I have just spent $1200 on laser hair removal to find out that I am in the 5-10% who are resistant. It did remove 30% of the hair. If this happened to you did you try electrolysis and did it work?
It won't get rid of ALL of it... and if your PCOS is crazy out of control it may not make much of a dent... I look at laser as something I will need to redo probably once or twice a year for life... but it has seriously lessened the hair problem...
Was the 30% reduction after 1 treatment? 5 treatments? How much time has passed?
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"We've tried to wash our hands of all of this
We never talk of our lacking relationships
And how we're guilt-stricken, sobbing, with our heads on the floor
We fell through the ice when we tried not to slip..."
- the verve pipe
I started last June and I have had 7 treatments. I have been going faithfully.I have blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. So, I thought I was a pretty good candidate. I don't think my hormones are out of control. My dermatologist was the one who said well maybe I am resistant since I should have gotten better results.
I started last June and I have had 7 treatments. I have been going faithfully.I have blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. So, I thought I was a pretty good candidate. I don't think my hormones are out of control. My dermatologist was the one who said well maybe I am resistant since I should have gotten better results.
Blonde hair is actually difficult to treat. Laser works on the principle that the hair, being darker than the skin, will absorb more heat from the laser and be destroyed by heat that will not destroy the skin. The lighter the skin and the darker the hair, the easier it is to treat by laser.
I just posted this same post on a previous thread, but I felt it kind of applies. I understand your frustration that it didn't give you the results you wanted. Frankly, spending $1200 would not have made me very happy 30% if I only had a 30% reduction.... for some people 30% might be a lot, but it wouldn't have been for me.
Here's my post to Sarah2's thread:
I can kind of relate. I went once a month to laser for a year, and saw absolutely no progress (I spent $2000+). So, I ended up seeing an electrologist for about 1.5 years for once a week, and saw immediate success. I had been shaving daily, but it was down to once every three to four days. Eventually, I had to give it up for about three years for financial reasons... and then it started to grow back in thick because I got into the bad habid of tweezing again. But now I've seen a new electrologist every two weeks now, I've done 6 sessions for one hour, and she removes about 100 hairs between my neck and stomach. After these six sessions, I can already go a week without having any regrowth. The worst part is the second week having to grow them out. My husband and best friend swear up and down they can't see the regrowth during the second week, but it is so worth it. The feeling that I can get electrology, go on a trip and not have to worry about shaving for seven days is amazing and liberating. I know that it may take a couple more years to destroy all the hairs to the satisfaction I want, but I am seeing permanant progress.
Also, my electrologist let me pay for 20 sessions in cash for $800, 60 minutes each, which comes out to $40 an hour, which is very inexpensive compared to other electrologists. You should have some negotiating power when shopping, electrology and laser treatments are "extras" in an economy like today's and providers know that your dollar is important. Good luck!
You reply gives me hope that maybe electrolysis will work. I know you and I both spent a lot of money in hopes that the laser would be a cure all. Its just frustrating that it didn't live up to its promise.
For the other reply I do have dark facial hair but, blonde hair, blue eyes, and very fair skin so I should have been the ideal candidate for laser.
I just hope others use caution with laser. I targeted the upper lip and chin at the same time. I guess I would have tried one area at first instead of 2. That way it wouldn't have been so much money since it doesn't work for me.
You reply gives me hope that maybe electrolysis will work. I know you and I both spent a lot of money in hopes that the laser would be a cure all. Its just frustrating that it didn't live up to its promise.
For the other reply I do have dark facial hair but, blonde hair, blue eyes, and very fair skin so I should have been the ideal candidate for laser.
I just hope others use caution with laser. I targeted the upper lip and chin at the same time. I guess I would have tried one area at first instead of 2. That way it wouldn't have been so much money since it doesn't work for me.
You know there was one time I went, a place near me with prices too good to believe - I bought a package for leg and face - that's how good the prices were!!! I'd had chin done before so I knew what to expect.
Well there was no pain with the laser ... which alarmed me... and then I waited a week or so after and NO hair fell out, as I was used to...
I got a refund for the other sessions luckily but I think they were scamming people.
Do you know the name of the laser that was used?? Have you read of any other experiences there, good or bad??
I am also fair skin, blonde hair, gray eyes - but dark chin hair ... laser works great on me, except at that one place...
You're not in Milpitas, California are you??
__________________ DS b. 11/16/03 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
DDs b. 3/28/08 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. X2
"We've tried to wash our hands of all of this
We never talk of our lacking relationships
And how we're guilt-stricken, sobbing, with our heads on the floor
We fell through the ice when we tried not to slip..."
- the verve pipe
I also spent quite a bit of money on laser and it didn't work for me and I am an ideal candidate.... dark (black) thick hair and fairly light skin (I am a little tan) and I tried different lasers and went anywhere from 5 times to 12 times. Didn't work! What a waste of money. I switched to electrolysis and now almost a year later, I do one electrolysis session every month for 20 minutes (I started with 45 minutes- 1 hr twice a week). I am doing my chin, lip, and nipple area. Thank goodness for electrolysis is all that I can say!!! But then again, 10% of people also don't respond to electrolysis.
__________________ Thin Cyster Age: 25 BMI:19 Not TTC
PhD Student in Social, Ethical, Political, and Cultural Thought at Virginia Tech. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
For the other reply I do have dark facial hair but, blonde hair, blue eyes, and very fair skin so I should have been the ideal candidate for laser.
That was one piece of info we didn't have. It's interesting how scalp hair and beard hair can be quite different colors. Both dark, in my case, but DH has blond scalp hair and dark read beard growth.
That was one piece of info we didn't have. It's interesting how scalp hair and beard hair can be quite different colors. Both dark, in my case, but DH has blond scalp hair and dark read beard growth.
I know a guy with dark blonde head hair, red beard, and black belly hair!
__________________ DS b. 11/16/03 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
DDs b. 3/28/08 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. X2
"We've tried to wash our hands of all of this
We never talk of our lacking relationships
And how we're guilt-stricken, sobbing, with our heads on the floor
We fell through the ice when we tried not to slip..."
- the verve pipe
Do you know the name of the laser that was used?? Have you read of any other experiences there, good or bad??
You're not in Milpitas, California are you??
They had an Alexandrite laser. I went to a dermatologists office. She was recommended but people went to her for different reasons. She graduated from Harvard so, I don't feel scammed.
Hair Resistant to Laser-What to try next? 
