First laser today!

[Guest MsPerseveres]

Well, I had my first laser treatment today, and I now understand what others have said about the pain. For anyone that hasn't done it yet, imagine having a rubber band snapped again and again and again, over every part of your face... I held up through the first 3/4 but at that point the pain was so great that I just broke down, and needed a few minutes to cry out the worst of the pain. She says that it gets better... I hope so!

One thing I realize is that I have a LOT more grey in my beard than I thought - I'm going to buy both the laser lady, and the electro lady, a nice new car...

That said, what a great feeling to take another concrete step on the transition road! Huge smiles...

Hugs, Tami

[Carolyn Marie]

Brenda, just keep saying to yourself, "no pain, no gain." It won't make it any more bearable, but its a nice rhyme. BTW, be sure and ask for the post-treatment gel to soothe your skin. It helps.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[Sally]

Brenda if they offer a topical - take it.

It doesn't help a lot but at least you feel like you have done something to ease the pain.

I do not suggest biting on a bullet - one jolt and you might end up shooting off your mouth.

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest MsPerseveres]

Thanks for the comments. She didn't have a cream, but she did have a frozen metal roller, and a small gel pack - I used the roller for about 30 minutes at the clinic to cool off most of my face, and the small gel pack is lip sized, for around the mouth. With the icing, and an Ibuprofen, it was bearable in about 30 minutes, and I had mostly forgotten about it (except for the occasional whiff of burned hair!) by a few hours later.

Has anyone else had the burned hair smell come up a day later? When I was showering this morning, I kept smelling it, like the ashes of the treatment were coming out of my skin. I'm ready to chalk it up to the memory of the smell only, but thought I'd ask :-).

Hugs, Tami

[Guest Lizzie McTrucker]

Aloe is good to use post-laser after you're done icing down your face. The stuff I used was green aloe sunburn relief gel. Put it in the fridge until your treatment. Once you're done and allowed to leave, rub a generous amount on your face. It will feel so good and it will help with the post-laser redness.

..and just wait until your tech turns the laser power up. I'm guessing she didn't start at full strength for this session.

[Guest MsPerseveres]

I'd better remember the aloe sunburn relief gel - I'm not happy to learn that it was a low power setting... :-(

However, knowing that my facial hair is going away is a great feeling - I want to go out en femme, but not if I need serious pancake make-up to hide the inevitable beard shadow. If 6 or 8 treatments gets me to the point where a good shave of the white hairs and some foundation gives me feminine looking skin, then I'll be an extremely happy girl, out on the town! :-)

Hugs, Tami

[Guest Lizzie McTrucker]

How about 6-8 treatments, a shave of the white hairs and no makeup because there's no dark hairs to cover?

That's where I am right now. Tho electrolysis is around the corner so I can get rid of those hairs still remaining.

[Guest MsPerseveres]

That's even better Lizzie! Thanks for the confirmation - I like the thought of make-up, and have enjoyed putting it on, but I WANT it to be enhancement, or special effects, not something that I must do just to be me.

Hugs, Tami

[Guest MsPerseveres]

Okay, today was 12 days post treatment after my first laser, and it marks the first day in years that I haven't shaved for work... because I didn't need to! I could have probably shopped off the white/grey hairs, but they weren't really visible, and there weren't any significant dark hairs sticking out :-) Still lots of shadow, but noticeably less than there used to be.

I'm going to need to shave tomorrow morning, but this is the best confirmation that I've had so far...

Love and hug, Tami

[Charlize]

Thats great! Maybe makes up for some of the time putting on our "war paint"

Hugs,

Charlie

[Guest LizMarie]

I'm about 4 months into electrolysis and can't do laser but some areas of the face, namely the cheeks and upper lip are starting to smooth out wonderfully already. I noticed it last time putting on makeup. Much less for those areas than before and it gave me a silky smooth appearance. I can't wait for my electrologist to start on the chin soon! The neck can be last!

[Guest JoannaSydney]

Well, I had my first laser treatment today, and I now understand what others have said about the pain. For anyone that hasn't done it yet, imagine having a rubber band snapped again and again and again, over every part of your face... I held up through the first 3/4 but at that point the pain was so great that I just broke down, and needed a few minutes to cry out the worst of the pain. She says that it gets better... I hope so!

One thing I realize is that I have a LOT more grey in my beard than I thought - I'm going to buy both the laser lady, and the electro lady, a nice new car...

That said, what a great feeling to take another concrete step on the transition road! Huge smiles...

Hugs, Tami

Hey there is a cream that makes it better.

[Guest Jo-88]

Well, I had my first laser treatment today, and I now understand what others have said about the pain. For anyone that hasn't done it yet, imagine having a rubber band snapped again and again and again, over every part of your face... I held up through the first 3/4 but at that point the pain was so great that I just broke down, and needed a few minutes to cry out the worst of the pain. She says that it gets better... I hope so!

One thing I realize is that I have a LOT more grey in my beard than I thought - I'm going to buy both the laser lady, and the electro lady, a nice new car...

That said, what a great feeling to take another concrete step on the transition road! Huge smiles...

Hugs, Tami

Hey there is a cream that makes it better.

Yep its called lidocaine cream/gel... you can get up to 5% over the counter, but if you talk to your doc they can write you a prescription for up to 15%. I use this stuff called "tattoo soothe" that has 5% lidocaine, plus tetracaine, and epinephrine... it works ever so slightly better than the pure 5% lidocaine and its over the counter, its good enough for me. Its worth looking into if the pain is really bad for you.

P.S. on my last laser treatment I tried something that I hadnt heard about until recently, its called carbon dye. Its this liquid dye made with carbon (it is specifically made for laser hair removal). Basically you get as close a shave as you can get, then wipe this dye all over, the dye fills in your pores and settles around you hair follicles. Remember laser works because melanin in your hair (the coloration) absorbs the light energy which then heats up and it is the heat that kills the follicle. Well the carbon takes the place of and/or complements the melanin, so on light colored or even clear hairs the carbon dye makes the laser effective. Like I said I used it last time and it made a noticeable difference... it's worth looking into to maximize your results. The downside is that it does hurt more, because more light energy gets absorbed... and it also leaves a light stain (like a five o clock shadow) that takes a few days to wash out, but it does wash out.

[Guest MsPerseveres]

Thanks Jodie! I'll see about using that for my next treatments.

Hugs, Tami