Laser Hair Removal

AvonEnniskerry · 04-11-2011 8:21pm #1

So this christmas I was thinking of getting laser.... you know the usual. underarms, bikini line and legs. I want to hear about people's experiences.
I went for a consultation and as I am quite sallow skinned theres a chance of it not working... It's a lot of money for something that may or may not work... The good thing is that I have strong hairs, however the tops of my legs have fine hairs which apparently the machine wont be able to work with.....

housefemme · 17-11-2011 2:16pm

I decided to look into laser last jan 2011. I did some research online about diff machines used and the diff clinics in Dublin. I also read reviews on 'boards' so I promised I'd write my experiences up for others to refer to. I discovered that the Soprano XL was one of the best machines in use at the time and it was used in Urbana on Wicklow st and the Therapie clinics. After having consultations with both I opted for Urbana. There were a few negative comments about staff in Therapie on 'boards' and they wanted to charge you more if you wanted a brazillian or hollywood or whatever. Urbana were cheaper than Therapie, they offered any style bikini you wanted for the same price and there were positive comments on 'Boards' about the staff and service.

I opted for underarm, bikini and lower legs. I have pale sallow skin and dark hair with strong growth so i was a good candidate. I had my first session in Feb 2011. It was sore, like waxing but only for the duration of the treatment. I didn't experience any side effects besides tender skin for 24 hours. After the 1st and 2nd session I already noticed hair growth slowing and some bald patches. Usually sessions are 6wks apart. My hair growth was quite rapid so after the 3rd session there was only a 5 week gap before 4th session. (The therapist noticed that I still had plenty of hair on my bikini and underarm so she wanted to catch it at an earlier stage of growth). I had only 4 weeks between my 4th and 5th session for the same reason. On the 5th session they switched me onto the new Cynosure machine. (This machine can zap hairs growing at diff rates I think) My growth rate was slowing before the last session so there was a bigger gap - 5 weeks before the 6th and final session.

As I said, almost from the start I saw results, slowed growth rate and more and more bald patches after each session. I used to shave my legs and my growth was so strong that if I shaved in the morning I'd have the start of stubble by that eve. It was a pain in the summer when I wanted to wear skirts and a total curse on holidays. If I shaved my bikini line I got a rash. All summer while having the treatments I had stubble free skin, because the hair that grows back is soft and downey.

I finished my last treatment in Aug 2011. They brought me back in 6 weeks after for a review. There was no hard sell, I said I was thrilled and might return to have some further treatments to catch the few remaining hairs. .My hair is reduced by 80% and what grows back is very fine, no stubbly feeling. I'm delighted. There is still some more hair than I'd like along the top edge of my bikini (the hair was very strong here) so I'll probably return in the new year to have a few top up sessions there. I found all the staff lovely and very professional. I had Ann with the Soprano and Michelle for the Cynosure and Paula for my final review.

jadie · 17-11-2011 2:25pm

I've posted here before about my negative experience with Therapie. Am after 8 sessions now and have maybe 20% less hair, not great really after shelling out near 1k. And yes, I was the ideal candidate.

The Soprano (diode laser)isn't the best machine on the market, the alexandrite, e.g Gentlelase is considered the gold standard. If the hair on your upper legs is fine, laser won't work. I would just get it on lower legs instead. Also all these clinics seem insistent on spacing the sessions 6 weeks apart when in fact legs have the longest growth cycles, its better to space them 10-12 weeks part. Take a look at hairtell.com, its laser forum is excellent

iheartthailand · 20-11-2011 1:19am

Im considering getting laser hair removal done in Heavon on grafton street, anyone have any experience of them?

AvonEnniskerry · 20-11-2011 3:23pm

I was also looking at heaven on grafton street.. they seem to have some good combination deals.. but then when I looked further into it brown cow in carrickmines did cheaper prices per session. meaning if you are not seeing results there is no need to finish your course. and waste more money then needed. and it is also easier to manage your pay as you do not need the lump sum.

dsuz · 20-11-2011 3:57pm

hi AvonEnniskerry
do u knw what sort of machine they have in Heaven @ Grafton st? is it IPL or Gentlelase?
I am Chinese with asian skin, and dark hair, i wonder whether laser hair removal would suit me.

kittyboodublin · 20-11-2011 4:28pm

IPL and Alexanderite lasers are not suitable for darker skin types such as Chinese.
You should be careful with this as it will take a few more sessions to get results on laser hair removal but it is possible without any comlications.

The best laser for your skin would be Soprano XL (to start off with). Laser hair removal is not supposed to give 100% results in 6 sessions and it can vary from person to person and the darker your skin is the longer it may take to get the clearance you desire, this is due to the laser also targeting pigment within your skin.

The Soprano XL which is a medical grade Diode laser does not target the pigment in the skin as much as the Alexanderite Lasers (gentlelase and Cynosure) and the IPL will simply burn your skin as it is not targeted at all and is not even a laser so avoid IPL.

I would recommend having a consultation in a specialist hair removal clinic that has more than one type of laser for hair removal as these will ensure you not only get the best results from your treatments but also your safety.

The only clinics in Dublin with more than one laser for hair removal are Urbana, Therapie and Laserway. All 3 have Soprano XL and Alexanderite lasers and none of them use IPL for hair removal. Avoid any City deal or bargain salons as these are not going to have the equipment or time to ensure your safety or results and run the risk of permanently burning your skin especially as it is darker.

All 3 clinics I mentioned give a free consultation and Urbana offers a pay as you go option so you do not have to fork out €100's in advance.

Hope that this helps you x.

AvonEnniskerry · 20-11-2011 5:04pm

The lasers that various places use are usually posted on there online sites..
I know heavens is as well as I cannot remember which used which offhand.
http://heavenfaceandbody.com/index.html

And from what I can gather a huge con to laser is having sallow skin as the laser is trying to pick up the pigment of the hairs. However having dark hair would be your pro. If you have strong hairs... technically speaking the laser treatment should be more effective but fine hairs are not picked up on the machines...

CheekyBoots · 22-11-2011 12:54pm

Hi there!

I am just wondering if anyone has got laser hair removal in Heaven on Grafton Street and if they found it good?

Thanks!

dsuz · 23-11-2011 2:55pm

kittyboodublin & AvonEnniskerry

thanks for both of your advise, i have decided not to take up the offer by Heavan based on your advise, i rang Urbana and Therapie and have setup appointment with them for consultations,
the price is just so expensive though, i am not sure i can afford it yet,
therapie quote Euro 585 for 6 session for lower leg only while Urbana is €80 per session. rang Heavan a few times, but no one actually bothered to ring me back, making me feeling even less confident with their service.
Will look up Laserway as well. thanks so much for your input!

Baylisk2 · 06-12-2011 4:22pm

Hi guys!

FAB in South William Street, Dublin 2 is excellent for laser hair removal. Lovely Salon too and there are often have special offers running. They offer free consultations so may be worth going in to talk to them anyway.

Baylisk2

bennetc4 · 06-12-2011 4:46pm

Oh my god Karla that great advice! I have serious hair growth on my face!
Do they give Discounts for a number of visits????

Yve · 13-12-2011 9:20pm

Hi There,
I went to Therapie.
I am very dark haired.

I had my upper lip , underarm and went for Brazilian.

My underarms turned out the best. Tiny bit of hair has returned and it is soo great not to have to shave there - I was always getting shaving rash.

Upper lip, not too bad.. was definite worth it.

But my down belows

the hair has returned (although not as thick) , its very soft compared to what it was... the hair along the bikini line has not returned but I am disappointed with the result around my private area

I have had a baby and am pregnant on my second and I suppose you cant expect to become completely bald between the legs ha ha but I did pay a lot of money to get it done. I was told about hormonal changes but I suppose I thought I would be different and the hair wouldnt come back.

It seems that everyone has different experience with laser hair removal.

I am SO GLAD I got it done under my arms and on my upper lip.

But if you going to have babies, maybe save your money for your down belows (if you thinking of that area) till after

Yve · 13-12-2011 9:24pm

oh and its very very very sore..

I thought it would get easier

I cried a couple of times when getting it done tbh. The girl was lovely and said she was used to it

I used to dread my appointments and I aint a wuss by any means but yes, its very very very ouch !

CapriSunFun · 13-12-2011 11:21pm

Yve, did they use the IPL machine on you? I want to get laser hair removal on my bikini area, but I got a test patch on my bikini area in Therapie with the IPL machine and it was SO sore! They only did a small area but I definitely couldn't cope that intense pain all over my bikini area. I heard the Soprano XL is "virtually pain free" but would love to know people's experiences with the Soprano XL on their bikini area.

kittyboodublin · 14-12-2011 11:16am

I have had the soprano XL on my bikini in Urbana about 18 months ago. I am very happy with the results and it was not that sore at all as they use a pain free laser. They did increase the settings on my later sessions but this was only to treat the more difficult hairs they said.

Since I finished my treatment I have had about 95% of the hair gone and only now it is starting to come back in oatches but they told me to expect this and have 1 or 2 follwup sesisons a year.

I called them up the other day and they told me they have a new laser there also that I am going to try after Christmas for a top up treatment on my bikini line as they said when I was on the phone that it is excellent at targeting the finer hairs that I have starting to regrow.

The price of a top up session with them is €80 for a bikini and underarm and to be honest if that is all I have to spend to maintain the results I am more than happy. Might be worth just calling for a consultation and see what you think. They are not pushy and I found them very good to deal with for my treatments in the past. Let me know if you would like any further info, I will let you all know after christmas how I get on with my topup session.

Yve · 14-12-2011 11:48pm

CapriSunFun wrote: »

Yve, did they use the IPL machine on you? I want to get laser hair removal on my bikini area, but I got a test patch on my bikini area in Therapie with the IPL machine and it was SO sore! They only did a small area but I definitely couldn't cope that intense pain all over my bikini area. I heard the Soprano XL is "virtually pain free" but would love to know people's experiences with the Soprano XL on their bikini area.

yes that was the weapon of choice alriight. like i said i cried - and quite a few times too.

also, and am sure they have told you that you are extra sensitive around the time of your period... I was extra sensitive all the time it seemed..

I always tried to make my appointments as late as possible in the evening too as my upper lip was roaring red after it.

and the smell ... there does be a smell of hair singeing even though the area does be shaved for the appointment.

I would LOVE to have no hair in certain areas

but the pain was unnatural

CapriSunFun · 15-12-2011 9:16pm

Yve wrote: »

CapriSunFun wrote: »

Yve, did they use the IPL machine on you? I want to get laser hair removal on my bikini area, but I got a test patch on my bikini area in Therapie with the IPL machine and it was SO sore! They only did a small area but I definitely couldn't cope that intense pain all over my bikini area. I heard the Soprano XL is "virtually pain free" but would love to know people's experiences with the Soprano XL on their bikini area.

yes that was the weapon of choice alriight. like i said i cried - and quite a few times too.

also, and am sure they have told you that you are extra sensitive around the time of your period... I was extra sensitive all the time it seemed..

I always tried to make my appointments as late as possible in the evening too as my upper lip was roaring red after it.

and the smell ... there does be a smell of hair singeing even though the area does be shaved for the appointment.

I would LOVE to have no hair in certain areas but the pain was unnatural

Wow I can't believe you could actually bare the pain of the IPL machine! I got the test patch at the top of my bikini area, and even there it was unbearable, I can't imagine how painful it would be when the laser goes...ahem...further down!
I'm definitely going to get the Soprano XL then!

nesbitt · 17-12-2011 1:04pm

I can highly recommend Eccles Clinic on Eccles Street Dublin 1 opposite the Mater Hospital. They charge on a 'pay as you go' basis by the minute for any area of the face or body that needs treatment. Treatment is carried out by a qualified nurse in a medical clinic environment. I found the treatment given to be excellent quality and done in a very caring way.

My teenage daughter is now on her fifth treatment since May 2011. Result is as follows, 100% clear on sides of face and upper lip, underarms, arms and tummy area. 70% on lower legs with very light stubble and shaving only once a fortnight. 50% on upper legs as she finds this a bit painful and has undergone two treatments in this area.

Cost so far is based on 50euro for 15mins, 90euro for 30mins, and so on. I am now paying for 1hour15mins at 220euro every six weeks for her treatment. We will soon be finished.

Treatments has let her get back to her normal confident beautiful self. Excess hair growth in soul destroying, it is worth going to a professional clinic and worth every cent of the cost.

I would never recommend going to a beauty therapy environment and signing up for a course of treatments and paying a lump sum in advance. In my view that is not the way to go at all.

chunli_boom · 19-12-2011 5:10pm

hey has anyone seen the deal on pigsback.com?its for six sessions on four areas in the Salon Hair and Beauty. does anyone know if they're any good? i'm thinkin of gettin my upper lip done...

Mrs Doyle · 13-01-2012 10:11am

After my 5th session at Therapie in Cork, and really not overly impressed. There has been some reduction, but not not significant. I originally got the deal for €999 for bikini / legs / underarm (6 sessions), but I stopped the legs after 2 sessions, as further discussion with them, they only decided to tell me then that I wouldnt get much reduction as my leg hair was so light. That was grand, transferred remaining sessions to underarm / bikini. What they also failed to say at the start is 95% of people will have to go for 8-10 sessions for hair removal - this is unfair, as you think you are getting the full hair removal for the amount you pay at the start, but most people will have to pay for extra sessions.
Session 6 today, I really wanna see serious improvements on hair reduction (I am quite dark on bikini and underarm)

Skaken · 02-04-2012 10:09pm

Anybody help me out here.

Have been waxing my back, cr..k & s..k for a few years now.

Am looking at laser as a longer term alternative, any idea what places facilitate us men?

jadie · 03-04-2012 11:25am

After 8 sessions now with Therapie, had the last one in November and all the hair has returned, even where I thought I had reductions. am seriously annoyed by it. Am thinking about asking for my money back at this stage, has anyone gone down this route?

Justice_Thumbs · 13-09-2012 1:10am

Just wondering if anybody could recommend this place or has heard any review of their laser hair removal treatment? Forever Beautiful, D2 Medical Centre, 1 Fitzwilliam Street .

There's a deal on Groupon at the mo, 89 euro for 5 sessions, 92% price reduction apparently. I'm tempted!

roccarose · 26-07-2014 5:52pm

hi, just to share my experience,

i started laser with therapy up in galway, and after a couple of sessions i did notice thinning of the hair,
i got laser under belly button, on chest and nipple areas. my skin is sallow and i have dark hair.

i have had one course and am now into my second one, and it hasnt worked for me, the hairs in between my breasts have thinned out, but truthfully i havnt had great results, the area that seemed to work most successfully was under my belly, but it has grown back, in the last month or so. to a lesser degree than it was, but is still there!

after my first few sessions i continued my treatments with therapy in cork, it was handy for me, and they said that the machine they had in cork was more suited to my hair/skin type

this post is for people who have hair in hormonal areas, as you may not have the results imagined, and as the lady posted about pregnancy, the hair could regrow in those hormonal areas during that time,

im glad its worked for some of ye.

Chrisita · 20-08-2014 4:25am

There are some excellent electrologists in both Galway and Cork who can get you permanent results, should this second course of laser treatment also be unsuccessful. Hope it works for you though. Sadly,I have met many people who had up to 10 years of laser treatments before resorting to electrolysis.

Spirogyra · 22-08-2014 9:05pm

seems to be very little electrolysis in Ireland though?

Chrisita · 23-08-2014 9:55am

Actually,electrolysis is widely available in Ireland, mainly in beauty salons, rarely as a specialty, stand alone service. That,I believe can compromise the standard of the electrolysis treatments. A clinic that specializes in electrolysis alone, stakes their entire reputation in one area, and are likely to provide a more skilled service.

Laser Hair Removal

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