Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Hi everyone. I'm going to have laser soon, and I'd like you to tell me about having electrolysis afterwards. I know laser won't be enough for me, since I have a lot of pale hairs that are not going to go with laser. Actually, whilst my neck is quite dark, my face is actually mostly blond/light brown.

I'm pretty sure laser is worth it, since I do have quite a considerable amount of dark hairs... But there is going to be too much of a beard left afterwards, I can guarantee it.

So I'd like to know about the costs I can expect for facial electrolysis. I've read a horror story of a very thick but 100% blond-haired person paying over 60 000 $ for electro, so even though I'm certainly not an extreme case like that, I'm scared.

Could anyone having had it (or researched it) post their cost (and duration) experience? Also, tell me about your beard's colour (something like "my beard was a little over average in thickness and mostly mid/dark brown, and after laser, I'd say about 25% hairs were left, all blond or white.")

Also, what are the chances, with a good electrician, for a hair to be gone forever in a treatment? How much is a treatment, in average? About how many hairs are zapped in a treatment?

Thanks!

Quote from: A on March 18, 2012, 03:24:11 PM
So I'd like to know about the costs I can expect for facial electrolysis. I've read a horror story of a very thick but 100% blond-haired person paying over 60 000 $ for electro, so even though I'm certainly not an extreme case like that, I'm scared.

Prices vary depending on type of machine and how many machines you have going at once.  It's been a while since I've been in, but off the top of my head I think it was about $200 for 2 hours with 2 machines here in Sydney.

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Could anyone having had it (or researched it) post their cost (and duration) experience? Also, tell me about your beard's colour (something like "my beard was a little over average in thickness and mostly mid/dark brown, and after laser, I'd say about 25% hairs were left, all blond or white.")

I only had facial hair around the lips and chin, plus a little bit down the sides.  I've never been a paragon of hirsute manliness!
Initial full clearance after about 20 hours (one machine, galvinic, 16 electrodes).  Another 10-16hours to take care of stragglers.

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Also, what are the chances, with a good electrician, for a hair to be gone forever in a treatment? How much is a treatment, in average? About how many hairs are zapped in a treatment?

Do the maths!  I opted for galvinic electrolysis as it's supposed to have a lower chance of pitting, and I form keloids (scars) very easily.  On galvinic electrolysis, the electrodes zap away for about 3-5 minutes depending on the machine settings, and the machine usually has about 16 electrodes.  Depending on operator skill/number of machines the number of hairs removed will vary.  I usually counted through about 20 sets when I had my face done over a 2 hour appointment each time, with one machine.

The chances of the hair regrowing after electrolysis is fairly low.

So, is it safe to expect 2-5000 $ depending on luck?

(Btw, here they don't do fancy stuff like many machines at once.)

It could cost more than that depending on how much hair you have to deal with.  The really sucky thing about hair is that the stuff you actually see isn't all of it - there are also inactive hair follicles which will start growing at some point and it's anyone's guess as to how many of those you might have.

To be honest I never actually budgeted for my electro, I just hated my  facial hair and kept on going until it was gone.

I have had 3 1-hour electro sessions on a Galvanic 16 needle machine with 2 operators using 8 needles each and 1 2-hr session with a single operator using half the needles (1 hour each side of my neck).  Based on progress and given that you are not getting all of them anyway (the "electricians"  :-\ go back over what has been done each time), I expect to get clearance around 25 hours @$190 Australian for the 16-needle hours.  Not too interested in the cost but very interested in the result.  I had laser but I have too much grey, brown and red hair!  Some bits are reasonably clear so it might be clear earlier but then it will take extra to finish off those missed. 

If they crank the power up, it hurts much more but the needles (fine probes actually) are in for much less time so it will take less time.  I am red for a few days as it is so I am careful with the power levels - nobody has commented yet and it is pretty obvious!

shastadaisy, which did you find more painful - electrolysis or laser?

Laser is painful on the top lip, OK everywhere else. Electrolysis hasn't got there yet and I plan to get a jab for that area at least to clear it.  Electrolysis with the power up is at times close to a bee sting for me - depends on how close nerves are to the hair being treated. Some seem to be hard-wired into my central nervous system! Overall, laser seemed milder but sometimes intense due to the fact the laser is blasting multiple hairs at a time rather than individual torture with electrolysis.

I found that I could tune out the discomfort from electrolysis - it's a bit uncomfortable for the first minute the probe is inserted, but I found that if I had my mind focused elsewhere it would become negligable.  (I concentrated on slow deep breathing and focused on whatever music was playing at the time.)

I did laser on my face for two years and wish I had applied the $1800 and two years of appts. to electrolosis which I am doing now.