mega ouch!

[Rock_chick]

First laser treatment to day...it did actually bring tears to my eyes by the end.

[rejennyrated]

Interesting.

The only really convincing argument that I have heard for Laser over blend electrolysis was that laser was supposed to be less painful. The downside was that laser often requires more treatments to become fully permanant than conventional electrolysis.

It sounds as though it's actually no less painful - and given that fact I personally would choose the rather better proven conventional blend method electrolysis.

But it does have to be said that it is partly the skill of the operator. Can I ask are you being treated by someone with previous experience of transgender patients? If you can find someone it does make a difference to the speed of results that you get.

I was lucky enough, back in the 80's to find someone who had experience of such things and it really did help because she wasn't afraid to use the right settings on the machine to get a good and swift result. Thankfully I never had that much facial hair, but that which grew round my mouth was very thick and stubborn.

I'm sure that I have the skill of my electrolysist in not spoiling my skin to thank for my good complexion and the fact that at 50 I can still look good without makeup.

Anyway great to hear you have taken another little step. I hope you are feeling OK now and proud that you have just jumped another little hurdle.

Well done

[Rock_chick]

The clinic I used was recommended to me by my councillor, a lot of her clients have used it in the past tho I haven't actually said the reason why I want it all gone...just that I want it all gone.

I think the pain is a lot to to with the thickness of the hair as well...the bits that where I had thinner hair were relatively painless. Where the hair was thicker it hurt a lot more. I'm told it will get less pain full as the hair thins through the treatment. I'm eager to see what the results are like, hopefully I'll have more of an idea exactly how effective the first beard burning has been by this time next week. I'm sure I'll have to do some electrolysis at some point, but if this puts paid to most of it...or just thins it dramatically I'll be very happy. 

[Dana_W]

The only really convincing argument that I have heard for Laser over blend electrolysis was that laser was supposed to be less painful. The downside was that laser often requires more treatments to become fully permanant than conventional electrolysis.

Wow. That was not my experience at all. To me it seems that people who don't think laser was as painful as electrolysis also had horrible results with laser, and tend to bash it as ineffective. They're different kinds of pain, but the intensity of the laser pain is FAR worse in my opinion. The two advantages of laser to me are:

1. It's MUCH quicker per treatment. My whole face was covered in about 15 minutes per treatment. Also the little laser blasts, while intensely painful, are over in less than a second and cover a lot of follicles each time. The evil electro needle takes a few seconds for each follicle, hurting for a longer duration each time.

2. It's MUCH faster to complete. It took six treatments to pretty much clear my face of all the dark hair (After that I converted to electrolysis to attack the light colored hair). Compare that to how far you'd get with 90 minutes of electrolysis.

Back to the original post, I'm not sure the pain is just about thickness of the hair. But it certainly correlates to how many dark hairs you have within the target area. That tends to make the chin and the upper lip most agonizing of all for most people.

One word of caution... I'm not sure you want it to get much less painful per treatment. Your laser tech could make it less painful now by lowering the joules setting - but that would also be less effective. My own tech increased the joules each treatment, so the pain actually got more intense as we went along. But... it also proved really effective. I've had some re-growth but VERY little compared to the stories I've heard from others. It's little enough that I'm just zapping it along with the light hairs as electrolysis moves along.

Laser hits the dark hairs HARD, and that's the most important factor for passability. Embrace the pain. It's worth it. ;-)

[Rock_chick]

I'm lucky in that the majority of my stubble is dark and I have really fair skin, so I'll keep my fingers crossed. Might come clean as well as to exactly why I'm getting it done as from what you've said they may adjust treatment accordingly.

1 down...5 to go. Pain is temporary...as I was muttering through clenched teeth earlier today hehe

[Pippa]

I have had six sessions and also have dark hair and fair skin.   I had a lot of strong stubble and when a thick patch of hair was hit it was extremely painful (Imagine being slapped in the face with a red hot spatula).   The pain was worst at my third and fourth session.  The last two were not so bad.

Stick with it as I have had pretty good results although I think I will need another session in a couple of months just to get the last few hairs.  I am sure that you will get the same.

[Vanessa_yhvh]

My first laser session was much more intense than my second. I rather expect you'll have a similar experience.

My beard is significantly less already, and shaving is a way better experience.

Unsolicited free advice: Do a good exfoliation after a week or so, as you'll have a bunch of stuff that wants to be removed (dry skin and stubble).

[rejennyrated]

Wow. That was not my experience at all. To me it seems that people who don't think laser was as painful as electrolysis also had horrible results with laser, and tend to bash it as ineffective. They're different kinds of pain, but the intensity of the laser pain is FAR worse in my opinion. The two advantages of laser to me are:

1. It's MUCH quicker per treatment. My whole face was covered in about 15 minutes per treatment. Also the little laser blasts, while intensely painful, are over in less than a second and cover a lot of follicles each time. The evil electro needle takes a few seconds for each follicle, hurting for a longer duration each time.

2. It's MUCH faster to complete. It took six treatments to pretty much clear my face of all the dark hair (After that I converted to electrolysis to attack the light colored hair). Compare that to how far you'd get with 90 minutes of electrolysis.

Back to the original post, I'm not sure the pain is just about thickness of the hair. But it certainly correlates to how many dark hairs you have within the target area. That tends to make the chin and the upper lip most agonizing of all for most people.

One word of caution... I'm not sure you want it to get much less painful per treatment. Your laser tech could make it less painful now by lowering the joules setting - but that would also be less effective. My own tech increased the joules each treatment, so the pain actually got more intense as we went along. But... it also proved really effective. I've had some re-growth but VERY little compared to the stories I've heard from others. It's little enough that I'm just zapping it along with the light hairs as electrolysis moves along.

Laser hits the dark hairs HARD, and that's the most important factor for passability. Embrace the pain. It's worth it. ;-)

Thank you for that. It's interesting to hear first hand experiences. Until now I have always heard rather qualified comments. So it's good to know that it works.

Sadly back in my day laser didn't even exist so I am only going by hearsay. But I am genuinely intrigued to hear that you had good results Diana.

Happily, these days, I am not in need of it myself, but as I sometimes get asked for advice about it it is useful to know what to tell people.

[Metamorph]

I got an epilator today, same one I linked in another thread. After using it I can easily fit the experience into this thread title! 
I'm sure it wont be so bad once my skins used to it but damn it hurts bad on some parts. How some people have the guts to try it on their face I dont know! I'd definatley go for laser / electro for that part.

[Rock_chick]

Epilating does get easier...first time doing my legs was torture tho

[Seshatneferw]

They're different kinds of pain, but the intensity of the laser pain is FAR worse in my opinion.

That's been my experience as well. Laser hurts much more, especially on settings that have a serious effect on the hairs, although there seems to be a lot of variation so some people feel very strongly the other way. For me, electrolysis sessions are actually relaxing: the pain itself isn't bad at all, and after a few zaps there is a sort of numbing effect. It feels pretty much like eating strong chili, just on the outside -- and of course, I like the occasional vindaloo.

The worst thing about electrolysis is having to grow a stubble for a few days before each session. That hurts, just not physically...

  Nfr

[Diane Elizabeth]

           I visited an electrolysis that says she knows a dentist that will numb you up for $20.   I haven't read of anyone mentioning that added bonus to deal with the pain factor, so I thought I would see if anyone one out there can give their opinion.  It sounds like it would be worth the extra money to reduce the pain.   

[kae m]

           I visited an electrolysis that says she knows a dentist that will numb you up for $20.   I haven't read of anyone mentioning that added bonus to deal with the pain factor, so I thought I would see if anyone one out there can give their opinion.  It sounds like it would be worth the extra money to reduce the pain.

It helps incredibly, depending on how numb they get you.  A lot of dentists won't do it for insurance reasons, though.  Mine unfortunately won't do it unless he's doing work, so when I do have to have something done I have him give me an extra shot so it lasts for a couple hours.  If you can get it done it's by far the best way to do sensitive spots.

[Dana Lane]

Wow. That was not my experience at all. To me it seems that people who don't think laser was as painful as electrolysis also had horrible results with laser, and tend to bash it as ineffective. They're different kinds of pain, but the intensity of the laser pain is FAR worse in my opinion. The two advantages of laser to me are:

1. It's MUCH quicker per treatment. My whole face was covered in about 15 minutes per treatment. Also the little laser blasts, while intensely painful, are over in less than a second and cover a lot of follicles each time. The evil electro needle takes a few seconds for each follicle, hurting for a longer duration each time.

2. It's MUCH faster to complete. It took six treatments to pretty much clear my face of all the dark hair (After that I converted to electrolysis to attack the light colored hair). Compare that to how far you'd get with 90 minutes of electrolysis.

Back to the original post, I'm not sure the pain is just about thickness of the hair. But it certainly correlates to how many dark hairs you have within the target area. That tends to make the chin and the upper lip most agonizing of all for most people.

One word of caution... I'm not sure you want it to get much less painful per treatment. Your laser tech could make it less painful now by lowering the joules setting - but that would also be less effective. My own tech increased the joules each treatment, so the pain actually got more intense as we went along. But... it also proved really effective. I've had some re-growth but VERY little compared to the stories I've heard from others. It's little enough that I'm just zapping it along with the light hairs as electrolysis moves along.

Laser hits the dark hairs HARD, and that's the most important factor for passability. Embrace the pain. It's worth it. ;-)

These are my thoughts as well. Laser will get rid of more hair quicker. Then that means less electrolysis. And always remember that every laser is not the same. Some lasers can get light hairs as well. Lucky me the place I get medical care and HRT has one! And it damn sure works on light (not gray) hairs.
Post Merge: April 26, 2010, 03:52:48 AM
I kind of look at the pain involved as a 'right of passage'. We will never be able to experience the true pain of being a woman (giving birth) at least in our lifetime.

[Rock_chick]

well the pain is worth it because the stubble of death is noticeably patchy now...and that's just after one treatment. yay!

[Nicky]

I had a lot of laser done - 10 sessions. Over 60 weeks.

It hurt more than anything, totally hated it. I would come out of the sessions in shock and shivering. And I still had some stubborn bits that just did not want to budge, like on my upper lip.

They say it is like a rubber band - I agree, if the rubber band was two metres long, and it also electrocutes you and rips the hair out at the same time. That is how it felt to me. Especially right under the nose, the pain would shoot up into my nostrals.

But then I was significantly hairy, with black thick hair, a shave twice a day person. And it really did clear up a lot of my face beautifully. It goes patchy after each session but you do get growback, but eachtime the growback is less. The last few sessions did not achieve much though - diminishing returns.

So now I have electrolysis to clean up the last of the hair. It is going really good. The upper lip hair has been so stubbourn but hormones have helped a lot I think. On top of that I find the pain really bearable, totally easier to handle than laser. I find it relaxing and intimate lying there, beautiful music, my beautician sitting close so I can feel her breath. We have great chats together. Lovely.  When I got laser it felt so clinical and industrial, the whirr and the beeps and the smell, and the cold air and the gel.

But yeah, having to let it grow a bit is not cool. I had a little hitler moustache for some time. Thankfully it is almost totally gone!

[BrandiOK]

I had two sessions of laser done but it's difficult to say whether it worked that well.  Just can't say one way or the other although I'm leaning slightly towards it helped.  That being said the laser was mega painful.  Sure I used the fancy little cream they give you to numb the skin but, despite my skin being numb, it still really hurt.  The tech said it would be like a rubberband being snapped against your face but she failed to mention how far the rubberband would be pulled back..more like from across the room.  The only good thing I can say about laser is it's fast compared to electrolysis.  I've had marathon electrolysis done (8 hrs with two electrolysists working at once and they accomplished the same "area" that the laser did in 30 minutes.  The difference being I've noticed the electrolysis being significantly more permanent. In other words not even comparable on regrowth.  I have black, brown, red and blonde mix which may be to blame. 

All that being said the electrolysis was MUCH worse but not due to the electrolysis itself but to the lidocaine injections they gave for numbing.  Maybe I'm just hyper-sensitive to un-buffered lidocaine they use but OMGFG it was horrible.  I was in so much pain at the end of the day I wasn't sure I could walk out.  I was also taking high strength pain meds at the time for a different problem so I can't understand why that was the case. 

Everything considered I'll be going back for another marathon session of electrolysis regardless of the pain just because, for me, it's been much more effective.

[MillieB]

I have had 5 sessions of IPL hair removal and they trot out that elastic band line for that as well I have to say that it has been very effective and a lot of the hair has either gone or thinned significantly, the best part was that the perma shadow on my upper lip has pretty much gone which was a real worry before going full time.

You really would think that they could come up with a less painful way of removing facial hair though!

[AmySmiles]

Owwww.  Just had my first session today.  It didn't hurt quite as bad as I was expecting from these posts, but owwww! 

I had the technician do the upper lip first because it was supposed to be the worst, and I'm glad I did because it made everything else feel pretty mild by comparison.  Now I happily await whatever time next week the hairs start falling out so I can actually see how well it worked

[Rock_chick]

It's an awesome feeling when you realise that there's patches where there's no beard.