The BG Hair Removal Odyssey: Testing the Tria Device

In the next few months I will be testing the Tria Hair Removal system. I always thought that I would be the perfect candidate for this system. I am fish belly pale with dark hair. I shave every other day. I had been looking into laser treatments but it is a pricey alternative that carries a slight embarrassment factor. The Tria system is a at-home system that provides the same benefits of a laser treatment. Hair is supposed to grow back lighter and sparser. Plus I loved the privacy factor. No stranger would be zapping me. I would be in control. This is the miracle I have been waiting for.

The science behind the Tria laser is that the hair is removed by disabling the hair follicle. The laser emits a light pulse that is absorbed by pigment. If the hair has enough pigment, the light is absorbed by the hair and converted to heat, which disables the hair follicle. The Tria is effective at treating natural brown or black hair. This is not for use on white, gray, blond or red hair. It is also intended for people with light skin tones. This can not be used on tanned or dark skin tones due to the skin absorbing too much light. This would cause burning or scar the skin. Luckily this laser has a built-in safety trigger. You have to test your skin before using it. If your skin is too dark it will automatically lock and disable itself.

The Tria device looks and occasionally sounds like a hair dryer. It is fairly heavy but not cumbersome. To activate the device you have to call a personal consultant. This activation process is another safety measure to ensure that the system is safe and effective for the user. Before calling make sure you charge the Tria for at least three hours.

The Tria is fairly easy to use. It does not take anyone with exceptional techie skills. You take the skin sensor and test it on a patch of skin. A green light appears if your skin is light enough. You take the skin sensor and wave it over the Tria laser indicator lights. This will activate the lights and beep. After the beeps, a single light will be on. There are three levels of intensity. I used all the settings for this first initial test. The third level will deliver a smidgen of pain. The pain is a quick prick of hotness. It made me jump. The 2nd level is milder.

You place the device flat against the skin. The Tria will beep once and a light pulse will start automatically. The laser will beep a second time in a lower volume. This only takes a few seconds. After the end beep you move the device to the next patch of skin. Tria recommends about 1/4 of an inch. This is the only part that I screwed up. I was watching Gossip Girl and it was a Chuck heavy episode. I am guessing that there will be patches of hair that I missed.

It took an hour to use the device on my legs. There was no redness or swelling. My legs also did not feel hot to the touch. There was no special preparation for the skin before use. Tria instructs that you should be cleanly shaven and not have any soap or lotion residue. I used an Aveeno moisturizer afterwards.

It is too soon for dramatic results but I did notice that my hair was less aggressive. I could actually skip a day of shaving without feeling like Chewbacca. Tria states that hair will start falling out and growing back lighter in two to three weeks. I will report any molting results. This process is estimated to take up to 6 to 9 months.

The Tria device is currently sold at Bergdorf Goodman. The counter number is 212-872-8630. Also check out the website @ http://www.triabeauty.com/
It retails for $995.

Disclaimer: A press sample of this product was provided by Tria.