Question
so i've been doing hair laser on my face (sideburns, chin, neck, upperlip) for about 1 1/2 -2 years (a little more but I didnt do it during one summer).
I'm persian and have tan skin, but my hair is black. most of the very coarse hairs are gone, but i still have a lot of noticable hairs coming back every 4 weeks (which is how often i get laser done). i'm getting this done at a dermatologist's office, but they don't have years of experience with hair laser (they just got it like 2 or 3 yrs ago).
i don't know what each level stands for, but they're keeping me at 30 for one and have moved me up to 48 for the other. i usually get really red, and sometimes i blister up. they're afraid to move the 30 (they said they've been doing 15 on the white patients and getting great, quick results).
the other thing is that they had insisted i shaved but i didn't want to because i knew the hair that didn't shed would grow back every day like a man's beard. so instead i cut my hairs before i go in, and i get really close, and they don't have a problem with it. is this affecting my lack of results?
so, my question is this. should i just abandon this place and find another one? is it worth it to just start all over? they've reduced the price for me since I've been coming so often. any recommendations for the washington, dc area?

Answer
so i've been doing hair laser on my face (sideburns, chin, neck, upperlip) for about 1 1/2 -2 years (a little more but I didnt do it during one summer).
I'm persian and have tan skin, but my hair is black. most of the very coarse hairs are gone, but i still have a lot of noticable hairs coming back every 4 weeks (which is how often i get laser done). i'm getting this done at a dermatologist's office, but they don't have years of experience with hair laser (they just got it like 2 or 3 yrs ago).
i don't know what each level stands for, but they're keeping me at 30 for one and have moved me up to 48 for the other. i usually get really red, and sometimes i blister up. they're afraid to move the 30 (they said they've been doing 15 on the white patients and getting great, quick results).
the other thing is that they had insisted i shaved but i didn't want to because i knew the hair that didn't shed would grow back every day like a man's beard. so instead i cut my hairs before i go in, and i get really close, and they don't have a problem with it. is this affecting my lack of results?
so, my question is this. should i just abandon this place and find another one? is it worth it to just start all over? they've reduced the price for me since I've been coming so often. any recommendations for the washington, dc area?

Answer
please find out and let us know what laser they are using. also, shaving doesn't make your hair thicker, that's an old wife's tale. you will be better off getting laser done on clean shaven skin. getting treatments every 4 weeks is too often. something is not right there. it seems that you are not killing any hair, just stunning their growth for a bit. normally, after treatment, it takes 3 weeks for the treated hair to shed and then you should have a hairfree period for a few weeks before the next set of hair starts to come in. that's usually 6-8 weeks.
since you have tanned skin, you will probably be better off using a Yag laser as well since higher settings can be used without burning your skin.

Answer
the laser they're using is called cutera i think.
I found a clinic in DC called Cultura, and they specialize in darker skin tones and treat people of all ethnicites. They also seem very respectable (one of the doctors who opened it was part of the team to develop hair laser removal technology). Should I just go there and start from scratch? I'm at a point where I'd rather spend more money there if I can get the results I want.

Answer
i've read about one clinic in DC that has a reputable doctor who uses Yag lasers effectively. I would at least have a consultation there, yes, and explain your situation. an african american girl on another forum has good great results there even.

Answer
i switched from IPL to Yag and found it better (on my face)..altho i am still getting burned so not too sure if that's normal
i have light brown (indian) skin and after about a year of treatment, i've gone from having quite noticable hair all over my face to very very fine in some areas, with a few strays..


Answer
You should not be burned by a YAG. Is your skin being throughly cleaned before the treatments? No products left on the skin that could contain alcohol? Are the hairs shaved before treatment? How long do the burn marks last? Do they scab or crust over?

Answer
no, the only thing i get before treatment is an ice-pack to numb the area.. and the hairs are not shaved beforehand (she used to trim them when they were using IPL but not with the Yag)
the burn marks are around my lip area (above and below) - they usually get scabby (like when you graze your skin)..usually last a few days. there is slight discolouration of the skin (if you look closely)
okay - now i'm worried!!! i had a treatment for next month booked - maybe i should ask them to turn it down?
(sorry for hijacking the thread a bit, irooni xx )

Answer
Your skin should be cleaned prior to the treatment. Most techs use a baby wipe. If they aren't cleaning for you, be sure you clean the skin before you go in. No cosmetics, lotions, etc. The hairs should be shaved or trimmed very short. If they are long enough, they can singe and burn the skin. If you have permanent lip liner, that needs to be covered.