Minimizing Lhr Pain

[Guest Audrey Elizabeth]

So tomorrow I am going to my first session for laser hair removal. It makes me so nervous every time I think about it and of course it is only a day away now. Yikes!

I was wondering if anyone knows whether these creams that are supposed to minimize the pain actually work. I got one and I am ready to use it but I was curious to know what you all thought about it? Do any of them work?

Audrey

[Guest Darcie]

I've started researching hair removal options and it didn't take long for me to decide on laser vs electrolysis. From what I've been informed so far, laser is much less painful, much cheaper, faster and unless you're dark skinned the risks of skin damage/scarring are minimal. Caveat: I've learned that there are three types of lasers. Ruby, Diode and Alexandrite. The latter having the higher (755nm) wavelength that is supposed to be the safer and more effective choice. Apparently Kaiser Permamente thinks so to because that's what they use. Cost for each session (they do the whole beard area each time) averages $175-$250 and requires a 4-6 week re-growth period between treatments to get at the re-growth follicles. Average # of treatments to complete the work 10-12 spanning about a year and half for an average face like mine. That works out to be substantially cheaper, less painful than electrolysis and each session only takes 15-20 minutes. Be super careful who you choose and what type of laser they will be zapping your pretty face with. I've heard horror stories of actual doctors disfiguring their client's by using older, cheaper lasers like the ruby and not knowing what their doing or just adopting a macho "git-er-done" attitude. This isn't a thing to bargain shop. Get references, good recent references and check the salon's credentials and for any complaints through their licensing agency before deciding which salon to use. Especially if you have darker skin. I'll try to update my personal experience and progress here as it unfolds.

Joy!

Darcie

[Guest Donna Jean]

.

Great tasting...

Less filling....

LOL...Laser Vs. Electrolysis....

The ongoing debate....

I have done 65 hours of electrolysis because my hairs are gray/white and laser won't work on them...

Most people who get Laser end up getting some electrolysis at the end because the Laser doesn't get it all...

Also remember.....Electrolysis is the only proven permanent hair removal system...

If you are getting Laser, be sure to read all the pros and cons....Google is your friend!

Good luck!

Huggs

Donna Jean

[Guest Julie T]

Audrey Elizabeth

I haven't gone the LASER path, I used electrolysis, and that had a cream I used very successfully. I know a few people who have had LASEE, and as an example, my roommate Sally used LASER several times, and lived. She used a numbing cream they applied at the clinic.

Julie

[Sally]

Dear Audry,

Yes, I did survive - largely in part by using that cream - it does actually work as a matter of fact you can feel the numbness most of the day.

You will still feel each zapp!

But remember one zapp here does what about 200 hundred or so electrolysis zapps - it may not be totally permanent but it does last for a long time and it does really destroy some of the hair follicles completely - sort of the difference between blanket bombing and going house to house and getting every enemy one at a time and believe me facial hair is your enemy.

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest Emily_MI]

So tomorrow I am going to my first session for laser hair removal. It makes me so nervous every time I think about it and of course it is only a day away now. Yikes!

I was wondering if anyone knows whether these creams that are supposed to minimize the pain actually work. I got one and I am ready to use it but I was curious to know what you all thought about it? Do any of them work?

Audrey

For me laser was not all that terrible, it does depend on what type of laser you will have done though? but when I started my electrolysis is when the pain really started! I use EMLA cream to help (a little) especially in the upper lip area (ouchie!!!) I am going to see if I get some get shots from my Dentist which will help A LOT to help with numbing that area. I will have to check to see if my Dentist will even do that (some do, some wont) but again laser for me wasn't all that bad so hopefully you will have the same results when you have yours done, good luck!!!

-Emily

[Guest EvenClose]

Ask your laser center what they recommend. Mine has a doc and nurses and one can/could write me a presciption for a cream if it was too severe. Otherwise they had an in house cream that is basically like ora-gel. I choose none.

I chose WRONG! it hurts. It is worse than that whole rubber band slappy facey deal. Its more like a bee sting each time. The more hair zapped per pulse the more it hurt. Next time Im gonna try out the in house cream and see if it works.

Like i said, you can probably handle it without anything, but its not gonna be all rainbows and kittens. My hands were sweating and clenched on to the side rails. They stopped every 6 pulses to let me breath, but I made it through it.

Oh and another thing. If you don't like the smell of burnt hair, it might be worth getting some vicks or something to put in your nose. Cause its probably gonna stink a little.

Miranda

[Guest Darcie]

Thanks for the input Dee Jay.

I'm gonna give this salon a test run Tues. and evaluate.

Hug,

Darcie

.

Great tasting...

Less filling....

LOL...Laser Vs. Electrolysis....

The ongoing debate....

I have done 65 hours of electrolysis because my hairs are gray/white and laser won't work on them...

Most people who get Laser end up getting some electrolysis at the end because the Laser doesn't get it all...

Also remember.....Electrolysis is the only proven permanent hair removal system...

If you are getting Laser, be sure to read all the pros and cons....Google is your friend!

Good luck!

Huggs

Donna Jean

[Guest Audrey Elizabeth]

I did end up buying a cream to minimize the pain and I guess it worked. It still hurt but not as bad as I thought. Except on my upper lip. OMG that hurt so bad. My first session went good and my second is this Friday. The results from the first were mixed. I felt it made hair grow faster but the flip side was that I have been getting the closest shaves. It was weird seeing the hairs that did fall out later. I hope that laser really knocks a lot of hairs this Friday. I know I will end up doing Electrolysis so I am hoping the laser can get a large percent of the hairs.

[Guest Audrey Elizabeth]

Session two is this afternoon. I got my cream and I am so excited. Of course not about the actual session and the pain that comes with it, but the afterwards when I get to see the results.

[Guest Sarahwr]

Hi.

I'm going to a Laser treatment establishment on Tuesday morning for a test patch.

My natural scalp hair is now light grey which I believe is not good. I am uncertain about my facial hair whether it is the same colour.

My thought though is, on a discomfort scale of 1 to 10 where badly fitting shoes come in about 2 and a dentist drill comes in about 5 whereabout on the pain scale does laser come please?

And please someone tell me it doesn't go off the scale:-(

Love and hugzzzzzz to all.

Sarah

[Guest Christine Alexa]

Laser is up there in pain to getting my tattoos (and I have a breast piece, one down on half my back, over my spine and shoulder blades, and on my leg from the top of my foot to the middle of my calf). It's at the top of my Masochism scale, and occasionally past.

Electrolysis on the face, still tollerable, occasionally as bad as getting a tattoo on a sensitve area, just a little worse than laser, but not much, more different, since it's a sharper sensation, but spread across many less nerves.

Electrolysis on the genitals, well, after 10 zaps, we decided to hold off until my numbing cream comes in and went back to the face. It was *BAD*. I could have taken more, but it would have been difficult, and there wasn't much point in doing that when we could just switch back to my face, and go back down there next week. So my advice, don't even consider electrolysis downstairs without some form of numbing cream/balm/etc

Like all of this, everyone is a little different.

Christine

[Guest Audrey Elizabeth]

Hi.

I'm going to a Laser treatment establishment on Tuesday morning for a test patch.

My natural scalp hair is now light grey which I believe is not good. I am uncertain about my facial hair whether it is the same colour.

My thought though is, on a discomfort scale of 1 to 10 where badly fitting shoes come in about 2 and a dentist drill comes in about 5 whereabout on the pain scale does laser come please?

And please someone tell me it doesn't go off the scale:-(

Love and hugzzzzzz to all.

Sarah

Laser is not that bad really, but perhaps the cream I use really does minimize the pain. The only complaint I have is doing the upper lips. Now that hurts badly. I am lucky from what I am told since my skin and hair are the ideal so the pain is supposed to be less than other hair skin types and at the same time somehow more effective. I cannot wait to session number 3 because the second treatment was amazing in regards to results. No idea about Electrolysis but give me time and I will know something. UGH!

The hardest thing about laser is staying out of the sun. No fun.