Zapping Myself Bald

I nearly forgot to share my laser hair removal experience, ha!
A few people had asked about it and such, so I figured I would share here for anyone interested!
I bought a groupon for 3 laser hair removal treatments. It was only $99 and the three treatments typically total $530-not bad! We were given the choice of face, underarms, or traditional bikini- I chose underarm. I schedule my appointment just a few days before and got in when I wanted to, always nice!
When I got to Pelli Aesthetics (shopping center next to the main library between Poplar and Walnut Grove) it was empty since they had just opened. The atmosphere was really nice and contemporary, but still comfortable. I was really anxious, so that meant a lot. The girl at the desk was also the, hmm, well, I don't know the title, but lets say...specialist. Apparently the normal front desk girl had a family emergency.
There was a lot of paperwork to initial. Basically no huge health concerns, just legal "this treatment varies with everyone" stuff. The only health stuff I remember is discoloration of the skin and possible scabbing. It also mentioned how many patients described it feeling, like a quick rubber band snap. Reading exactly how it felt and how things would go down helped calm my nerves a lot.
Once I finished we headed back to the room. Much like a spa/doctor's office room. The lighting outside of the bed's overhead lamp was very nice and warm. The overhead lamp lamp was like an operating room lamp or a dentist office's, except a size in between the two. There was also a medium sized running fountain wall again the back. It is amazing the attention to detail in putting their customers in a doctor-like service, but spa-like atmosphere.
She asked me to remove my shirt and lay on the bed. She quickly cleaned my underarms and began setting up the machine. She showed me the laser and informed me that it was an inch by two inches in size so this would not take long at all. Next, she handed me a pair of goggles, just like tanning bed goggles, for safety. It made me a little nervous that I couldn't see what she was doing, but she talked me through it and counted down from three for the first one.
I didn't feel anything.
She said she just wanted me to experience the timing and such before she moved down to the hair. It was a milli-second long flash, that's it. As she moved to hair, I felt it more. It really felt like a rubber band popping against my underarms and then singe-ing under my skin. At first it didn't hurt, but after a while it started hurt more, simply because of repeating it. From what people have told me about getting a tattoo, it is very similar. At first it is nothing, but as it goes on it really starts to hurt as they continue in the same area. It makes sense since the laser and needle are going into the core of the pores, so to speak.
She was done with both arms in under five minutes.
Seriously.
If I didn't have paperwork to do I would have been in and out in under ten minutes.
Awesome!
The next appointment has to be 4 weeks later to work with our hair's growing cycle. You can add or subtract about 3 days from the exact day and still be okay. But keep that in mind when you make your first appointment. In other words, don't make an appointment a week before vacation thinking you can get all three in before your vacation.
You can shave throughout the entire experience and I highly recommend it (day of) for the first visit, it makes the singe feeling much lighter. I will definitely be shaving the morning of my next one. But no hair removal creams or anything. Show up clean. No deadorant for under arms, lotion for legs or face. Be pure!
Also, no tanning! It is bad for you, plus it would only cause discoloration. No tanning up to two weeks before the first treatment and no tanning during it!
You also cannot do the procedure with open wounds/scabs. They would worsen something awful!
There are some medicines that can make you sick or cause discoloration, ask when you make an appointment anywhere. This will keep you from wasting a trip just to be told you cant take that medicine up to two week before the treatment.
I didn't look but it felt like they were a little red afterwards, but I have decently tough skin, so that can definitely vary. Usually it doesn't last more than 2-3 days. Of course ice can help remedy the situation as well as post-laser gels or hydrocortisone cream.
The process is basically pushing the hair follicle out of the pore. In other words, it is going to look like it is still growing, but it is actually your body pushing it out. Typically it falls out within 5-10 days. I'm only on day 4, so I really can't verify much yet. It is good to make sure you exfoliate a bit in the area while you're in the shower, that will help it to come out sooner, smoother, and a little bit cleaner!
Well, that's that for now! E-mail if you have any questions!