Electrolysis hurts like a ***** but it's worth it....

[lecoeurdegrey]

Hey guys so hi I'm relatively new here and sorry if I'm bothering^^. However, my electrologist just cleared my face and I'm feeling giddier than can be and thought I should just share the joy around:D

[A]

More than laser? I'm not looking forward to the pain...

[lecoeurdegrey]

I'm not sure I never tried laser I'm too dark and i grew so little facial hair that my electrologist got rid of all the hair on my face in the first sitting but the thing about electrolysis is that the reward of the smooth skin beats out the pain

[envie]

how long was your electrolysis session?
I've had 10 laser sessions and just went for a test run of electrolysis to finish up some chin and upper lip remaining hairs.
In my experience laser is a whole a lot worse.
I broke down several times in tears and had to break up my first ever laser session in spite of numbing cream and ice.
I was so afraid of electrolysis expecting it to be worse but my 15 minutes trial wasn't that bad at all. I just waited all the time for the pain to become serious but in never happened, even on higher setting. It was the blend method by the way.

[Alainaluvsu]

I'm a great candidate for laser (black coarse hair on fair skin) but I'm thinking of electrolysis because I can just go in and do it whenever I have time. I know it's more costly, but I've been using a home laser device that's been working very slowly and I have no time to commit to professional laser on a strict schedule. If I could go to electrolysis on any Sunday that a clinic can fit me in, that'd be something I could do.

[Cindy]

I think the group opinion has been that electrolysis is the only 'permanent'method. But I have had excellent effects from laser. My last sessions were in November, had a 10 min touch up in March, and I'm clear at the moment.
Yes it hurt like Hell, I could fill the goggles with tears.

[lecoeurdegrey]

how long was your electrolysis session?
I've had 10 laser sessions and just went for a test run of electrolysis to finish up some chin and upper lip remaining hairs.
In my experience laser is a whole a lot worse.
I broke down several times in tears and had to break up my first ever laser session in spite of numbing cream and ice.
I was so afraid of electrolysis expecting it to be worse but my 15 minutes trial wasn't that bad at all. I just waited all the time for the pain to become serious but in never happened, even on higher setting. It was the blend method by the way.

The session was one hour on thermolysis (don't want to take the chance of pitting my skin!) and it cleared my face up so now we are working on the eyebrows and maybe the back of the hands since it's so inconvenient to shave there. It's a good thing I got the face hairs early (I'm 17 btw) and I'm starting spiro in a few weeks because for a moment I thought I was actually going to grow beard hairs 0.o.

[Sianna]

The session was one hour on thermolysis (don't want to take the chance of pitting my skin!)

I thought that thermolysis contains a higher risk of skin scarring? Did i get something wrong?

[luna nyan]

I'm pretty sure it's galvinic which is the safer option - that's what I have had done.
Thermolysis is quicker, but has a higher rate of pitting.

Personally, the only area I found really uncomfortable to have done was around cupids bow on the upper lip - the other spots I could pretty much just meditate out so to speak.

Incidentally the clinic I used were on good terms with the dentist next door, and some clients used to go over to the dentist for an injection before the electro appointment!

I find it interesting that people are getting good results with laser - I had thought that the general consensus was that laser was "hair reduction" rather than hair removal.

[A]

I have no time to commit to professional laser on a strict schedule.

If you don't have one hour every 6 weeks, I think you should look into your schedule again. Plus, electrolysis takes a huge amount of time. Most people can't get their whole face cleared in a whole afternoon, if I remember well.

Anyway, I just want to tell you that doing electrolysis before being done with laser is a pure loss of time and money. You'll spend a long while eliminating just a few hairs, a lot of which would have been killed in just one laser zap in your one-hour session.

Also, you seem to underestimate the cost difference between laser and electrolysis. For the same amount of (laser-compatible) hair, my estimation is that electrolysis is 10 to 15 times as expensive. As a comparison, people very compatible with laser don't usually pay more than 3000 $ for all of their sessions - usually less. On the other hand, I've read horror stories of people with only blond beard paying over 40 000 $ for electrolysis and still not being done.

luna nyan: The reason for laser being "hair reduction" in the records is that the vast majority of people have at least 10-20 % of their beard that is too pale to be affected by laser. But in most if not all cases, a dead hair stays dead, just as with electrolysis... Only much cheaper.

[susanewing]

Laser failed. Electrolysis is painful but works

[A]

Laser failed? What do you mean? Did they have a bad machine? Or did they mess up with the evaluation and say your hair was dark enough whilst it wasn't?

[Seyranna]

Lightsheer laser pwns the ->-bleeped-<- out of any other hair removal device out there. I was told I'd need electro after laser but laser cleared my whole face 100%. Even if I'd need a touch up session every year or so it's only 50 bucks at that point and electro is insanely time consuming and unforgiving on the skin and basically should only be used if you aren't a good candidate for laser.

[Alainaluvsu]

If you don't have one hour every 6 weeks, I think you should look into your schedule again. Plus, electrolysis takes a huge amount of time. Most people can't get their whole face cleared in a whole afternoon, if I remember well.

Anyway, I just want to tell you that doing electrolysis before being done with laser is a pure loss of time and money. You'll spend a long while eliminating just a few hairs, a lot of which would have been killed in just one laser zap in your one-hour session.

Also, you seem to underestimate the cost difference between laser and electrolysis. For the same amount of (laser-compatible) hair, my estimation is that electrolysis is 10 to 15 times as expensive. As a comparison, people very compatible with laser don't usually pay more than 3000 $ for all of their sessions - usually less. On the other hand, I've read horror stories of people with only blond beard paying over 40 000 $ for electrolysis and still not being done.

luna nyan: The reason for laser being "hair reduction" in the records is that the vast majority of people have at least 10-20 % of their beard that is too pale to be affected by laser. But in most if not all cases, a dead hair stays dead, just as with electrolysis... Only much cheaper.

I work 8-5 m-f. Go to school 5:30 -10 m-thur, and 8-6 on saturday.  Ill be in school til april 2013. My schedule is non negotiable. Im thinking if i can somehow find an electrolysis clinic that can do it every once in a while on a sunday where i dont have errands, thats what ill do.

[lecoeurdegrey]

Different strokes for different folks. My skin is too dark and 90 percent of my face hairs are the baby hair type so I really had no choice but if you are the ideal candidate for laser go for it!

[auburnAubrey]

how long was your electrolysis session?
I've had 10 laser sessions and just went for a test run of electrolysis to finish up some chin and upper lip remaining hairs.
In my experience laser is a whole a lot worse.

Interesting... i have the exact opposite effect.  electrolysis hurts WAAY more for me...   I started laser when I started hormones, and i breezed right through it! I have to say, a year on hormones and my skin is a LOT more sensitive!  So laser isn't as pain free as it once was... but at least it's over quickly!!  Unfortunately, I have a bunch of gray hair on my chin, so under the needle I go.  Yeah, it hurts, but I have to get it done!

[A]

School on Saturdays? That's scary.

Anyway, I don't see - at all - how an electrolysis clinic would be more open on Sundays than a laser one. You know, with laser, too, if you can't on the sixth week, you can take an appointment on the seventh, or eight, or basically any Sunday. Waiting longer doesn't hurt any more than the fact you make the final results late by one week.

Also, with the enormously higher amount of money you'll spend on electrolysis, I'd tend to think you'll be working no reason 1/4~1/2 the time. You could almost get a lot less hours and have the same amount of money in the end. I know jobs don't work in such a way that you can just say "give me less hours", but still.

In the end, it's still your choice, but I fail to see the logic behind it. I really, really think that you should do laser. As I said, you can go and do laser "on a Sunday when you don't have errands", too, just like electrolysis. And whilst not all laser clinics are open on Sundays, the very same goes for electrolysis ones, I'd say...

I won't harrass you any more, but I just wanted you to put more thought in the possibility of doing laser. I'm sure it's possible even for such a dreadful schedule as yours.

[auburnAubrey]

Lightsheer laser pwns the ->-bleeped-<- out of any other hair removal device out there. I was told I'd need electro after laser but laser cleared my whole face 100%. Even if I'd need a touch up session every year or so it's only 50 bucks at that point and electro is insanely time consuming and unforgiving on the skin and basically should only be used if you aren't a good candidate for laser.

My face cleared very well with laser, but unfortunately, it doesn't work on the grays......  soooooooo I have to finish those stupid chin hairs that have turned gray.  Luckily, there's not too big of an area.... cuz I really hate that darn needle! 

[lecoeurdegrey]

Think about the way the skin feels zoo smooth and great before it was wrecked by testosterone :p that's how I get through it...

[Gauge]

I broke down several times in tears and had to break up my first ever laser session in spite of numbing cream and ice.

  That couldn't be any more true.  I cried like a baby the first six laser appointments, the upper lip is the worse. I just started my body and it doesn't hurt at all compared to the face.