Alite Laser Hair Removal

I'm planning a visit to the same place in 2 weeks. I'll be checking back to see if you had feedback from anyone else.

I've been to Sona Med Spa for laser treatments (they're under a different name now, but they were really good) and they did tell me to shave the area to be treated.

I understood that the laser targets the dark pigment of the hair and I guess burns it, following the dark pigment all the way to its root. If you don't shave the hair down to skin-level and it is lying against your skin, you may get some contact burn on your outer skin (not just inside the follicle shaft) when the laser hits its target.

I'm not an expert, but that's pretty much what my sister and some of my co-workers were also told when they had laser hair removal.

I had my legs, bikini, and underarms done a couple of years ago. They told me to shave ~2 days before the treatment. The laser looks for the darker pigment of hair follicle to zap the root, so if you are completely fresh shaven it won't see it as well as if you have a slight stubble for it to focus on. You don't want the hair too long, or the laser just burns off the long hair part without getting down to the root. I had great results with my legs. Be warned, though that regrowth in the bikini and underarm area is not uncommon as the hair growth is more hormone driven than your leg hair. That said, I go about once every 5 months or so for an underarm & bikini touch-up. The hair is definitely way less but I do find that I have a few scattered hairs growing back in those areas every 5 months or so.

As far as pain, I found it to be much less painful & messy, etc. than waxing. Hope this helps.

My family and I go to CADIZ Spa in Round Rock for all our treatments; hair removal, facial tightening and vein removal. They have a second location in Westlake. Shaving before the treatment is a standard practice - you actually get a better result if you shave first. Also, if the treatment doesn't sting - then they haven't lasered the root of the hair and it will come back.

i recommend it. different laser centers have different lasers so your friend went to one that requires actual hair to be seen above the skin for the laser to pick it up, resulting in a burning hair smell. alite laser has a laser that does not require hair to be seen above the skin line. you could always call them and ask just to double check :)

HI. I own a med spa and we do hair removal. I don't know anything about the place on 6th street, but I will tell you that YES...you do need to shave the area first. No question. Otherwise..one..it won't be as effective and two...it will hurt! The laser zaps the difference in pigmentation under the skin. If there is hair on top...ouch, it'll arc and be very uncomfortable. Listen to what the 6th street office told you! Good luck!
J.

I have not used this facility but actually went in for a consult at Ideal Image, of which I have heard great things. I do know that they told me that the reason for shaving the area to be treated is so that they don't end up singeing the hair to be removed with the laser. This apparently makes the procedure a bit more uncomfortable (and I'm sure the smell is a bit much). The removal process is at the follicle and so there is no need for the hair to be there on top of the skin. Good luck with your procedure, I'm looking forward to mine!