Normal to go up 2 levels of intensity in laser hair removal?

Question

Im a 34 y/o woman and have had 7 sessions of laser done on my neck im the last 9 months with no real results. The therapist blames my pcos even though i had it done on my cheeks 8 yrs ago in another country, with great results but she insists - even though my endo says my hormones are balanced now. Yesterday she did a patch test and increased the intensity by 2 levels. It was ok but im nervous to let her do my whole neck - as it's already a mess due to ingrown hairs from the shaving

Douglas Wu, MD · Answer

Sorry to hear of your troubles.  Without any knowledge of your skin type, it’s tough to make a useful recommendation.  Specific laser settings are not as important as achieving appropriate laser endpoints.  For laser hair removal, the appropriate endpoint is to visualize mild erythema and edema around the hair follicle after treatment.  Your provider should be well-versed in these matters in order to achieve optimal results.

Steven F. Weiner, MD · Answer

I have no way of knowing about how intensity levels vary because I don't know which laser was used. In any event, if the test went fine, it should be ok to use at that level. You might ask to try the level in between one time.

Normal to go up 2 levels of intensity in laser hair removal?

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