Last year October I decided to take the plunge and begin laser treatment because let's face it, shaving, waxing and ingrown hairs are just every girl's nightmare right? This is a very TMI post (too much information) but I hope it helps all you girls (and men if you're reading) out there.
Right, so lets start from the very beginning. I used to wax because I found it more effective than shaving. However I then found you get a lot of ingrown hairs which can scar which encouraged me to try laser.
Now the thing with laser is, you don't want to go to any random salon to get it done as you could end up with skin pigmentation, zero results and even the possibility of them burning or damaging your skin. So I did my research, and by research I mean readings shit loads of reviews and watching loads of You Tube videos on laser treatment. I also went to my local salon where I used to get waxing done from and the lady recommended their laser treatment and she wasn't just selling the services, she gave me a very honest recommendation. And the fact that I wouldn't have to endure the pain of waxing especially on the bikini line was the moment I was sold.
So I went in and had a consultation which is very important before starting any type of laser, and I also had a patch test. I had to fill in lots of forms and inform them of any medication I was on etc. The lady put some gel on my arm and tested the laser machine in the same area and I had to wait 48 hours to see if I had any type of reaction. Thankfully it was fine on me so I could go ahead with the treatment.
I started my treatment in October and have just finished my third session meaning I have been once a month, and my next session isn't until 5 weeks time instead of 4 as my hair follicle is dying. Hallelujah!
Before reading this, please bear in mind this is based on my skin, hair thickness and growth.
Before / After Session 1: Before my laser session, on the day I shaved the areas I wanted to get lasered (full legs, forearm, underarms & bikini line). The lady drew the areas she was going to laser and applied a gel on me. The gel is used for IPL and laser (I get laser done as it's more effective than IPL) and works as a cooling deterrent as without it you would get burnt! She then began the laser and honestly my first session didn't hurt a bit. Infact the most pain I felt was from the gel as it was freezing cold!
Results After Session 1: I really wasn't expecting any results straight away and it's important you know that because it takes time for the hair follicle to die, especially if the hair is thick. So the lady advised me not to pluck or wax any hair going forward from now, and to only shave and I would notice the hair either growing thinner or falling out. She was right, after 2 weeks my hair was falling out in more areas than some and I was literally shocked! So the underarm hair began to fall out when I was scrubbing away in the shower which was amazing as it meant it was working! My hair grew back fully within 3 weeks on my underarms and I also noticed the hair on my legs were taking longer to grow out which was bloody amazing.
Before / After Session 2: Shaved as per normal, but this time instead of my forearms I decided to get my upper lip, full legs, forearm, underarms & bikini line) I mean not gonna lie, putting a razor to your upper lip was pretty strange but I mean I wanted to try out laser there as threading hurts! This time I definitely felt more than I did in session 1 in terms of pain. Some areas like my leg near the ankle, I could feel small tiny pinches and don't get my started on the bikini line. Definitely felt more than the first time for some reason but let's face it, it was around 30 seconds and it's pain you can tolerate. What does it feel like? You know when you're straightening your hair? And you touch the heated plate for a split second? Yup that's what it feels like. I tend to say "fuck a duck" a lot when it hurts and my laser lady does a countdown for me, but trust me it's like the longest 7 second countdown.
Results After Session 2: Ahh I love laser! More hair fell out again when I was scrubbing or just applying Bio Oil on my skin after showering. The more I scrubbed, the more hair fell out. Without over exaggerating this treatment is life changing, and the amount of results I saw from session 1 and 2 just makes me think the long term result will be amazing.
Before / After Session 3: Shaved as per normal, but this time I went back to doing my forearms instead of upper lip as I'm still very sceptical about lasering my face. I mean, I see great results on my body but my face is sensitive and for now I'm focusing on the larger body parts before small areas. Pretty much the same feeling after session 2, but this time around I had to explain that some areas hadn't had any hair growth which is amazing after 4 weeks!! But she still lasered those areas anyway just to ensure the follicle weakens even more
Results After Session 3: Well I got my laser done on Saturday and it's now Tuesday. When I was shaving, I would get some sort of stubble by now but I have no hair growth at the moment. Will keep you posted in next month's laser update!
I cannot express how much laser has changed my life so far and it's only been 3 months. I wasn't exactly a hairy person before laser, but I just found waxing and shaving gave me itchiness, ingrown hairs and also was just such a hassle. My next laser session is in 5-6 weeks as my hair has already got a lot weaker and also it's best to leave a gap of 4 weeks minimum between each treatment.
The Cost? Because I wasn't too sure if it would work on me, I didn't want to buy a bulk package and then regret it later. So I started with a pay as you go session at £100 for an hour session each month which is such a good price! And with the place I go to, you can also buy certain packages or just the area you want lasered e.g. Underarms (£40 a session). The best time to get lasered is now, so by summer you are hair free! Laser isn't permanent but it reduces hair growth massively.
Feel free to ask me any questions below and I'll be happy to help/advise!
Stay tuned for session 4 next month in February!
Stay tuned for session 4 next month in February!
Sabi x
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