Anyone tried Boots 'Smooth Skin' home IPL hair reduction system yet?

emem_3

i have just bought the boots smooth skin! its comng tomoz and i cant wait to get started! im planning to first use it on my face then all over!! im only young and have all ways been depressed about being hairy! im allways jealous of my friends that can just get up in the morning without having to look in the magnifying mirror to pluck and wax! so im really hoping this will reduce the speed of the hair growth!!
i will report back on how it goes!

emem_3

something ive just read is not to pluck during the treatment period, but its to shave!
rebekahr youve said you plucked your hair, you didnt see any bad effect from this did you? i dnt want to shave! thanks

emem_3

:jthanks cocktail girl!

ive just used the machine, its so easy to use!
what do you do inbetween treatments of the chin?
thanks for your help!

Sassy1_2

Carried out my 2nd treatment on my face on Fri 11th Dec with no problems. My skin felt a bit warm but I put some Aloe Vera gel on and it was fine!

Not seen any changes in hair growth as yet though...hopefully maybe next time???!!!

that-obsessive-girl

I've been following this thread since the beginning(!) and thought it was about time I posted with my experience of the Boots Smooth Skin system. I've been using it for about 48 weeks (4x longer than they suggest you need for permanent results).

I've been using Smooth Skin mainly on my underarms and bikini line, and have had excellent results. I have medium-toned skin with black hair, which is thick in those areas. I started getting impressive bald patches after only maybe 4 weeks or so... *but* I was very enthusiastic at the time and was using the system more than once a week. After the 12 weeks, I was able to go up to 4 weeks without shaving at all, but then after those 4 weeks, hairs would start growing through again. The new hairs were finer, but even at that stage, it looked like *most* of the hair was growing back (really disheartening!).

Anyway, after a couple more weekly sessions of zapping the new hair growth, the areas would be completely bald again for another 4 weeks until some hairs would start peeking through. And this cycle still continues to this day, but the number of hairs coming back is getting rapidly smaller.... and actually they're barely noticeable. But it's *all or nothing* - I won't be happy with just hair *reduction* - I want complete *removal*! So fingers crossed.

I've also been using the Smooth Skin system on my upper lip for about 12 weeks or more. I haven't had the same success so far... I definitely cannot go beyond a week before feeling like I should really do something about the upper lip before someone mentions it. But the hairs on my upper lip are fine (although still dark), so maybe there's just not enough density and pigment for the heat to reach the follicles....

If there has been any hair reduction on my upper lip, it's really slow... nothing like the results I got with my underarms and bikini line where the hair was more dense.

Just to add my experiences to other people's comments:

Shaving - I got the best results when hairs were as short as possible... i.e. flush to the skin. At first, I thought that the hair needed to be poking up a little to absorb the light but I was wrong. The hair can still pick up the light even if they are not poking out, and can then carry the heat better to the follicle to destroy it.

Gel - Yes, use a generous layer and apply frequently. It helps to cool the skin down and means that it doesn't hurt so much.

Time - It takes me about 30 mins to do my bikini line and 25 mins to do my underarms. I wish the wait between charges was less - otherwise it'd be much faster! Upper lip only takes about 10 mins... maybe less. I probably take longer than I should because I'm obsessed with not missing any bits. I have never used the system on my legs (because the hairs are barely visible) but I was at a focus group with a bunch of other girls who all had pretty much given up on the system because they said it takes about 3 hours to do the legs properly and they could never fit that in).

Cracks/glue down the sides of the glass - I noticed that too! I've just ignored it. I'm hoping it's not a problem.

Replacement handset - I haven't had to replace this yet... I have no idea how many of the 10,000 shots I've used up. I'm actually a bit disgruntled about the fact that you need to pay for replacement handsets, because there was no mention of this on the product when I bought it!

I've also reviewed Boots Smooth Skin on my blog (see URL in my profile) and will keep posting with any updates. I'm happy to answer any questions as well. Good luck everyone!

that-obsessive-girl

Sorry, just to add to my long post above... I've forgotten to talk about one of the biggest benefits of Boots Smooth Skin (apart from being less hairy):

I've had *zero* ingrown hairs from the beginning of using Boots Smooth Skin. Previously, I waxed my bikini line and would *never* consider shaving there because of the guaranteed (and really yucky) ingrown hairs. But despite having to shave in order to use Smooth Skin - there has been miraculously no ingrown hairs - no exaggeration. Which is why I am happy to continue using the system almost a year on. It's an indication that the hairs did grow back finer (even if it didn't look it at first).

AngelEyes_2

I know it says eye protection isn't needed but I am just wondering does anyone use any and if so what?

Freddie1

Hi to all the ladies out there who have a BSS.

I got mine in March and did the recommended 12 weeks, then continued after for a further 3-4 weeks. I stopped as soon as I exposed my legs to the sun. I certainly noticed that I had loads of bald patches over my lower legs and my underarm hair had gone very fair!

I did have laser treatment on my underarms and this machine just keeps the hair at bay.

I have started 'zapping' again as I did find that majority of the hairs had returned. I now only do it once a month and after just 2 treatments have found the hair grows alot slower and i hvae alot of bald patches again.

I do think this machine is more of a long term solution as my salon laser treatments were 6 sessions spread out over a year.

I find it only takes about 45 mins to do both lower legs and underarms.

I do think with this machine that perseverance is the key!!

RebekahR

emem wrote: »

something ive just read is not to pluck during the treatment period, but its to shave!
rebekahr youve said you plucked your hair, you didnt see any bad effect from this did you? i dnt want to shave! thanks

Nope I don't pluck during the period but at the end.

For me BSS isn't really working well tbh. All it's doing is giving me a few shaving free weeks at best.

I started using this in May I zapped weekly and twice a week for a month from May through to Septemeber. 4 months. I noticed really no difference at all. (This is only on my neck and chin)
In September I got married. And for this reason and not wanting to shave and wake up with stubble on wedding day, the next morning or on honey moon I decided to pluck it all and say buggger it as it hadn't worked.

Someone else here had already plucked and had a long hair free period following this.

I plucked and it was only 3 weeks later that the hair grew back. :T
I then took up shaving again and zapping weekly and 10 days ago I plucked again. And am still hair free on my chin and neck. Some hair has regrown under my chin bu this is baby fine hair that you can't feel.

So for me personally this seems to be the only way. For others out there ... it may not be.

RebekahR

emem wrote: »

:jthanks cocktail girl!

ive just used the machine, its so easy to use!
what do you do inbetween treatments of the chin?
thanks for your help!

For me I just had to shave :mad: I used razor and water one day and if getting stubbly quickly went over it with my electric razor the next day. Then water the next ... etc etc.