Living to tell about laser
Mar. 16th, 2006 05:00 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
noche2point0.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
transI just got zapped 746 times over at the laser clinic during my first appointment for facial hair treatment. I got the full face done in about 45 minutes. And it wasn't as bad as I had anticipated.
I believe that at times, the pain can be overstated in some of the posts on the TG-related blogs here on LJ and elsewhere on the Web, and it creates false impressions of what the experience is going to be like, and it thereby unnecessarily pumps fear into people who are pondering undergoing such treatments. I know everyone's pain threshold is different, but still, I think it tends to be blown out of proportion a bit. The best thing to do is to take anything that's posted online with a HUGE grain of salt, and talk to a medical professional to get the real lowdown.
OK, editorial over. Now on to the experience.
Did it hurt? Shit, yeah. It kind of felt like being pricked really fast by a very fine needle. Was it unbearable? Hell, no. I have to admit, though, that my eyes welled up with tears a little as certain areas were treated, such as the spot where the neck and the chin meet. The neck is generally one of the most sensitive areas, as well as the area just under the nose and right by the lips. And the smell of hair burning isn’t all that pleasant. Other than that, it was pretty easy. And the nurse who administered my treatment was excellent. She was extremely professional and offered some good morale-boosting while she did my more sensitive spots.
My face was a little red afterward, and it stung like I had a bad sunburn. But that only lasted for about an hour. I'm fine now, and my face looks very well. My appointment was at 2 p.m. and it's now 4 p.m. as I type this, just to give some perspective regarding the time element.
So, what do I do now? I was instructed to abide by the following regimen using the freebies I was provided with (as shown in the fuzzy Web cam pic):
Additionally, my face has a number of what are called "pepper spots," which are basically dried out hairs that wound up flush with the surface of the skin. They basically blend with the beard shadow, and all I have to do is wait for some growth and then shave it. I could probably do that by about Sunday night or Monday morning. The thing is not to pick at them because then that could create small scarring.
And that's about the size of it. I go back in about six weeks.
I gotta say, I almost chickened out of the appointment when I woke up this morning. When I was driving over to the skin practice, I felt like I was commuting to my own beheading. But the treatment went by fast. And I am happy!
(X-posted on Androgyny, Transgender, Crossdressing and my own blog.)
I believe that at times, the pain can be overstated in some of the posts on the TG-related blogs here on LJ and elsewhere on the Web, and it creates false impressions of what the experience is going to be like, and it thereby unnecessarily pumps fear into people who are pondering undergoing such treatments. I know everyone's pain threshold is different, but still, I think it tends to be blown out of proportion a bit. The best thing to do is to take anything that's posted online with a HUGE grain of salt, and talk to a medical professional to get the real lowdown.
OK, editorial over. Now on to the experience.
Did it hurt? Shit, yeah. It kind of felt like being pricked really fast by a very fine needle. Was it unbearable? Hell, no. I have to admit, though, that my eyes welled up with tears a little as certain areas were treated, such as the spot where the neck and the chin meet. The neck is generally one of the most sensitive areas, as well as the area just under the nose and right by the lips. And the smell of hair burning isn’t all that pleasant. Other than that, it was pretty easy. And the nurse who administered my treatment was excellent. She was extremely professional and offered some good morale-boosting while she did my more sensitive spots. My face was a little red afterward, and it stung like I had a bad sunburn. But that only lasted for about an hour. I'm fine now, and my face looks very well. My appointment was at 2 p.m. and it's now 4 p.m. as I type this, just to give some perspective regarding the time element.
So, what do I do now? I was instructed to abide by the following regimen using the freebies I was provided with (as shown in the fuzzy Web cam pic):
- Use an over-the-counter gentle cleanser instead of soap to wash my face, and use cool water instead of warm or hot.
- Apply a medicated, prescription cream twice daily for up to three days to avoid inflammation (which doesn't even seem to be a problem at this point after only one application).
- Use moisturizer after the application of the medication.
- Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before leaving the house, and if I am going to remain outdoors, reapply it every hour as needed.
Additionally, my face has a number of what are called "pepper spots," which are basically dried out hairs that wound up flush with the surface of the skin. They basically blend with the beard shadow, and all I have to do is wait for some growth and then shave it. I could probably do that by about Sunday night or Monday morning. The thing is not to pick at them because then that could create small scarring.
And that's about the size of it. I go back in about six weeks.
I gotta say, I almost chickened out of the appointment when I woke up this morning. When I was driving over to the skin practice, I felt like I was commuting to my own beheading. But the treatment went by fast. And I am happy!
(X-posted on Androgyny, Transgender, Crossdressing and my own blog.)
