SpectraLight Hair Removal

[Beauty]

Hi Danielle,

They say women suffer when they go to the beauty salon because of all they do to make themselves look pretty. I guess now the same can be said for those of us who are TG'd.

My experience, less the after affects, were about the same as yours.

I hope it works in 3 visits like they think it will, but because it sounds so similar to laser I'm going to have to wait, like you and all of us.

Regardless, it sounds like our first 3 visits may be similar.

You may find some stuff in my laser thread that may help. I updated it because now I realize it's important that I follow up so those who come here for support can see the progress for both procedures.

Best of luck!!!

Beauty

[Danielle La Belle]

Let's look at Laser vs Pulsed-Light Therapy.

LASER = http://www.shorelaser.com/AboutLasersDet.html

excellent site that will tell you what you need to know about laser principles. Drawings talk about the "light source." Pulsed-Light Therapy only uses the light source without the laser medium!

Laser light is typically a beam of energy as in a "Laser" pen. But, the intensity is much greater. Rather then mw (milliwatts = 1/1000's of a watt), it is measured in watts and usually can be around 5 to 12 watts at most (5000mw to 12000mw). This is then converted into a measurement called "Joules".

The laser penetrates deeper into the skins surface. The pulsed-light system stays closer to the surface of the skin. It will reflect from a white skin 99%. It is 99% absorbed by dark skinned individuals and can cause a burn if the pulse duration is too long.

This is why the Cool-Tip Laser is the choice of medical profesionals on individuals that have genetically dark skin. The Fitzgerald Scale is used to determine skin pigmentation density.

Okay. So, with Pulsed-Light therapy, the light ions predominantely stay close to the surface but can reach the hair bulb that is stimulated by your testosterone to grow those pesky hairs that we shave off each day.

Kill the bulb, destroy the hair folicle and it's subsequent growth cycle. The trick is to just kill the bulb, not the surrounding skins cells that provide life and natural surface beauty to our feminine faces girls. That would be scarring as we call it if the cells are badly damaged and show on the surface. Scarring can possibly be corrected via Laser or Photo-Light Therapy if only on the very near surface.

Having worked in a Laser - Black-Light laboratory at Kennedy Space Center, I can vouch for the danger that is involved if incorrectly applied. Also seek out a medical professional with experience, rather than one of these fly-by-night Laser clinics that charge low prices. What price a scar on your beautiful countennance? They may not always be careless but I would rather have a certified person trained in both medical knowledge and skin restoration any day!

Hugs

Danielle

[Danielle La Belle]

Friday's Daily Report - post 1st treatment - 3rd day.

No obvious sensitivity anywhere about the treatment area. Pore bumps have gone down. Skin still has a feeling of being not smooth. Everything about this is normal and right in line with the expected results.

As Beauty has pointed out, we must wait and see how this 3rd generation system works. It is of no financial benefit to me to have to go back for multiple visits as it will be for the Doctor. But, one must remember, you can have only so much "energy" directed to the treated area safely, before you would end up with skin burn and possible scarring.

Thus the double-edged sword. Less power, safer treatments, higher cost if charged by the treatment or square inch as some Doctors do charge. This is a business first, then medicine after all. It is cosmetic and not required to maintain our survival. If you can think that way, then it makes perfect sense to the Doctor's point of view. Safety, and more money. That is how the manufacturer advertises their equipment to perspective buyers.

We just want to get it over with and have a shinning new face! Maybe I will open a parlor: "Danielle's Skin Resurfacing for T* girls." You grow it, we kill it!

Ha ha ha ha ha LOL LOL


Hugs A' PLenty for All

Danielle Marie La Belle

[Danielle La Belle]

A link to a Doctor of some experience with plenty of photos.

The mention of Epilight (1997), now the newer Medilux (2004) is the replacement unit that I am being treated with. Everything else being equal, information about how hairs grow etc... A board certified Doctor and Professor at Cornell Medical school and Laser Research Center.

http://www.mdlaserderm.com/index.html

Do not miss this site. There are no male photos of facial hair removal. At the time, the epilight was not effective enough for a man's facial hair. Today's 3rd generation systems are more suited to our needs and were developed to cover a wider range of hair types and skin types.

Go to this page for an explanation of laser and photo-Light light frequency limitations,,,, why one over the other. Very important and informative reading....
http://www.mdlaserderm.com/photoderm.html



Hugs

Danielle

[Danielle La Belle]

Good morning girls:

A good day is about to begin for me. I awoke to a clean upper lip! I only had to shave a little stuble from the corners of my jaw where it was most dense and a just a little spot under the chin. Still a little tender under the chin, that last site of tenderness. Everything else is normal and that feeling of "bumps" is gone. Skin feels smooth again with the exception of the jaw corners. That will be okay by Monday I am sure.

I used lotion and liquid vitamin E everynight and when I shave. Things are really on track. I will submit a picture today to Beauty for posting. While I still have some shadow, it is now very light as compared to before the first treatment. This is going to work in my opinion!

My last post took you to a Doctor that used an earlier model of equipment and he was seeing patients after 2 and 3 years with no hair regrowth. So I am optimistic about this method for good quick results. I can easily now cover my upper lip with only "Covergirl" products and that is a really big plus. Yes I will need to use a small amount of the "cover stick" but not anywhere like I was doing. It can only get better as we go into the next two treatments.

There are not enough words to describe what I feel about this procedure and the results so far. WOW! After 40 years of scraping my face raw!




Hugs

Danielle

[Beauty]

Hi Danielle,

Just think, one day we'll have more of us who've done this and it'll be a thread that stays busy.

You brought up several huge things.

The Upper Lip:
I haven't shaved my upper lip since like February. When the laser glides over it, it barely ever gets anything(anymore).

Applying foundation and face makeup:
YES! LOL.. that's one of the absolute best things about having no facial hair!! Less gobbing on of foundation. Powder sits so well on the skin.

Long Term:
My laserologist showed me a picture of a gentleman who hasn't shaved in two years after his year treatment. I'm also excited!!!

Hair around the lips (especially the corners):
I explained in one of my posts that I asked about this hair and she told me it was the most stubborn hair because hair thrives on this are because there is so much blood flow there. You chew, you smile, you yawn, you grimace, your cry. Almost every facial movement uses the lips. She explained why it's one of the places after women stop producing as much estrogen that hair grows is because it's promoted their.

So, expect this area to be a little stubborn. One of the phases I went through was having a smooooth face.. with prickly things around my lips (especially the corners). Grrrr!

Well, when I went back after about the 5th treatment and was like, 'I know it's going to sting.. but can we please focus on that area? I really don't like kissing my wife with sticky things coming out of the corners only. (i didn't say it like I thought it was her fault)" She listened and said OK. We did it.. OUCH!! and now it's not a problem anymore. Those were my most painful treatments. She does the whole face, but she made sure she worked there for me.

Like you said. You can totally get burned badly by these tools. A person doing this isn't likely to start out in that area.

Thanks for the update Danielle!!

Beauty

[Virginia]

Danielle, Thanks for the update, I get excited reading about it and look forward to each post.
Love ya,
Deborah

[Danielle La Belle]

Sunday 11:30AM: day 5 after 1st treatment:

No sensitivity or soreness to be found. Everything has returned to pre-treatment status except the two dime size spots at the corner of each jaw point where the density of hair folicles is greatest.

Skin is smooth to the touch again with the above exception.

Hairs are deep black like little pepper dots on the face. Something like talking a super fine tipped marker and dotting the face. They are sized to the tip of a pin, not the head. A little Max Factor "pan-stick" still hides them well, but at the chin there is a small puffed patch. Not as smooth as the rest of the skin.

So I can live with it. I could go out enfemme but I am going to go through the hot summer at home this time. I have plenty of work right now and other interests to keep me busy.

Reports will now become occasional until the next treatment cycle or if I find things of medical interest I will file them here.

I will have a web page running soon with the "collage of my experience."

Hugs

Danielle Marie La Belle

[Danielle La Belle]

Beauty has been kind enough to host my current pre-treatment photos.

The ones in off-color were designed to show more completely the area being treated. All represent 12 hours growth. No other modifications were made to these pictures.

Now I know how the "bearded lady" feels!





I have tested these links and they work great! Remember girls, I am going to have the last laugh! I will not have this to deal with anymore soon enough.

Hugs

Danielle

[Jaye]

Wow! This laser hair removal stuff is looking more and more attractive! I've always been very heavily bearded, to the point thay my face is shadowed in driver's license photos taken right after I've shaved. I've always had to spackle on the foundation, usually Max Factor panstick, to get anything resembling a smooth complexion. I'd be happy if they could just thin out what I've got, though if I went for a little, I'd probably do it all. There's no reason I need that many hairs.

[Danielle La Belle]

Short report:

Everything has returned to normal in reference to skin texture. This AM there was less to shave after a 12 hour period than before. That is, growth has been slowed. Of course I can only tell by "sound" and general touch. No real way for me to measure any growth but it really does feel lighter or finer, and took half the time to shave today. This of course could just be a new hair cycle beginning so this does not constitute "good science" by any measure.

I now need to wait for the next appointment, June 29th.

I have found several good medical sites that show what can be done with IPL treatments. A "google" search using [intense pulse light therapy] as the request will render plenty of information for those that are interested. You owe it to yourself to take a look at the wrinkle smoothing and collagen building photos. Also, one about the under eye area being lightened, amazing...


Hugs

Danielle

[Virginia]

Thanks Danielle for the update! This is so exciting, it is almost like being there. I will be researching the sites you recommended.
Deborah

[Danielle La Belle]

Good Morning Girls:

Glad to see that you are all perky this morning! Alice, a little to perky girl, put some ice on those before you put out someone's eye!

Sorry, I am just in that kind of mood.

So, I woke up today and saw after shaving last night at 10:00pm that I do not need to shave this AM. YIKES! 10 hours growing time and, nothing really to shave. Yes, a slight roughness at two or three points but I could cover it all with make-up. Amazing! I am either in a slow-grow mode or things are happening to my advantage.

I will take a picture this AM and send to Beauty for inclusion. You will have to be the judge. Do not concern yourselves about the little dots, they are ingrown hairs, this will happen by the way. I will put a little medication stick on them and they should be taken care of at the next treatment. When a folicle continues to grow after a treatment, it very well could be damaged DNA information and the hair grows willy nilly, into the side of the pore wall because of it's distorted shape.

Yes, for those that are awake, "Cancer" is nothing more than damaged or altered DNA cells that are doing something they should not be doing. We call it a cancer then as it spreads this information to other cells nearby and they too begin to act incorrctly. Thus cancer is born.

With this technology, it is thought that we destroy those bad cells that we accidentally created, (ingrown hair) and that is okay. You will not get "cancer" from this treatment. For that matter, this treatment is being used on surface cancers of the skin with great success. They still prefer the laser for this type of treatment to get deeper into the skin layer.

So I will take a picture, let's all harass Beauty until the picture shows up. Oops!!! Sorry about that Beauty,,, Just kidding....honest! Now watch girls, my picture will show up looking like Abraham Lincoln via the artist's brush.

That will teach me for playing with the "Moderator."!!!

I don't have to shave, I dont't have to shave , duh, I don't have to shave, I don't have to shave........dedum... MY personal MANTRA! Think Positive!
Hugs

Danielle Marie La Belle

[Beauty]

Hi Danielle,

What you are experiencing now is the beautiful eventuality of not ever having to shave.

Get ready for the second stage which should happen either this week or next. Your hair will begin to grow again and it will be significantly less than before, but you'll be back into the normal routine.

After my first laser treatment there were just places on my face that were 100% smooth. I knew hair wasn't going to grow there anymore and it didn't. At approximately the 2 week mark I honestly thought it was all done. I didn't see myself really making it to 4 treatments because my face was a smooth as a baby's bottom.

When the next wave of hair grows in you'll feel those pockets where the treatment has done it's job and won't be needed their again. That's the eventuality. Now comes the daunting task of finding those areas that resisted the level they were zapped.

I like the fact with your treatment it seems that they put the laser on an area and zap vs. moving it across the face (like a razor would). The treatment you described seems more like a cookie cutter than rolling the dough.

I'm only telling you this because so far our experience has been the same. I hope my post is as positive as I'd like it to sound and not sounding like, "oh.. i've been through that before" because I haven't. I've been through something similar, but not exactly like what you're going through.

It's a glorious thing having a hairless face. Like you said, "No more gobbing on of makeup." I get to apply the same amount a woman would. It's more natural looking and it feels more natural too.

One last thing. I didn't shave. I enjoyed pulling the hairs out. Because they were falling out. It wasn't like I had to pull hard with my fingers. The hair would just come right out. It was awesome! So eventually I stopped shaving all together. I'd have to start shaving again when hair was growing in weird patterns on my face. lol!! There was this one patch that looked like I'd done it by design.

Beauty

[Danielle La Belle]

Hi girls:

Here is the most recent photo that shows unretouched 10 hours growth post 1st pass as of AM 6-9-04 (beginning of 9th day).



I had a simple shave again this AM and it covers with ease. I cannot pull out the hair as Beauty talks about, but then, I have not really grown it long enough to try. I was instructed to only shave routinely as it would help in removing those hairs that have come to the surface for removal.

No soreness, all is back to normal as has been for the past few days. No swelling or inflamation. 5 ingrown hairs that by using covergirls antiseptic stick have corrected themselves and removed the redness.

You tell me what you think?

Hugs

Danielle