Hi,
I just had my laser session for the full leg repeated after 1.5 week since hair were growing with little to no shedding.
I am a type III skin close to four with dark coarse hair. They used the following settings for the Cutera Coolglide: 10 pulses 60 joules and 2 speed (?). I took a 2 tylenols prior the treatment and pain was well tolerated (sometimes it was really painfull).
Hopefully this time it will work.
Thanks for all the information and your posts I read in this web site.
I forgot to mentioned that it took the technician around 2:30 hours to do the full leg. She told me the hair is dense and coarse. The other technician took only 1:00 hour to do it (she was actually doing zig zags with the laser handle to save time).
I have the following question: later on, after 3-4 sessions, is it still going to take 2:30? Could they be shorter if I have less hair? The reason I am asking this is because the time allocated to the tech. for a full leg was 1:30 but since I complained to the Dr. they made sure it was done properly and took 2:30 hr.
Also my mom who is a type II with finer and less hair than me just had laser treatment for her half legs with the Light Sheer Diode and it took the laser technician 1:30 hours. If she would have treated my hair since it’s the full legs it would at least take 3:00 hours.
1.5 weeks is not long enough to wait for shedding. for most people, shedding doesn’t start until 1.5 week mark and then goes on until 3-3.5 weeks post-treatment. you need to be more patient. those settings are fine. as the amount of hair decreases, treatments will be shorter.
What a difference between the 2 sessions. My legs are almost smooth and only one small line of hair was missed on my lower leg. Normally after a week I would have to shave.
I can now see pepper spots. I really feel I am on track and hope the shedding will occur.
It really shows that laser operator can make a huge difference in the treatment.
I am still hesitating if I should change clinic because of the type of laser they use might not be the best for my skin type III. I am doing some reading to get educated on lasers but so many professional are giving me conflicting information.
If shedding occurs and I get good result should I buy the package of 6 treatments? They say they would credit my initial session towards it.
I am also tempted to try the Light Sheer Diode NT. I know a place where it’s affordable and the certified laser technician has at least 5 years experience. As well, they will do free touch up if areas are missed. They spot tested me on my lower leg at 26 joules/ 30 mm and I was able to take it (but it was painful).
a Yag will be fine, until the hair gets finer.
Approximately, how many sessions you think it will take for the hair to get finer?
In a couple weeks if the hair shed, I have to make the decision if I will buy the package of 6 sessions which is much more economical
Thanks.
could be 4-6. spacing should be 12-16 weeks for legs.
btw, with either machine, if it’s effective, it should be painful.
After 2 1/2 weeks I am experiencing a bit of shedding and most of the hairs have not grown but I can still feel them when I touch my leg. The feeling is like a day after shaving.The hairs are there but not growing. My legs are not smooth but hairs have stopped growing. It’s a strange feeling…
Some hairs have grown and didn’t shed; very small areas I think she mist (less than 10%).
Overall, I don’t know if this is the desired effect.
They are more than likely shedding. The hair appears to have stopped growing because they are dead. They are slowly working their way out.
From your earlier post, I am glad you went back. One hour to do a full leg treatment does sound a bit fast. You said the tech zig zagged. That’s odd. Even though the hairs treated during the first treatment were probably properly treated, I would think there would have been a lot of missed spots because of the tech’s technique. I fully agree the skill of the technician makes a HUGE difference in the outcome of your treatments.
I am happy to hear the hair appears to have stopped growing because they are dead. I wasn’t sure if they were dead or stunned.
Since my last treatment I feel so good about the hair not coming back. Finally I am able to feel confortable with stockings.
Hope laser will continue to work with future sessions.
It’s been 5 weeks now, and the hair have not really regrow on my legs. I have an appointment in the beginning of January and I am thinking of cancelling it since I don’t have any dark coarse hair yet.
3 days ago I went to do my Bikini but the hair seems to grow back like I shaved. I know it’s too early since shedding starts from 1 to 3.5 weeks but I can’t help to think it wasn’t affected since the feeling is very similar to when I shaved and the first botched session I had for my legs. Hair are still very strongly rooted to the follicules. I know we had this discussion before about shedding, but is it possible some individuals with coarse hair could feel the hair growing way advance? When my hair grows in that area I really feel something really deep and itching and uncomforable.
Also the setting she used on the coolglide were 55 joules /20 pulse/2 (speed?).
Please don’t try to judge your treatment until it’s been at least 2 weeks. There is no way for you to tell. That is a good setting.
Don’t reschedule your appointment yet, though for legs, spacing of 12 weeks apart usually is best.
What is the approx. % of hair on my legs that would justify to go for a session?
Right now I think I have 80% hair free, my husband thinks it’s 90%. I know the new cycle is coming soon (8 to 12 weeks). Would a growth spur occur suddenly and I will become something like 20-30% hairfree? I am at my 5th week and the Dr. recommended to go back after 8 weeks.
By the way I am not shaving between sessions so I can monitor what’s coming.
Thanks.
You’ll be able to tell. Just wait it out. For legs, 12 weeks is usually the minimum. You will probably have some, but not enough back by 8 weeks.
They told me 8 weeks is when the hair is in early anagen phase and it’s important to zap it at that time. Is that true?
it’s old thinking borrowed from electrolysis that doesn’t really apply to laser in the same way. for laser, you can wait longer, and it’s actually beneficial because the hair gets more coarse and is better targeted by laser.
It’s been a bit more than 8 weeks now and the hair has grown back.I think I am on the right track: shedding occured, texture of the new hair is finner and I have little reduction (+/-30%).
The only thing that I am unsure is that the technician told me she won’t increase the joules if she doesn’t have to. She said she will have to check how the skin react. She told me that if the fluence is over 60 joules she has to reduce the spot size on this particular machine. I know I can take higher fluences because I had it laser around 75 joules (7mm spot size) on my bikini. Should I ask her if she can increase it? my goal is to get the most effective treatment.
Thanks
joules is not the only important thing. large spot size is very important. as you decrease the spot size, the power of the joules decreases as well. so it seems like the settings are “higher”, but they’re not. if you’re getting almost complete shedding, you should be fine. using large spot size is important. 7mm is not very effective.
btw, it’s not the same hair “returning”, it’s NEW hair that was dormant before.
I had my session yesterday and Laser technician used 60/10 with excellent overlap. It was quite painful. Nothing seemed to be missed; white lines were drawn on the legs. It took her 1:30 hour for my lower legs. I have to go back to do the upper legs. Reaction was great: redness (erythma? not sure about the spelling) and no burns. I can now see the red dots were hair follicles are.
I am so please with this treatment and I think I will have good shedding.
Question: At what time period I will be able to see the true reduction?
I would advise to try to stay with higher spot sizes. They’re usually more effective. Yes, the joules would be lower, but like I explained before, overall the treatment will be more powerful. There is no reason to decrease the spot size in your case.
If you’re seeing good shedding each time, you’ll see the biggest difference after you’ve targeted the 3 phases of hair at least once. so after 3-4 treatments.