Success? Maybe?

It’s been a little over a week since I started using the Tria and I can confirm that, at least in the short-run, it is making a difference. 

I am very pale and have very dark hair.  When it comes to my underarms, I have to shave them every day, especially during the summer. 

Although I didn’t witness any actual shedding, there is definitely less hair in that area than there was before I began.  I last shaved 4 days ago and, as of this morning, there is hardly any stubble at all.

I’m not hair-free by any stretch but this is definitely a promising start.  My legs took longer to treat so I’ll report back with any changes I notice there over the next few days.      

And I’m off…

With all of what I wrote below in mind, I set my laser to level 1 and went to work on my armpits.  On that level, I could feel each pulse and a few of them were a bit painful.  I tried to use level 2 but most of the pulses were painful and I could feel a fair amount of heat building, so I backed down.  It took about 15-20 min each side. 

Manufacturer recommends starting low and working your way higher.  I’m not sure I’ll ever get above 2 but I can’t say at this point. 

Over the past week, I’ve managed to do my legs and (very conseratively) my bikini line.  I’ve read some blogs about people doing their legs on Sunday night while watching television but I’m not sure how that’s possible.  Seriously, maybe I am a Yeti but it took me hours to do each leg entirely.

Also, the battery life is an hour to 2 hours.  A few times, the unit shut itself off.  To prevent overheating perhaps?  After that I found that taking a quick break every 30 min or so resolved that issue.

On my legs, I mostly used Level 1.  A few areas I went with Level 2.  Bony areas (ankles, knees) were more painful than fleshier ones. 

The pain has been described as feeling like you are being flicked with a rubber band.  I disagree.  It feels more like tiny, hot needles.  Mostly it’s bearable but every now and again one of them goes a little too deep.   

Also, the advice about the shaving is no joke.  Any visible hair absorbs the heat from the laser and OW! 

And now I wait.  Because (another bit of info I didn’t notice on the Tria site) it takes 7-10 days for the hair follicles to fall out or, as they elegantly put it, to be ejected, I won’t know if this worked at all for another couple of days. 

And according to the enclosed instructions, I need to wait 2-4 weeks before re-treating.  The CSR on the phone told me a month.  We’ll see.  I really doubt I will wait a month.  3 treatments is the minimum to see results.  6-8 treatments for best results.   

So, you’re charged, activated and shaved. Now what?

Once you’re ready to go, there’s the recommended skintest. 

Turn on the unit.  Check your skin using the scanner and unlock the Tria. 

The test is to zap your skin in 3 spots, preferably using different power levels, and wait 24 hours to see how your skin reacts.  If a burn develops, well, that would be bad.  The enclosed literature states a certain percentage will react badly so it’s definitely worth the effort to do the test. 

FWIW, I had no problems. 

The tip of the laser is a triangle – an inch or so on each side.  In the center is a 1/2″ diameter circle.  This is the laser size. 

Once the laser is on, sensors in each of the 3 corners must come in contact with the skin for the laser to activate.  A beep tells you the machine has made contact.  A second beep tells you the laser has fired.  If anything interrupts the laser, you’ll hear a buzz instead.  Expect challenges around bonier areas, like knees.     

To treat your skin, you have to apply the laser in overlapping circles.  According to Tria, you should expect to treat 1 sq inch with 50 or so zaps with the laser.     

At this point, if you’ve done the math, you’ll probably realize the biggest challenge you’ll face is the amount of time it will take to treat any given area.

Getting Started with the Tria

Before using the Tria, it must be charged and then the owner must call Tria to “activate” the unit before using the first once.  Once activated, the unit will not need to be reactivated again.   

Quite frankly, the activation process is no big deal.  It is mostly a way for Tria to register each unit and to ensure that the user has in fact read all of the instructions or watched the DVD or both. 

Once activated, I did go ahead with the registration and allowed the service rep to run through the tips and pointers once again. 

A few basic tips:

a)  In order to operate the Tria, the user has to do a skin check.  The enclosed sensor will test the skin and then turn on the machine if the skintone passes.  There is a picture with a skintone scale to give you an idea.  Skin that is too dark or tanned will absorb light and may burn.   

b)  Pale skin/dark hair is the recommendation for use.  Red, blonde, white, or gray hair will not absorb enough light to be affected by the laser.

c)  You must shave any area before treating it.  The closer the shave, the better! 

Ordering the Tria

I do not know if the company intends to continue offering the Tria directly or if the unit I was offered was truly one of a limited number.  According to the site, the unit is available now in the US through a ’select’ dermatologists who are listed with contact information.  In the fall, it will be available through a few retail locations and online.  Again, see the site for the complete list. 

The price was $995 US.  That included standard shipping.  Overnight or 2 Day Shipping was also available for an extra charge.  I went with standard shipping, ordered on Wednesday afternoon and received my package on Monday, so kudos to the company for fast shipping.   

Tria Results?

Sorry, I have no results to report yet. 

What really isn’t entirely clear from the Tria site is that you won’t have any results for some time. 

After using the laser, it takes 7-10 days for the skin to “eject” the hair follicles.  

It is recommended that you treat the hair once a month.  Although you will begin to see an effect from the first treatment, according to the company, the best results require 6-8 treatments.  Yup, that’s 6-8 months. 

So, keep checking back.  I’ll continue to update with more information in the meantime.   

Hello World!

This blog will document my experiences with the Tria Personal Laser Hair Removal System. I saw a mention of the Tria in a magazine recently, so I registered with the site and was given the opportunity to purchase a unit directly from the company.

The Tria is currently available only through select dermatologists.

Anyhow, when I googled the system, I was able to find some glowing initial reviews but no real follow-ups. Also, it seemed like most of the reviews were by ladies who run for-profit blogs.

I bought my own Tria and, for now, I don’t have any advertising on this blog.