My Laser Experience Diary by Joney Harper

02/21/2008: I made my first laser hair removal appointment at Laser Beauty &Skin Care in Springdale, AR. I had some idea of what to expect, knowing many who
had laser hair removal. The staff was welcoming. I already had one of the forms filled out, which I down loaded from their site, so I went back to the treatment room
immediately. She explained about hair growth cycles and approximately how many treatments it would take. She warned it felt like runner bands snapping on your skin.

Then came the test. I thought it was going to be just a spot, but she did several areas on half my face. Sure enough, it stung like a rubber band snapping on my face. It was a little more sensitive on the upper and lower lips, but very tolerable overall. My whole face took about a half hour to do. She then applied some Aloe with UV blocker to sooth my face. She gave me an ice pack for my upper lip, but I did not really need it, because I did not notice any swelling, only a slight redness, as if I had a slight sunburn.  My face was mostly smooth where the treatment had taken place.

I asked about putting on makeup. She said I could have put it on then. She also told me some hairs would start to work their way out. Next appointment in 4 weeks.

02/22/2008: I was called by Laser Beauty &Skin Care to see how I was doing. I told her I was doing fine. Hairs were working their way out. She said I could shave, but it would feel like my hairs were being pulled out, because they are. I noticed it irritated my skin when I did shave, getting razor bumps. I needed less coverage when I applied makeup and no beard coverage.

02/25/2008: Hairs still pushing out, but no real growth, but enough to have a shadow. I won't shave to this weekend to let everything heal properly.

03/10/2008: I don't have to shave as much. White hairs showing up. Just use the electric razor a little bit. Skin is much smoother than before. I use less makeup and it takes a third of the time, not that it took me that long in the first place.

03/18/2008: I had my second treatment today. Took less than a half hour and left my face with a slight redness. Still felt like rubber bands snapping against my face, but less noticeable, since I knew what to expect. I mentioned the white hairs, so she told me she would try to use a different laser to possibly reduce them. Next appointment in 6 weeks.

Redness disappeared a few hours later. Face feels real smooth. A few stubbles here and there. I assume they will fall out as they did before.

04/22/2008: I had my third laser treatment today, six weeks after the last. Today was different, because she felt we could go after the white hairs as well as the black. This required a different laser. First she applied a gel to my face. It felt cool, sort of like aloe. She told me this would feel more like a sting, rather than just rubber bands snapping against my face. She started with my upper lip, the most sensitive area. I flinched as she did it and it stung more than the last time, but very tolerable. I think the flinch was more out of surprise. After doing my face area, she cleaned off the gel. She said some of the hairs just popped out as she did the laser. Then is placed the ice pack on my face for a few minutes to cool the skin. The n some sun screen.

My ace feels smooth and some hairs continue to fall out. I do feel more like a sunburn on my face than the last two times. She also some black spots on my face may fade with this laser, as well as evening out my skin tone.

05/10/08: Pulling some remaining black hairs and white hairs out with tweezers. Mostly white hairs remaining on my chin. Some black hairs remaining on upper lip area, as well as just under my bottom lip. No concealer required anymore though.

05/30/08: Laser Beauty & Skin called today. They are running a special for the whole chin area. A great deal for sure. Check out the specials, it helps with the cost.

06/03/08: Today I had my fourth laser treatment on my face. The same laser as the third treatment, so as to get more of the remaining white hair. It is more intense, so a little more sting, but again, more of a surprise than actually hurting more than a rubber band sting. This would also be my first underarm treatment. Taking an advantage of a special. This I hardly even noticed. In fact, I could not believe she was actually done. This should help me with the ingrown hair problems I have under my arms as well as clear up the discoloration I get from shaving. Looking forward to smooth underarms. I must admit, I am not use to taking my shirt off, when in semi-male mode. Glad I remembered to put on a clean bra. :)  I also got some mineral makeup. Since I have uneven skin tone, this was easy to apply and evened out my tone. Not that I use that much makeup anymore, after the laser treatments, I liked this even better than the L'Oreal I was using. Next treatment in 7 weeks.

07/05/08: Today I went swimming. I wore no foundation. It was very liberating to just be able to swim and not have to worry about makeup coming off if I went under water.

07/19/08: "How do you get you makeup to look so natural," was the question a Drag Queen asked me. I told her I wasn't wearing any foundation. The laser has been making my skin tone more even . Again, very liberating.

07/22/08: I had my fifth treatment today. More intense laser this time. Felt a little more pop than usual. Black hair is mostly gone. Still some white hairs. Had my second under arm treatment today too. Hardly felt it. Really clearing up the finer hair there.

09/02/08: Today I had my 6th laser treatment on my face and my 3d under my arms. This time they used two different lasers on my face. One to remove the little remaining black hair and the other to move the white hair, which I discovered I had when all the black hair was removed.

The second laser was less painful, but left more of a sunburn feeling and look afterwards. Also, the skin blemished were again darker. The first last was virtually painless, which they use on my upper and bottom lip area, as well as my under arm area. Again, I barely felt the the underarm treatment.

I am really impressed with the results. My skin and clear and smooth. What ever blemished I had are gone. Most of the time I don't have to wear any make up at all. In fact I have changed to just using a bronzer to even out my skin tone.

10/14/2008: I had my 7th facial laser treatment and my 4th underarm treatment this time. This time she used the laser that targeted black hairs. I still have some sparse black hair growth, which is very fine and mostly unnoticeable on my face. The blemish left on my skin from the last treatment is fading. The hair that is left under my arms is very fine and the area is becoming very smooth. I am very happy with the results in both areas. Wearing very little to no makeup is very freeing.