Question
I've had 3 Lightsheer treatments done on my full legs and bikini 6 weeks apart. I went to a dermatologist's office thinking a nurse practitioner would know what she was doing, but now I think I made a mistake. During the first treatment, she only spent about 30 minutes on me and I had stripes on my legs and bikini showing the growth in the numerous places she had missed. So I complained and she then spent over an hour on me the second treatment. But then for the third treatment she went down to spending 40 minutes on me and much of the hair that was "removed" has grown back. I left the 3rd appt crying and haven't been back and intend on finding somewhere else. I feel like I have wasted the $1650 I have spent so far and see no improvement. Is my anger justified or am I crazy? Do I have any recourse?

Answer
I've had 3 Lightsheer treatments done on my full legs and bikini 6 weeks apart. I went to a dermatologist's office thinking a nurse practitioner would know what she was doing, but now I think I made a mistake. During the first treatment, she only spent about 30 minutes on me and I had stripes on my legs and bikini showing the growth in the numerous places she had missed. So I complained and she then spent over an hour on me the second treatment. But then for the third treatment she went down to spending 40 minutes on me and much of the hair that was "removed" has grown back. I left the 3rd appt crying and haven't been back and intend on finding somewhere else. I feel like I have wasted the $1650 I have spent so far and see no improvement. Is my anger justified or am I crazy? Do I have any recourse?

Answer
first, you need 6-8 treatments for considerable removal, although you should be seeing obvious results after 2-3 treatments, especially on coarse hair on the bikini area. i feel you're not looking at the correct factors in judging whether the treatment was proper or not. laser hair removal doesn't take much time at all, so that's not an important factor. bikini takes 5-10 mins and legs abotu 30 mins, so the time spent seems fine. what you should be looking for is what settings she is using (if they're the highest they can use on your skin type without burning you, because that's most effective), if she's using compression, if she's using an up and down or gliding technique, and most importantly -- does your hair shed after every treatment within 2-3 weeks? if you can provide more details, that would be helpful in figuring out what the issue is here. from what you said, i can't tell if you've had shedding and what kind of % removal you are experiencing so far. also, you have to realize that only hair in anagen phase of growth (first phase) can be killed by laser, and only about 30% at most is in that phase at any given time, so that's why you need 6-8 treatments for considerable removal. you need to catch all hairs in all phases. a lot of the hair is dormant at any one time.

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At my consultation, she told me it takes 4-6 treatments so that's how much I budgeted. In my opinion, she missed a bunch of hair with the laser because she was rushing through. I did shed after each appt, but it's grown back. I don't have any % removal yet. She used a gliding motion. I don't know the setting but she increased it after the first appt and I'm really bumpy and red afterwards. Thanks for your help!

Answer
hair grows in cycles, so at any point some hair is in anagen (growing phase), some in telogen (dormant phase). Laser can only kill hair in anagen, so at most 30% of your hair at one time. that's why you need multiple treatments. the hair you see after shedding has happened (all treated hair should shed every time within 2-3 weeks) and after a few weeks or hairlessness, is hair that was dormant before and is now in anagen. so technically, unless you were treated at very low settings, the hair doesn't "grow back", it's NEW previously dormant hair that surfaces.
Can you find out what laser was used and at what settings please? we can try to determine if you were undertreated. If that's the case, the hair is basically "stunned" and not killed since not enough energy is used. You should always be treated at highest settings your skin can handle without burning.
also, what is your skin and hair color?

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I understand the hair growth cycle and dormancy point you made, but now that you mention it I guess I could have been undertreated. I'm sorry but I don't know the LightSheer setting, but I do know she increased it for the second treatment because she told me. I would say I'm a type III on the Fitzpatrick scale. My confusion is that hair that shed is now back--if it shed was is it in anagen or does it shed regardless of the phase? (For example, bikini hair that I know was treated and shed is back.) Thanks

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it's hard to tell if the hair is new or it's the same hair that's back. it would be helpful if you can call them and find out what joules were used on you both times. if treatments were at high enough settings, that hair is most likely new hair that was dormant before. if settings were too low, it's probably same hair that returned.

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If it's new hair, fine. But if it's the same hair because the setting was too low, is there any recourse or am I out of luck?

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yes, they need to use maximum settings your skin can handle without burning on all subsequent treatments for best results.

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I have been going to American Laser Center for over a year with 7 treatments on upper body (arms and pits and lip) and 6 treatments on lower body (bikini line and legs). So far there is NO progress. NONE! I really just want my money back at this time. It is not working. Period. I would also like my time back but I know that cannot happen. They advertise 6 treatments for their guarantee to be in place... as if that would be enough!
Seems like a huge rip off to me and I had the ideal skin of fair with dark hair.
They have been through 3 technicians, which makes me wonder if they have figured out it just does not work too!


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What laser and settings are they using? Sounds like you're being undertreated. Common practice at these chain clinics who have no interest in your personal results as you will find by reading these forums unfortuantely.

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Well, I can't say from personal experience, but I've got a really close friend that has been having treatments with the Lightsheer at -Company Name Deleted- and also has the two year guarantee. The two years is just about over and the results have been really good. She also thought that the people there were good, too, even though she didn't have the same tech throughout the two years.
I guess, it depends on which place you go that might make the difference. Of course, it was called Advanced Laser when she first got started.

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this is a chain, so there is a location in almost every city. what kind of technicians are at a particular place really varies depending on management. there is really no way to judge all of them as a whole.

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I just had to create an account and post my review here after reading "no_result"'s comments. I myself have been goin to the american laser center for over 2 years now and have had 6 treatments on my back and shoulders. I actually had my 6th appointment just recently and when i got there, i was told that ive been charged per treatment, which doesnt cover the 1 or 2 year warranty. The funny thing is, ive been charged a total of 3500 bucks for 5 treatments uptil now which is MORE than what they offer with the 2 year guarantee, but they ltechnician there insisted that i dont have the guarantee. The management has been changed 4 times since i started the treatment, and my treated areas have shown very mild results. So ive basically paid for all my 6 treatments and still dont have the warranty, whereas i was specifically told that im being signed up for that when i started my treatment.....I would simply say that people should just be careful when dealing with the American Laser Center folks...

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Businesses offer guarantees "banking" on no one pursuing the guarantee. I've said before, and I'll say over and over, it's ludicrous for anyone to make a guarantee regarding the human body. At least one of the Sona's is now offering lifetime guarantees. I'm tempted to go there myself with my inherited chin whiskers which I know I will continue to grow new ones until I'm 6 feet under.