Electrolysis a double edge sword

[LizK]

One of the things I never really thought about is that when you start having regular Electrolysis sessions which in my case is a couple of times a week for 30 minutes at a time. In order to have the treatment, I need at least 2-3 days growth so by the time I leave enough time for my beard to grow I seem to very rarely shave...leaving me rough and stubbly which brings my Dysphoria screaming to the fore and makes it hard to do even the small things to feel more feminine. I will just have to grin and bare it because I want this crap on my face gone!!!....ARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!

[cindianna_jones]

Do you get completely cleared in just thirty minutes? If not, you have a while to go. I remember spending more than an hour under the needle for at least two years. But I did get cleared every single time. At first, it took more than an hour. It was more like two hours twice a week after I first had my face cleared a couple of times.

This was the most agonizing part of my transition in a financial way.. time too. It is surprising that we tend to gloss over this aspect of transition. I'm surprised it isn't a much bigger topic of conversation since it was for me the most important part of my getting along in public.

[Dena]

I had hour sessions twice a week though sometime I think the sessions ran a few minutes over. I wasn't getting cleared or even putting much of a dent in it for a long time but then the day came when she started working on my eyebrows at the end of the session to use up the remainder of the time. For me the real limiting factor was money. I had the savings but I didn't want to dip into it so everything was paid out of pocket and that was about all my pockets had left.

[Jessie Ann]

I am just starting to get to the stage where I can get cleared in 4 hours.  I've had over 130 hours of electrolysis over the last 15 months.  I've been doing multi-hour session most of the time and can't wait for this to get over.

[Michelle_P]

Oh, you folks are starting to mak the Electrolysis 3000 path look better and better.  Megasessions, gorilla face, and all.  I just hate having a beard, and am amazed that nothing better has been developed (A bottle of Anti-Minoxidil, please...)

A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do, I suppose...

[LizK]

I am off to the dentist in a week to get injections...straight up to Electrolysis and see how much we can get done...aiming at a two hour session...if that works we will be aiming to do that once a month with the half hour sessions as I go along...I am lucky in that the laser is taking care of much of my dark stuff which is now growing back finer, and much much sparser.

The two hours to go will complete only the first clearance which will have taken about 7 hours in total. After only this short of period I have distinct bald patches on my cheeks and jaw line...it is the only thing that keeps me going is slowly seeing a difference. I have this stupid Hypersensitivity on my skin due to my meds which makes the Electrolysis very very painful for me....if this dentist thing works then I may have it once a week or as much as my face will tolerate.

We don't have the option of anything like Electrolysis 3000 here in Aus that I know of but if there was I would be having done that way for sure

Liz K

[warlockmaker]

I went thru that stage and had my electrolysis 2x a week. But it was for clearance each time. Fortunately for me I was still in the closet. Today, I still have my electrolysis done but in Bangkok with the Galvanic method every month and they give me novacane. I pluck the hairs for 2 weeks before then in the 2 weeks before I shave and stop that 4 days before...I still get upset with the hair growth but it's very minor now.  I thought that after 3 years of thermal electrolysis that my light facial hairs would have gone.

Just a point that I noticed.. I had thermal electrolysis for 3 years and I feel after a couple of galvanic sessions that it's much more effective.

[suzifrommd]

I got in the habit of placing a large band-aid over the portion of my face being worked on. That kept me from accidentally shaving over it with my electric, as well as hiding my stubble from the public.

[LizK]

The galvanic blend method is the one that my Electrolysis lady Amber uses, my understanding is it is a little more painful than the Thermopolis(?) method, but the results speak for themselves...I have not had one complete clearance yet but even so I can see there a certain patches that are clear...been over 3 months for a number of them with no regrowth or signs of it. Until the machine current comes down to a more manageable level I won't be able to tolerate and hour...I am hoping though once we are through this first clearance things will get a little easier...with less stubble time...I can section off area's for her to work on but even now these are becoming difficult to see because of the great results I have had with laser....I wonder if having naturally low testosterone for the last 4-5 years has played an effect on the slow to non-existent regrowth in some areas. I know Amber is more than a little surprised at the results.  Anyway time will tell but I can see another 12-18 months of this yet...

Liz K

[Ms Grace]

Galvanic is generally the superior form of electrolysis. Kills the follicle dead first time, no need to revisit it ever. But it seems to be slower since it is one hair at a time not "clear and wait to see what grows back" which is the thermolysis approach. It's more painful - not just on your skin but your wallet. But for my money, much more effective. I've had about 130 hours and probably only need another 20 (10x2 hour sessions) until it is gone baby gone.

[LizK]

Galvanic is generally the superior form of electrolysis. Kills the follicle dead first time, no need to revisit it ever. But it seems to be slower since it is one hair at a time not "clear and wait to see what grows back" which is the thermolysis approach. It's more painful - not just on your skin but your wallet. But for my money, much more effective. I've had about 130 hours and probably only need another 20 (10x2 hour sessions) until it is gone baby gone.

I am no expert in this but I understood that it would take longer but like you I also knew One zap one dead follicle and the heat also radiates to the other follicles helping to loosen them...but it hurts like a .......It will be a long time before she will able to clear my face in an hour especially one hair at a time...but I do know that when she zaps one its gone forever...


Liz K

[Ms Grace]

I'm presuming she is using multi probe.i have up to 32 probes inserted at once (not into the same follicle of course!)

[Eva Marie]

It takes what it takes. I get an hour of thermolysis twice a month which is about all I can afford (and all I can stand from the pain perspective) and I'm starting to see some progress now after about 15 hours.  I want the crap gone off my face and I'll eventually get there, slowly.

[Lara1969]

I started with laser due to obvious reasons. I am now at 1hr all four weeks for a full clearing. I would never do it in a shorter period because of 5 days of no shaving. I started with 2hr for the full clearing.

I am now at an optimal point of my hrt regarding level, how to take it.....and my beard growth slowed down a lot. So if I sgave in the morning I still have no beard in the evening. So I shave in the evening and my boyfriend can be pretty near to me in the morning 

[islandgirl]

AS I sit here two days away from my next session, I feel as if I have a forest on my face! My facial hair does not grow as quickly any more and is much lighter. I have to grow it for at least four to five days to get enough length. I want to hide away from everyone! My partner says that it is not that visible and that it is just the 'cost of doing business'. I am seeing results, be it slow going. I am just over 30 hours in. I seem to experience a great deal of pain, especially when the upper lip is being worked on, even though I us Elma cream. Oh well, one step at a time!

[Emileeeee]

I did a few sessions of electrolysis on my face then switched to laser for 6 more. It hurt every bit as much, but it only took them 10 minutes for a full clear vs something like 4 hours for the electrolysis. I know it will come back eventually, and some already has, but it's faint enough that I can shave it off and not be noticeable. I get occasional electrolysis in other areas and I have them just touch up the face when I go there at the end of the session.

[LizK]

I did a few sessions of electrolysis on my face then switched to laser for 6 more. It hurt every bit as much, but it only took them 10 minutes for a full clear vs something like 4 hours for the electrolysis. I know it will come back eventually, and some already has, but it's faint enough that I can shave it off and not be noticeable. I get occasional electrolysis in other areas and I have them just touch up the face when I go there at the end of the session.

If you are using the right Laser it shouldn't come back unless it was never killed properly in the first place. I certainly have more back this time but its finer and not in necessarily the same places so it would seem they are dormant follicles activating and on one particular side of my face I haven't had any black for weeks until just recently and I have another appointment number 8 in a week or so. I am told it takes from about session 10 to really see the results but as I said I am seeing permanent results already. The place I go boast about a 98% permanent hair reduction.

Liz K

[Amber42]

Hi,  has anyone tried the DIY hair removal instead of electrolysis?  I have the Bella Flash device by Silkn (but I think there are several similar brands) I have used it on other parts of the body with relatively good results...but not on the face yet.

I spoke to a rep from the company and they have recently been cleared by FDA for use on male facial hair.

I am not ready for the facial hair removal just yet but I keep hearing the horror stories of electrolysis and was hoping for an alternative :-)



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[Jacqueline]

Hi,  has anyone tried the DIY hair removal instead of electrolysis?  I have the Bella Flash device by Silkn (but I think there are several similar brands) I have used it on other parts of the body with relatively good results...but not on the face yet.

I spoke to a rep from the company and they have recently been cleared by FDA for use on male facial hair.

I am not ready for the facial hair removal just yet but I keep hearing the horror stories of electrolysis and was hoping for an alternative :-)
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Amber,

I am going to leave the question up to others. I have not experience.

However, I would like to welcome you to the site. I am passing along some links that we like to pass along to newly posting members. They have welcome information and the rules of the site. If you have not read through them, please take a moment to do so:

Things that you should read

Site Terms of Service & Rules to Live By	Standard Terms & Definitions	Post Ranks (including when you can upload an avatar)
Reputation rules	News posting & quoting guidelines	Photo, avatars, & signature images policy

Once again, welcome to Susan's. Look around, continue to ask questions and join in.

With warmth,

Joanna

[Amber42]

Thank you for the warm welcome.  I've been a long time reader/visitor.  I've been afraid of posting, but it's time to pull up my socks (or pantyhose) and contribute...:-)


On the topic of electrolysis, I see you say "getting cleared".   Excuse the ignorance in the process, but what does that mean?






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