Also, it should hurt. If it doesn't hurt, it's a good sign you're being undertreated. If it hurts, you should use a numbing cream, not lower the settings. Effectiveness should be the primary concern. As long as the skin is not burning, you are good.
You may have been undertreated. For your skin type, you should use a Yag type of laser. And settings need to be aggressive in order to disable the hair permanently. Too many clinics undertreat because they're afraid to burn the patients (due to their lack of experience or due to using inappropriate laser type on darker skin).
Well, I had my treatments done 5 years ago now and haven't had any regrowth at all. My treatments were with a good machine for my skin type and high aggressive settings. I had underarms, bikini, and lower legs done. 100% worth it. Just do the research first.
GentleLASE is an alexandrite laser and is one of the best on the market for light skin. Your results sound good. Just to clarify, the hair wasn't "growing back". Hair grows in several cycles, so you treated hair in one cycle and then hair in the next cycle appeared 8 weeks later, which you then had to treat, etc. That's why around 5-6 treatments are needed on this area.
It's important to remember that laser doesn't work on fine hair or light-colored hair. So if you have some of those left, you can leave them or shave or get electrolysis if you want them permanently gone.
Also, it helps to get treated at higher settings from the start so that the hair is damaged right away and not just temporarily disabled, which can happen at lower settings.
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