Laser-Fried Armpits and Other Body Dysmorphia
I received my first laser hair removal treatment (of my underarms) on Friday and all I can say is IT HURT! Not a little bit, either. Now, I have no idea what kind of laser they are using and it is quite possibly one of the older, more painful ones. I'll call them and find out later. I do have some useful take-away tips for those considering laser hair.
#1) Don't go for discounts. I should have known this one, but a part of me feels like, by now, any idiot should be able to perform laser hair removal. Does it really take a medical degree? Apparently it does, and there is something unsettling about having your armpits zapped by a technician who seems to be working to supplement her college tuition. If I get other parts done, I will be happy to pay three times the amount for a board certified plastic surgeon. In fact, I have one picked out already.
#2) Ask about lidocaine before treating any sensitive areas. Be prepared to go early to have time to numb the area.
#3) If you are anything but the fairest Caucasian with dark hair, go for the YAG lasers. Pulsed Light laser
#4) Bring a chemical icepack, just in case. I wish I'd had one when I left the treatment room. Like any burn, my armpits continued to feel like they were on fire until I had cooled them off at home.
#5) Prepare in advance with lots of sunblock. They had an opening early, so I took it. Luckily my armpits aren't very tan and I'd been using sunblock on them for a week. The fairer the skin, the better. I plan on using sunblock every day for the next six weeks (until my next treatment) in the hopes of making them deathly pale by the time I have to be zapped again.
IN DIET & EXERCISE NEWS:
My alternating exercise routines seem to be working to slowly peel off the belly fat, and this is entirely without dieting (although I am attempting to eat sensible meals). Certainly I feel less 'fatty fatty' in the belly than I did before and it has only been a week. Also, I was able to follow the routine without too much grumbling. This one may be a keeper.
AgtOrange seems to have finally given up on the Alternate Day Diet, which worked fairly well for maintaining current weight but not for sloughing off the pounds. He has started walking twice a week with me on my long walk days.
BRAIN TRUST PROGRAM:
I have also managed to do this program daily for a week. Hell, it takes less than ten minutes a day. Each day I have been about five seconds faster on the daily exercises. It will be another three weeks before I retake the memory and brain 'flexibility' tests. But so far it seems to be making my brain work smarter after all.
#1) Don't go for discounts. I should have known this one, but a part of me feels like, by now, any idiot should be able to perform laser hair removal. Does it really take a medical degree? Apparently it does, and there is something unsettling about having your armpits zapped by a technician who seems to be working to supplement her college tuition. If I get other parts done, I will be happy to pay three times the amount for a board certified plastic surgeon. In fact, I have one picked out already.
#2) Ask about lidocaine before treating any sensitive areas. Be prepared to go early to have time to numb the area.
#3) If you are anything but the fairest Caucasian with dark hair, go for the YAG lasers. Pulsed Light laser
#4) Bring a chemical icepack, just in case. I wish I'd had one when I left the treatment room. Like any burn, my armpits continued to feel like they were on fire until I had cooled them off at home.
#5) Prepare in advance with lots of sunblock. They had an opening early, so I took it. Luckily my armpits aren't very tan and I'd been using sunblock on them for a week. The fairer the skin, the better. I plan on using sunblock every day for the next six weeks (until my next treatment) in the hopes of making them deathly pale by the time I have to be zapped again.
IN DIET & EXERCISE NEWS:
My alternating exercise routines seem to be working to slowly peel off the belly fat, and this is entirely without dieting (although I am attempting to eat sensible meals). Certainly I feel less 'fatty fatty' in the belly than I did before and it has only been a week. Also, I was able to follow the routine without too much grumbling. This one may be a keeper.
AgtOrange seems to have finally given up on the Alternate Day Diet, which worked fairly well for maintaining current weight but not for sloughing off the pounds. He has started walking twice a week with me on my long walk days.
BRAIN TRUST PROGRAM:
I have also managed to do this program daily for a week. Hell, it takes less than ten minutes a day. Each day I have been about five seconds faster on the daily exercises. It will be another three weeks before I retake the memory and brain 'flexibility' tests. But so far it seems to be making my brain work smarter after all.