Question
in my underarms. It took me a while to pick a place to get it done but with the help of FAQ's from this website and through self research I was able to find one that suit me. The consultation was free and first tx was 50% off so in all I only paid $63. Of course I know I have to go back 4 or 5 times to get the results I want. So I may not be really hair free until maybe around October or so. Overall the experience was great. The nurse walked me through the procedure and answered my questions afterward.
The nurse did not use a high setting because she said she wanted to see how my skin would react to the laser. Is this "normal" protocol? She said my next visit which is 6 weeks from now, she would go to a higher setting. Today I noticed the hairs have started to grow back as if I had nothing done. Thanks to the FAQ's this is referred to as "shedding". I hope this is what's occuring because now I'm being paranoid as if maybe it didn't work. I know you can't expect results right away and laser hair removal comes with a lot of patience.
Is it alright to shave my underarms in between treatments? THANKS. Any advice would be appreciated.
Answer
in my underarms. It took me a while to pick a place to get it done but with the help of FAQ's from this website and through self research I was able to find one that suit me. The consultation was free and first tx was 50% off so in all I only paid $63. Of course I know I have to go back 4 or 5 times to get the results I want. So I may not be really hair free until maybe around October or so. Overall the experience was great. The nurse walked me through the procedure and answered my questions afterward.
The nurse did not use a high setting because she said she wanted to see how my skin would react to the laser. Is this "normal" protocol? She said my next visit which is 6 weeks from now, she would go to a higher setting. Today I noticed the hairs have started to grow back as if I had nothing done. Thanks to the FAQ's this is referred to as "shedding". I hope this is what's occuring because now I'm being paranoid as if maybe it didn't work. I know you can't expect results right away and laser hair removal comes with a lot of patience.
Is it alright to shave my underarms in between treatments? THANKS. Any advice would be appreciated.
Answer
What skin type are you and do you know what laser and settings were used on you? That will help us determine if maybe the settings weren't high enough. Also, I would recommend that you get test spots for settings rather than wasting your paid treatments trying to figure out what settings are optimal. I'm assuming that they would still give you test spots even though you're treating such a small area relative to me (I'm having my legs and arms done).
Seeing hair growth after your treatment is normal and you probably won't see shedding for a couple of weeks. It is okay to shave between treatments but sometimes it can slow down the shedding process. It's easier for longer hair to fall out. You can also use a loofah to help shedding.
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Many places use a low-power setting for your first treatment in order to be cautious about your skin reaction. However, this also means that you are very likely to have paid for a session that will not be effective. I agree that test spots to determine which level is effective yet is not too harsh on your skin (some swelling is not unusual) is a good idea. Of my 5 treatments for my face, we have changed settings 4 times and two times did not have any shedding at all. Take notes (a diary) of your skin reaction and shedding (when, how much, how long without hair) and provide this back to your tech on your next visit (my salon always asks) so you might get a "free" reshoot for ineffective results. Some of think that they use a lower setting in order to "assure" that you will need 1 or 2 more treatments overall in order to make up for the initial (worthless) treatments.
