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Original poster

Laser hair removal failed. What now?

48 replies

Coldest · 17/01/2016 15:14

I have very awful hirsutism thanks to my pcos. After years of trying to manage it I got laser on my whole beard area. My skin was hair free and flawless for about 4 months. But I have now noticed that basically all the hair or back.

I am pregnant so can't have laser again but even after the pregnancy is it likely to.work? I have very thick black hair so was told I was ideal candidate. I am so dissapoites that the laser failed. It was done by a dermatologist too who was highly recommended by a number of people so I didn't scrimp over it.

OP posts:
Wolpertinger · 19/01/2016 08:50

Facial hair is the most persistent. 6 sessions of IPL is nothing - I've had over 20!

Eventually it reduces but because of your PCOS there is always the hormonal drive to make new hairs so you will always need maintenaince sessions.

You can never give up with it. IPL is a hair reduction treatment not a permanent hair removal anyway.

For me, my hair also started to go paler so it didn't get picked up by the IPL but was still v long. I've swapped to electrolysis which I'm finding better, cheaper but way more painful. Again because of the hormonal drive to create new hairs, although some hairs are permanently eradicated, you can't give up and stop although I prob not have 10-15 minutes once a month now.

redhat · 19/01/2016 08:52

The OP is not having IPL she is having laser

Wolpertinger · 19/01/2016 09:20

Same with laser though - it's not permanent, it doesn't stop your hormones growing new hairs, you can't have 6 sessions and think you are done. It's not staggeringly different.

Original poster
Coldest · 21/01/2016 09:10

How can hormones grow new hair in the exact same place and that too so quickly? I have very dark , dense hair a proper beard and I was told it would work perfectly as I have light skin too. Meh....

OP posts:
suzannecaravaggio · 21/01/2016 09:33

Laser will kill hair follicles but if the underlying hormone condition is still there then more of the tiny fine hairs can still be activated and turned into coarse dark hairs.

Home lasers are good, may take more sessions to kill the hairs but far cheaper and more convenient than salon visit, also not so painful!

Only1scoop · 21/01/2016 09:36

Have you tried the cream in conjunction with your other treatments? I didn't think for a second it would make a difference but it has.

Eflornithine 11.5 percent
I use twice a day

suzannecaravaggio · 21/01/2016 09:38

The hormones don't cause new hairs to grow, instead androgens cause tiny invisible hairs to be 'switched on'

Its not so much that men have more body or facial hair than women, more that it is much more coarse

redhat · 21/01/2016 10:12

I have a full beard - post laser. If you've been told it will "work perfectly" then that is a very good reason not to go with that clinic. Most will tell you that it isn't guaranteed and that they can't predict the results but a reduction of more than 50 percent is a success. They will also tell you that you are likely to need top ups.

I'm having two more sessions and then giving up.

Wolpertinger · 21/01/2016 10:54

If you were told 6 sessions would work perfectly your clinic have terribly misinformed you.

redhat's clinic has given her much more standard advice. It's what I got from mine - my nurse told me to give up, I'd got what I was going to get (which was a lot but I'd had a lot more than 6 sessions) but from now on I'd just be throwing my money away and I should change to electrolysis for the rest.

Laser/IPL is much better on other sites like underarms or legs where my results have been amazing and need far less maintenance.

I had ideal hair and skin for it to work and it did work - I got a greater than 50% reduction but it wasn't complete and it did keep coming back.

purpleapple1234 · 21/01/2016 11:08

I feel for you OP. I also would recommend that you try a IPL machine. I have the Philips Lumea Precision Plus. It has been great for my legs, bikini and underarms. I shave once a week and use the Lumea once every 3 weeks over the top. I live a hot country and have bare legs nearly all the time.

I also use it for my chin and 'tache areas. It is not so good here. I used the facial hair filter and figured out while the hair on the rest of my body was responding the hair on my face wasn't. So right or wrong I started to it without the facial filter and I have since seen an improvement. I need to shave the area once every 3 days, but the stubble is much less noticeable after a couple of months. I will carry on as I am not going back to plucking.

Although it is tedious doing the IPL every 3 weeks for the rest of my life. It is better than waxing, shaving (full, coarse hair as opposed to partial, fine hair), dissolving, plucking all various time points on different parts of the body.

Only1scoop did you have to go to the doctor for that magic-sounding cream?

Only1scoop · 21/01/2016 11:13

Someone I know was prescribed it at the Dr's. My Dr wouldn't prescribe for me gave some excuse as she was happy to Jot the name down of it....Hmm

I purchased it from Lloyds chemist online it was expensive about 80 pounds I think but it's been really working for me.

birdsdestiny · 21/01/2016 12:04

I have had a number of laser treatments in beauty salons over the years absolutely nothing worked, was shaving everyday. Recently I went to a clinic linked to a hospital and it was amazing, but it took well over a year, once every six weeks. I still will need to go for top up sessions. However I never ever shave anymore (still a few blond prickly ones but can manage them). Personally I think beauty salon laser just doesn't work for lots of people, the hospital laser was eyewateringly expensive, but was carried out by doctors, they were extremely knowledgeable and it almost felt like a medical procedure. If you can go to a clinic linked to a hospital (mine was in North east), and discuss the issue with them. I think your dermatologist should have told you that it is not a permanent solution and pcos makes things more complex obviously, the doctor I spoke to was very honest, about success, risks etc. I know how depressing it can be , I had written off ever finding a solution, but after twenty plus years did find something that works. Good luck.

Original poster
Coldest · 21/01/2016 16:21

It wasn't a beauty salon.the person who runs it is a dermatologist and he did my initial session after which it was done by a technician. Anywho I will try a different clinic after pregnancy otherwise will just have to do threading /waxing etc. Feel quite upset at the thought of that but nothing can be done I guess.

OP posts:
Original poster
Coldest · 21/01/2016 16:22

Will look at the cream after pregnancy too.

OP posts:
FieryWill · 21/01/2016 19:34

Vaniqa has literally changed my life. Nothing else worked including a home ipl machine and clinic laser treatment.
I just walked into the doctors, said I'd like a prescription for Vaniqa and was out within a minute. Buying privately is very costly, especially when you're still seeing if it'll work for you. You have got to use it forever though or it will come back, and I don't think you can use it when pg.

Only1scoop · 21/01/2016 19:36

Glad to hear it's working for you too Fiery.

I might start a thread about it.

I'm going to push for. Prescription I think.

KateMossIsMyQueen · 21/01/2016 19:48

There's a hormone cream you can get from the GP - I haven't tried it but it was always offered to me when my PCOS was reviewed - Dianette and shifting the weight from my uni days helped me, but mine was always dark and plentiful, but rather fine, which could be easier to get rid of?

FieryWill · 21/01/2016 19:55

Only1 I wasn't expecting it to work to be honest, it was kind of a last ditch nothing to lose thing. It started helping in less than a week! They do say you've got to give it a few months for the full effect though.

Defo push for a prescription, it's very unfair to deny you something that could be so life changing.

KateMoss my doctor also said that weight is a factor and warned me not to put any on. I pointed out that I'd lost 2 stone which had zero effect on my beardage Sad

Only1scoop · 21/01/2016 19:58

I was the same Fiery

I thought this will never work and it's bloody brilliant stuff.

To be fair I only have two small patches but they are very wiry....was waxing fortnightly and plucking every other day. It's almost zero maintenance now.

So glad to hear working for you as well

321zerobaby · 21/01/2016 20:01

I am having IPL (os that different from laser?) with an ELipse machine, I noticed a reduction in hair growth after 1 session on my stubbly chin.

redhat · 21/01/2016 21:00

IPL is different from laser.

Secretsout · 23/01/2016 21:33

OP, is it definitely laser you've had? I had a consultation at a clinic advertising 'laser' but on my further investigation it was IPL. I found it very misleading to offer 'laser hair removal' that wasn't. I didn't go with them. I ended up at SKN, had proper laser, had 8 treatments to my moustache and bikini (cost about £1200). Took about a year and the hair is pretty much gone, I completed my treatment almost a year ago. Big price difference between IPL and laser in my experience and that's what alerted me at the 'fake' clinic

Original poster
Coldest · 24/01/2016 23:54

Yes definitely definitely laser. The laser was a soprano. Anyway will research other machines after pregnancy.

OP posts:
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