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Boots Smooth Skin permanent hair reduction machine..RESULTS TO FOLLOW

I've suffered with excess body hair since I was young, and I was bullied because of it through primary/secondary school and now am unable to wear tshirts etc in public because of how paranoid I am about it. I went to the doctors because of it when I was around 11, and they did a blood test but it came back normal so I assume I don't have PCOS.

I have very hairy arms for a girl, not thick hairs like a males but lots of very noticable, dark and long (I bleach regularly but it only lasts a day or two before the roots are noticable). I have never shaved them because I shave my legs and get terrible ingrown hairs, even though I moisturise/exfoliate etc. I've tried waxing but it only lasted 2 days before the hairs began to grow back, so it's really not worth it.

Anyway I checked out reviews and after shopping around I decided to get the £350 Boots Smooth Skin Plus Intense Pulsed Light permanent hair reduction machine. The reviews were on the whole very good, it comes with 20,000 flashes (it takes between 70-100 flashes to do my arms each time I think) and you need applicator gel which is £3. It appears to do exactly the same thing as you would get in a laser clinic, but cheaper and means I will be able to target any missed hairs you might get going to a clinic and it's obviously private/convenient.

The sales assistant in Boots was very helpful, and assured me I could get a no-quibble refund if I find it doesn't work but she assured me it will.

I'm going to use it on my arms first of all, because this is the area that affects me the most confidence wise, but will gradually move on to other areas. For permanent hair reduction I will need to use the machine once a week for between 6-12 weeks (although I will probably need 12 weeks!) and will start using it tonight.

I'm quite sceptical over whether it will work but because I'm confident I can return it, I think it was worth the risk.

I know other girls on here have the same issue with excess body hair, so will monitor the hair reduction over the 12 weeks course to let you know how it goes incase anyone else is thinking of buying one :smile:

Week 1: Shaved my arms and zapped them today, did it in two separate goes (took around 30 mins to do each arm) and my sister did them for me just because certain angles are tricky to get to. On a pain scale I'd give it 2/10 (just feels like a hot, tingling sensation for about 1 second then fades). Will update what the regrowth is like next Saturday.

Week 2: Had to shave my arms again last night all over, hair regrowth not as course or fast as expected but still widespread. Just finished zapping them again but this time did it myself, found it to be much quicker.

Week 3 & 4: Still experiencing regrowth but now I've finished uni for Easter will leave the hair to grow out for the week rather than shaving every other day so I can see just how widespread it is. Is becoming quite a pain to do every Saturday as it takes a good hour to do properly and found out through another user they had no success so all feels a little disappointing at the moment but will carry on with the 12 weeks. From 4 weeks I have used 2 tubes of applicator gel.

Week 5: It's now Thursday and I haven't shaved my arms since Saturday when I zapped them, I am starting to slowly notice very small patches where there appears to be no regrowth, but there's still lots of stubble although its VERY fine and tbh isn't terribly noticable unlike my leg stubble which you could spot from space after a day. Another poster mentioned how she used her machine for months and months, noticed slight improvements but after a while it all grew back again...tbh I'm thinking this is gonna be pretty accurate.
I also zapped my bikini line (this is now week 2 of that) and hair on stomach (Week 3 for that), thinking if I take it back after week 12 I may as well attempt to use it in other areas! It's worked really well on the bikini line actually, it's probably worked for about 70% of the hair zapped. The regrowth of the hair on my stomach has been very slow and I'm quite pleased with the progress of it.


Weel 10: The regrowth is definitely much lighter after using the machine, however there is still regrowth virtually all over but it's manageable and not as noticable as it would be if I were to have shaved them without using it. The reason I can tell is because I have a large freckle on my right arm and try not to zap over it and as a result the hairs directly around that seem to grow far darker and courser than anywhere else. I'm debating whether or not to take it back after week 12 as I finally feel comfortable enough to wear t-shirts but you can't use it after exposure to sun, and considering summer is coming, it seems a bit pointless owning it. Also, I discovered that once you use 20,000 flashes, the replacement part is £179.99 which is VERY steep. All in all I would say don't get it, as for £349 (it's now £399) you don't get the permanent reduction that was promised. Having said that I've done my bikini line also for 5 weeks now and the results there are impressive I'm assuming because the hair is black and course...but again, not sure it's worth £349 to achieve results in just one area. Also I have to buy activation gel weekly which is £3 and the process itself is VERY tedious and boring...I would hold on and wait for something better to come onto the market. SIDENOTE: THE PAIN LEVELS ON THE BIKINI LINE ARE AROUND 9/10 IF USING ON THE CORRECT INTENSITY LEVELS (1 or 2 for most people)...MY GOD IT HURTS!

It is now October, months after I used this machine for the full 12 weeks and can now say that the machine definitely doesn't work. It merely slows the hair growth WHILST you're using the machine, but leave it a week or so and you're back to normal. In fact it is virtually identical to waxing but about £345 more expensive. I took it back on week 13 telling them it hadn't worked and got a no quibbles refund immediately (I'm guessing this is quite common). I've continued to shave my arms however and although I have to do it daily, moisturising after each shave has given me no ingrown hairs or nasty bumps and the 'terrible' stubble which put me off shaving them for so many years is barely noticable so this is one great thing that's come out of it as I'd never have dared shaved them without being told to do so by the machine!

Fingers crossed something that actually works comes onto the market soon :smile:
(edited 11 years ago)

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Reply 1
Original post by snapper1
I've suffered with excess body hair since I was young, and I was bullied because of it through primary/secondary school and now am unable to wear tshirts etc in public because of how paranoid I am about it. I went to the doctors because of it when I was around 11, and they did a blood test but it came back normal so I assume I don't have PCOS.

I have very hairy arms for a girl, not thick hairs like a males but very noticable, dark and long (I bleach regularly but it only lasts a day or two before the roots are noticable). I have never shaved them because I shave my legs and get terrible ingrown hairs, even though I moisturise/exfoliate etc. I've tried waxing but it only lasted 2 days before the hairs began to grow back, so it's really not worth it.

Anyway I checked out reviews and after shopping around I decided to get the £350 Boots Smooth Skin Plus Intense Pulsed Light permanent hair reduction machine. The reviews were on the whole very good, and unlike lots of machines where you have to replace part of the handset after so many flashes, the only thing you need to purchase extra here is the applicator gel which is only £3. It appears to do exactly the same thing as you would get in a laser clinic, but cheaper and means I will be able to target any missed hairs you might get going to a clinic.

The sales assistant in Boots was very helpful, and assured me I could get a no-quibble refund if I find it doesn't work but she assured me it will.

I'm going to use it on my arms first of all, because this is the area that affects me the most confidence wise, but will gradually move on to other areas. For permanent hair reduction I will need to use the machine once a week for between 6-12 weeks (although I will probably need 12 weeks!) and will start using it tonight.

I'm quite sceptical over whether it will work but because I'm confident I can return it, I think it was worth the risk.

I know other girls on here have the same issue with excess body hair, so will monitor the hair reduction over the 12 weeks course to let you know how it goes incase anyone else is thinking of buying one :smile:


Sorry to hear how much it affects your confidence. Hope the machine works for you. Definitely keep us updated.
I don't really suffer from dark hair issue but as a girl I get a bit lazy shaving my legs or even epilating them..wish I could just get rid off the lower leg hair permanently and without spending too much money. Such a machine would be useful.

Keep a photo diary of your progress too, so you can see the results better as we don't notice changes that quickly when it comes to our own bodies.
Reply 2
Original post by parasitic
Sorry to hear how much it affects your confidence. Hope the machine works for you. Definitely keep us updated.
I don't really suffer from dark hair issue but as a girl I get a bit lazy shaving my legs or even epilating them..wish I could just get rid off the lower leg hair permanently and without spending too much money. Such a machine would be useful.

Keep a photo diary of your progress too, so you can see the results better as we don't notice changes that quickly when it comes to our own bodies.


Thanks :smile: it really has affected my life in a big way and this almost seems to good to be true. I did try take a photo but as I bleach my arm hair regularly the hairs didn't really come out in the picture, but I will shave them tomorrow and take pics of the process/hair regrowth from there :smile:

I did a patch test on my leg around 2 hours ago, it didn't really hurt like waxing (although I don't find that too painful either) it's more of a hot, tingling sensation.

But if everything's okay tomorrow I'll shave my arms (which I'm really nervous about!) and start week 1! Fingers crossed!
I was thinking of buying one of these because I just think it would be the best thing ever to never have to shave my bikini area again! Let us know how you get on!
If this works well I would definitely buy one, I hate shaving and my arms are quite hairy as well (I don't shave or bleach them but I am self conscious), so I'd love to be hair free forever. Please let us know how you get on :smile:
Reply 5
Thanks for doing this, OP. I've been debating whether to get one of these machines too. I really hope it works for you.:smile:
Reply 6
I hope it works too! I suffer from excess body hair and would love for a machine that could get rid of it!

Is there any way you can use this kind of thing on your face? I assume goggles would be necessary but it would be really nice if it were possible.
Reply 7
Original post by SpamBa
I hope it works too! I suffer from excess body hair and would love for a machine that could get rid of it!

Is there any way you can use this kind of thing on your face? I assume goggles would be necessary but it would be really nice if it were possible.


Yes you can use it on your face (goggles not needed or supplied) but I wouldn't go near the eyes (it gives instructions on how to do your chin/upper lip and neck)

Although don't build your hopes up, i'm still quite sceptical!
I have been looking both at this and the Phillips Lumea, which is a little more expensive, but I keep thinking it's too much of an expense for something that I'm not 100% sure will work. Looking forward to hearing what your results are like for this, as I'd love to be able to buy something that would mean I wouldn't have to shave every two days in the summer!
Reply 9
Original post by xoxAngel_Kxox
I have been looking both at this and the Phillips Lumea, which is a little more expensive, but I keep thinking it's too much of an expense for something that I'm not 100% sure will work. Looking forward to hearing what your results are like for this, as I'd love to be able to buy something that would mean I wouldn't have to shave every two days in the summer!


I agreed that they were very expensive when the reviews are never consistant, but I thought as it's Boots own brand they'll be more likely to give me my money back after the 12 week period (if there's been no results) rather than having to use the Phillips warranty to get a refund. I made sure I spoke to a manager as well to check and he said Boots are always very laid back about giving refunds so that it would be fine.

That made me get it really, and the fact it's such a negative thing in my life so I figure it was worth a bit of a risk! I shaved my arms yesterday and zapped them but have got a light stubble pretty much all over today so clearly the first session hasn't done an awful lot but will stick with it!
Reply 10
Original post by snapper1
I agreed that they were very expensive when the reviews are never consistant, but I thought as it's Boots own brand they'll be more likely to give me my money back after the 12 week period (if there's been no results) rather than having to use the Phillips warranty to get a refund. I made sure I spoke to a manager as well to check and he said Boots are always very laid back about giving refunds so that it would be fine.

That made me get it really, and the fact it's such a negative thing in my life so I figure it was worth a bit of a risk! I shaved my arms yesterday and zapped them but have got a light stubble pretty much all over today so clearly the first session hasn't done an awful lot but will stick with it!



Don't lose faith yet! They say that because it needs your hair at a certain stage to work, you might have to do it a few times to see a difference. Also whats the contrast like between your skin colour and your hair colour. the lighter your skin and the darker your hair the better results!

""A:
The results generally are noticeable within a few weeks of the first treatment. Continuous regular weekly use will give good results within six to 12 treatments. However, this will vary from person to person and area to area, as some treatment areas respond much quicker than others.""

I'll be keeping an eye on your progress cuz I really want to get the laser surgery or buy one of these machines as well.. Only if it works though! Hope it does work for you.



Reply 11
Hope it works! :biggrin:
Original post by snapper1


The reviews were on the whole very good, and unlike lots of machines where you have to replace part of the handset after so many flashes, the only thing you need to purchase extra here is the applicator gel which is only £3.

It says in the instruction booklet that the flash bulb has a life of 20,000 flashes then it must be returned for a chargeable service or replaced.
Reply 13
Original post by parpirate
It says in the instruction booklet that the flash bulb has a life of 20,000 flashes then it must be returned for a chargeable service or replaced.


Yes I did see this lol! But I figure 20,000 is a heck of a lot...both arms probably took around 100 between them (if that) so 12 weeks will be 1200 in total leaving me plenty left to do other areas. So you still get a lot compared to lots of other machines I've read up about. I will change my original post though lol.

I suppose it depends on how 'permanent' it'll be or if they will need topping up every 6 months or so...if they do, I'll probably still try to return it as it's not permanent like it says it should be or will just find out how much the replacement piece of kit is and if it's reasonable and it's working well for lengthy periods will just buy that.

I will be zapping them again tomorrow and shaving them again tonight. It's been a week and although quite a few of the hairs have grown back it's nowhere near as course/noticable as I thought it would be so I'm quite pleased so far!
Original post by snapper1
Yes I did see this lol! But I figure 20,000 is a heck of a lot...both arms probably took around 100 between them (if that) so 12 weeks will be 1200 in total leaving me plenty left to do other areas. So you still get a lot compared to lots of other machines I've read up about. I will change my original post though lol.

I suppose it depends on how 'permanent' it'll be or if they will need topping up every 6 months or so...if they do, I'll probably still try to return it as it's not permanent like it says it should be or will just find out how much the replacement piece of kit is and if it's reasonable and it's working well for lengthy periods will just buy that.

I will be zapping them again tomorrow and shaving them again tonight. It's been a week and although quite a few of the hairs have grown back it's nowhere near as course/noticable as I thought it would be so I'm quite pleased so far!

Fair enough, I was expecting it to be more like one per hair.
Reply 15
Original post by snapper1
I've suffered with excess body hair since I was young, and I was bullied because of it through primary/secondary school and now am unable to wear tshirts etc in public because of how paranoid I am about it. I went to the doctors because of it when I was around 11, and they did a blood test but it came back normal so I assume I don't have PCOS.

I have very hairy arms for a girl, not thick hairs like a males but lots of very noticable, dark and long (I bleach regularly but it only lasts a day or two before the roots are noticable). I have never shaved them because I shave my legs and get terrible ingrown hairs, even though I moisturise/exfoliate etc. I've tried waxing but it only lasted 2 days before the hairs began to grow back, so it's really not worth it.

Anyway I checked out reviews and after shopping around I decided to get the £350 Boots Smooth Skin Plus Intense Pulsed Light permanent hair reduction machine. The reviews were on the whole very good, it comes with 20,000 flashes (it takes between 70-100 flashes to do my arms each time I think) and you need applicator gel which is £3. It appears to do exactly the same thing as you would get in a laser clinic, but cheaper and means I will be able to target any missed hairs you might get going to a clinic and it's obviously private/convenient.

The sales assistant in Boots was very helpful, and assured me I could get a no-quibble refund if I find it doesn't work but she assured me it will.

I'm going to use it on my arms first of all, because this is the area that affects me the most confidence wise, but will gradually move on to other areas. For permanent hair reduction I will need to use the machine once a week for between 6-12 weeks (although I will probably need 12 weeks!) and will start using it tonight.

I'm quite sceptical over whether it will work but because I'm confident I can return it, I think it was worth the risk.

I know other girls on here have the same issue with excess body hair, so will monitor the hair reduction over the 12 weeks course to let you know how it goes incase anyone else is thinking of buying one :smile:

Week 1: Shaved my arms and zapped them today, did it in two separate goes (took around 30 mins to do each arm) and my sister did them for me just because certain angles are tricky to get to. On a pain scale I'd give it 2/10 (just feels like a hot, tingling sensation for about 1 second then fades). Will update what the regrowth is like next Saturday.

Week 2: Had to shave my arms again last night all over, hair regrowth not as course or fast as expected but still widespread. Just finished zapping them again but this time did it myself, found it to be much quicker.


I have used it for nearly 30 weeks now. I've been using it on my underarms, feet, upper lip, bikini area and forearms. My underarms worked best and barely grew back anymore. My bikini area was starting to work really well asell. Then I stopped using it for about 4 weeks after using it every week for 18. It all grew back. I've started using it again weekly but given that I have pale skin and very dark hairs and use it on the highest setting... I think I may be demading my money back. All the positive reviews tend to be those who have done 4 treatments. I think it shocks the hair so it doesn't grow back quickly but if you stop using it, its not perminent :frown:
Reply 16
Original post by psych
I have used it for nearly 30 weeks now. I've been using it on my underarms, feet, upper lip, bikini area and forearms. My underarms worked best and barely grew back anymore. My bikini area was starting to work really well asell. Then I stopped using it for about 4 weeks after using it every week for 18. It all grew back. I've started using it again weekly but given that I have pale skin and very dark hairs and use it on the highest setting... I think I may be demading my money back. All the positive reviews tend to be those who have done 4 treatments. I think it shocks the hair so it doesn't grow back quickly but if you stop using it, its not perminent :frown:


I had a feeling this might happen :/ I'll probably try it till the 6 week mark then return it if I've seen no reduction, so far the regrowth is slow but no reduction and can't see it working tbh. Thanks for letting me know :smile: I spoke to a member of management and they said I would be able to get a refund easily if I take it back so hopefully you will too. At the end of the day they sell it as a permanent reduction machine and if it doesn't produce that that have no choice but to refund people.
Reply 17
Original post by snapper1
Week 1: Shaved my arms and zapped them today, did it in two separate goes (took around 30 mins to do each arm) and my sister did them for me just because certain angles are tricky to get to. On a pain scale I'd give it 2/10 (just feels like a hot, tingling sensation for about 1 second then fades). Will update what the regrowth is like next Saturday.

Week 2: Had to shave my arms again last night all over, hair regrowth not as course or fast as expected but still widespread. Just finished zapping them again but this time did it myself, found it to be much quicker.



How is it looking now?
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 18
What's it like now OP?
Reply 19
Original post by gobananas
How is it looking now?


Updated original post :smile:

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