By Sheri Gwen Evans
Subscribers can read Part One and Part Three in this series
The results of the first treatment were rather unspectacular as it turned out, considering how it was built up to me. Don't get me wrong, I have gotten very good results if I look at this all objectively (AND if the missing hairs are actually gone for good). It just wasn't the total miracle I was lead to expect. I believe I got about 25% of my facial hair cleared, though. What there still is left of it is growing back in a swiss cheese pattern of hairs with holes of clear skin. And those holes are STAYING holes! Where the red spots were, the hairs are definitely gone. It seems that Dale was a bit more confident in the coverage of each shot than what I actually experienced and I think that my facial hair is a bit tougher than she gave it credit for.
So I was looking forward to the second treatment with a much more realistic outlook and I believe a greater understanding of what this treatment could do for me. When I arrived at the clinic, I met with Dale and we went over the results so far. We both seemed to be of a mind about the effectiveness of the first treatment. I suggested that she try using a tighter pattern of shots this time, maybe focusing on the areas of most growth (Upper lip, upper and lower chin, between the chin and cheek). She said that not only would she do a tighter pattern but she would treat the whole face and neck over again and not just try to hit the "Dark" spots. She had told me that there was no fear of over-treating an area because once the hairs were treated, there was essentially nothing left to react with the laser. So up on the bed I went. I got my goggles in place and we started firing away!
The pain this time seemed to be less. It was either the fact that I was more prepared or there wasn't, as Dale had said, as much there to react to the laser. Probably both. She was covering a much denser area, I could tell just from the way it felt. I was feeling really good about this treatment. When I got up and looked in the mirror, there wasn't quite as much of the red spotting as there was the first time. I took this as a good sign since I knew she had spent much more of the time just now zapping me than the last treatment. The burning feeling afterwards wasn't even as intense as the first time and she had used the maximum setting again. We were both feeling really good about it all but there still was the situation of the red spots.
I have to say that I think the spots are definitely the major drawback to this whole thing. I spoke last week to Caitlin, the girl who had the treatment done and brought Dale and Dr. Fulton to our group. She said that she hadn't had nearly as bad a reaction as Dale had told her I had. She recently had her 3rd treatment and was still looking fabulous. I don't recall Caitlin's facial hair ever being that noticeable though. I may be at the far end of the spectrum in terms of "The Hairy Curse" and my shadow problems are immense.
When Dale had originally spoken to our group, we all could see the benefit of this process in terms of those of us that were full time: Being able to go for the treatment in girl-mode clean shaven. However, LEAVING that way might present a problem for those as cursed as I, and that problem is around for a few days. I never even bothered to try to cover the spots up with make-up. Even if I could have blended the color uniform (A task beyond even Dermablend), the texture of those spots being so different from the surrounding skin would have been enough to make them stand out. A gal getting this treatment would need to be ready to maybe have to either lock herself away in a cave for almost a week or just be en drab and deal with the stares of everyone and not give a flying rat's patootie for that time. Although, someone in Caitlin's range could luck-out.
Fortunately for me, I am out to everyone around me about EVERYTHING so I was able to just be up front about it. At my part time job at a coffee shop, I even had a little fun with it. To allay the fears of customers I was handing food to looking like I did, I printed out a label in big block letters and stuck it on my shirt. It said, "NOT CONTAGIOUS". Some people asked about it and I told them what I had had done. I left the "Why" up to their imaginations if they didn't already know me (I work there in both modes). One customer even pointed to my face and said, "EpiLaser! Right?" He had had an area of his beard done and was familiar with the after affects.
This second time around I let nature take it's course and didn't rush the flaking-off process of the spots. They began to flake away as I washed at about the fourth day. They were all gone by about the sixth or seventh. The resulting areas were white again but have pretty much blended back to normal by now. They aren't too hard to deal with although there is a little of that texture difference present. When made up, if you point them out to someone they can see them. So just DON'T!
There is much less growth now than before this second treatment. In fact, I was so encouraged with the results this time that I have begun my first real attempt at full time. (There's that impatience of mine again!) Tomorrow will be DAY SEVEN! A new personal record at least. I would estimate my total hairless area to now be at about 60%. Those stupid upper lip and chin areas are STILL being stubborn but they are even a little less shadowy than they were.
I believe I am going to try only two more treatments, success or no, and then finish up whatever is left with (Darn it all) electrolysis. As relatively inexpensive as this is, it is still a major expense for me and I think it may be more efficient to finish this way. At this rate, by the forth treatment, I think EpiLaser will have gotten me 90% of the way there, if not more. And 10 or 20 more hours of electrolysis after that seem like nothing compared to 100 or 200 more!
Of course this is all if, and I repeat, IF the hairs are gone permanently. The jury is going to be out quite awhile on that one! My gut feeling is very good about it, though. So I'll check back with you again after the end of ROUND 3 of The Sheri/Beard Fight! I think I got him on the ropes, gals! *SMILE*
You can Email Sheri Gwen Evans if you want to comment on this story.