like someone else's two day growth. I have been letting my beard grow wild since it is actually some pretty good sun protection and it is a half-hour walk to work, and 2 weeks post session my beard was falling out in handfuls. Now it doesn't really grow, and I can say that I am really happy about that :D <'SQUEEE'>.

Amy

Link to comment
Guest NatashaJade

They didn't give me nothin' but then I didn't have any redness or any pain afterward, just when the laser fired.

Lizzy dragged me out into the Sun today - all over the French Quarter - I stayed in the shade but we even ate on a balcony by the statue of Joan of Ark and in the court yard of Pat O'Brien's where Lizzy learned that one Hurricane is beyond her limit now.

I did stay in the shade and had a wonderful day.

Love ya,

Sally

Awesome, Sally. Y'all know it is a dream of mine to share a rum beverage with the two of you down in the French Quarter someday (or at least a chickory coffee). Be sure to wear a good sunblock. I use Olay Complete. It has an SPF 15. As far as the pain, don't worry. It gets much much worse. I didn't cry when we started but now, whenever she gets to my upper lip, well, as Dee Jay says, DANG!!! The tears do flow.

But it's worth it!!!

love

Gin

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...
Guest NatashaJade

Just had my second session and it was a lot less intense pain wise.

Well, my dear, I just had my 10th and while she only worked on the area around my mouth, I was crying. But I had some extra time on the clock, so I had her clean up my hands a little where the epilator was failing to kill off some hairs and then she zapped my eyebrows a bit to start my slow process of taming that area for good. But the longer you go, the more stubborn the hairs left are and the higher the settings are. Fun!

xoxo

Gin

Link to comment

For me the 1st was the most painful, and then the 7th one. I have had 7 up to now. The last one was solely the mustache. To me it felt like someone poured boiling water over my face. I can't see where that rubber-band idea comes from, the feeling was far from it. Yeah, maybe on your chest it might feel like a rubber band, but try the mustache and it 'l be another story.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Who's Online   2 Members, 0 Anonymous, 129 Guests (See full list)

    • RaineOnYourParade
    • MaybeRob
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      80.7k
    • Total Posts
      768.5k
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      12,029
    • Most Online
      8,356

    Selkimur
    Newest Member
    Selkimur
    Joined
  • Today's Birthdays

    1. BraxtonLee
      BraxtonLee
      (26 years old)
    2. Bryanna
      Bryanna
      (45 years old)
    3. Jayde1
      Jayde1
    4. Mireya
      Mireya
      (66 years old)
    5. Shellianne_Kay83
      Shellianne_Kay83
      (41 years old)
  • Posts

    • April Marie
      I read each of your entries and learn so much. Thank you, especially, for the TransCentralPA info. I have been looking fora group and activities where I could express myself safely and with support. I missed this year's conference but next year might be possible and I am going to look at their other events, too.
    • April Marie
      Leadership and Management, the differences and similarities between the two as well as the applications of military leadership principles across the spectrum of professions.
    • Abigail Genevieve
      I have read numerous accounts of trans folk no longer being welcome among evangelicals.   I am here for help and fellowship not to rebuke anyone.  I can take a pretty high degree of insult, etc., and you haven't insulted me, to my recollection anyway :) and I usually let it go.  But I thought I would let it all out there.   I am sure I disagree with you on numerous issues.  I appreciate other people's viewpoints, including those who radically disagree with me.  Intellectual challenge is good. One thing I appreciate about @MaeBe.
    • Abigail Genevieve
      Congrats!
    • Sally Stone
      Post 8 “The Ohio Years” We moved to Pittsburgh because of the job with US Airways.  The job involved classroom instruction and simulator training, but no actual flying, so I kept looking for an actual pilot position.  A year after signing on with US Airways I got hired to fly business jets.  The company was located in Cleveland, Ohio, but I was flown commercially from my home in Pittsburgh to where my aircraft was located, making it unnecessary to live near company headquarters.    My flight scheduled consisted of eight days on duty with seven days off.  Having seven days off in a row was great but being gone from home eight days in a row was difficult.  For the first few years the flying was fun, but after a while the eight flying days in a row, were taking their toll on me.  Those days were brutal, consisting of very long hours and a lot of flying time.  Usually, I came home exhausted and need three days just to recover from the work week.  Flying for a living is glamorous until you actually do it.  Quickly, it became just a job.    After five years as a line captain, I became a flight department manager, which required we live near company headquarters.  That meant a move to Cleveland.  Working in the office meant I was home every night but as a manager, the schedule was still challenging.  I would work in the office all week and then be expected to go out and fly the line on weekends.  I referred to it as my “5 on 2 on” schedule, because it felt as though I had no time off at all.   About the same time, we moved to Cleveland, my wife and I became “empty nesters,” with one son in the military and the other away at college.  Sadly, my work schedule didn’t leave much time for Sally.  Add to the fact that while Cleveland is an awesome city, I just never felt comfortable expressing my feminine side.  Most of my outings, and believe me there weren’t enough, occurred while I was on vacation and away from home.   One of the most memorable outings occurred over a long weekend.  I had stumbled across an online notice for a spring formal being held in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, hosted by a local trans group there.  I reached out to Willa to see if she was up for an excellent adventure.  She was, so I picked her up and we drove to Harrisburg together.    The formal was held on Saturday evening and we had the absolute best time.  It turned out that organizers were a group named TransCentralPA.  Everyone was wonderful and I made a lot of new friends that evening.  We learned the spring formal was one of the group’s annual events but for the following year, instead of a spring formal, the group wanted to do a local transgender conference.  That local conference would become the Keystone Conference, and I would attend every year for the next 12.  My move to the west coast was the only reason I stopped attending annually.  I went to the first annual Keystone Conference as an attendee, but in subsequent years I served as a volunteer and as a workshop presenter; more about those in the next installment.   For my Cleveland years, the Keystone Conference would be my major outlet for feminine self-expression.  Yes, I did get out on other occasions, but they were too infrequent.  The managerial job just didn’t allow me the freedom I needed to adequately live my feminine life, and my frustration level was slowly, but steadily on the rise.  It amazed me how adversely not being able to express the feminine half of my personality was affecting my happiness.   However, a major life change was upcoming, and while it would prove to be a significant challenge in many ways, the events would ultimately benefit my female persona.  First, my mom and dad got sick.  They were in and out of the hospital and required personal care.  My wife and I did our best but living in Cleveland, we were too far from them to give them the support they both needed.  Second, I was experiencing serious job burn out.  I decided I need to find another job and I needed to be closer to my parents.    Things changed for the better when I got hired by an aviation training company as a flight simulator instructor.  I would be training business jet pilots.  The training facility was located in New Jersey, which put us much closer to my parents, and the work schedule was much better for quality of life.  Most importantly, this life change would help Sally re-emerge and once again flower.    Hugs,   Sally       
    • Mmindy
      I made a living talking about bulk liquids in cargo tanks transportation as a driver and mechanic. Safe loading/unloading, cleaning and inspecting, as well as emergency response scenarios.   Hazmat and fire behavior in the fire service as well as emergency vehicle operations and safe driving. "It was on fire when they called you. It will be on fire when you get there." Arrive ready to work. I could also talk about firefighter behavioral  heath and the grieving process.   The real fun thing is I can do this for people who are not Truck Drivers or Fire Fighters. Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Citizen Tax payers about Public Safety Education.   I love public speaking,   Mindy🌈🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋
    • Mmindy
      Congratulations to the mom and family @Ivy on the addition of another child.   Hugs,   Mindy🌈🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋
    • MaeBe
      Congrats to you and yours!
    • Ashley0616
      YAY! Congratulations on a granddaughter!
    • Ashley0616
      I recommend CarComplaints.com | Car Problems, Car Complaints, & Repair/Recall Information. A lot of good information
    • LucyF
      I've got Spironolactone ___mg and Evorel ___mcg Patches (2 a week) going up to ___mg after 4 weeks 
    • Ivy
      Got a new Granddaughter this morning.  Mother and child (and father) are doing fine. This makes 7 granddaughters and one grandson.  I have 2 sons and 6 daughters myself.  And then I  switched teams.  I think this stuff runs in the family. Another hard day for the patriarchy.
    • Ivy
      Like @MaeBe pointed out, Trump won't do these things personally.  I doubt that he actually gives a rat's a$$ himself.  But he is the foot in the door for the others.   I don't really see this.  Personally, I am all in favor of "traditional" families.  I raised my own kids this way and it can work fine.  But I think we need to allow for other variations as well.   One thing working against this now is how hard it is for a single breadwinner to support a family.  Many people (I know some) would prefer "traditional" if they could actually afford it.  Like I mentioned, we raised our family with this model, but we were always right at the poverty level.   I was a "conservative evangelical" for most of my life, actually.  So I do understand this.  Admittedly, I no longer consider myself one. I have family members still in this camp.  Some tolerate me, one actually rejects me.  I assure you the rejection is on her side, not mine.  But, I understand she believes what she is doing is right - 'sa pity though. I mean no insult toward anyone on this forum.  You're free to disagree with me.  Many people do.   This is a pretty complex one.  Socialism takes many forms, many of which we accept without even realizing it.  "Classism" does exist, for what it's worth.  Always has, probably always will.  But I don't feel like that is a subject for this forum.   As for the election, it's shaping up to be another one of those "hold your nose" deals.
    • Ivy
      Just some exerts regarding subjects of interest to me.
    • Ivy
      Yeah.  In my early teens I trained myself out of a few things that I now wish I hadn't.
  • Upcoming Events

Contact TransPulse

TransPulse can be contacted in the following ways:

Email: Click Here.

To report an error on this page.

Legal

Your use of this site is subject to the following rules and policies, whether you have read them or not.

Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
DMCA Policy
Community Rules

Hosting

Upstream hosting for TransPulse provided by QnEZ.

Sponsorship

Special consideration for TransPulse is kindly provided by The Breast Form Store.
×
×
  • Create New...