Electrolysis

[Terri-Gene]

 "Terri--NMLA? I think is what many use."

No, not NMLA, she told me the name of this product, but I don't recall it.  Apparently it's a new product.  She was given samples of it at an electrologist convention.  Sometimes we have to schedule my appointments around her frequent trips around the country attending these things.  She says it's the only way to keep up with the best, most efficent, methods being used with sucess in the industry.  They are fighting against the image of them portrayed by Lazer offices of being 19th centry technology, the pain and the time, etc. and meet frequently to share the latest skills and techniques , discussing techniques with other highly skilled operators who pass on experience. 

The cream was passed out to participants of the last convention she attended as a trial of the product.  I forget what she called it, but as soon as she gets her stocks in, I'll get some to try out on my face and neck and see if it will keep me on the table when she goes for the lower portions.  I certaintly hope so. But whatever, I can always opt for 30 min sessions I guess, but thats just more pleasure trips,  I want it off and ready as quickly as possible after we finish the face & neck.  If I have to, I'll learn to like it.

You got it Amy, while it is true they can work with stub hardly above skin surface if they have to, it is slow working and the hairs per hour takes a dive, when the hair is out 1/8 or more, they can quickly grab hold and insert the probe, just faster to work with and a better kill ratio.  Thats the whole ballgame, kill ratio and hairs per hour.  If it means having to humiliate yourself for a few days while it's showing, or it happens to hurt a little more then you would like, then fine if thats the last you will see of most of it. hairs per hour = $ and many of those trying to make it comfy and less exposed end up spending enough to have bought a new car.  I just haven't got that kind of disposable income right now.  I spend a dollar, I better see it somewhere.

Terri

[Terra]

Here is a question, do most people get their entire body done?

[stephanie_craxford]

Here is a question, do most people get their entire body done?

Hello again,

Generally most start with the face, removing the beard as that's what is the most noticable, that's what I'm doing at the moment.  Since Laser treatments won't work on my hair colour I have to suffer through electro    Then it's matter of personal preferences, how hairy you are and how far you plan to go, and of course there is the finacial side to consider as well.  The cost for my sessions is $50.00 per hour but this can vary as well.  Most of the other areas can be shaved, waxed, creamed until you decide on the route they would want to go.

Also the effectiveness of either electro or laser depends on the skill of the technician, the desitiy of the hair, and a couple of other things, but those are the most important.  It can be a long drawn out affair, but unfortunately for most of us it's a part of the journey we have to endure.

Take care

Steph

[Terri-Gene]

hello saiilorgurl.  You ask about entire body electro.  tricky question as that would depend on type and density of hair on the body.  Many are likely to simply have arm and leg hair with some hair on the chest region, but others may be quite woolly.  for those of us with little if any body hair, it is not necessary at all in many cases as the HRT process does tend to make body hair somewhat finer and less dense, and of course, arm and leg hair if of the finer variety exists in naturally born females also.

Some like myself are of race or mixed race so as to be basically hairless in this respect, but those with little hair to begin with sometimes tend to "shed" it as the HRT process does it's work.

In some cases, where there is abundant chest and back hair, electro as a perm measure may be necessary, be be comforted by the fact that such hair is quicker to remove then stubborn face hair, which is less effected if any by HRT.

It will be an individual thing depending on your specific hair genetics, but don't worry about it untill the face and neck are complete, there are always the hair removal products.  I wouldn't recommend shaving chest and arms as it will leave a noticable "bristle" and scratchy feeling a day or so later.  I've felt this on the arms of others and heard complaints about chest shaving from their wives.  Being one of the lucky ones, all I had in the beginning was some sparce chest hairs which seem to have just gone away other then a few around my nipples which are easy enough to take care of every week or so.

I have tied shaving around the panty line a couple of times, but find that "scratchy" effect to be uncomfortable and am not willing to include that in my daily morning shower routine, so for what exceeds the panty line, I just ignore, nobody sees it anyway these days.  My wife hadn't slept with me, or in the same room, for a few years now and it's not like I'm seen in my underwear in any other context.

Terri

[cjbutterfly]

  Hey guys, electrolysis is a long drawn out process, but doesn't have to be expensive, I have an electrolysis pen, it cost me about £30. stirling, what that is where you are I don't know, the gels you need can be bought seperately, and it all adds up to a whole lot less than using a salon.

It takes me an hour each time, and can be done every two days, the pen I use is by the elysee company.

Try www.folica.com/Verseo_ePEN_Eled364.html

[Plix]

Hey guys, electrolysis is a long drawn out process, but doesn't have to be expensive, I have an electrolysis pen, it cost me about £30. stirling, what that is where you are I don't know, the gels you need can be bought seperately, and it all adds up to a whole lot less than using a salon.

It takes me an hour each time, and can be done every two days, the pen I use is by the elysee company.

Try www.folica.com/Verseo_ePEN_Eled364.html

I have the same thing, though I haven't used it yet. I think DIY electrolysis can be a much cheaper alternative if you are brave enough to risk really screwing your face up

I have been on hormones for nearly a month and haven't yet had a single zap. Maybe I never will. I'm not sure yet. I'm not really in a rush to get electrolysis done because I have no idea when I will be ready to go full time, if ever. Supposedly my castration will make it easier, so I think I'll be ok when I do get started.

I'm also in the position of being a broke college student who loves toys. I've had a hard time with keeping my priorities straight. It's especially bad when my top priority is FFS (which to me is more important than electro), and that's perhaps the most costly of them all. Right now I really want a new TV, I mean a good TV, so I have to try hard to resist that temptation.

[stephanie_craxford]

I have the same thing, though I haven't used it yet. I think DIY electrolysis can be a much cheaper alternative if you are brave enough to risk really screwing your face up

I have been on hormones for nearly a month and haven't yet had a single zap. Maybe I never will. I'm not sure yet. I'm not really in a rush to get electrolysis done because I have no idea when I will be ready to go full time, if ever. Supposedly my castration will make it easier, so I think I'll be ok when I do get started.

I'm also in the position of being a broke college student who loves toys. I've had a hard time with keeping my priorities straight. It's especially bad when my top priority is FFS (which to me is more important than electro), and that's perhaps the most costly of them all. Right now I really want a new TV, I mean a good TV, so I have to try hard to resist that temptation.

WARNING, WARNING, going off topic for a few lines  , so forgive me for a sencond. 

Plix,

I don't want to seen mean but I think that you must get your priorities straight before you comit, make plans  or spend any more money on something that you are not sure you want to go through with.  You have already spent money on an ochi, hormones, a DIY electro pen, and you say that FFS is your top priority, and in the same post in the previous sentece you state that

Maybe I never will. I'm not sure yet. I'm not really in a rush to get electrolysis done because I have no idea when I will be ready to go full time, if ever.

I know it's your money and your life to live as you see fit, but don't you think you should have a plan, before you do something that you would really regret in the future, and are unable to reverse.  And I think your last statement sums it up...

Right now I really want a new TV, I mean a good TV, so I have to try hard to resist that temptation.

So it comes down to this, transition and become a woman or buy a great TV and spend your youth looking at them.     Don't be silly.  Personally I think you should get on with your colledge education, get through that, get yourself a job, and then look at the issues that are causing you all this confusion.

GETTING BACK ON TOPIC...

I'm really not sure how effective those electro pens are, they can't be that good otherwise we would all be using them rather than turning over tons of cash to someone else to do it (just my thinking here).  What would really be of help Plix would be if you could try the pen out and give us a first hand report on what you thought of it, how it worked sort of the good the bad and the ugly, on it.

I know for a fact that there are many of us who seek effective, economical hair removal, but so far the most effective is electro, followed by laser.

Chat later

Steph

[Plix]

WARNING, WARNING, going off topic for a few lines  , so forgive me for a sencond. 

Plix,

I don't want to seen mean but I think that you must get your priorities straight before you comit, make plans  or spend any more money on something that you are not sure you want to go through with.  You have already spent money on an ochi, hormones, a DIY electro pen, and you say that FFS is your top priority, and in the same post in the previous sentece you state that

I know it's your money and your life to live as you see fit, but don't you think you should have a plan, before you do something that you would really regret in the future, and are unable to reverse.  And I think your last statement sums it up...

So it comes down to this, transition and become a woman or buy a great TV and spend your youth looking at them.     Don't be silly.  Personally I think you should get on with your colledge education, get through that, get yourself a job, and then look at the issues that are causing you all this confusion.

GETTING BACK ON TOPIC...

I'm really not sure how effective those electro pens are, they can't be that good otherwise we would all be using them rather than turning over tons of cash to someone else to do it (just my thinking here).  What would really be of help Plix would be if you could try the pen out and give us a first hand report on what you thought of it, how it worked sort of the good the bad and the ugly, on it.

I know for a fact that there are many of us who seek effective, economical hair removal, but so far the most effective is electro, followed by laser.

Chat later

Steph

I'm comfortable with where I am now. This means having been castrated and taking estrogen. Will I go any further? I can't say that right now. But I can say I will continue to enjoy being castrated and taking estrogen.

I need to get a mirror before I can use the pen. I've been looking for one but can't find a good one yet. They don't seem to make the magnification big enough.

[Terri-Gene]

FFS (which to me is more important than electro

Hmmmmm, gonna spend all that money on FFS and cover it up with a bunch of hair or razor burn.  This gets better and better.

I don't understand waiting to do Electro until transition has begun.  Not at all, but then I'm still doing both and having to walk around in full presentation every day of my life, sometimes with hair on my face, meeting people for the first time, talking with strangers, etc... because an electro session is coming up and I can't shave, or staying at home rather then going out on a friday night because electro is in the morning and I don't want to go out looking like that.  My ideas of WHEN to do it may be a little confused.

No, if one is holding off on the more serious things for awhile for any reason, this is the PERFECT time to do the electro.  You can go almost unnoticed while the hair grows out and there is little embarrassement to it.  Anyone wonders about the electro and you don't want them to know, so what?  you are just tired of shaving and not into growing beards anyway, it's almost a non explainantion senario and if you get it done before you have to present full time, you will be more comfortable at that time.

As to the home kits, I'd just save my money.  If anyones had good results, and has not had hair grow back for 6 months or so, post em, but for most, all they are going to really get as far as perm results, is a plucked out beard that will continue to grow back.  There is more involved then just poking a probe into your face and pulling out the hair with tweezers.  Not saying the average person can't master the technique, just saying most never will, and as for the machines, ever wonder why a professional machine costs so much as compaired to the rediculously low prices of the home units?

Personally I wouldn't waste my money, I'd rather purchase a new garbage can, at least i'd have somewhere to put such items after I figured it out.

Terri

[Plix]

Hmmmmm, gonna spend all that money on FFS and cover it up with a bunch of hair or razor burn.  This gets better and better.

I don't understand waiting to do Electro until transition has begun.  Not at all, but then I'm still doing both and having to walk around in full presentation every day of my life, sometimes with hair on my face, meeting people for the first time, talking with strangers, etc... because an electro session is coming up and I can't shave, or staying at home rather then going out on a friday night because electro is in the morning and I don't want to go out looking like that.  My ideas of WHEN to do it may be a little confused.

No, if one is holding off on the more serious things for awhile for any reason, this is the PERFECT time to do the electro.  You can go almost unnoticed while the hair grows out and there is little embarrassement to it.  Anyone wonders about the electro and you don't want them to know, so what?  you are just tired of shaving and not into growing beards anyway, it's almost a non explainantion senario and if you get it done before you have to present full time, you will be more comfortable at that time.

As to the home kits, I'd just save my money.  If anyones had good results, and has not had hair grow back for 6 months or so, post em, but for most, all they are going to really get as far as perm results, is a plucked out beard that will continue to grow back.  There is more involved then just poking a probe into your face and pulling out the hair with tweezers.  Not saying the average person can't master the technique, just saying most never will, and as for the machines, ever wonder why a professional machine costs so much as compaired to the rediculously low prices of the home units?

Personally I wouldn't waste my money, I'd rather purchase a new garbage can, at least i'd have somewhere to put such items after I figured it out.

Terri

We all have different priorities. I'm not even sure how far I want to transition yet. In the past I thought I did, but now I wonder if I could be happy somewhere in between.

But no matter how far I go I plan on electro eventually because I love the feel of my face after a close shave.

[Terri-Gene]

But no matter how far I go I plan on electro eventually because I love the feel of my face after a close shave.

Well, since that is the one thing you seem positive about, why not make it the top priority, then FFS if you want it.  That would appear to me to be the proper order for those things as without the electro, FFS will not have the same impact and by the same token, would totally detract from it's entire purpose to you if you had to be seen with beard stubble on your face.

While it's true about different priorities, there is such a thing as using some reason and thought to organize those priorities and get the most mental and emotional benifit out of them rather then doing them in a way which cancels out most of the benifit during the process.

And if you are going in with no idea where you want to end up, how can there even be priorities? which seems more and more to be the case here.

Talking to that therapyst for a length of time should be somewhere toward the top of that priority list so as to be able to sort the list out to begin with, but yes, I remember, to much time and bother wasn't it?

Terri

[Plix]

[edit]
Kimberly hit the wrong button and now the nice post is gone. :\  :-[
I'm sorry Plix.
To be clear there was noting wrong with the post I just hit the wrong button.
Please feel free to edit and fix...
[/edit]

[Kimberly]

ACK! I kilt the post :\
I'm very sorry Plix!  :-[


*sigh*
I was *trying* to reply thus:

It seems prudent to find another therapist.
Have you considered the phone/online route?

I'm quite happy with Dr. Bushong for what that is worth.

[AmyNYC]

A TS friend called me today because she had just researched the various electrolysis methods, & she was freaking out because "we were doing the wrong method!!!" (I met her at the electrolysis office).  The office we go to provides Thermolysis, and she said we should be doing Blend.  I must admit, I never researched the different methods either.  I just took the recommendation of my therapist (who's transsexual), and trusted this office because I've met many clients of theirs who 1)have hair-free faces, 2)aren't scarred, & 3)have only had good things to say about the office.

After reading some information on the net about electrolysis, I must admit, it sounds like blend would be a better intial method for male facial hair.  Any opinions?

It's kind of moot for me now, since I'm virtually done with electrolysis on my face.  Only a couple weeks left, according to my tech.  Yay!!!  But I'm still curious about the different methods.

Amy