Sillie

Hi everyone,

I have been lurking around a few of the boards lately and I keep hearing some un-truths about laser treatment and I just feel compelled to set things straight.

First of all, here in NH laser therapy can only be done by a practicing physician - and no one else!!! So all my information comes from either first hand account or from my doctor herself!!

The first mis-conception I keep seeing all over the boards is that "the hair keeps growing back". This is physically impossible. Once the laser zaps the hair follicle, it bursts and kills it. No follicle, no other hair can grow. However - and this is important.... Only 50% of your follicles are actively growing hair at any one time. The other 50% are dormant. They will become active when the other follicles are dead -- it's in the DNA.

The good news is the laser has killed your current follicles. Now 50% of the dormant hair will grow back (that's 25% of your original total). On your next appointment that will be zapped, then 50% of what's left (12.5%) will come back. Next appointment - zap that and 50% of that comes back (6.25%) and so on.

Laser is a multi step process. It is not a quick fix, but rather a long term commitment to being facially fur-free!!

I have had 7 treatments so far. Prior to treatment, I had to shave twice a day. I had severe hirsuitism - sideburns, cheeks, upper lip, chin, under chin, and onto the neck. I shudder just to think about how bad it was. I now can go weeks without shaving, and the hairs that are still there are light and blonde!!! (The hairs were really dark and thick before)

The best candidate for laser treatment is someone with fair skin, and dark hair. The laser is attracted to the dark hair below the skin surface. It is important to shave prior to treatment - you will experience alot less pain. It is my understanding that darker skinned people can have laser treatment, but it won't be as effective.

I lived for 25 years with facial hair. I hated it. I felt so isolated and I would never let DH touch my face - NEVER. I started treatment just before my 40th birthday. I am now 41 and laser treatment has been the absolute best thing I have ever done. Yes, it's expensive, but - long term - it's worth it!!

Sorry if this has been long winded, but I just wanted you to know the truth. I had an appointment with my doctor today (not for laser, but it's the same doctor) and she helped me with the statistics and things.

Fur-Free Sillie

Hoping4myown

Thanks for the info, sillie. I've been curious about laser. I think I'll take a closer look and see if I want to do it. It sounds like it beats the plucking and pulling I do and the shaving my mom does.

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Hoping4myown
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sleepydumpling

Thanks for the info - it's given me hope!!

JenS

I too agree with you!! I am 35 have had 2 laser treatments on my face. I too would have to shave twice a day. I was expected to get 6-8 laser treatements. My success is so great with only 2 that my treatment time may be cut in half!! I of course will have to go about for maintenance since the hair does grow in cycles. I am so excited and love it!! I say go for it ladies!!!

KatCarney

LOVE laser!!!

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SarahJ

I agree! I held off on laser because of the cost, but it literally got to the point where I had a full beard. No amount of tweezing was handling it. So I bit the bullet and loaded up my credit card for the treatments. It was the best investment I ever made.

I am not entirely beard-less, but after about 8 sessions, its 90% better. I'll expect that sometime in the future I'll have to go back and do some touch ups.

Great thread!

Best,
Sarah

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Sarah
Dx 2/03
DC's
Will 7/26/05
Andie 11/28/06

Shy One

What about the whole having to get your hormones under control thing? I guess because new hair that was once vellus will turn dark?

Ajani

Thanks for the info. I am (hopefully) getting laser done this year. Yay!!!! I am looking forward to it. I did shave 2x a day, but the B complex vitamins slowed that down to 1x, though by bedtime I don't want hubby touching my face. I'd like to get a facial some day. That's something that I just cannot have right now. And I'd really like to have one!

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Sillie

Oh yeah....my first facial was AMAZING!!! I had always wanted one too but could never do it. Heck, before treatment, I tried one of those peel off masks to give myself a mini-facial. The pain was unbelievable. All the facial foliage (that's what I called it) was sticking to the peel off part. OUCH!!

And, as far as getting your hormones "under control"..... why wait for what may never happen? If you decide to get laser now, you won't have to worry about the "what if's" because you will have nipped it in the bud.

Thanks to all of you that have posted your success stories with laser. Hopefully, we can get more cysters to know the joy we now feel.

heartandsoul

First - I'm glad you've had such great success with laser removal. I have to disagree about the effects of all laser hair removal being permanent. I know too many women who have had it done for over a year - and had no or very little success - there is also documented studies on this. There are also some studies that were done where a small percentage of the women actually had INCREASED hair growth AFTER going through a full round of laser hair removal. The women I've known and heard so many stories from where the laser did very little to nothing - didn't even have PCOS or hirtsuism as severe as some of us - some did not suffer from hirtusism at all.

I know you're trying to help people but the information you're giving is simpy not accurate and a good expert or honest dermatologist who does laser treatment will tell you the same thing I am. As I said, there were documented scientific studies that prove what I just told you.

ScaredSally

Well I had Lazer six times and it all regrew ok maybe it didnt grow from teh same follciles that were Zapped but my hormones are not under control and I have more hair than I did before ....

UNLESS You get those hormones under control wiht medication the androgens WILL keep surging around your blood and re-activating other follciles to produce pigmented hair ...

My doctor said that i would be a poor candiate for lazer unless I wanted to keep going back every year and having it re-done UNLESS I was on meds I know take Flutamide and the pill ... so my point is it is TOTALLY pointless and a waste of money doing lazer UNLESS you are controling your hormones wither wiht the contreceptive pill or something else .. my case can be seen wiht my twin .. we BOTH had the lazer treatment all hairs gone .. BLISS .. she is on Diane35 and I had to come off it .. SHE is still hair free .. I am now re-doing lazer therapy and going on the pill ..... (this was four years ago)

So again I agree your not correct at all saying that lazer is permenant .. and I am glad also that it worked for you .. but ... try coming off all meds and seeing what happnes !

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Sillie

I'm sorry you have heard "horror" stories but perhaps your studies were slanted. My information comes not only from my experience, but from a board certified physician. All my treatments were done by a DOCTOR, an RE speicalizing in PCOS, not just your average trained technician or dermatologist. She has treated hundreds and hundreds of laser patients, both male and female. We've all had fabulous results.

Maybe the laser used on the people you describe was not up to standard, or the operator didin't use a strong enough beam, or a host of other things.

You said you friend has had treatments for a year, perhaps that isn't long enough for that person. You need a good 2-3 months or so between treatments.

I have lurked around on the "Hair in the wrong places" board for quite some time. We spend hours and tons of money trying to pluck, tweeze, wax, thread, shave, and rub off the hair that's there. It's frustrating, and it makes some of us feel like less than a woman, and an outcast. I have received many PM stating that very thing.

Laser is a different option for those of us at the end of our rope. Don't let one or two nay-sayers prevent you from trying this PERMANENT treatment of hair removal.

Sillie

Sally,

I am not on any meds for hormones. The only things I am on are for asthma and depression.

It's impossible for the hair to grow back. The follicles have been destroyed - unable to regrow hair. Yes, other hairs will grow and they will be destroyed the next time. Eventually, after several treatments there is nothing to grow back.

I'm sorry you didn't have much luck with the treatment. Maybe you didn't have enough sessions. Laser isn't a quick fix. It takes time and commitment. Don't give up.

I have known men that have had their facial hair laser treatment with great success. If they can do it, why can't we?

tiggerlily5278

Sillie,
Thanks for sharing the information. I'm going to check into it when I have some money to spare. How much did it cost you per session? I've asked this question several times, but nobody really seems to give a straight answer. Thanks.

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Carrie (Pa)
31 y.o., married, 1 stepdaughter (10 yrs old).
Diagnosed with PCOS in Aug '05.
No current treatment.

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ScaredSally

Well I am pleased it worked for you and yes the follciles are damaged BUT as I stress unless you can keep the androgens at bay you will get regrowth and it will continue in men and in women ... Lazer is a lifetime commitment ... a doctor and endo and dematologist have told me this .. so NO lazer is not permenant at keeping haris at bay ..... old follicles die but you ahve billions of hair foolicles all over your body

I had a session of six on just one area ... hair free for six months and now its ten times owrse ... my sister and i have proven a point the androgens are the cause of re-activating a follicle ..

I am having epi light at the moemnt and even the lady there said if your PCOS you must try and get the androgens down as they bind to a follicle and will re-activate hair growth

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