Facial hair removal costs

[A]

I am currently saving up for my facial hair removal (I will wait for HRT to increase efficiency and lower the costs). Here are the basic characteristics of my beard:

-Average to low density on the face. Most hairs, apart from the sideburns and sides of the chin, are pale.
-High density on the neck. Almost all hairs are dark brown. My neck hair extends very low and, in the centre, joins my chest hair.

I know this information is not the most complete, but I would like your advice regarding what to do and how much to save.

First, should I go with laser on the darker areas then electrolysis everywhere, or should I just go with electrolysis everywhere, cost-wise?

Second, how many hours a week (in average) will I spend on this?

Third, how many hours total do you reckon I will require? (I know it's hard to say, but please try.)

Fourth, how long should the whole process last?

Fifth, how much, in a percentage, should I expect HRT to reduce my body hair? Should I start saving for hair removal there too? (I am pretty hairy.)

And finally, what should be the final cost, considering I start right after I start HRT?

[azSam]

I would recommend laser for the larger areas that have dark hair, you'll see quicker results and save money. I currently pay $175 per treatment, $150 with my referral discounts. That is for my full face. It takes about 5-15 minutes for the full treatment on my face, the reason it can take as long as 15 minutes is because I'm a wuss, it hurts and I need breaks. I go in every 6 weeks for my laser treatments.

As for the body hair, I think everybody is different. My body hair has reduced in the range of 70-80%, what is left is clear or white. I have a friend who is older (50 years old), she says she's noticed no reduction whatsoever of her body hair, we've been on HRT for about the same length of time.

I can't speak much about the electrolysis since I've have no experience with it.

[A]

So one laser treatment covers the whole face ? And how many treatments do you reckon you will need before you are done with your face ?

[azSam]

They recommend on average of 6-9 treatments of the full face to kill off all of the hair. But my neck/beard is clearing out faster than my upper lip and goatee area. After maybe 1 more treatment (5th treatment), I may stop working on my neck / beard.

If you're curious about the results, I made a cool thread about it here. The hair's all fall out after about 2-3 weeks.

The single picture for the first treatment was before any of my facial hair fell out. You can see a clear difference between the first and second treatments. Less between the 2nd and 3rd, but the 3rd treatment was another big one that did a lot of damage to my hair.

[JungianZoe]

1. I would go with laser first and do electrolysis on stragglers.  This can be MUCH more cost-efficient.  Good package deals can be easy to find depending on where you live.  I paid $650 for a package of six treatments (full face and neck), and now I pay $50 per session indefinitely because I previously bought a package.

2. Laser will consume about 15 minutes of your time every four weeks, and that 15 minutes clears all dark hairs from the entire face and neck.  But just like electrolysis, it will take a few growth cycles to eliminate the hair, hence the four week between-session wait.

3. It's seriously variable.  Some talk about not needing to shave after 6 treatments, but I still have a ridiculous amount of hair left after 11 treatments.  My technician says she's got me on a higher setting than almost anyone she's worked on, and she's been in the biz for quite some time.  She even does double treatments on my lip for no extra charge and I still have about 50% of the hairs left.  For the record, I didn't start out hairy at all.  Didn't even have sideburns.  I've also heard it's not unusual to go about 20 sessions before lasting results are achieved.  I really don't know what to believe.

4. See #3

5. I've seen absolutely no reduction in thickness or distribution of body hair after six months of HRT, and my endo said not to expect any because reports of hair reduction are overblown... I'm not sure I believe that given how many people talk about it.  All I know is that I've had none, and the only body hair I have is on my lower arms, hands, lower legs, and feet.  HRT has made no dent in this.

6. This is too widely variable based on how your hairs react, what the prices are in your area, etc.


I will say this much though: hair removal pre-HRT was MUCH easier than after.  Laser causes your hairs to shrivel up into little dark clumps below the skin, and where those used to grow out in two or three days pre-HRT, they now take about 10 to 11.  I have yet to find any makeup that even comes close to covering these, but that might also be because I have really dark hair and really pale skin (it's a strange combo).  So for every 10 to 11 days, every four weeks, I want to hide from view.

[A]

I wonder why the psychiatrist said it was really stupid to start hair removal before HRT... Perhaps even though it grows back faster, it takes more sessions to disappear?

(That might explain your 20+ sessions, perhaps?)

[azSam]

I wonder why the psychiatrist said it was really stupid to start hair removal before HRT... Perhaps even though it grows back faster, it takes more sessions to disappear?

(That might explain your 20+ sessions, perhaps?)

Well, testosterone is what causes the hair to grow on the face. If you are taking HRT, and effectively neutralizing your testosterone the hairs will end up being less resilient. This is the theory that my laser people pitched to me. So in theory HRT will supplement the laser, decreasing the likelihood that the hairs will grow back.

[caitlin_adams]

My approach would be to start laser on the face ASAP. I suppose if you were going to spend six months on HRT before going fulltime you could do it then, but you don't want facial hair to hold up going full time if it takes longer.

[A]

Everything depends on the speed at which I can get HRT, but I do plan on spending a few months on HRT before going full-time. (I plan going full-time next August and
will probably need to move out to do so).

[A]

Ugh, I wish everyone would tell me the same thing.

[caitlin_adams]

I agree with Rabbit.

[azSam]

Both gender therapists I've seen said it was better to start laser as soon as possible, as the changes from HRT can become noticeable quickly, and you'll rarely be done with hair removal by the time you want to come out.

This is very true and something to take into account. If you plan on going full time right away, then starting laser as soon as possible isn't a bad idea. But if you feel like you want to let HRT work some before you go full time, then it may not hurt to wait on laser until you start HRT.

It really comes down to preference. If you plan to start HRT in the very near future, I don't think there will be much of a problem starting laser right away. But if you think it may be several months off, it may not hurt to wait.

[A]

Hmm, I guess I will wait until I get my endo reference, then. The day I get this will probably be ~2 months apart from my appointment (and, hopefully, prescription),
so I guess this will be a good time to start.

Now how much should I save? Will 1000$ suffice?

[AbraCadabra]

Don't overlook that it is not T as such that makes girly bum-fluff (velum-hair) grow into those nasty 4mm deep thick beard roots, it is the T conversion product of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) and also once those roots are established they have a re-growth of 6 times maybe more. Plus those roots are now producing there own DHT independent of your hormone levels even if you run on close to zero T like I do since over a year.

I first had laser to get rid of what I could (dark hair) and now am well into 100 hours plus for electrolysis alone, AND THE STUFF KEEPS GROWING! Like weeds. So BE prepared for the need of *plenty* of patience and $$$.

One reason to take SPIRO (T-blocker) and Finasteride (DHT-blocker) is helping to reduce re-growth and of course save on E.
If I have not shaved for about 3 weeks without plucking and or electrolysis for only one week I still begin to look like Father Xmas' aunty.
I think 350 hrs for electrolysis is actually not too unusual.
It is FDA approved as "permanent" hair removal, never mind some 6x plus re-growth and what not!
Laser is NOT approved as permanent by FDA and my arm-pits confirm their point - still in need of regular waxing. Much finer hair now YES! But still need waxing every 6 - 8 weeks.
Patience and money honey!
Let us know how it goes - always good to have yet another experience.
Axelle

[A]

...Omfg? *Headbang* So much money? And here I've saved about 1000$ with months of savings... And I was here, thinking I could actually afford a tracheal save in
a year or two, on top of all that.

*Cold, dry wind of despair.*

[jillian]

ideal image is fda approved, but it was 4000 dollars. It is gaurenteed for life, or until they go out of buisness. They are currently expanding so, we will see.
My skin and hair are perfect for their laser though.

[Diane Elizabeth]

I tried American Laser/  They sold me a package deal and said it would take about 8 appts over two years.  They said my grey hairs would be a problem and might require a few more appts.  They didn't tell me that my grey hairs were too white for their laser.   I did get my shest hair lasered. by someone else.  No package deals  $300 for 3 appts took care of what little there was.  No overcharging from them.  When I get ready for my arms and legs I will call them. 

[Annah]

Mine was Laser

990 dollars for nine sessions with each session happening once every 4 weeks.
Each session covered the entire face and neck

[Annah]

Ugh, I wish everyone would tell me the same thing.

no one can tell you the same thing when it comes to hair removal. It is just like HRT. It affects everyone differently. Even electrolysis is different for everyone.

So far Ive seen girls spend as little as 700 dollars on hair removal and i seen someone spend over 12K on it.

Transition can be very expensive but again, costs is very different for everyone.

What may cost me 30K for SRS, hair removal, HRT etc may cost someone else over 110K (I know a girl who spent 110K...ive heard of girls spending more).

However, transguys who want top and bottom SRS alone is looking at 100K at least....thats not including other costs.

Sadly, the costs aren't the same for both genders or for each person

[A]

Texas is extremely far away, but thanks for trying.