I’ve just finished using my TRIA Laser Hair Removal* device for the second time since starting it (first post here), and thought I’d share how I’ve been getting on so far..
For my first treatment – on my legs – I used strength 4 out of the 5 options available, as 5 felt too uncomfortable. The higher strength you can bear, the better as it means the more effective the laser will be. I took a quick snap of my upper legs before treatment two, which I did today two and a half weeks later, as I hadn’t shaved that area since the first treatment in order to show its progress..
Pretty impressive, huh? Bear in mind I have had a couple of professional laser sessions prior last year, but only two sessions. Since those sessions my leg hair does take quite a while to grow back, but I think it’s definitely more patchy since using the TRIA just once (patchy as in patches of hair/no hair). One of the reasons I am using TRIA is to get rid of the hair follicle marks/scars, as even if my legs are super smooth, I can always see those follicles which really bothers me! Once the hair has been permanently removed the scar/follicle of where it had been should disappear too, thankfully.
For my second treatment with TRIA, I did the entire leg on strength 5, the strongest setting, and it didn’t tingle at all like it did when I first tried to do it that strength. I tried to be as thorough as I could by doing lots of overlapping, just to make sure I was getting everything. Doing my upper legs, properly and thoroughly, takes about 30 minutes, which incidentally is how long one charge lasts on strength 5. I would then charge it up again (a full charge takes two hours), and do the lower legs which only takes about 20 minutes.
ON THE FACE..
I tried using the TRIA on my top lip for the first time a few days ago, and was surprised to note that even on strength 5 it didn’t hurt in the slightest – much less of a sensation than on my legs! The only thing I found difficult was shaving that area – as you can’t thread, wax or pluck it, which is what I usually do. I had to halt all of those methods for a month (they say six weeks but I only waited a month) before using the TRIA, and switch to shaving instead. I’m completely not used to putting a razor to my face, and maybe rather naively just used the same razor I use for my legs on there. It was actually quite hard to manoeuvre and control as the razor head was so large and jangly! But once I finally managed to effectively remove the hair from there, the TRIA only took about 30 seconds to zap that area and was completely pain free!
FYI, the TRIA is not safe to be used anywhere above the top lip area! So no eyebrow lasering, okay?!
VERDICT
Overall I’m really impressed with the TRIA, my one complaint is that I would prefer the charge lasting for longer, but actually it really doesn’t bother me as I’m usually ready to do something else after half an hour of using it (doing the backs of your legs, arghhhh, so boring and awkward!). I LOVE the small shape of the device, it fits perfectly in my hand and isn’t hard to use or hold. Whilst the actual laser head appears small, it covers much more area than you’d expect; things never take as long as I think they’re gonna take! Being cordless as well makes tricky areas much easier to combat as you can position the laser any way you want, without being confined to annoying cords. Overall I’m very happy with it and am so looking forward to the final results!
WHO CAN USE TRIA?
Unfortunately the TRIA can only be used on light to medium skin tones with dark hair. I think my skin tone is probably the darkest it can take, or very near it. Luckily, to avoid risks of burning and blistering (as that is what happens if your skin is too dark for TRIA), the TRIA has a very clever locking device connected to a skin sensor. The only way the device will unlock is if you swipe the sensor over the intended (hairless) area to be used. If the device doesn’t unlock, you skin is too dark for it and it’s not safe to use!
LIFE EXPECTANCY OF A TRIA MODEL?
One TRIA device lifetime will last for approximately 90,000 pulses, or 300 battery charging cycles (whichever is less), which will allegedly cover enough hair laser removal for an entire man’s body! It is kind of annoying that it only has so many pulses within it, but I guess they have to make sure you don’t buy it, use it, then sell it on eBay for someone else to use – they do have a business to run, after all! However I’m already feeling the illogical panic that my pulses/charge cycles will run out before I’ve finished using it, haha..
What are you thinking of my results so far?
Lx
Although I am way too dark to use this (blessing and a curse at the same time)
I wonder how painful this is to use. Everytime I think Lasers and hair removal I just flinch as I know it just HAS to hurt
Epiphannie A: Beauty by a Disneyvore
It’s really not that painful. Even professional laser treatment never hurt me – the at home ones tingle a little more but really not bad at all! Waxing hurts MUCH more.
I’m really interested in trying the TRIA. I’ve had laser hair removal done but it was really unsuccessful for long term effects. How can you tell if you’re too dark before purchasing? I think we might actually be about the same coloring. Would you say that first pic of your leg is accurate?
The first pic is quite close to how my legs are, my legs are probably slightly lighter, the second picture is much darker than my skintone (not sure why it came out like that). However my legs are super pale, the rest of my body is darker – but the TRIA works fine on all those areas! You can google the TRIA skin colour chart to get an idea if your skin would be suitable, but if it’s similar to mine I’d say it would.
Great, thanks! BTW I wandered here after reading your xoJane article about Ramadan. Really enjoyed reading it!
Aw, thank you!
I know you must only shave the areas being lasered (I had my underarms done professionally) but psychologically I find it hard to think about shaving my upper lip. I am too scared and now that you’ve described the difficulties of doing that has frightened me even more! I know someone who had that area lasered and abided by those rules but I just can’t bring myself to use a razor there! I will stick to threading (thankfully the regrowth so fine and sparse) but would love to use a device like this on my arms and legs.
I know exactly how you feel Sheenie – I’ve had at-home laser devices in the past and couldn’t bring myself to use it on my top lip before now because I didn’t want to shave there. HOWEVER, one of my good friends shaves her top lip, like, all the time, as she hates regrowth from waxing or threading, and her top lip never looks stubbly! It’s definitely a psychological thing for us, once you get past the first ‘attempt’ you’ll be fine with it I think. Also, my friend said you need to use different razors, as some are too big or too harsh, so that should help. I did mine days ago and nothing’s grown back yet! x
I have the Tria but I’m too much of a wimp to use it… :/ Eeeeek