Reduction, NOT Removal - Pittsburgh, PA

I finished the 3 laser treatments on my bikini line back in 2011 and within 2 months of the final treatment, there was no indication that I'd had anything done at all. Where I'd had significant hair reduction in the underarm area by the third treatment, there was no improvement whatsoever on my bikini line. Given how uncomfortable the procedure was and the lack of results, I just sort of gave up on the whole laser idea for that area.

However, one of the other med-spas in the area offered another Groupon deal on 3 bikini treatments with a different type of laser. I figured that I'd give it a shot after a particularly bad summer full of ingrown hairs down there. I've had all 3 treatments with the Alma laser, known for its "Pain-Free, Hair-Free" trademarked slogan. I am VERY happy with these results and have booked a fourth treatment to wrap things up.

The Alma laser really lived up to its slogan; there was some discomfort in some more tender areas, but this really was nothing compared with the underarm and bikini treatments I had in the past. The technicians just rubbed over the whole area with the laser and that was that - you felt some heat through the process but only a few really spots were uncomfortable. There was no sunburned sensation like I'd experienced before with my other laser treatments; I just wiped off the gel, got dressed, and went off on my day without any concern for soothing creams. I was instructed to shave the area the day of the treatment and I just let the hair grow back in afterwards. Hair in the treated area grows in a bit, but starts falling out after a week.

I had my first treatment with one tech at the med-spa who really only did the basic areas around the bikini zone; she really stuck to everything right at the bikini line. Due to a crazy work schedule, I had to make my second and third treatments at odd times where I got a male technician. I don't want to sound sexist, but this was my first experience having a male providing grooming services for me in that area. While it was a bit strange at first, I quickly got over it and boy am I glad that I did. He made sure to cover EVERYTHING that I normally shave, going far beyond the bikini line and taking care of the pesky hairs that I get on the inside of my thighs that are always causing me grief with the number of ingrown hairs. He was very nice, professional, and personable and we talked the whole time through my treatments which made it a much more comfortable experience.

The areas that were treated all 3 times with the Alma laser are great; it's never 100% hairless, but the hairs left there are very fine and easy to shave. The rest of the area covered by the male tech was only treated twice and is doing great; I expect that one more treatment will get everything right where I'm happy with it. So I booked a fourth treatment just to go over the whole region one more time and I expect that it will be good to go.

Regarding the underarm treatments I had years ago - I had very good hair reduction and it's made things a lot easier for me. I've still got good results all these years out, but the hair is starting to come in thicker. It's nowhere near what it used to be mind you (I get the rare ingrown hair vs. several all the time), but it's not as good as it was two years ago. So I've also arranged to have the tech treat the underarms once for me when I go in for my final bikini treatment for a bit of a touchup.

So all in all, I've been happy with my laser experiences. You don't get rid of all of your hair, so don't expect it. Laser helps me by reducing the number of ingrown hairs and makes maintenance so much easier; I shave every other day so it helps me to save a ton of time and is so much easier on my skin. Depending on prices and providers, I will probably keep up with these treatments on an as-needed maintenance basis.

**UPDATE**

Am currently going through the hair reduction process on my bikini line. By bikini line, I basically mean only the hair that would show if I was wearing a bikini; I am not having the entire pubic area treated.

It is a similar story...I got a LivingSocial deal that offered 3 bikini treatments for $99 which really is an excellent price in my area. I know that this will not eliminate all of the hair in the region, but again I'm going for a reduction in ingrown hairs and hope that 3 treatments will make a difference.

Last time, we used a Lightsheer machine for my underarms and all treatments were performed at the 30 Joules setting. The bikini treatment was also performed at the 30 Joules setting. I've only had one treatment in the bikini zone and while it was more painful than the underarm area (I found that it helped to apply pressure to the area that had just been treated while the tech treated another area), there were no problems with this setting and with my skin. It is, however, taking longer for the treated hairs to shed.

One really important thing to remember: go to a reputable practitioner! I was thrilled with the office that I first visited and this second office just could not compare. The techs were unprofessional (they spoke for 25 minutes about their friends who were in prison), the office was ill-equipped (no soothing gel for post-treatment), and while the one tech who treated me was more professional than the others, she didn't bother to tell me ANYTHING about how the treatment would work or what to expect. I didn't tell her that I had had a similar procedure done before, so she really should've taken the time to explain things to me. I was the only patient at that time (there were 4 employees at that time and no one in the waiting room), so there really was no hurry or excuse. I will finish my treatments there, but I will definitely return to the first office if I ever want anything else done.

I recently had five laser hair removal treatments for my underarms. I am very fair-skinned and had a lot of fast-growing hair in that region; I would have to shave 2x per day if I was going to be wearing something sleeveless thanks to the 5 o'clock shadow that would develop. I had been considering laser hair removal for a while and when a local physician offered a Living Social/Groupon deal, I jumped for it. The physician's office was great; it was a reputable doctor who offered a great deal of dermatological services. The treatments were provided by two assistants who were also very professional.

I had minimal pain when I remembered to take Tylenol in advance of the treatment. The only adverse effect I had were some slight burns from the second treatment; these resolved within three days, but the region was sore for that time. The only difference was that a different assistant performed the second treatment and while she used the same laser settings as all of the other treatments (I made sure to check the machine myself), she didn't apply a soothing gel to the area afterwards. The burns were gone within 3 days and there is no residual scarring or irritation; it was like having a sunburn in your armpit.

After five treatments, I have a significant reduction in the amount and rate of growth in my underarm hair. I still shave every other day, but that is just because I want to catch every little bit of hair. I did not expect to be completely hairless in the treated area and so I am perfectly satisfied with my treatment thus far; I have no ingrown hairs and no irritation when I shave now. This convenience cannot be beat especially when you consider the price.

I recently signed up for another Groupon deal for laser treatments on my bikini line and will update when I see how this goes.