Starting Laser Hair Removal

[Guest Melanieshaman]

Next tuesday is my first appointment! It's gonna be pricey ($475 a session) but that's like a year of free touchups, etc..full face and neck and eye brows! I shouldn't say a session that the deal they cut me, 475 in three payments and thats it... for as many sessions as i may need, and she says i won't need many really. So i am excited about that! Now, if i can just get on hrt now...LOL my therapist is writing my release letter to my doc to start so..hopefully soon

[Paula ult]

Melanie from your avatar light complexion and dark hair laser works best on, you should get great results, i have had 6 sessions so far, face and neck also, my hair is not dark like yours but I'm getting good results none the less. My first appointment was initially going to be a consult but i called them just before and she said i was booked for a session if i wanted it, you bet i wanted to get started, i hadn't shaved in a few days thinking she would want to see how my hairs looked but i needed to be shaved for the session and you should too unless it's just a consult.

If you don't know they will put goggles on to protect your eyes, mine spreads a cool gel on the areas she is working on then the the process starts, it feels like everyone says rubber bands snapping against your skin, the worst areas are the jaw line and the upper lip, for the upper lip i put my tongue between my teeth and lip and it helps allot.

Be aware you will smell burning hair and there will be smoke, that freaked me out till she said that's normal. After finishing one side she gives me an ice pack to cool where she worked then starts on the other side. Get a frozen bag of peas and when you get home start holding it on your face to keep things cool. Beginning on the third up to present she has turned the settings up at each session, i wasn't expecting that. I have a high pain threshold and don't take anything before, speaking of which drinking caffeine before supposedly makes it more painful.

Expect some redness, like a sunburn after and for the next day but it quickly goes away.

Also don't expect to see allot of progress till after the 4th session , hair grows in three phases and it takes that long to make the cycle, my sessions are 4 - 6 weeks apart.

Oops i almost forgot I'm having my eyebrows do too.

Paula

[Guest Dionne]

Hi Melanie,

I started my first treatment last week. I don't know if I could add much to what Paula said. I did used the lidocaine cream. It still burned. I am glad that they gave me a ice pack. that really does help. The puff of air scared me at first. I really didn't expect that. I am looking forward to my next treatment. Sure will be nice for the hair to be gone.

Good luck and hope all turns out well.

Hugs,

Dionne

[Carolyn Marie]

Get a frozen bag of peas and when you get home start holding it on your face to keep things cool.

Paula

Just wondering, does it have to be peas, or will frozen corn or mixed veggies work as well? Will they be defrosted when you're done, hon?

Sorry, I just get in a sillty mood once in a while. Drives my SO crazy, too when I get like this. You can smack me if it makes you feel better!!

Carolyn Marie

[Paula ult]

corn or mixed vegetables would work too, i like peas cause they are round and contour to the face better, i have a couple bags and when one starts to get a little soft i get the other one, i only need to do it right after or if i feel hot spots, by next morning my face is a little red but other than that I'm fine, for about 4 sessions i used a bag of steak fries, frozen steak anything i could find in the freezer.

Paula

[Carolyn Marie]

corn or mixed vegetables would work too, i like peas cause they are round and contour to the face better, i have a couple bags and when one starts to get a little soft i get the other one, i only need to do it right after or if i feel hot spots, by next morning my face is a little red but other than that I'm fine, for about 4 sessions i used a bag of steak fries, frozen steak anything i could find in the freezer.

Paula

Just have to watch out for that freezer burn! Lol

[Guest Melanieshaman]

Melanie from your avatar light complexion and dark hair laser works best on, you should get great results,

Paula

That pic's color is a little washed out.. i actually have sorta light-olive skin... but ya the lady told me i should get great results! YAY! Also, i am attending a support group saturday night.. is it wierd i am nervous?

[Guest nymphblossom]

Shave super super super good- up down, left right and diagonal with a new razor. My laser tech told me that hair concentrates the energy and makes it hurt more. The worst part for me is my neck. She says that's because the hair grows so many different directions there and I can't get a close shave. She also told me all the guys she's done with a beard as heavy as mine had given up by now

If they sell an after laser lotion, buy it. And you need to stay out of the sun because a tan will concentrate the laser energy and burn your skin. My wife sells Mary Kay and gave me an SPF 30 foundation that I wear every day.

I'm on my fourth session and my wife says she can notice blotchy bare spots on my cheeks. I haven't really noticed anything yet, but just like Paula said, my tech told me I should start to see results after this treatment.

Blossom

[Guest krisspykriss]

I had my first laser treatment a couple weeks ago. I had tried electrolysis and thermolysis. The electrolysis was taking for ever and the thermolysis burned my skin and left blemishes. Luckily I had her start on my lower neck so it is not that obvious and doesnt ruin my good complexion. So I tried laser and I have to admit I was disappointed not to be able to notice any difference after the first visit. I know it takes a few to see the results, but I was hoping to see something. OK, I did see something.... my facial hair seemed more prominent for the next few days ewwwww and I had some small red areas for a day or so ewwwww again.

Anyway, I think I got a hell of a deal 6full face treatments for $750.

[Guest Melanieshaman]

Well tuesday has come and gone and wow did some spots HURT! but overall it wasn't too bad. August is my next one. I did, however, breakout a little after words... so i have been letting my facial hair grow while my face clears back up..funny thing is, it's growing REALLY slowly already! So i'm gonna shave and get back to makeup and such on monday... I feel so out of sorts without my makeup on already LOL

[Guest nymphblossom]

Be patient sweetie, I didn't notice a thing until my fourth session. OMG, the next time I shaved, my face was as smooth as a baby's bottom! I hardly had to shave for a week after that until the other hair in the growth cycle that didn't get zapped started popping out. It's been a month now and I go back for #5 next week. It feels like I have the same amount of stubble as I always did every morning, but I haven't had shaves this close since I was a teenager and my razors last longer than a week now. I'm thinking that's progress

Blossom

[Guest julia_d]

give the emla a try before you go rubbing it on your freshly burned chops.. it made me peel.. I can't use it.. and that lazer hurts.

I don't mind a bit of pain.. "no pain no gain" they say.. and I agree. After 7 sessions I can stay out all night and go into town the day after and not worry about stubble.. awesome.. worth every penny.

[Guest Anna_SF]

I just finished my first electro consultation w/ a test and it was mighty painful! So I'm up reading about laser treatments. She said I ought to look into laser for my upper lip and chin - which I am doing now. I have been plucking my face as a nervous habit for 30 years. I was so bad in junior high I had to use eyebrow pencil. I hope to stop the habit by removing the hair completely. Talk about a win-win situation!

I'm certainly glad we have this forum to express ourselves. I also had my first therapy session today, which went well but we talked a bit too much about my 'history', etc, next time I think I'll guide it more toward my questions about TS/TG. I don't have any 'girlfriends' I can ask as I'm terribly shy about all this. I am alternately happy and disappointed that the process takes so long. I don't want to wait but i also don't want to rush. I was trying the old trick of wearing 1 or 2 items but I got such odd looks it made me very self-concious, so I ditched the earrings, long nails and necklaces until I get my facial hair removed. Everyone is different and I like reading how each of you has approached it.

I haven't been to any support groups or anything but I am dying to go. There is a strange sort of relief when the pain of hiding becomes a strength to accept life on life's terms and take action.

I will say I was a little surprised at how chaotic the salon was. I don't think I've ever cancelled an appointment and from what I overheard the whole operation is cancellations and re-scheduling. I sort of just went along for the ride as I used to go to the barber, read the paper, get a cut and go. I may read the FtM forum and see what the men over there say about their new experiences at the barbershop.

good night,

anna

[Guest Anna_SF]

It's been 10 days since my first laser on my entire face [not the upper lip - that was a separate session on a lower setting]. Hairs on my cheeks are lifting out easily and have no root. Dark hairs on the chin come out with a gentle tug and still no root. The white/blond hairs seems to have a root and come out with normal tweezing. My upper lip, which was done a week earlier on a lower setting, is still fairly normal but they said they would do it again since it was so low. My only concern is that laser may only be damaging the follicle and this will only grow back in a few years. [Darth Vadar Voice - The Follicle Must Be Destroyed!] We'll see. The dark hairs that used to really give my face a poc-marked look seem to have lessened.

I also got contacts and people have been asking me if I have recently lost weight! Never lost 10 pounds by ditching the eyeglasses - but it sure feels good to hear!

anna

[Guest Anna_SF]

Oh yes, I also started using clear mascara to accentuate my eyelashes. I will move to light brown once I get more experience. I was using black and it kept smudging and I looked like a vampire. hee hee.

I watched a video of Michael Caine - acting in Film and he said if you have blond eyelashes you may as well be doing a radio play. I got the hint.

anna

[Guest emma'sdilemma]

Next tuesday is my first appointment! It's gonna be pricey ($475 a session) but that's like a year of free touchups, etc..full face and neck and eye brows! I shouldn't say a session that the deal they cut me, 475 in three payments and thats it... for as many sessions as i may need, and she says i won't need many really. So i am excited about that! Now, if i can just get on hrt now...LOL my therapist is writing my release letter to my doc to start so..hopefully soon

Hey Malanie,

How did it go??? I'm looking to getting laser very soon, and I'm curious to see how yours went and I'm also curious where you went to get your laser done and if you'd recommend it.