Because tria Beauty guarantees 90-day results on their website, or they will offer your money back, this 3-month update should be very telling as to whether or not I am in love with, apprehensive of, or disappointed at the tria Hair Removal Laser 4X.
My wishful hopes, at this stage, were to see mindblowing results wherever I lasered with the tria system. More realistically, though, I would have just been happy to see any kind of difference. This is an at home, self-administered treatment and not a professional service.
There could be many reasons why my results aren't as drastic as others. For one, the laser beam in the 4X isn't supposed to be as strong the ones at the spas/salons. The laser's treatment window also isn't as wide (I preassume) as those owned by the pros. Since I am handling the zaps myself, it is highly possible that I made some human errors and missed spots here and there. It is really really difficult to keep track of the exact spot where I lasered and to remember to overlap it by half the circle the next zapping. The hairs on the various parts of my body could even just be the really persistent type.
So far I have personally done 7 treatments in the past 3 months. 1 treatment was done at energy level 3, another 1 at level 4, and 5 were conducted at the maximum level of 5. About half of the 7 sessions were done in conjunction with the SmoothStart Calming Gel and the rest without.
tria's website says many customers see results after 8 treatments, which equates to about 16 weeks of bi-weekly at-home laser sessions. The company mentions that "skin tone, hair color, body part, treatment level, and other factors" could affect the outcomes of hair regrowth. There could be a substantial reduction of hair to a little to even no reaction at all. Keeping all this in mind, perhaps this serves as a reminder as to why I am seeing such varying results in the different body parts I have been treating for the past few months.
I have included the BEFORE photos I first shared in this post as well to serve as an easier comparison since the company states there should be results at this point in the process.
Upper lips.
Another month of treatment has gone by and I cannot say I am excited at the results in the upper lip area. There seems to be no change in the amount or length of hairs that are growing back. If not for the new and fading acne, it would have been difficult to tell that those photos were taken weeks apart. Since I have come this far, I am willing to continue zapping the area for a couple more months. However, I am considering the possibility that the tria laser just might not work as well on finer hairs.
Armpits.
Although my pits are not 100% hair-free after 3 months of lasering, I am almost confident in saying the at home laser was worth it, to me, just by looking at the current results here. The underarms are the most promising thus far.
I am going to sound like a broken record by saying the hairs are growing finer and slower, but it really is! In-grown hairs also aren't as problematic on either armpit now. The inflammation on the crevices of my underarms in the BEFORE shot are all places where in-grown hairs were very prone to recur 14 weeks prior. Now the redness and puffiness are almost all gone. There were a few occasions where I have even seen random armpit hairs lying around my pits after a scrub down in the shower. Maybe those were the dead hair follicles tria mentions? Overall, it seems this is a success.
Knuckle hairs.
My knuckle hairs do not seem to be reacting to the laser treatments. The little strands of hair I shaved off with an eyebrow razor every two weeks seem to creep back out regularly despite the zaps. Since this area was not the main highlight of my hair removal journey, I can't say I am overly disappointed. It would have been great if there were results, but not devasting. Like with the upper lip area, I will continue to laser this part of my body for another couple months just to give the tria system a more thorough chance.
I can't say that I am completely and utterly in love with the tria Hair Removal Laser 4X, not just yet anyway. It did show some good results. But because I know that as with skincare and makeup, the device can work differently for everyone, I am not entirely apprehensive of the handheld machine either. The most I can do is give it longer chance and commit myself to doing some more treatments. Afterward, I may stop the treatment and hair shaving for some time to observe the resulting hair regrowth. This may be the best way to test how well the hair removal system worked. I have not decided how many more months I will continue to treat the hairs, but I will definitely keep record and update until then, as always.
My feelings towards the tria Hair Removal Laser system at the 2-month mark is, with a doubt, mixed. Had I not kept a photo record for comparison, I may have even been a tad disappointed. The lasering seems to be working well in one area but not as nicely in the others. I can't say for sure if it is due to do the type of hair or the particular area I am trying to target. Then again, there is still a month left in the promised 3-months results period. So who's to say the progress won't be exponentially better in a few weeks time?
3 zapping sessions per month seem to be the treatment norm with the biweekly laser recommendation. Unlike the first month though, I survived all 3 sessions this time at level 5 power and without the SmoothStart Calming Gel.
I mentioned how I didn't feel like the gel was very effective at numbing the pain in the last update. After going through the treatments without the gel last month, I still think the gel is not 100% necessary. The sensational difference between the laser zaps with and without the gel is negligible. The gel, if nothing else, provides a placebo effect to help calm my own nerves. There was some pain with it and without it.
It will hurt when the laser hits a hair follicle. The main variable is the degree of pain. When the laser doesn't reach any hair follicle, there is no pain. Just warmth. (I think) when the laser hits a finer type of hair, the pain is, as many others' have described already, akin to when a rubber band strike against the skin. When that beam of light hits thicker hair, however, a better-suited comparison would be as if something extremely hot briefly grazes your skin at a very specific location. The sting lasts a tad longer and reaches deeper.
Upper lips.
This is one of the areas where I am unsure if the tria Hair Removal Laser has been very effective so far. While I thought I saw slower regrowth in the shaved areas in my last update, the recent photos don't show any major differences. The bald spots still are hairless. The sparse hair spots still show little hair strands.
Armpits.
If it weren't for the armpit photos, I would have been surely disappointed. The results in my underarm region are the most reassuring towards continuing the laser treatment journey. The regrowth of the hairs is much slower and the new hairs also look thinner than before.
Knuckle hairs.
The other area where I am unsure if the tria laser is of any use. It is difficult to see in the photos. But the few hairs that I shaved and zapped are definitely growing back. Whether it is coming back at a slower rate or thinner shape, I am not completely sure.
Here we are, a month into my at-home laser hair removal journey! It is still too premature to say whether or not the tria Hair Removal Laser system works. But that is not of anyone's fault. The company even said it takes at least 3 months before results are very apparent. This series is mainly to keep everyone updated and so I too can look back and see if there was any progress or not. I am committing myself to a monthly update.
Now that I am looking at it, I guess my wispy moustache hairs aren't that big of an issue in full face, medium scale photos. Sometimes it does feel like the hairs add a dark-ish shadow to the corners of my mouth though. Does it?
Since the first introductory post I made, I have used the laser on 2 additional occasions. Just as a recap: the very first session was conducted at the level 3 setting with no calming gel, the second at level 4 with calming gel, and the third at level 5 with calming gel.
I was surprised by how ineffective the SmoothStart Calming Gel was at stopping the pain sensation. When that laser hits a hair follicle, you can definitely feel the zap. The gel did help a little with the warm feeling which comes with the laser zapping. Having too thick a layer of the gel product doesn't give any extra protection, unfortunately. Doing this actually hinders the laser from being able to sense the skin properly.
I was equally shocked to find that level 5 doesn't really hurt that much more compared to level 3 or 4. Since I have the gel, it won't go to waste. It will most definitely be used up. As for whether I would repurchase it or deem it necessary with the laser, my current answer is no. Then again...I haven't tried level 5 without the gel. Perhaps I'll try it and update next month.
Upper lips.
There was probably no progression in hair loss or less hair growth 2 weeks after the first treatment. By the next bi-weekly session, I did notice slower hair growth. It didn't feel like there were any bald spots per say. Just that the hairs seemed like it was coming back at a slower pace. It is difficult to get a clear shot of what I mean with the upper lips.
Armpits.
The results are surely more noticeable with my armpits hairs. Some hairs grew back just as long but there are also equally as many, if not more, follicles that are thinner and shorter. I am also keeping my fingers crossed that the hair laser will help fix the ingrown hairs somehow.
Knuckle hairs.
This area was the most difficult to treat. Since the laser nozzle is flat and my knuckles are anything but, getting the laser to sensor my skin was challenging. There is a high possibility that I missed some hair follicles. But there does seem like something happening to the knuckle hairs; certain fingers' also experienced the same slower and finer hair regrowth like on my upper lips and armpits.
It hasn't been 3 months yet, but I think I can safely say there are some results even after 1 month. The photos seem promising enough to continue on with the process. 'Til next time!
Thousands upon thousands of dollars. Per session. For many, many sessions. That is just not the kind of money I think I would be able 1) not only have but 2) have the willingness to spend on something as arbitrary as my excess hair. When the tria and other similar products first started to get really popular amongst bloggers and YouTubers a few years back, I was also very much intrigued. At-home laser hair removal would be perfect if it worked. The main reason I held back was the price tag. A few hundred dollars is pretty hefty for something that may or may not work.
I am not sure when it happened. At some point in the past year, after an armpit hair tweezing and mustache shaving session, I just felt like splurging investing in one of those at-home systems. This is what all those recent Sephora hauls were leading up to. The tria Hair Removal Laser 4X seemed like a good choice given that it is FDA-cleared and is similar tech-wise to what the professionals use. Being able to earn points at Sephora, use their 20% discount, and earn eBates on the order inched me that much closer to the decision. The dealbreaker was being reassured by a Sephora associate, in-store, that if I didn't like it or didn't see results I could return the tria within a year with the receipt. I don't know if this is true for all stores or even all associates. But I chose to believe the one response and go for it anyways.
Ultimately I bought this for $376.71. ($499 - 20% VIB discount + $31.88 NYC tax - $14.37 eBates Cash Back.)
Right now, 12.01.2016, Sephora is selling this same set for $399 and tria's own website has it for $387.
So viola! My Sephora VIB 2016 Holiday Haul in all its glory. My one, very big, item purchase. Even the box it came in seemed luxurious and secure. I can't say I have been this excited for an electronic in a while. The days I had to wait for this felt especially agonizing because I hyped myself so much and anticipations were very high.
I chose to get the duo set because from experience I tend to have a very low pain tolerance. Any hair removal method that requires the plucking of the follicles is usually too much for me to bear. The only exception I have grown immune to is in the armpit area. I thought the tria SmoothStart Calming Gel would come in handy in that respect. Plus, the price at the time for the duo and for the laser by itself were the same for this particular Turquoise color.
tria claims that the gel has anti-inflammatory and cooling properties to help make it more comfortable with the hairs are being zapped. It is a bit opaque and cloudy in color straight out of the tube. Once it is spread out, the gel is translucent. I chose not to use the Calming Gel the first time I tested the machine. However, from the little amount I placed and rubbed onto my hand for the photo, I can tell that it did give a cooling sensation to wherever I applied it.
The at-home laser is simple enough to use. The pamphlet recommends charging it for at least 2 hours after it is taken out of the box and before it can be used. After it is fully charged and the gray button on the top is pressed, I believe the screen will say something along the lines of "the device needs to be registered". If it doesn't it, it still most definitely needs to be done anyway before the laser can be used. Each tria Hair Removal Laser 4X has its own Serial # that has to be registered with the company. It is a simple procedure that just requires setting up an account on tria.com.
The next time the On/Off button is pressed, the Locked screen will pop up to prevent any accidental zaps. Pressing the bottom of the laser device to the skin will promptly Unlock the machine. Well, this step should unlock it if the skin that was sensored is in the correct color range, a.k.a. light to tan but not pale or dark. Each press of the gray On/Off button whilst on the Unlocked screen thereafter would be to select 1 of the 5 energy levels. The screen itself shows the energy levels, battery life, and the number of zaps it has made.
Tria recommends using the maximum level 5 in order to see the best results. Each body area also has a corresponding recommended number of pulses. Every following zapping should overlap the last by at least half a circle. Which to be completely honest is very difficult to keep track of. The company also states that results do not usually show for at least 3 months with bi-weekly treatment.
- Upper lip: 25 pulses, 2-3 minutes
- Underarms: 100 pulses per side, 4-5 minutes per side
- Bikini: 200 pulses per side, 8-10 minutes per side
- Upper leg: 600 pulses per side, 25-30 minutes per side
- Lower leg: 600 pulses per side, 25-30 minutes per side
Like mentioned before, I chose to go gel-free in order to see how painful the laser would be and to know what level of laser I could handle on my own. It was a very strange experience. I stuck to Level 3 throughout my entire first round of treatment. The overall feeling was just warmth. No matter if you hit a hair follicle or not, the laser will leave the spot a little warm. When a follicle is hit by the laser though, it can range from a tiny pricking feeling to something akin to having a rubber band hit that direct spot very suddenly. It definitely caught me by surprise every time the latter happened because I felt the lighter sensations more. There was an urge to immediately pull the laser away but I had to stop myself since tria mentions it is most successful to keep the laser on there until the end of the zap.
**WARNING: Photos below might make some people uneasy.**
Since I knew the Sephora VIB sale would happen sometime in November, I stopped plucking any of the hairs I wanted to treat for one month. It isn't a long enough time to have all the hairs grow back but at least there was enough for me to be able to properly test out the device. Before I got too pulse happy, I had to make sure I shaved off the surface hairs first to make it easier for the laser to reach the roots.
Facial hair and body hair has always been an issue for me. Once puberty hit me, I noticed how my body changed. Not just that I was starting to go through monthly menstrual cycles but also that my underarms began to smell funny whenever it got warm outside. I also saw how little tiny hairs, thick and thin, would sprout from my pits and legs and many other places throughout my body. While most follicles could be hidden with clothes almost everywhere else, my face was the one place I could not hide and was the most self-conscious about.
What is it exactly is the person focusing on when they look at me right in the face? My pimples? My big mole? Or all those mustache-esque wisps sticking out near my lips? Maybe all these insecurities added to the reason I tend to be so introverted.
I remember distinctly how my teenage self would always try to rip out those pesky hairs with my bare fingertips whenever I caught myself thinking about them. I remember how I would blame my bad genetics because once I noticed it on my own face, I started to notice it on my mom's as well. Then fast forward a bunch of years and two medical conditions later, I might have found a partial answer to why I had seemingly so much hair: PCOS. I thought, and my parents probably thought, I was a freak when we first found out. All that the doctors told us then was just "your testosterone levels are high". As a teenage girl, who wouldn't freak out about that? Forget about having fewer periods and having too many cysts in my ovaries...what do you mean my male hormone level was abnormal?! Am I going to grow more facial hair? Could I get an Adam's apple? Would my voice deepen?
Okay, maybe I was over-exaggerating to myself. Most of my worries didn't happen, no Adam's apple or "manlier voice". Hairiness is still a situation for me but not nearly as extreme as I have heard it can be for other people with PCOS. I still suffer from other symptoms. But of course, my hairy insecurities still remain.
Nowadays I just try my hardest not to think about it, the hair. When I do, I tend to immediately try to get rid of it. This usually means I reach for my eyebrow razors a lot to do the quick job of shaving the 'stache hairs off. I have tried a couple other ways to remove my facial hairs too. Tweezing never sat well because my lip area is so sensitive and the same reasonings goes for self-threading. But as the photos show, there is evidence of plucked upper lip hairs from the random hairless spots near the corners of my mouth. Treating this area was one of the main reasons I decided to take the plunge with the tria laser.
My underarms were the other big reason why I considered going the laser route. I began my hair removal journey with shaving. But I found that I was still left with a dark shadow from all the stubbles and it would not last very long. Shaved pit hairs would usually start to grow back the very next day. The absolute worst part of regrowth was the dreaded itchiness.
Somehow a friend brought up the topic of underarm hair removal a few years back and the idea of tweezing was thrown around. Since I was bored and procrastinating from typical college stuff then, I spend a good 30+ minutes going to town pull each hair out of my armpits. It was definitely uncomfortable at first but I found it surprisingly easy to handle plucking these hairs than any other ones. The positives were, of course, the slower regrowth and finer hairs.
Despite winning an epilator before tweezing became a part of my routine, I was always too scared of the potential pain. It is supposed to be like a bunch of tweezers working all at one time. Once I realized my pits were tougher than expected, an epilator was a life and time saver. Until...I became increasingly annoyed by how difficult it was to clean all the hairs out of the teeny crevices. Talk about unhygienic!
So that's how the story goes and I found myself going through the tedious task of tweezing each hair one by one again. Maybe it is because I went through so many methods yet still came back to this particular one. I found it even more strenuous on my eyes this time around while trying to pluck those underarm hairs. Even though I could stare into the right corner for a long time, no problem, staring to the other side caused me to lose focus and become rather lightheaded and dizzy easily. To say I am hoping the Hair Removal Laser works well at least in this main department would be a major understatement.
Now knuckle hairs never really bothered me at all. They can be there or not, no big deal. I only included it in this series because I first used it as a test area to see how tolerant I am of the different energy levels and because why the heck not? I have the device anyway so let's see how well it works on as many body parts as I can.
I always thought I would go for professional laser hair removal if I ever had the money to. But maybe now I won't have to. We'll see. A major reason why I wanted to push this post out so soon and interrupt the travel series was so I could hold myself accountable and keep up with treatments. If not, how else would I see if this potential miraculous device actually works? Wish me luck!
