olivetalks

My third session with the Rio Laser Hair Remover for the bikini line has arrived. It’s been three weeks since the last session (this is starting to sound like a confession…). If you are new to these posts, check out detailed explanations of the process starting from day 1.

Update on how it seems to be going:

• in the bikini line (which I shaved with cream a couple of days ago in preparation for the 3rd laser treatment) I cannot say I see a reduction of hair in general. BUT it could be because I did not memorize the exact locations of where I had hair at the beginning. I have noticed though, that two isolated hairs I treated have stopped growing. I see their tips, exactly like they were 3 weeks ago. Interesting… I’ll zap them today as well
• in the armpits I do think there has been a reduction of the amount of hair. As it is a smaller area with a higher density of hair, I guess it’s easier to see. I’ll have to confirm it next week when I treat my armpits again and the following days.

As I mentioned in “Rio Laser Hair Remover” does it work? armpits area (day 1), I think it’s interesting to compare the home treatment with laser treatments carried out by professionals. I have asked a friend who had his back done a year ago for his opinion. I’m going to share his comments, plus compare them with my experience so far with the home treatment.

[...] at the salon, they first make you lie down. I know a friend who had her upper lip done and she had to lie down too. Then they start by shaving you with some kind of blade and they leave the hair very very trimmed. Then they apply a cream on the area to be treated which is extremely cold.

I should find out what is that cream for…

It doesn’t hurt at all. You do notice a je ne sais quoi… kind of what you mention in your posts, that “pin prick”. Like a tiny electro-shock. Like when you touch a car or someone and sparks come out, but without it being painful. It does hurt a bit more when they treat nearer to the neck, but I don’t know if it’s real pain or just a weird feeling from hearing “zap” besides your ear. You get goose-bumps there…

I agree! the “pin prick” does feel like tiny electro shocks! I guess it makes sense. You have two metallic pins on your skin and if one stops making contact, it stops the laser. So you have to be conducting some electricity between the pins for the machine to know the wand is correctly placed.

Each session is around 20 minutes, half an hour tops. After the fourth session, I started noticing the decrease in hair. But if you stop the treatments, the hair comes back. At the salon they told me I had to go 6 times minimum, 8 or 10 to have good results (depending on the type of hair), in a row. Without stopping. The sessions had to be between 3 weeks and a month apart. After this initial 6 to 10 monthly sessions, they said you can go down to once every 4 months or even once a year. And finally, all the hair will disappear.

At home it definitely takes longer per session, probably due to the size of the laser aperture and maybe the strength of the laser.

I will get back to my friend for more information, like prices and general thoughts, and let you know next week.

Session 3 done:

Today I’ve spent 40 minutes zapping away hairs in the bikini line. Quite boring if it weren’t for the Friends chapters I was semi-watching at the same time. I find it generally easier to treat hairs that I didn’t shave: I trim them with scissors just a second before targeting them and then I know exactly where to aim. It’s a slower process, but at least you don’t feel you are pointing a laser to hairless areas unnecessarily.

Two after-thoughts today: 1st. going to a professional place would definitely have the advantage of not having to fight with your legs and your backbone to reach more difficult areas. At home, maybe if two people were to use the machine, you could take turns zapping each other… This is starting to sound like Star Wars… 2nd. maybe I should go to a professional salon to have the bikini line done once to compare first-hand. I’ll think about this.

More next week (armpits day 2!)

PS. ZoltarStark’s three hairs are unable for comments at the moment. Pity. I’ll try to get an interview with them for next week.

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