Got 9 laser hair removal treatments and not seeing the best results. Help!

Question

I've had 9 treatments done with the Alma Soprano Laser. I have olive skin and naturally have a lot of hair, but I expected most it to be gone by the 9th treatment. After taking a break from this salon, I'm still having to shave once or twice a week, and I see some results but maybe 40% reduction AT MOST (if that). My questions are: Is it typical for women not to see much results at this stage? Does this mean the technician was not detailed enough? Perhaps the laser itself isn't working properly?

Harold J. Kaplan, MD · Answer

Hi Israeli Chick.  There are a number of different possibilities.  The first is that the person doing your treatments may not have been that experienced.  Regardless of what laser is used, if the practitioner is not experienced in using the device or trained correctly then you can have poor results or side effects like blisters and burns.  In addition, if the practitioner was skipping over large areas in an attempt to finish the treatment quickly, then this might also explain why you have not achieved good results.  The second possibility has to do with the laser itself.  This laser has a "High speed" setting where the user passes the laser quickly over large areas, instead of treating small, individual patches one by one.  While this method certainly allows the user to finish the procedure quickly, generally speaking it is not effective.  It can help with thicker, coarser hair, but medium and fine hair needs to be treated with individual spots at a much slower rate.  As a consumer, it's easy to commoditize laser hair removal, believing that it's the same at every facility and the only way to make the decision among practitioners is location and price.  But the truth is that laser hair removal is a medical procedure in which the skill of the practitioner and the type of technology used make a huge difference in your results.  Getting a direct referral from a friend is the best way to find a quality practitioner.  Short of that, we would suggest looking at online reviews and NOT purchasing packages.  If you purchase a package you are tied into one provider.  If you purchase treatments one at a time, you can evaluate your results before committing to a full program.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

The amount of treatments needed will vary and some people will need treatments to maintain. Diode, alexandrite and yag lasers work best for hair removal. I typically have patients do every 4 weeks for the first 3 times and then every 4-6 weeks for 3 times after. See an expert in laser hair removal for best results. Best, Dr. Emer

Laura Riehm, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.  You have probably been getting ineffective treatments.  This could be due to poor settings, calibration of the laser or technique of the clinician.  We utilize a Vectus diode laser to safely and effectively treat all skin types.  We recommend finding an experienced and reputable provider in your area with updated equipment.  Calibration and power of the laser is important for a safe, comfortable and effective treatment.  Find out if their laser is under a maintenance contract.  If their laser isn’t calibrated on a regular basis or is underpowered, your treatment may be painful or inefficient. Best of luck.

Got 9 laser hair removal treatments and not seeing the best results. Help!

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Got 9 laser hair removal treatments and not seeing the best results. Help!

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Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.