Hair - Laser?

[Lynn8124]

Treatment no 2 this morning was a little more painful than last time but only took 10 mins. Laura (who does my laser) says your skin is more sensitive at certain times to the month which I suppose makes sense.

She advised me to snip any hairs with nail scissors to get out of the habit of shaving. The hair is a lot finer with less stubble, I am so, so pleased.:talk017:

 

[dudette2001uk]

Hi there. I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was in school, and I had about 3 years worth (roughly every 3-4 months) of laser treatment on the NHS. I have to say it didn't actually work for me, although I think that's more to do with the fact that I'm blonde (although the pesky blighters on my face were brown, arghh!). I found it very painful, especially above the top lip as that's the most sensitive part of the face. They did give me ice to numb the area first (he probably though he better had in case I hit him, lol! ), but it didn't have much of an effect.

So now that it's a few years since I left school I'm still having to shave the hair on my face, and if anything it came through darker after the laser treatment that before

Towards the end of my treatment I did hear that it was possible to dye the hairs with squid ink for those people with blonde hair so that the laser has more of a chance of zapping them. For anybody like me who has blond hair and doesn't think it's working, it might be worth doing a bit of research

Wow, long post! Hope it goes well for you though hun!

Sian x

 

[YummyMummy 2 be]

as for the pain, ironically the less hairs = less painful, i remember the 2nd treatment being quite painful as all the hairs had come through at the same time, but you'll notice soon that the 'bald' patches dont hurt!

good luck and keep at it

 

[MissDaisies]

I have been getting laser hair removal on the NHS for roughly two years now - not all areas give it but, if yours does, fight for it! Mine gives it to women with PCOS.
Sharon

 

[Lynn8124]

A wee update

had treatment no. 8 on tues. What can I say? I've took a razor to my face about three times in the past 12 months. Sometimes, prior to lazer when I was in a hurry to get washed, dressed and out the door, I'd suddenly realise I hadn't shaved and be annoyed. I don't have to worry now. :banana dancer:

The girl who carried out my treatment on tues said there was very little regrowth in 8 weeks and what there was was very fine. Downside was my gp stopped prescribing Vaniqa a few months ago and diabetes consultant backed him up. Had been getting it for two years or so before laser and there wasn't much difference and then after starting laser (which it works best with) they pull the plug. consultant informed me 'laser is the definitive treatment for facial hair' and I wanted to say well if you have a hormonal condition suchas pcos you need whatever hormone is in Vaniqa to slow down the regrowth but she wouldn't be reasoned with. I'm gonna see my gp and ask him for it, even if I have to pay the £30.

ETA: I just remembered a hair-growth inhibitor called kalo. Gonna order some, had a tube of it in the past but was using with shaving, it works best with waxing or laser.

 

[zoso]

I have PCOS, I'm 31 and I've had it for 10 years (diagnosed), but longer probably.
For years I've had a problem with irregular hair growth as a side effect of the PCOS, and when I finally plucked up the courage to go and see my GP, he couldn't have been any more ignorant and horrible if he tried. He basically said i had the excessive hair on my neck due to being overweight, and he said he wouldn't refer me for laser treatment as if I'd lost weight, it would disappear!!! I cried, then I got angry, I told him he'd need to refer me, or get the police to have me removed from his room. He referred me, when i seen the specialist, they couldn't have been nicer, I had 12 sessions of laser (courtesy of NHS Scotland) and have no problems now. I have a few random hairs, but they're very fine, like baby hair, and its not a problem. I wax it every few weeks now, and its really improved my life. Also, the nurses who done the laser asked if I got my top lip area waxed, and when I said i did, they lasered that area too as a wee favour!
My advice to anyone is to be persistent at the doctors, it is AVAILABLE!

 

[leanne69]

i spent fortune on laser for my face it really was a waste of money! i had a loan for it cuz it got me so down! im struggling to pay it back now and still feel rubbish... sorry to be a party pooper im sure other people have had fab results though xx

 

[Lynn8124]

i spent fortune on laser for my face it really was a waste of money! i had a loan for it cuz it got me so down! im struggling to pay it back now and still feel rubbish... sorry to be a party pooper im sure other people have had fab results though xx

How come it didn't work for you Leanne? I am wondering if I am gonna have to have treatments for the rest of my life. always knew id have to have maintenance but thought once a year. must try to get vaniqa on private script.

 

[Jennaya]

As a newbie to the site it was great to find this thread. i have had several doctors tell me I probably have PCOS, but never been diagnosed, but have had terrible hair problems for about 14 years. I shave at least once a day, twice if I am going out in the evening, but nothing ever gets rid of the black dots, I have worse 5 o'clock shadow than my hubby. I literally never talk about this to anyone as i find it so embarassing, but 6 months ago plucked up the courage to ask my dr for help and got nothing - I was laso told it was down to my weight and losing weight would solve the problem. I pointed out that Ihad lost about 35lb at that point with no improvement, but it didn't getme anywhere. At the beginning of the year I got some unexpected money and used it to buy myself a Sensepil home laser machine. Have been using it for about 5 months now, and would say progress on my face has been slow, but it does say it could take 18-24 months to get maximum benefits. Other parts of my body have responded much better, underarms, stomach and arms have responded brilliantly, so am happily persevering. I used to have nightmares about being in an accident or something and being unconscious in hospital and waking up with a huge beard, it seriously does worry memore than the weight, as someone else said. Being overweight is more common and less embarassing and I would never think of leaving the house without shaving.

 

[Lynn8124]

As a newbie to the site it was great to find this thread. i have had several doctors tell me I probably have PCOS, but never been diagnosed, but have had terrible hair problems for about 14 years. I shave at least once a day, twice if I am going out in the evening, but nothing ever gets rid of the black dots, I have worse 5 o'clock shadow than my hubby. I literally never talk about this to anyone as i find it so embarassing, but 6 months ago plucked up the courage to ask my dr for help and got nothing - I was laso told it was down to my weight and losing weight would solve the problem. I pointed out that Ihad lost about 35lb at that point with no improvement, but it didn't getme anywhere. At the beginning of the year I got some unexpected money and used it to buy myself a Sensepil home laser machine. Have been using it for about 5 months now, and would say progress on my face has been slow, but it does say it could take 18-24 months to get maximum benefits. Other parts of my body have responded much better, underarms, stomach and arms have responded brilliantly, so am happily persevering. I used to have nightmares about being in an accident or something and being unconscious in hospital and waking up with a huge beard, it seriously does worry memore than the weight, as someone else said. Being overweight is more common and less embarassing and I would never think of leaving the house without shaving.

Hiya and welcome. Oh I know what you mean, I used to get into dad's car to go somewhere and was like 'damn I forgot to shave!' Also I'd have anyone jokingly tickling me under the chin in case they felt my stubble! No matter how much yoy shave you can never get rid if the black dots and that really bugged me.

I'm pleased you are having good results with your at-home kit. I was gonna buy one but was a bit dubious. I bought an epilater a few months ago that has a facial attachment and I'll use it when I finish my treatments, another 3 to go.

 

[ClaireCat]

Sorry, I've not read thru everyone elses replys - just wanted to throw in my 2cents worth!

I went to transform cosmetic surgery for laser removal at the beginning of the year. I was getting my jawline, nipples and sideburns done at the bargain price of £180 every 4 weeks. I went for 3 sessions and stopped becuase I wasnt noticing any difference (and yes, I know its supposed to take 6-8 sessions) and I was really struggling to afford it every month.

At the moment, I've switched to electrolysis because at least its permanent, whereas laser causes a reduction, and ultimately I'd end up having to get electrolysis for the remaining hairs anyway.

I will say, it makes me feel much better because they actually remove each hair as they go, whereas laser doesnt and the hair remains until it falls out (if it falls out). And also, I can get the blonde/lighter hairs removed with it aswell.

I've been getting it done every fortnight on my face and nipples now for about 2 months maybe, and I would say its definitly working. She said it would take 1hr 30mins to clear my chin/jaw in one sitting, but honestly....i couldnt. It is bloody painful!

I get 15mins on my nipples, and 15mins on my face each time. I got 30mins on my face the other week and it was awful!!! lol! Quite happy to do it in stages because I know its getting sorted!

So my view is, electrolysis over laser if its smaller patches of hair. If i wanted to get my legs done then yeah, laser, but for me face and chest, electrolysis is definitly my prefered choice.

Plus, it costs me £35 for 30mins - so £70 a month rather than £180 for laser. And I cant argue with that!

 

[Tiink]

It works!

Hi There

I have been suffering with excessive hair for years due to PCOS, it's made me feel so bad, especially when people noticed it. I used to pluck twice daily, I've tried herbal remedies and prescription cream, nothing worked. I managed to lost 5 stones in weight with Slimming World as my Gynacologist told me I would be able to get it unter control if I could get my BMI to 24 or lower, this didnt work. I finally summoned up the courage to go to my local sk:n clinic for a free consultation, if you take along a note from your GP confirming you have the condition you will get a further 20% off any treatment and products that you buy. They also performed a test patch on me so that I could see what it felt like and to see if my skin reacted badly to it which it didnt. I booked for 8 sessions which cost around £450, I was also given a starter pack of Aloe Vera gel, thermal spray to cool the area down after treatment and factor 30 suncream, as you are not to get sunburnt whilst undergoing treatment. The treatment itself was a little uncomfortable but not painful. I had a session every 4 weeks and wasnt expecting to see results until well into the course, however it was amazing that by my 3rd session there was a significant improvement, I was amazed that it was actually working! I finished my treatment back in February and I am over the moon to be saying that it worked, I have gone from plucking twice daily to not at all, it is the best thing I have done and I wish I'd not been so scared and done it years ago! I feel like I'm a woman again!

 

[skinnyvision]

I didn't read all the replies, but I have PCOS and I got laser done, the technician warned me that with PCOS my results may not be the same as others that don't have it.

Well, I have had very good success, it was the best money I ever spent!

It was a GentleLase machine, and so far I've had about 6 or 7 treatments on my face (took longer than the average person) but I am no longer tweezing daily!! I still have a few hairs that sprout out every other week but they are super fine, I need a magnifying mirror to tweeze them out.

My self esteem is a lot better, I highly recommend this.