Facial Hair Electrolysis Question

[Breeze 57]

How many full clearings of facial hair does it normally take to be done with electrolysis?  I just completed my 3rd one this past weekend.  Ouch.  That lip area is a bit_h.  I know everyone is different, but just on average?  I never had a real thick beard and not a whole lot of neck growth (I never had the lumberjack look).  This last clearing took 4 hours total.  Took today off work so I can continue to de-swell in private.

[Kendra]

Big hug for you.  This isn't easy but is sooo worth it.  If I woke up and discovered all the electrolysis I'd completed was in my imagination, I'd start over today without hesitation.

When you hit all-clear you made it past the mountain peak, the other side is a gradual slope to zero.  Once you're past the initial clearings you will probably find (as I did) swelling and red marks become less obvious, and eventually quite mild. 

[Breeze 57]

Totally agree, it's worth it.  The lip area is the really tough part.  Heck with the laser, I go for the permanent solution.  So, do you think I'm halfway there?  Less?  More?  If I may ask, haow many clearings did you have?  Thanks.

[islandgirl]

It seemed to take a long time to get to full clear stage. Once there, it is, as Kendra mentioned, a gradual slope. I go weekly for two hour sessions and am still at the 'fuzz' hunting stage with a few stray hairs still popping up. I have had my tech move to my chest for last parts of our sessions. I am all over 150 hours and don't know how many more it will take.
All the Best!

Kelly

[Kendra]

I had more than 200 hours on face alone, started with three 2-hour sessions per week for the first several months.  Once I reached first clearing, reduced to twice and then once per week.  Second year was once every other week.  I had a very stubborn dark red beard.  Several types of laser worked well elsewhere but failed on my face and neck.  Once my face was under control I hit everywhere else with electrolysis to clean up after laser. 

In my case, hitting full-clear was more than half way done.  Maybe not measured in total months because future sessions can be less frequent, but more than half complete in total hours required.  Also depends how picky you are.   

[Breeze 57]

Wow, I'm no where near that amount of hours.  Holy cow, 150, 200 hrs.  I've only been doing electrolysis for 5 months and in total have maybe 30-40 hours in (all on face).  I keep hoping it will all stop growing back.

[Kendra]

Many variables determine this, but mainly genetics & age.

[KathyLauren]

I haven't ever done a "full clearing".  I can't imagine taking that torture for long enough to zap everything in one session (assuming that's what you mean).

I do one hour a week.  I've been at it for a year and a half, so I am somewhere around 75 hours.  Just in the past month, I've started noticing that my face stays smoother longer.  I had some dark hairs re-emerge on my upper lip, and had them done a couple of weeks ago.  So, at the moment, I can skip shaving for a day and no one will likely notice.  I can't skip two days, though.

Yes, the upper lip hurts like a SOB.  Or rather, it used to.  Now it's my favourite part, because I sweet-talked my dentist into freezing it, so I don't feel a thing.  Of course, I look like I lost a fist fight afterwards, but it's the price we pay. 

[Nova_Noelle]

I'm hoping to start laser/electrolysis for facial hair removal in the next few months. 

Notes are being taken, lol. 

With Love,
Noelle

[Breeze 57]

I call a full clearing when all the hairs on my face have been treated.  And no, it's not in one session.  On the first clearing, she did my cheeks in one session, my neck in another session, chin in another session, and then finished the 1st clearing on my upper and lower lip areas.  This last time, which was my 3rd full clearing, she did 2 hours on my upper and lower lips and then 2 more hours the next day on my cheeks, chin, and neck.  I'm still a little sore. 

She doesn't recommend laser on facial hairs except maybe under the best of conditions (very light skin and dark hair).  She says the laser will damage the facial hair follicle, but not kill it.  It may take awhile for it to come back, but when it does, it is even harder to kill even with electrolysis.  She even scolded me (in a nice way) about plucking, which I did for about a year.  She said that distorts the hair and it is harder to hit the follicle with the electrolysis probe. 

I never thought I would be this interested in electrolysis.  How things change over the course of one's life.

[LaserGirl]

I've been doing laser for over a year and electrolysis on my face for 90 minutes once a week for nine months and am probably 1/3 done.  It doesn't matter though because it's effective.  I have tons of gray hairs.  The laser knocks out the dark and medium but won't touch the grays.  Keep at it.  Life is about continuous improvement.

[Dani]

The 200 hours of electrolysis is just an average. Some of us need more and others can get by with much less.

I am at 150 hours and I am just now seeing a much lighter, thinner beard than before I started with electrolysis. I do not know how much more I need. I will just keep on getting zapped until I am completely clear.

[islandgirl]

At about 125 hours, I stopped shaving! I just need the weekly session to clear any hairs that still appear. Today my tech said that the remaining hairs are very spread out. She is very thorough and works methodically over my face and neck. For the last few minutes she tackles my chest. I had been shaving for the past four years but stopped in Feb. HRT has done a great job but I still have some hair, be it fine and not very dense. I want to have it all done before I consider getting a BA.

[LaserGirl]

I'm doing both laser and electrolysis on my face and they are both working very well.  I need the electrolysis for the gray and blonde hairs but the laser knocks out the dark ones very well. 
It's like war.  The laser is the carpet bomb and electrolysis is the surgical strike.  You can use both to achieve your goals.

[Harley Quinn]

I had a very thick beard and did laser. Took 7 sessions and all that's left is a few greys and a little on the upper lip. I have been getting lucky on the greys. They seem to be coming out after a session of blended electrolysis. I'm doing 90 min sessions every other week. Have done 2 sessions so far and seems to be getting rid of it all. I probably have another 15 hours to finish my face.

[Michelle_P]

Clearing everything in 4 hours is pretty good.  I hit that at around 160 hours into electrolysis.  I never had laser as it would't work on my gray hairs.  I was doing 4 hours a week of electrolysis, two 2 hour sessions weekly, for a full year, after several months of 2 hours a week.

At around 180 hours the hair was so thin I dropped to 2 hours a week, almost fully clearing the stuff weekly.  I had a couple of several week breaks when my electrolyst went on vacation, and enough hairs woke that it took 2-3 two hour sessions to re-clear. 

I shaved once in January and once in late April, while my electrologist was vacationing and the length of the few active hairs started bothering me.

In my last session we were just 'fuzz hunting', no heavy hairs anywhere.  Still nothing several days later.  My next session will be spent starting in on tidying the eyebrows.

[Julie -2010]

How many full clearings of facial hair does it normally take to be done with electrolysis?  I just completed my 3rd one this past weekend.  Ouch.  That lip area is a bit_h.  I know everyone is different, but just on average?  I never had a real thick beard and not a whole lot of neck growth (I never had the lumberjack look).  This last clearing took 4 hours total.  Took today off work so I can continue to de-swell in private.

Breeze,
  What is the one movie line:  Fasten your seatbelts your in for a bumpy ride.   But seriously it feels great to not have to shave as often.  I can't say never since I still have to.  I don't think there is a number anyone can give you.  Everyone is different.  I first started with laser and that knocked down a lot of the dark hair and growth was slowed.  I went thru probably 18 laser sessions before I started electrolysis.  The place I go will do laser once in a while now when some dark hair does appear, but that is one in a while.  Now I mostly have blond/gray hair so I have to have the E treatments.  I'm about once or twice a month.  I couldn't grow a beard now but I would have patches of growth on my lip, chin and parts of my neck if I let it grow out.  Those are the areas that she clears only to have new come back.  I guess the hair goes in growth cycles.
  The Lip is the worst and I think since I have been on HRT it seems it is even more sensitive.

Good luck you will get thru it.  Not fast enough but you will get thru it.

Julie

[VickyS]

My electrologist seems to think 150 hours for the first clearing and maybe 300 hours total but obviously it can vary as has been said.

She's been on vacation and I'm due to start again in two weeks after a month break.

Usually my swelling lasts for two days after as I have REALLY sensitive skin and tough, deep hairs but no pain, no gain!  I do two hour sessions every week.  Yes, upper lip is the worst by far.  She said I have a really good tolerance for pain but when the upper lip is worked on, tears stream down my face and I become a snotty mess. lol.  I get weeping for 2 days after also but that subsides and clears up and I'm able to shave on the third day.

[Julie -2010]

Vicky,  I agree, no pain, no gain but does it have to be that much pain. 

My electrologist says the same thing.  You really have good tolerance for pain.  I try to go to my happy place during the session, but mixed results.

Julie