Befor or after HRT

[Lucy]

I have been given lots of advice on hair removal on the face but inconsidances have arisan. Should i start laser treatment before i start HRT or will the testostrone in my body stop it from working

[Kate]

I have been given lots of advice on hair removal on the face but inconsidances have arisan. Should i start laser treatment before i start HRT or will the testostrone in my body stop it from working

I was having laser treatments for five months prior to starting HRT, and it seemed to be working fine regardless.

In fact, my laser doctor told me that he has many non-TS males who have had their necks cleared without any problems or regrowth.

Kate

[beckster]

Hi Lucy, how are you ?

I would say its never to soon to start hair removal, I started mine about a year before I went fulltime and didn't start hormones until about a year after that and have had no problems.  I do still have a few noticeable hairs on my face so could do with getting another few laser sessions done, but since starting homrones my remaining facial hair (mainly on my upper lip) has thinned out and become a lot lighter.  If you are having laser treatment then I think that it works better on darker hairs generally rather than light hair ?

And as Kate has pointed out it is common for a lot of men to have hair removal for different reasons and it works fine !!

Becky
xx

[seldom]

I am getting laser hair removal next week (I have fair skin and dark hair) and HRT is still a ways away.

It can be started at any time.  Some insist the sooner the better. Some say after you start HRT.
I personally cannot wait for HRT, which is still a few months away.

[tinkerbell]

I chose electrolysis, so it took a while (more than two years) to get rid of my beard.  I started about six months before HRT, and finished it when I was already fulltime. 

I agree with Becky though, it is never too early to start hair removal; the sooner, the better.

tink

[LynnER]

For Lazer Id recomend starting before HRT... even with the new lazer types that kill light hairs it takes longer... and my facial growth is allot lighter in color now than it was pre HRT so it might be best to start soon as possable 

[Buffy]

Listen very carefully, I will say this only once.

START AS EARLY AS YOU CAN....

Buffy

[Lucy]

Thank you all, Start as early as you can. GOT IT  .

It was just in some posts peple had mentions the troble testosrone causes and it got me a little confused.

Love you all, hugsa and kisses

Lucy

[Brooke_NY]

I have read a bunch about this and I see the same advice quite often. Start as soon as possible.

I didn't see this mentioned in this thread, but I will parrot some of the reasons I have heard. They may or may not be accurate. So feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

It can be pretty uncomfortable trying RLE when the afternoon comes around and your 5 o clock shadow is starting to show thru your make-up. For somebody who is a little more self-conscious like I am, this is important to my comfort, which effects my confidence. And you know we have to be confident to pass well.

I have also read that after you start HRT, you become a little more sensitive to the pain of electrolysis. I'm not SURE that this is true, but it sounded good to me.


. . .On the flip side, after you start HRT, the hair gets lighter and easier to remove. So it might be cheaper to wait till after HRT has begun because you will probably not need as many visits to remove all the hair that you want gone for good.

[Lucy]

Sounds good Brooke but lasers work best on dark thick hair? Wouldn't this b a problem after hrt?

[Kate]

. . .On the flip side, after you start HRT, the hair gets lighter and easier to remove. So it might be cheaper to wait till after HRT has begun because you will probably not need as many visits to remove all the hair that you want gone for good.

I never noticed that, though I've read people suggesting it too. Thing is, if you're doing electro, it takes sooooooo long, it's probably better to just risk it and start as soon as possible. Nearly EVERYone says "I wish I had started electro sooner!" because it so often ends up continuing through the the RLT - and you gotta grow it out between sessions.

Laser is faster, and you can shave as much as you want, so it's much more convenient... and allows some debate on when to do it. STILL though, it'll take at LEAST six months to get clear.

And hmmm, actually laser works BETTER on *darker* hairs, so maybe that's an incentive to start *before* HRT actually, lol...

Kate

[debisl]

I had electrolysis when I was 25 I am 32 now. I never had much hair to begin with. Even when I shaved it was only one a week. I have been on an HRT regiment for a little over 2 years now by my doc. I won't go into too much detail, but I did experiment with all sorts of harmones at a young age. I do not recommend this so blank it from your mind.
As soon as you can get the treatment of your choice, the better off you will be. Your face will love you for it.

Deb

[Brooke_NY]

Sounds good Brooke but lasers work best on dark thick hair? Wouldn't this b a problem after hrt?

Yes, I have read that too. In that case, it would seem better to go before HRT.

Mostly, I was thinking of electrolysis.

I was going to have electrolysis but after reading a bunch of threads here, it's looking like a lot of people opt for laser hair removal. Back to the research drawing board for me.

. . .On the flip side, after you start HRT, the hair gets lighter and easier to remove. So it might be cheaper to wait till after HRT has begun because you will probably not need as many visits to remove all the hair that you want gone for good.

I never noticed that, though I've read people suggesting it too. Thing is, if you're doing electro, it takes sooooooo long, it's probably better to just risk it and start as soon as possible. Nearly EVERYone says "I wish I had started electro sooner!" because it so often ends up continuing through the the RLT - and you gotta grow it out between sessions.

Laser is faster, and you can shave as much as you want, so it's much more convenient... and allows some debate on when to do it. STILL though, it'll take at LEAST six months to get clear.

And hmmm, actually laser works BETTER on *darker* hairs, so maybe that's an incentive to start *before* HRT actually, lol...

Kate

That is one of the more resounding things I hear. "I should of started hair removal before RLE." I guess that's why I am leaning that way.

Thanks for the info in your post. Laser hair removal is sounding more and more appealing to me over electrolysis.

[Kate]

Laser hair removal is sounding more and more appealing to me over electrolysis.

If you have dark hairs and light skin, IMHO it's *definately* worth consideration. There are more variables that can go wrong and have it not work, but when it DOES, it's awfully convenient to be cleared in 6-12 x 15 minute sessions (over 6-12 months) versus hundreds of hours of electrolysis. Plus, there's no dangers of pitting and you can shave between sessions.

The permanency debate will go on for a few more decades I'm sure, until we have people 10-20 years post laser without regrowth. But I personally know a few TSs who are 4-5 years post-laser, so it's sure promising. In fact, the gal who runs an email group on laser removal experiences says she's 7-8 years post-laser now with zero regrowth.

Kate

[Lucy]

Sounds great cheers kate

[Wendy]

Lucy this is an interesting topic.  Personally I dislike hair anywhere but the top of my head.

Fortunately I have little facial hair and am totally happy to not have to shave.

Literature seems to state hair removed by laser can grow back but postings in this tread show the contrary.

Testosterone does not stop electrolysis from working which is always an option for a thin beard and/or light colored hair.

Two years of female hormones have done little if any to make my beard hairs thinner so that waiting seems to offer little advantage.

Female hormones make my face dryer and electrolysis does seem to cause more rashes when hairs are removed.  I am not sure if a laser on female-type skin causes more rashes?

One day I got a brilliant idea and said why not remove your face hairs with a tweezer and be done with it.  I did and it was great!  Two weeks later the hairs were back.  Therefore I pulled every hair out again.  After about 10 times I gave up, but contrary to what people say the hairs did not grow back thicker!

Good luck!

[Lucy]

Wendy, thank you for your post, tweezers ay, that sounds fun. Ow i just dont know weather to do it or not. Beats shaving every day. Luv u all. Lucy

[Brooke_NY]

Kate, thanks for the additional experienced info.

Lucy this is an interesting topic.  Personally I dislike hair anywhere but the top of my head.

lol, I feel the same way.

In fact, I am thinking about having what little hair I have on my stomach and chest removed as well. I hate shaving my stomach, I always seem to break out on my belt line and then that burns or is irritating for a few days.

One day I got a brilliant idea and said why not remove your face hairs with a tweezer and be done with it.  I did and it was great!  Two weeks later the hairs were back. 

Ah yes, I know what you mean. I did this with my upper lip hair once. Plucked it all out. OUCH!! The first few hairs I pulled made me break out into a violent sneezing frenzy! And even after that I'd sneeze every few hairs. Sensitive area for me I guess. Was kinda funny.

But, my mustache area felt so awesomely smooth. It was great like you said.  I loved it. But, it won't be like that again until I have it (or try and have it) permanently removed.

[Melissa]

One day I got a brilliant idea and said why not remove your face hairs with a tweezer and be done with it.  I did and it was great!  Two weeks later the hairs were back. 

Ah yes, I know what you mean. I did this with my upper lip hair once. Plucked it all out. OUCH!! The first few hairs I pulled made me break out into a violent sneezing frenzy! And even after that I'd sneeze every few hairs. Sensitive area for me I guess. Was kinda funny.

But, my mustache area felt so awesomely smooth. It was great like you said.  I loved it. But, it won't be like that again until I have it (or try and have it) permanently removed.

Yeah, I tweezed my mustache area at first.  It was much better than having hair there and I couldn't afford anything permanent at the time.  Now, I've had that area electrolysised AND lasered and I still have hairs growing out.  I have another laser session on Saturday, so hopefully that will clear things up.

Melissa

[Kate]

Yeah, I tweezed my mustache area at first.  It was much better than having hair there and I couldn't afford anything permanent at the time.  Now, I've had that area electrolysised AND lasered and I still have hairs growing out.  I have another laser session on Saturday, so hopefully that will clear things up.

My mustache and chin are being stubborn too (corners of mouth, and just under the nose). There isn't much left at all, and there's less after each session (I ONLY zap the chin/mustache now), but the progress is much slower now per session.

As for tweezing... epilators are the way go go! You can rip out your entire beard in about ten minutes.

Of course, you'll be sobbing on the floor from the unbelievably excruciating pain in a puddle of bloody whiskers splattered everywhere when done, buuuuuuuut... it DOES work.

Kate