Where do you go to get electrolysis

[Rosa]

I'd like to find a place that does electrolysis in my area and see what it costs, but I don't have any idea who does this.  Do you go to a dermatologist, a salon, a specialized center just for electrolysis, or what? 

[rejennyrated]

Most electrolysists work in beauty salons and tanning studios although there are a few that set up as a specialist on their own. You may even find some that work mobile (that is they will come to you).

It is VERY important when making an initial enquiry to make sure that they have previous experience of working with transgender clients. The stubborn male pattern hair requires stronger lasers and/or higher current settings than a normal session would need.

IF you fail to disclose you run the risk of either being treated with a machine which lacks the power to do the job properly or worse you might get a technician who is not used to controlling the higher power settings in which case you can get scarring.

furthermore you need to know that you aren't suddenly going to get asked to go elsewhere halfway through your treatment when the penny drops as to why you are seeking to remove your facial hair as happened to me. I had to swiftly find a new treatment center - which back in the 1980's wasn't so easy.

For all these reasons please do make sure you get assurance that they have previous experience with trans people and if not then even if it means traveling a little way I would strongly suggest that you go somewhere where they are familiar.

I am not sure where in the world you live, but in the UK, even small rural towns usually have two or three such salons and almost always one of them will have the necessary experience.

Good luck.

J.

[Rosa]

I thought I'd just tell them that I don't like shaving my face, which is true, but not the total truth.  I guess your point is to make sure that they can deal with male facial hair.  Now I'm curious if any non-trans guys ever get electro on their face.

[rejennyrated]

I thought I'd just tell them that I don't like shaving my face, which is true, but not the total truth.  I guess your point is to make sure that they can deal with male facial hair.  Now I'm curious if any non-trans guys ever get electro on their face.

Yes they do - Certain types of Gay guys often do it to look younger.

And yes in part it is to make sure they can deal with male hair - BUT there is another point probably of equal importance which is that if you want to get the best results it is usually best to time things so that at the most about 6 to 9 months after starting your electro you are also starting the HRT. This is because the HRT helps to prevent regrowth.

When you start HRT things will start to change - and you don't want, as I did, to suddenly find yourself asked to leave the salon and never come back. I was literally thrown out! So it really is pretty important to level with them completely from day one. Funnily enough the best fashion advice I got during my transition came from my second electrolysist too. By then I had learned and I told her what I was doing. We became really good friends.

[Rosa]

That's a good point Jenny - thanks! 

[pebbles]

In my local area there is an electrologist she runs her own business she's the only worker in it which is officially a "beauty salon" but she mentioned herself that about 85% of her work is electrolysis. In terms of the establishment it's like one of those dentist houses... Where there is a treatment room at the front of the house and the rest of the house is behind a door in the hall.

My electrologist hadn't done any transgender clients before me but she has a top line computer assisted machine that she got from the USA enabling her to program her own treatments and levels of current. She also has over 20 years of experience.

I asked her if she'd done transsexuals or treated male facial hair, She said she hadn't done a whole face before but she'd treated one male who wanted a section of hair cleaned off his face a couple of years ago. She also mentioned that in her time she'd encountered natal females with some extreme endocrine disruption and basically had full male pattern facial hair.
When I asked her if she'd take on another trans client she said she wouldn't mind but they have to be willing to put the time and effort in, and she could only take one on at a time.

Yeah I'd point out your transgender too our first meeting was complicated. As she heard me on the phone thought I was female and when I arrived with 2 days of stubble she stared at me for abit looking confused before going. "umm your... A guy aren't you?" And asked me to leave >.< although I was invited back after she got over the surprise and saw I was deadly serious. She consulted another electrologist in the USA with the same machine as her who has done hundreds of trans clients.

She got his program for her machine and heard some of his suggestions and I've gotten pretty good results so far and I've had first clearance all over and second clearance on the front of my face. We will see how much regrowth there is when I have to go back to uni for 3 months.

[NatalieRene]

I go to a salon in Alexandria Virginia just out of DC that has experience with helping transgendered people remove unwanted hair. I started with laser to get rid of most of my facial hair and moved to electrolysis to remove the remaining stubborn hairs and grey hairs.

It's a huge financial burden but worth it.

[sophieb]

I would make sure that they have the latest equipment and have experience with MTF Trans. It is alot different removing male facial hair than a GG!