Many people like myself worry about hair removal, hate shaving and waxing methods, and just want to find something that works. I had formerly worked in spa, and regularly waxed clients, including legs, bikini, underarms, backs, chests, you name it. During my full two years working as a beauty aesthetician, I never encountered a woman with hairier legs than me. I put it down to my Spanish ethnicity, and I constantly fretted about trying to stay hair free. Shaving frequently resulted in irritated skin and rashes, and waxing proved painful and impractical at times as people have to wait for the hair to be long enough to hold to the wax. I had been interested in Laser hair removal treatments for a long time, and suddenly, the opportunity arose while living in Seoul, South Korea.
I started laser hair removal treatments over a year ago, and I chose You&I Skin Design Lab, (henceforth referred to as You&I) located near Seollung station in Gangnam Seoul, on the recommendation of a friend. After investigating which type of laser the clinic doctors use for treatments, I determined that my fairly pale complexion and quite dark hair classified me as the ideal patient for You&I’s Alexandrite laser machine.
After my first few laser treatments, I wrote an article with laser expert, Alia Hawthorn, detailing hair growth cycles, how laser works, and how to optimise your preparation to achieve the best results. I was excited to continue the Alexandrite treatments, and share my results up to that point.
See related article: Laser Hair Removal: My Personal Experience in Korea
I had begun treatments on my legs, feet, bikini, abdomen, and underarms. I bought these treatments in packages which totalled around 920,000 won (or $950), and this package included 5 visits including all these body areas.
At this stage in my treatments, and over a year since starting, I have undergone two packages, or ten treatments in total. It is these results which I wish to share here. I will point out that I have no before pictures because I was too embarrassed to share these publicly. My hair was a source of shame, and as a female, I felt unfeminine and super sensitive about my struggle.
I am really happy to say that after ten treatments total, things have changed considerably. I am also aware that laser treatments never get rid of hair one hundred percent. My expectations have remained realistic, and of course, I know that true self confidence is not built on how smooth you can be. The following paragraphs are a candid report of my results.
FULL LEGS
I have had excellent results particularly on my lower legs, back and inner thighs, where the hair is darkest. The dark hairs, I estimate, have been reduced by 85%. That is such a milestone for me. But I have a mix of hair colours on my legs. I also have light brown hairs on my knees and even blonde hair, especially on my upper thighs. These are proving more stubborn to remove. The Alexandrite works best on dark hair, and I appreciate that limitation. My knees, seem harder to treat, possibly due to convex-shaped curvature, as the hand held device on the Alexandrite machine needs to be held at a very specific angle to target the hair root effectively. See my article to learn how laser machines work.
FEET
Hair growth has three cycles. On two cycles, my feet are smooth and beautiful. On one cycle, I definitely need to have a treatment done. I can see that in part, the treatment has been very effective, especially on my toes, but I need another treatment or two to catch this rogue hair cycle.
UNDERARMS
Despite having only dark hair in my underarms, the concave shape to this area, like the knees, make the hairs more difficult to treat. I have sporadic hairs that are still strong, and clearly need further treatments. Still, compared to at the start, I have experienced at least 70% reduction of hair.
BIKINI
I have had the greatest result on the front on my bikini, just below my abdomen. The treatment however, has not addressed the crease area between my legs and vagina. I had to point this out to doctor Oh who was administering my treatments, and ask that she ensure that this area was covered well. I got the impression that this area doesn’t receive the attention it should from the laser specialises, perhaps because Korean women don’t get much hair there, and thus assume that this area doesn’t need much attention. The front of my bikini has experienced 90% hair removal, while the crease areas have had about 70% of the hair growth removed.
ABDOMEN
I didn’t have much hair here to begin with, so the improvement with this treatment is difficult to measure. At this moment, I have two hairs there which bother me during my current hair cycle. Is it worth paying $80 for another five treatments, or $20 for one treatment? Maybe.
Overall, I’m very pleased with my results. Thus far, I have spent at least $1,500, and I intend to book my final five sessions very soon. Do I have any regrets? No, definitely not. I love the freedom of traveling for a week without worrying or bringing a razor. Perhaps is seems dramatic to say that my quality of life has improved because of these treatments, but perhaps only those who have had similar challenges can really appreciate where I’m coming from.
Please note that I’m not a practitioner, and cannot prescribe which laser hair removal treatment you should consider. Alexandrite with You&I worked amazingly for me, but note that a consultation was organized prior to treatments. If you are considering laser hair removal, book a consultation and confirm your suitability.
Natasha
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. It means a lot to me. Feel free to message me if you want to follow my progress.
Have you had laser treatments in Korea or elsewhere? Please share your story.
Natasha Banky is author of Keto Brunches and Attract and Retain a Fulfilling Relationship.
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Im grateful for the blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Great.
thanks for leaving a comment!
Hey there! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be okay. I’m absolutely enjoying your blog and look forward to new posts.
Definitely. Thanks so much for leaving a comment. Find me on Twitter @travelandtash. Thx so much for reading my content. I hope to post again soon.
Oh wow! I also have the same issue with you and I have Spanish blood too!😂. So that must really be it. But gah. The price is too steep. But those results look amazing!
Results have been fantastic, Via. Yes, prices have been steep, but getting laser was a decision I made years ago, and it’s been only now that I could finally afford it. No regrets here.
Great info!
I have often considered getting some laser hair removal myself, but haven’t pulled the trigger….yet! Thanks for the info!
I know a fella, a good friend, and he got a bunch of laser hair removal treatments done on his arms, back and chest. He didn’t get everything removed, but thinned out significantly, and he’s super happy with the result.
Looks like you’ve had really great results. I remember thinking about that as an option when I was younger but never really looked into it much. I think it was really expensive and I decided shaving worked for me ahah. Looks more like a valid option now though.
My skin get’s a shaving rash (super sensitive), so laser was the best choice in my case. And hey, who knows… like you say, laser hair removal treatments may be an option now.
Laser hair removal is something I have always wanted to do but always back off. I’m glad I don’t have a lot and the hairs don’t grow as fast… though I want to be rid of the inconvenience. You’re very brave to be sharing your story as this will be inspiring to others.
Thanks, Wendy. Yes, this is a topic that that I suspect many shy away from. Thanks for the encouragement.
Thanks for sharing your review. Good to know that you are very satisfied with the treatment, given that you had tried it in foreign land. Your treatment had been a long journey, and glad your happy to share your story to us.
Thanks, Ruffee. Yes, and the journey continues. I just booked my final five treatments.
After I read your first post about this place, I found one in my neighbourhood just a few blocks away, but haven’t actually made it there yet. Haha. I actually just bought an epilator, and I find it works perfectly fine to deal with those few hairs that are annoying me. Maybe something to consider, instead of more treatments? 😉
That’s cool that you remembered my first article. That was a while ago. I just booked my final five treatments, so hopefully, an epilator won’t be needed any time soon. A few people in my family use epilators, and I’ve tried it, but it’s way to painful for me. I think my skin is super sensitive.
Hi there!
I had been wondering about laser removal for a while but I didn’t really know where to start my research. Here is a good place 🙂 Your article gives me a good idea of what the overall process might be like! From a pain point of view, I have no idea what to expect though… Do you feel anything? Sorry if it’s a dumb question but I really don’t know ^^
Sure. It’s a good question. Some people have experienced considerable discomfort/pain with laser treatments. Personally, and I have sensitive skin, every time the Alexandrite laser hits the hair root successfully, I felt a tiny pin-prick of pain. The first few treatments target hundreds of hairs, and these sessions are a little more uncomfortable. Definitely bearable for me. If you feel no pin prick, the laser isn’t targeting the hair. If you’re uncertain, book just one session, and decide thereafter whether to commit to a larger area or a extended treatments. I hope that helps.
After having had a very painful underarm laser removing attempt of a procedure, I figured laser treatments are just not for me and my sensitivity to pain. I heard its less painful these days but I’m a bit of a chicken to even go back and try. I’m glad that you had such great results and that you’re realistic about the final look. I think this post will be motivational for readers on the edge about getting something similar done.
Thanks, Alla. Yes, I’ve heard that the older treatments were particularly painful, especially if your skin is darker and the laser targets the pigment in the skin rather than the pigment in the hair. This happened to a friend of mine. I think the trick is to identify the best laser machine for your complexion. Thanks for sharing.