I Regret Getting Laser Hair Removal Done: Read My Experience

I’ve always had heavy and thick hair growth, and in my mid-20s, I developed PCOS which led to hormonal imbalance and issues like excessive, thick facial hair.

From facial razors to trimmer, wax, I literally experimented with every other method but couldn’t stick through it as my chin area would end up with painful red acne bumps.

The only solution was left for me to get it treated was via laser hair reduction treatment. It’s an expensive treatment so I wanted to make sure I am doing the right thing.

I watched videos and read as many experiences on the Internet I could and most of them were positive. The only negative ones was where the technician didn’t used cooling gel and and stuff like that.

It’s a Reduction, and not a Removal Treatment — But!

The first thing that was made clear to me was that, it is Laser Hair REDUCTION and NOT REMOVAL. Now, before I could jump to conclusions, I decided to visit a dermat and let her examine my hair growth and suggest the best.

I researched the best dermatologist near me and went for it. She was a professional with experience and examined my hair growth situation thoroughly.

She mentioned that my facial hair situation is affected by hormonal imbalance so this would require multiple sessions and may not be fully done under the usual 6 sessions. Which is why, she, the dermat, incorporated a full 12 session plan for facial hair and 6 session for the body. We had a long chat and after I was convinced, I went for it.

She convinced me that in the most cases, clients experience “removal” ultimately, as laser destroys the root in each session.

I went for full body laser hair reduction treatment, which included 6 for body hair and 12 sessions for facial hair with safe hair removal methods as she was kind enough to understand the situation and wanted to deliver best results by extending the laser sessions for my face.

The Process!!

The process involves shaving the hair, applying the cooling gel, and then go all over with the laser equipment.

Shaving the hair before starting with the laser device is important else the device would burn the hair on surface so it is important to shave it off because it’s target is the root, not the hair above the surface.

I completed all my 6 (and 12 face) sessions in around 1.5 year. She thoroughly explained that how the hair root would eventually become weak, the best device and heat setting for my hair type, the gap required in the sessions, and everything important.

Is Laser Hair Removal Painful?

If you are wondering if the process was painful then, YES.

There was a stinging like situation and the areas where I had heavy growth, pained a lot more. But, it was all bearable except for the bikini area. That pained like H E L L!!

It was like, someone is pulling your hair with root and also giving you a tiny shock at the same time. 🥲

Between the sessions, she asked me to avoid razor at least a week before the next session so that she (the dermat) could examine the growth and adjust the setting as required.

The sessions were performed by the staff! Not the Dermat 🤷🏻‍♀️

Now, what I was not comfortable with, in my case at least, the doctor, the dermat herself wasn’t doing the sessions. Her staff was.

Even though they were trained but it would have been great if it were performed by the doctor herself.

There was a moment when the technician accidently hit my eyebrow area with the laser device and I experienced a major burning sensation. Later I realised the corner of my left brow was burned.

The dermat scolded them and further informed strictly to give me safety goggles and protect the brows. This was all making me feel like why not the doctor herself? Why the staff?

It’s not that I am never convinced by the subordinates or the clinic staff but to be honest, they were looking and behaving more like grocery store workers than a doctor’s clinic staff.

After all these sessions — HAIR GROWTH IS STILL HERE 🥲

Anyways, I patiently waited for all the 5 sessions and before I went for my last 6th session, I discussed with the doctor that its my last session and I am still getting hair growth. On my face, my body, underarms, everywhere.

I could see reduction in patches on my legs, then there were areas where the thickness was reduced but my growth was still there.

Then, she made a suggestion that if I still experience the hair growth, I should get the maintenance session considering my hair growth situation.

I would have considered the suggestion if I had witnessed 80% removal or reduction but that situation was clearly not convincing for me to spend even a rupee more on this.

Once I was done with all the sessions, I patiently waited for around 8 months and even more but what I see is my hair growth acting same like before especially on the hand, chin, and underarms. On the legs, there is still some noticeable difference.

The reduction I experienced

For my hands, the blackness (if I explaining it right) is somewhat reduced and they are slightly thinner in patches but the growth is not reduced.

For my legs, there are small patches that are clean while other got full on intense growth. This is only below the knee area. Hair on my thighs, underarms, and the bikini area are still the same.

Chin Hair are now back as how they were

My facial hair, the chin area, which was the real problem, are back to how they were. The thickness, the intensity, and the frequency of the hair growth, is now same as before. I am now back to using the facial razors in every 3-4 days.

The facial hair situation on my chin is not that excessively bad so please don’t imagine extreme scenarios 😹. But, whatever it is, it is visible and annoying.

The above image is from my acne patch article as I don’t have a fresh image with me. I’ll make sure to edit and upload the image with a new picture in coming weeks as I just did the razor today!! 🙃

I would say there is 30% reduction in the intensity especially on the legs that too in patches but I still have a decent, thick, and noticeable hair growth.

In simple words, my money is waste. I am not convinced. This is not what I signed up for.

They even used an expensive premium machine

And it’s not like it was a cheap clinic or a cheap device. She explained how the machine is superior and expensive to other laser machines with the medical terms which I don’t recall, but I was convinced that I am at the right place.

Anyways, what’s done is done. All I can say is Laser Hair Reduction was not for my heavy hair growth unless I plan to spend over a lakh year after year.

There are people who experience no hair growth that too after just 3 sessions but in our case, where we have a thick body hair growth running in our family or due to PCOS, then there is a high chance that you’ll be burning your money unless you have money sitting around ready to spend every year for recurring sessions because clearly, 6 sessions are not enough to eliminate the growth or reduce up to a level where it hardly matters especially when we are dealing with thick hair growth.

In simple words, if you have heavy, intense, and thick hair growth, then the usual 6 sessions of Laser Hair Reduction treatment will not be enough for you. You might experience reduction in thickness or removal in patches but you’ll surely need more than 6 and continuous sessions to let LHR work on thick hair growth.

LHR Treatment was a money waste for me

Neither for my face, nor for my body, the result I am seeing after 6 to 12 sessions of Laser Hair Reduction, is something I am not convinced with.

With this much hair growth on my chin, hands, legs, and underarms, I have wasted my money over Laser Hair Reduction treatment because this is not done in 6 sessions and I don’t have this kind of luxury money to spend on recurring basis for the sessions.

I mean, the reduction I am seeing in the results, — Is’t not that I am seeing 0 results. But, the amount I paid is not worth it.

✍🏻 If your goal is to eliminate the hair growth to get rid of monthly waxing and razor days, then Laser Hair Treatment might not deliver you the desired results especially if your facial hair growth is affected by hormones or if you have thick hair growth in general.

You can experience reduction in terms of thickness, in patches, in terms of growth frequency, depending on your hair growth, but “removal” is not a sure shot result. Reduction is helpful if you don’t have much body hair growth but in my case, it wasn’t enough.

LHR leads to removal when you continue the sessions after the usual 6 sessions until the growth is reduced.

Aveeno Calm+ Restore Sunscreen Review – Not a good experience!

What Does The Reddit Community Say?

There are people who are having really good experiences with their hair growth almost gone but there are also people with experiences like mine who witness hair growth and even with more intensity after the sessions.

Here is the link 🔗 to the Reddit Thread of Laser Hair Removal Experience in India.

✍🏻 Final Thoughts

Laser Hair Removal didn’t solve the purpose for me. My goal was to deal with the facial hair that comes with PCOD but no results! Plus, the growth is now increased. 😭 I am using facial razor more often now.

Well, that was my complete experience with Laser Hair Reduction for my face and for my body.

If you have any questions, feel free to share them in the comments below. Have a lovely day ahead. 💕

---

---

---