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Remember my blog about laser hair removal at a private clinic? I underwent a course of six treatments on my underarms with Harley Medical Group.
Today I returned after six months for a ‘top-up’ treatment to keep those nasty hairs at bay. It’s your own choice to do this and I figured that an annual visit wouldn’t hurt the bank balance as much as embarking on another course of six treatments to eradicate all possibilities of hair growth in that area. I was also convinced at the reduced rate I was offered as an existing client, which was £58.
My memories of the uncomfortable feeling of the laser gun being used was still fresh in my mind and I was dreading it but there have been massive changes in six months to my surprise. The clinic recently welcomed a new machine for the treatment and a slightly altered procedure. Instead of numbing the area with an ice-pack, cold hair is blasted while the laser is fired. Not only that, the machine does not have to be reset every few seconds after each blast; the new laser works continously and uninterrupted.
After treatment, the area is then cooled down further with an ice pack. It is claimed the cold air alleviates the pain more than the ice pack as it’s constantly numbing the area during treatment and the process is a lot faster than before.
The nurse claimed clients have reported dramatic and more effective results than with the machine before, which is something I will monitor over the coming days. However, I can confirm I felt nothing during most of the treatment so the blast of cold air makes an immense difference. At the most, the familiar rubber-band ping feeling in some parts but hardly noticeable.
The nurse informed me she had set the laser to level 6 and it goes up to 9, so if I could tolerate that level, then that is good news.
A few hours after the treatment and I feel fine. There are no burns or red marks this time around, and no pain in the aftermath. I am very impressed.
I had vowed I’d not resort to laser treatment again as towards the end of my course, I did find it slightly unbearable but now I am having second thoughts and wondering whether I should go for the bikini area. If the nurse is right in telling me the bikini area and the underarms are on a par in terms of sensitivity, then it won’t hurt ‘down there’. It kills with the wax, I can tell you! And I wouldn’t have to face the wax every four weeks any more. I’ve just got to come to terms with going through the embarrassment of undressing in front of a different person if I choose to go for laser. Six laser treatments (and no more) at a cost of £350 versus 12 wax ones every year at £28 each…I’m going to have to seriously think about it.
Sheenie
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I have a friend who opted for electrolysis and she had her bikini area done for only $200 (US dollars) which is actually pretty good. I guess the electrolysis was $1 per follicle. I know laser is becoming increasingly the way to go but electrolysis is definitively permanent. What you paid is approx $535 US dollars for the 6 treatments which isn’t too expensive really especially if it buys you 10 years hair-free! Personally, if I was going to spend the money I would probably go with electrolysis to be sure the hair removal was permanent.
Just as an aside, the woman I know who did electrolysis said it did not bother her very much. Kind of stinging sensation but she said she is thrilled with the results and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.
The one thing that I don’t like about the thought of electrolysis is the procedure of inserting a needle into each follicle. Compared to laser, it is considered to be painful. It also strikes me as a bit outdated as it came before laser and I don’t know many places who do it other than some salons.
I am really thrilled with the laser treatment on the underarms. More than 24 hours later, no side effects or marks. I’d say I’m 95% fuzz-free!
So glad you had a much easier time. I remember all the agony you felt with those other treatments. Good to know how fast things are changing.
Yes Lucy, it’s great they are always working on improving treatments especially on the comfort side. It’s what’s persuading me to go for it again but I will have to save up a little first!
I had my laser hair removal tretament at sk:n clinics andI am really happy with its fantastic results.