Most dermatologists regard Retin A as the foundation of anti-aging skin care. However, it can be an irritating formulation and if you want to use laser for some problem, you need to stop using Retin A for about a week. I decided to start my beauty plan with laser hair removal on my lip and chin before embarking on a Retin A regimen. I was impatient to start with Retin A but even the tighest and freshest complextion would be challenged by face fuzz. ( look at my chin in first photo).
For the proceedure, I went to a Park Avenue dermatologist who is also head of a department of at at New York Medical Center. His approach was a series of three treatments for $800, given about one month apart. When he examined my face he was pleased to find that I had very few white hair since lasers work best on darker hair.
As per his instructions, when I made the appointment, I dabbed on a numbing cream one hour before my visit and then every 15 minutes until he fired up the laser. In his treatment room, he gave me a pair of red plastic goggles and went to work. Let me completely honest here and share with you that the burn of the laser really hurt. I have read that the laser feels like the snap of a rubber band. Actually to me it felt like someone kicked me in the chin… many many times. At one point he stopped to remark that I probably did not use enough numbing cream and it should be applied heavily. Now he tells me.
When he finished ( it probably was just a minute or two) my chin was a reddened and a little sore. I left the office holding a prescription for Retin A in one hand and cradling my chin in the other. That evening, I was delighted to see that the facial hairs could be wiped away with a tissue. I dotted on a bit of steroid cream to reduce irritation. By morning my skin was smooth and comfortable. (see photo 2). As an added bonus, the skin looked firmer since the laser created a bit of swelling. Lasers also stimulate collagen production and that extra volume of collagen that was produced would add a bit extra tone. Nice!
If you had similar experience with laser hair removal I would love to hear about your experience.
Next post: Building An Anti-Aging Toolkit
