Starting electrolysis

[Rebecca]

Face is finished with laser and having my first electrolysis session on Saturday. My laser guy recommended her so I trust her before I've even met her which is great.

But still basically scared of it especially the risk of scarring. The thought of scarring my face chills me to the core.

Pain I'll take it all as long it gets me closer to me I can deal with that. No idea what it's going to feel like. Laser was easy but worried this is going to be a lot more difficult.

Last part I thought would be the easiest but might actually be the hardest. Letting my facial hair grow for 4 days is taking a lot more out of me than I expected.

It's really really hard to feel pretty when you see Gandalf in the mirror.

/sigh

I'll live ofc just having a little late night moment of weakness and wanted to share.

Just need to hang in there for another 31 hours and 36 minutes.

[Rachel]

I have had about 100 hours of electrolysis. I have one minor mark.

[Rebecca]

Thank you, that is very reassuring to hear.

And perfect timing before I go to sleep

[Ms Grace]

If they have a lot of regular experience working on trans women beard removal you should be fine. It's your right to ask her about her experience. I expect your laser therapist would have steered you in the right direction though. I've had one one hundred hours and fortunately no marks or scars.

[Rebecca]

Phew also very good to hear, thank you. Been told she has done a lot of work with trans clients and that she is very good so I'll be in safe hands.

New + Face = Scary

But I'm feeling more confident that I am worrying over nothing now thanks to your replies.

No idea what I'll be looking at time wise but 100 hours sounds like a lot. If you don't mind me asking was that after laser or exclusively electrolysis?

[Asche]

If they offer you some anaesthetic (usually anaesthetic cream), I'd suggest using it.  I find electrolysis pretty painful even with it, and at times unbearable without, though of course YMMV.

I discovered that with the stuff I use (lidocane), I need to give it an hour or so to take effect.

[amoeba]

Estimates will vary greatly based on how much hair you have on your face going into it. I had incredibly thick, dense, and persistent facial hair. Permanent 5 o'clock shadow even immediately after shaving [imagine this but darker/thicker and covering all of the cheeks even up near the eyes]. I had laser treatments every 7-8 weeks for 5 years. It took me 3 years to get "full clearance", and even after that, I had some regrowth every time I went in for a session. In hindsight, I probably stuck with laser 2 years too long. I could have transitioned to electrolysis after the first 3 years.

Anyways, my understanding is that laser is not permanent. Since I stopped getting laser treatments, I have had significant regrowth, which my electrologist has tried valiantly [but not altogether successfully] to keep on top of. We're making steady progress though. What laser did do for me is make the hair thinner, and grow a lot more slowly. That, in and of itself, was actually a massive relief.

My electrologist estimated between 180 and 240 hours when I first went to see her based on what I had on my face at the time, and projected regrowth. She told me she gets plenty of "laser refugees" and she also works with many transgender clients. So I trusted her judgement. I've put in about 60 hours so far, and she's since adjusted the estimate to around 120 to 150 hours.

RE: scarring. I've read that the risk is higher with thermolysis or blend techniques [due to the higher speed, and temperature]. Although multi-needle galvanic is slower, it is also safer. As well, the galvanic technique has a higher success rate per follicle compared to the other two.

RE: pain management. I've found that the topical creams are only mildly helpful on the surface. As in, they help with numbing the probes entering the follicle, but not so much with the steady current build up. At the moment I'm just making do with two OTC ibuprofen + codeine tablets that I take right when we start. Makes the first couple of hours easy, and I just grit my teeth and push through the third. When I started, I was doing 4 hours straight, but the fourth left me really frazzled, so I dropped to 3 at time.

Anyways, if your lady works with trans clients, I'd say you're in safe hands. Don't be afraid to ask questions and make sure she explains what approach she recommends for you, and why. Good luck and hugs

[Rebecca]

For my growth I now realise it is mercifully sparse. I even laugh at how I wished I would wolf out in my youth when I tried to be a boy as people laughed at me. Estimate about 10% of normal hair for lip and chin and less than 5% for rest of the face mostly white.

Laser going well with remaining hair getting thin and slower growing. Could be my imagination but seems like a good bit has been killed off. Think it can stop hair but it's not guaranteed to stop growth so it gets stuck as being labeled hair reduction instead of removal. Then again could be the hormones either way I'm counting my blessings.

Will quite happily take any anaesthetic made available as no point having extra pain unless it would compromise  results.

Really looking forward to it. The prospect of a completely hair free face is just too good to be scared out of. Think if they told me the only way was to set my face on fire and put it out with a cricket bat I'd probably let them try it.

Thank you both for your posts.

Will take as much of her time as I can afford and post in case it's of use to anyone else some day.

[Eva Marie]

One of the things i've found that really helps with scarring is to put a cold pack out of the freezer on your face and move it around for about 30 minutes afterward. My electrologist sells a healing balm and other products that you can apply to help with healing. If I get the cold pack on quickly and use the balm I don't have any issues other than looking a bit like a pin cushion for a few days afterward.

I also had laser prior to electrolysis and had a similar result as you - laser thinned out the black hairs but eventually they began coming back.

The pain level of electrolysis for me is pretty bad (my electrologist uses thermolysis) and after an hour i'm gripping the edge of the table with white knuckles, but OTOH I know other girls that go to sleep during electrolysis so I guess the amount of pain experienced is an individual thing.

[Rebecca]

Thanks Eva will put in a cold pack just in case.

I'll ask her what to do and stick to it religiously my face and life are in her hands.

Just need to hope the gods are  in a good mood tomorrow for the results and pain side of things.

[Eva Marie]

Thanks Eva will put in a cold pack just in case.

I'll ask her what to do and stick to it religiously my face and life are in her hands.

Just need to hope the gods are  in a good mood tomorrow for the results and pain side of things.

I forgot to say that i've heard that staying hydrated, taking several ibuprofen, and avoiding caffeine the day of your treatment is supposed to help with the pain. There are also numbing creams available such as EMLA which is pretty weak or you can step up to a lidocane / tetracane / benzocane mixture for more numbing but that takes a prescription and a trip to a compounding pharmacy.

[Asche]

Yes, my eletrologist recommends ice packs (water frozen in a baggie.)  They're too cold for me.  She also recommends witch hazel, which I drip into a paper towel and hold on my face as much as I can during the 20-30 minute drive home.


Oh, and my eletrologist sells me lidocane cream (5%), no prescription.

[Rebecca]

Hydrated and no caffeine is part of my everyday life so hopefully if that can help then great.

Pain killers I don't normally use but can pick some up. Do you use these on arrival or X minutes before?

For the ice we keep a medical ice pack in the freezer but does the cold not burn. Last time I tried one it was burning cold if that makes sense.

Will get some Ibuprofen then get other stuff after depending on what she has available.

Thanks again

[zirconia]

Hi, Jerrica

Just to let you know that I too had no scarring from electrolysis. I did fall asleep during a session a few times. The electrologist used ice packs after each session. Any post-session redness was usually gone within an hour or two. When performed by a skillful practitioner  all modalities (galvanic, blend and thermolysis) are safe and effective.

[Rebecca]

Thanks Zirconia. Had it today and forgot pain killers good news though as it didn't really hurt. Felt weird having the probe inside me and the build up of heat but it always stopped before it got sore.

Found it amazingly relaxing and could have let her work on me all day but she only had 90 mins available. Booked in for another 2h next week.

Using thermolysis. Face seems ok neck a few wee lumps but fading fast. Will just keep feeding my face moisturiser until Monday as it seems really thirsty then enjoy a thorough shave.

She might have just been cheering me up but she said I have amazing skin and a fantastic neck which ofc made me really happy.

Unfortunately no more shaves until the next Monday as my growth is so slow.

I'll live but feel like some kind of vagrant being unshaved for more than 48h. Not sure how I'll face my aerobics class. Just have to grin and bear it I guess at least it should be less left each week.

Nobody to compare her against but she seems nice and I can safely daydream while she works so I'm happy.

Will see how the bumps go but no more fears so yay ☺

[Mavis]

thermolysis clears the quickest, especially if you can tolerate higher levels one zap per hair is where I run at until I get into sensitive areas like around the mouth then she lowers power down to 2 zaps per hair. the higher levels also are more effective at preventing regrowth. It does swell at these higher levels but the swelling goes down in a couple days.

[Rebecca]

Sounds like she's using the higher level. Doing 1 zap and still sporting a few bumps which seem to be on the mend. Could be swelling but it looks a bit like my face is being rewritten now I'm actually focusing on it it does seem different. Good different though.

Might have a day in bed so my body can dedicate itself to fixing the skin for Monday. So looking forward to after my shave I really need to see me after 120 hours of not shaving.

Wonder just how many hairs she managed to get in our session. Might ask her next time if there is a counter on her machine as that would be nice to know. Pointless ofc but nice.

Would like to get her to hardcore my lip next time but she recommends no more than 15 mins on lip. Has anyone done more than 15 and if so how quickly did your lip recover.

Think thinning in 15 min sessions probably the safest just hard to be patient at times. Well ok all times but aren't we all

[Fresas con Nata]

Might ask her next time if there is a counter on her machine as that would be nice to know. Pointless ofc but nice.

Due to my being Asperger, I have a natural tendency to count pointless things like that. In my session last month, I counted ~250 in ~half an hour. Probably not very useful because it's a different electrologist and probably different area of our faces, but it gives us a ballpark figure.

BTW I love your avatar ^^

[Rebecca]

Sounds good I was guessing at least 180 in half an hour as I'm pretty sure there was always less than 10 seconds  between beeps but I did doze a lot. So 250 sounds reasonable and wow.

Thank you for the avatar love I totally love my fairy to bits she just seems like the perfect graphical representation of my mind and soul