I've been through 3 of my roughly 7 treatments here. I was really unsure of the whole process going…read moreinto it, so here's how my experience has been:
I booked my initial consult on a Saturday. I got a bottle of water, a quick tour of the clinic, and then the salesperson and I sat in a little conference room where she showed me a video and went over the services they offer. They offer services on individual body parts, like upper and lower legs, upper and lower chest, armpits, neckline, etc. They also have package deals like whole leg and "tshirt" (front and back tshirt are separate services). The sales process is low-pressure and easy. The person who handles sales at this particular location is super personable. We had and still have great conversations.
One downside to the services offered is that you can't get "spot" treated. They only cover whole body parts. So, for instance, if you get your chest done, they don't also do the shoulders. You have to pay for the whole tshirt service to get both chest and shoulders done. This can end up looking a little funny if you're really hairy because there's a hard line where the hair ends and the treated area begins. For instance, if you get a tshirt service and have pretty hairy arms, your bald shoulders abruptly become very hairy forearms that need to be kept trimmed in order not to look weird. I asked if I could get my forearms treated, but not go through all 7 (or however many it takes) sessions so the hair is just more sparse instead of having totally hairless arms, and that wasn't an option.
It's also very expensive. Even just getting your neckline done will set you back a few thousand dollars, financed over a several years. (The financing is technically interest-free, but if you pay up-front there's a discount.) On the bright side, those are my only real gripes about the company. I didn't comparison shop, but Milan offers unlimited treatments forever, unlike most of their competitors. The price might actually be very reasonable, depending on how many follow-up appointments you need. Apparently most people will need to go back once a year or every couple of years for a touch-up.
I had my first session with the provider about a week after my consult. The provider is a nurse who's overseen by a physician. I think the Mayo Clinic advises that people who want laser hair removal should only have it done by a physician. That's kinda absurd, if you ask me. This isn't an invasive process at all, and this provider is very knowledgeable in the craft. It's obviously higher-tech than waxing, but it's not exactly surgery either.
Here's how it works: You're asked to go in with the area to be treated clean-shaven. (I thought it only needed to be clipper-shaved, but you actually should use a razor. The provider had to shave me down before we got started.) The provider draws a grid on the area with a white eyeliner pencil to give herself sections to work on. During the first session, the laser is set to a fairly low valence. I've heard it compared to being popped by a rubber band. It's actually not even that bad because each zap is followed by a puff of cold air that sooths it.
The laser is a hand-held device with a round plastic tip on the end, maybe an inch in diameter. The practitioner places the plastic tip on the skin, inch by inch, until the section is done. Once done, she puts a little checkmark to indicate that it's done and then moves on to the next section. The speed at which she works is pretty much dependent on the client's comfort level. I find that areas where I'm ticklish are pretty excruciating, even with the cold puff, so she has to go fairly slow. Areas where I'm not ticklish are perfectly fine and she can go a lot faster. I can't even feel the zaps in some spots. One thing I didn't expect but probably should have is the smell the burnt hair. It's pretty gross, but you get used to it.
The valence of the laser goes up with each treatment, so you feel it a little more each time. Thankfully, the painful parts are over pretty quickly. I took ibuprofen and did a hit of a delta-8 vape before session 3, and it was much more bearable.
You can't get any sun on the treated areas between sessions. If you like to hang out at the pool or on a boat in the summer, you'll have to cover up.
They advise that the skin might be tender or painful after treatments. This hasn't been my experience at all. After it's over, the practitioner spreads some aloe vera gel on me, I get dressed, and I have no lingering effects. I've taken hot showers afterwards with no problem. Your mileage may vary, though.
All things considered, if you're looking for a more-or-less permanent solution to unsightly body hair, I definitely recommend looking into Milan. Their unlimited sessions plan is the biggest selling point in my opinion.
