lizcharles

1) can it be used on very very fine, yet dark hair? i have a lot of peachfuzz on my cheeks, and although the hair is very fine, it is black

2) can it be used on eyebrows? i'd like to have 2 of them instead of 1.

thanks ladies.

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joyblack

If it's black, laser should work on it. Should work fine on your unibrow, though some operators will want to steer well clear of your eyes.

lralex

Has anyone come across any documented cases how laser affects darker skinned women?

Stacie M

I don't know any specific articles to point you to, but Kat Carney who runs this site has had laser hair removal with good results, and she is African-American.

I believe there are some different opinions on which lasers work better for darker skinned people, but my ghostly pale self doesn't know much about it.

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sparkbark

supposedly laser does not work well on fine hair. that doesn't mean it won't affect it, but it might not produce as ideal results as coarse hair will. but it being dark definitely helps.

however, there is a phenomenon in women's faces where laser treatment can actually stimulate more hair growth! this can happen for men too, on their shoulders and backs. if you try to treat hair that is not very coarse and dark on your face you run the risk of laser induced hair growth, which could mean more dark peach fuzz in areas you previously had none, or it could mean your current peach fuzz growing back in coarse and dark. so i would be wary to treat the face with laser in this case. maybe electrolysis would be a better option.

lralex

Thanks Stacey Since I'm currently seeking treatment that will hopefully balance my hormones soon, does anyone know how long it will take before I would see the growth slow down? After intially having a laser treatment, will the visible hair just fall right out? How much does it normally cost? If I shave should I continue along with having the laser treatment?

Stacie M

Cost varies significantly between regions/areas, as well as type of facility. The best thing to do would be to ask around and maybe go to some consultations. I do know it takes several treatments to get the hair in one area.

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shinwin

I just started laser and it is the best thing I have ever done for myself. I does work well on dark hair. After my first appointment, I came home with surprisingly less hair. Since my 2nd treatment, I have noticed amazing results. I was told I will have to go 6-8 times, but it is worth it. You can continue to shave and trim with laser, just no plucking. The hairs do shed fairly quickly. I am paying $75 for the first 5 sessions, I get the 6th free and any after that go down to $65, but again it depends on your location.

Hope it works for you!

lralex

Shin,

Is that $75 per session or for all 5? What area are you in? That's not too bad. I found a doctor in my area that I'm interested in seeing. I'm going to make an appt for a consult tomorrow.

shinwin

$75 per session. I am in Northern Colorado. It is a deal. Women travel from CA to come to this place. So far, I am very pleased. It has done wonders for my self esteem.

smiles..

lralex

Shinwin,

I'm definitely going to make a appt for a consult with a doctor in my area, I found someone who specializes in women with darker skin. I want to have smile again like you. One side bar question, do you know if it's possible to get rid of the damage that razors do to your skin (like the dark spots)?

shinwin

I go to Harmony Laser Center in Fort Collins. I have been pleased so far. I was so nervous to go, I was convinced that I was the worst they had ever seen. They treated me with such dignity and respect. It was wonderful.... of course I cried the first time. They were so understanding.

No sure about the razor damage. I never shaved. I just couldn't bring myself to doing it. I guess at the time the hair was less humilating then bringing myself to shave.

Just before I made the appointment, my self image was so low I didn't know if I could go on. Now I am different person. I hope it works for you. I knew that my smiles were hidden somewhere beneath all that hair.

KimberlyMillions

Hi Iralex!
I'm African American and I have had laser done...

This might be long, but maybe I can help...I dont know if all of your questions have been anwered so far, or if you've combed through the forum to see the posts regarding your issues. (I think we call it LHR=laser hair removal for short on the forum) Try using the search tool; it's great because so many topics have already been covered and you can probably find your answer without waiting for responses. As far as documented cases, I'm not sure, but there are so many stories about laser on the forum that are encouraging...

The cost really depends on where you go and the amount of treatments that you need. I heard it was much cheaper at a dermatologist's office. Laser centers usually offer package deals, as where you pay up front for about 6 sessions, sometimes offered with a guarantee of 3 years; meaning you can get "free" treatments for 3 years with the purchase of your package should your hair continue to grow after the 6 sessions are complete. So shop around. I pay about $215 per session, the average cost is about $350 from my research. (NYC is expensive!) The packages are too pricy for my pocket book. Sometimes the cost is the one thing that prevents a lot of cysters from getting LHR and we end up suffering with the whole facial hair issue...

I have had good and bad experiences with LHR. However, in answer to your post LHR questions...Overtime you will begin to see the scars left over from shaving begin to fade away with continued LHR! In order to facilitate the healing process, use products that help to even up your skin tone such as cocoa butter(go lightly!) or vitamin E oil. (do it at night) Also, in between LHR you will still have to shave, as all of the hair doesnt disappear at the same time...it's a process that requires lots of patience. My facial hair was so bad that I hated waking up in the morning, but now I feel so much better. I am looking forward to more LHR; it's addictive! Since LHR, my makeup looks better and I dont have to wear as much...I still have a bit of a shadow...but there are hardly any bumps...I still stay in the house all weekend, but I dont mind going out during the week, which I used to dread. So you have to take the good with the bad on the LHR.

I also noticed a slowdown of growth all over since taking inostol, saw palmetto and cinnamon...I stopped taking metformin because I suspected it was making my hair fall out! What do you know, the hair stopped falling out! So after you see your doctor try his/her reccomendations. If you dont see results, consult with them and tell them that you'd like to try other possible remedies to alleviate some of the cruel symptoms of PCOS. Many of the cysters have shared their success stories. Have a look at the "Alternative remedies" section too...I hope this helps...I told you it would be a long read!

Keep us posted!