Tr-tr-tr-TRIA! Laser hair removal at home!?!?

Part one of the FCH TRIA Trials.

Everyone remembers the Chia Pet, right? You get a little clay vessel shaped like an animal or a head, sprinkle some seeds on, keep it watered and watch it grow! No problemo, right?

Well, some folks have no trouble growing the hair. In fact, some folks have the opposite problem - getting rid of unwanted hair. And it's not as easy as tossing a wayward Chia Pet in the garbage, is it?

I haven't previously given a lot of thought to unwanted hair, to be honest with you. I'm a brunette, but am blessed with only fine blond hairs on my arms and most of my legs*, so I don't spend tons of time worrying about this issue. I do shave certain areas and wax others, but again - if I am behind schedule it's not the big deal for me that it is for other men and women. But many people really struggle with this problem, and some suffer social stigma from unwanted hair. What to do?!

*"most of my legs" means portions of my legs, not most of my multiple legs. I only have 2 legs.

I just may have the solution for those folks!Take a look:

No, it's not a hair dryer or a new taser! It's a TRIA - the world's first personal home laser hair removal system.

Intrigued? Keep reading...

I have been given a GREAT opportunity to test a product before it launches in the US. That's MAJOR!

The TRIA Laser Hair Removal System is the first and only personal laser hair removal system in the United States. It's cleared by the FDA to treat unwanted hair and is based on the same technology used in offices around the world. It's safe for women and men with light-to-medium skin tones with dark hair. Since it targets the melanin found in hair, darker skins (with lots of melanin) shouldn't use it, nor will it work on hair with little-to-no melanin (blonde, red, grey).

This product will retail for under $995 and will debut in Fall 2008. But guess what?

I got a TRIA laser to test for you, my lovely readers!

I get to try it out and tell you what it's like.

Does it work? Does it hurt?

Stay tuned for the next post in this series to find out!

Let's talk details for a bit. Next post - we talk about my first Tria-ing and the results.

Here's what I have discovered:

Unwanted hair is an issue. And to solve this issue you have a lot of choices:
- Epilation - using an electric current, shortwave frequency or tweezers to remove hair. Of the three, only medical electroysis is considered permanent because it destroys the root of the hair. All three could cause local irritation. Anyone remember the Epilady? Yikes!
- Depilatories - topical products like creams, gels or the like which destroy the protein content of the hair follicle, making it virtually dissolve. Risks include burns, rashes and burning, and the older versions smelled to high heavens, but they tell me the newer ones aren't so bad. A few awful experiences in my teen years has me permanently scared-off if not permanently hairless.
- "Spa treatments" like waxing or threading - these essentially pluck the hairs either en masse or quickly. It's possible to have reactions to waxes or to "sugaring" and all of the se methods can cause localized (usually temporary) reactions.
- Shaving - we're all familar with this one - blades "cut" the hair at skin level. Of course, nicks and cuts are a risk, and stubble isn't often pleasant as the cut hairs tend to have sharp edges. Urban legends tell us that the hair grows back thicker and darker when shaved, but it's not true, kids. Scientists have checked.
- Laser hair removal - lasers zap the hair follicle, targeting the daker pigments inside. Hairs eventually fall out. If improperly done, one could get irritated skin, scarring or redness.
- Other - products like the "No-No" use heat to burn the hair follicle. The stench is the main drawback here.
Laser hair removal is 2nd only to Botox in popularity when it comes to non-surgical cosmetics procedures - in fact, it's the leader in women under 34!
Laser hair removal is considered a permanent solution to unwanted hair. Waxing and shaving and their counterparts can't say that!