Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I am part way through epilating my whole body for the first time, so if I do not take a break and brag about how hard core I am, I may break down and cry.

So hard core!

Sounds brutal. I'm contemplating laser for my legs and arms.

I'm just undecided if I want to go 'laser' up into my nether regions where the sun don't shine. o.O

The pain of removal is nothing compared to the pain of the dysphoria the hair itself causes me.   Pass the wax strips, please.

So far, my stomach is the worst. Arm pits were comparatively easy.

Most ciswomen actually shave more than anything else. Nothing wrong with a glass of wine, a warm bath and a sharp razor. It can be a relaxing experience.

Quote from: Tori on August 13, 2014, 05:18:06 PM
I am part way through epilating my whole body for the first time, so if I do not take a break and brag about how hard core I am, I may break down and cry.

I found it was too painful to epilate body hair so I waxed it which hurt a lot less. After everything had been waxed 3 or 4 times I found epilation much much less painful.  Last night I ran the epilator over my whole body and never felt a thing except for the armpits which still twinge a bit.

Try rubbing talcum powder on first. I found it reduces epilator "burn" and makes the whole thing much less uncomfortable

Great tip!

The more you epilate, especially once you begin HRT, the less likely hair is going to return quite as strong the next time, the time after that, etc. I am now at the point where I barely notice when I epilate, there are few hairs anyway, and the hairs themselves are also less deeply rooted and less thick.

I just wish the facial hair would follow suit! Oh well, the facial hair removal process continues, next session Sept. 12th. :P

What do you use to epilate? I'm wanting a good epilator for the wee bit of hair I have on my tummy.

An emjoi emigine. My wife vouched for that model.

Thank you!

I wish that I could get back to having some electro done. It would be easier if we had more than one tech in town that has crappy, outdated equipment.

Oh yeah! I am hard core!

Mine is an Emjoi also. Emjoi Sin Dolor, Model Ay-5S. It's given good service to me for 18 months or so and hasn't shown signs of wearing out yet.

They are hard core. Couldn't quite wrap my head around it until I saw it ripping my hair out with my own eyes.

yup

hair removal is painful.. I had my face, arms and chest done with laser... ouch..

does epilating not cause a lot of in grown hairs? I did it on my legs when I was pre HRT but I felt like it wasn't worth the pain because not all the hairs get pulled out from the root , some just get snapped off very short and then I would rather shave. Not that I shave either.

Yeah, I have hairy legs, but at least they are getting less hairy and even baby hairs can be seen in some places. Hair removal just doesn't work for me, I still have little red dots of in grown hair from shaving about 2 months ago.

It can happen.

Exfoliation before and after can help with ingrown hairs, also epilating against the grain and while dry/unlotioned, and epilating fairly short or trimmed hair.

For almost forever I've been using a epilator.

I went and got my legs waxed very early on, then got an epilator when out one day thinking it might be ok.

The first time I used it I waited until my hairs grew back, lasted about 5 minutes. A friend said one day why did you wait for everything to grow, so went and got waxed again, then started pretty much the next day just spending a few minutes doing it.

I haven't had a need to shave or wax my legs in years, my friends always comment on how smooth they always are.

I do keep a shaver for my underarms and lady bits, but other than that I would never go back.

I even did my underarms. Weeeeeee!!! That was fun.

Quote from: Tori on August 14, 2014, 06:32:15 PM
I even did my underarms. Weeeeeee!!! That was fun.

Umm...ouch!! I'll keep the razor for that area.

My tummy was words, but my wife can't believe how brave and awesome I am.

Quote from: Tori on August 14, 2014, 07:31:53 PM
My tummy was words, but my wife can't believe how brave and awesome I am.

I can.

I seriously need that shirt that says, "If I had balls, they'd be bigger than yours!"

Hehehehe.

The Emoji is good epilator. It still often seems easier to shave, so that's what I end up doing. Doing the whole body is something I have not attempted. There are some very brave girls here, I must say!

As for facial hair, my electrologist is taking a one-two approach using a diode laser and electrolysis to speed up the hair removal process. I was hesitant at first, but I trust the person with 20+ yrs experience doing this. I'll post on the details and my results soon.

Shaving does not hurt.

I am smooth. Totally smooth. It hurt.

Quote from: Tori on August 14, 2014, 06:32:15 PM
I even did my underarms. Weeeeeee!!! That was fun.

Oh my gosh! you plucked your underarms? Yeeeeesh! I'm having pains just thinking about it. It makes me so so glad I never had underarm hair.

Ali :icon_flower:

Quote from: Allyda on August 15, 2014, 03:49:06 AM
Oh my gosh! you plucked your underarms? Yeeeeesh! I'm having pains just thinking about it. It makes me so so glad I never had underarm hair.

I also epilate my armpits. The secret is to rub talc in first and then slowly epilate a small strip. The do another. Then another strip. Do not "waggle" the epilator all over the place. It takes me about two minutes per armpit.

Waxing for me. It's over quicker! A full body wax can be quite exhilarating! Just came from another three hours of electrolysis today...now that is hard core hair removal pain. :'( Wah!

Grace, I don't get it. Is there no numbing cream or anything they give you before they start?

Upper and lower lip only. And that only numbs to a degree, still hurts!

why only there? Can't you get a pain pill or something? It sounds really bad   

Quote from: Ms Grace on August 15, 2014, 05:50:23 AM
Waxing for me. It's over quicker! A full body wax can be quite exhilarating! Just came from another three hours of electrolysis today...now that is hard core hair removal pain. :'( Wah!

Grace

I think you have had electro sessions of up to 6 hours.  3 hours is enough for me.  Still don't know how you do it!

Quote from: Nicole on August 14, 2014, 06:25:23 PM
For almost forever I've been using a epilator.

I went and got my legs waxed very early on, then got an epilator when out one day thinking it might be ok.

The first time I used it I waited until my hairs grew back, lasted about 5 minutes. A friend said one day why did you wait for everything to grow, so went and got waxed again, then started pretty much the next day just spending a few minutes doing it.

I haven't had a need to shave or wax my legs in years, my friends always comment on how smooth they always are.

I do keep a shaver for my underarms and lady bits, but other than that I would never go back.

Pretty much ditto for me.  I am using a Braun SE7681 Silk-épil 7 Wet and Dry Epilator  that I bought on Amazon.  It works very well for me, I like the fact that I can use it in the shower, and that it has an electric razor head as well as the epilating head.  If you epilate every day or every few days it doesn't hurt, but yes I still get the odd ingrown hair on my thighs, but I've never had one on my tummy or chest.  The first few attempts left me crying, but to skip stubble is wonderful.

Cheers,
Julie

Regarding electrolysis,  Lidocaine Cream helps, Ibuprofen helps, but it still hurts.  Grace, Aisla, three hours?   Wow, you are tough.  I can barely walk after two.
j

Quote from: JulieBlair on August 15, 2014, 11:37:01 AM
Regarding electrolysis,  Lidocaine Cream helps, Ibuprofen helps, but it still hurts.  Grace, Aisla, three hours?   Wow, you are tough.  I can barely walk after two.
j

I bought Alocane for my next session and will be getting some Motrin. Last session was much more painful than the prior one.

Quote from: Ms Grace on August 15, 2014, 05:50:23 AM
Waxing for me. It's over quicker! A full body wax can be quite exhilarating! Just came from another three hours of electrolysis today...now that is hard core hair removal pain. :'( Wah!

Aren't you getting any anesthetic injections?

Surely y'all aren't talking about epilating or waxing facial hair? Now that would be extremely painful even if it did work.

Ali :icon_flower:

That will be done with lasers and electrolysis. For me at least.

My skin is SO soft now! And it feels great to touch and be touched. Weeeeeee.

Quote from: JulieBlair on August 15, 2014, 11:34:20 AM
Pretty much ditto for me.  I am using a Braun SE7681 Silk-épil 7 Wet and Dry Epilator  that I bought on Amazon.  It works very well for me, I like the fact that I can use it in the shower, and that it has an electric razor head as well as the epilating head.  If you epilate every day or every few days it doesn't hurt, but yes I still get the odd ingrown hair on my thighs, but I've never had one on my tummy or chest.  The first few attempts left me crying, but to skip stubble is wonderful.

Cheers,
Julie

Doesn't the hair diameter weaken after so many sessions?

Also how long after epilation for the hair to begin poking through again?

I feel like I'm walking into the girl's bathroom here, but the topic reminded me of the one time I let my mother take me to get my eyebrows waxed. Holy shiiiiii- :o Who likes having a burning face and the weird after feeling?

Epilate everywhere except face. That is electrolysis. About to go in for my 3-weekly hour long visit. Haven't used pain relief in ages. Just do it. Under the nose hurts but so what? The pain stops.

I think it is just that once you get it done for so long (both epil and electro), you get used to it a bit. With epil, you must must must keep it up. Let them get long again and it hurts a lot more.

Quote from: Frank on August 15, 2014, 05:32:50 PM
I feel like I'm walking into the girl's bathroom here, but the topic reminded me of the one time I let my mother take me to get my eyebrows waxed. Holy shiiiiii- :o Who likes having a burning face and the weird after feeling?

I love waxing my eyebrows.  2 minutes and it is all done

Did laser for everything, nearly everything that is.  That includes face.  Now I just need to finish the joy of electro for the non-dark hairs (may their color not be named) and then will be pretty good on hair removal. 
Overall cost was not absurd due to finding an inexpensive startup a few years back.  I think over 5 total body zaps I spent <$700.  I've moved since then and don't know if they are still around.  Worked well except for some stubborn areas above my lip and on my chin. 

The irony is that I need some extra hair on the top of my head.  It's cute how we have hair or fat where we don't want it and not where we do want it.

I'm just going to have to book some Electro sessions to get rid of what's left. I don't even feel like using my lasers anymore because I know against these white hairs even with carbon dye they are largely ineffective.

Ali :icon_flower:

I use a home electrolysis one touch it works very well removes the hair at the root permentley takes time though and foe the hard to reach places you need someone to help

Jealous.

Those are not within my budget... Yet.

Got first full face laser done today!!!

Y'all were not kidding about that upper lip!

Quote from: Tori on August 20, 2014, 09:44:56 PM
Got first full face laser done today!!!

Y'all were not kidding about that upper lip!

That first session on the upper lip was BRUTAL.  I'm so glad I did that before I went full time, otherwise I would have had eyeliner and mascara running all down mah face.  I always need to remember waterproof makeup on laser or electrolysis day.

It sure was eye watering. Hehehe. I went in all andro today so good thing.

For me the corners of the chin hurt way more than the lip.
Congrats on day one! Just wait until they decide to turn up the setting (:

Hehehe. They promised to do that next time.

Yeah..the chin hurts...

I took two Aleve before the appt. and used Alocane. I apparently didn't apply enough Alocane. **cry**

Beauty is pain no pain no gain
Second laser appointment on my face really did not hurt the only place that somewhat her was left cheek Jolle line and not that much I just kind of move my leg

The thing is that the total pain factor seemed like (Hairs that get zapped X Level on machine = Total pain) to me.  The first few blasted away the most hairs total, but they were on a lower setting.  By the time I was on session #12, there were very few dark ones left.  I literally told the nurse to turn it up to "11" (That's a common Spinal Tap reference/musician joke BTW, for those of you that are younger than umm, 35ish. I mean, right, that movie came out like 30 years ago or something...).   Her response made me laugh out loud.  I mean, I had no idea about the settings on these things, but her response was pertty much verbatim, "OK, really?  We already had it up to 10 and a half on the last session.  Are you sure?  Most people can't take that."

Of course I can take it.  I'm trans.  This is a walk in the park.

Anyway, every session got easier to take, even when the intensity went up because there were exponentially fewer hairs to zap at each subsequent session. By the time they got to "11", there were probably fewer than 50 to zap. 

Now I can't find any dark ones left, so it's all electro from now on. 

YAY?

Same boat here soon enough, Jill.

Quote from: Jill F on August 21, 2014, 02:10:05 AM

Of course I can take it.  I'm trans.  This is a walk in the park.

Now I can't find any dark ones left, so it's all electro from now on. 

YAY?

Jill

The fun is about to start.  Probe by probe.  Another 3 hours of galvanic for me tomorrow.  Almost finished.  The end is in sight!

Safe travels

Aisla

Given I've only got sparse white hairs yet left to clear (I have no beard shadow without makeup) I'm hoping 2 to 3 sessions will clear my face. I'll do my own legs and arms with my lasers and IPL. Anyhoo, not looking forward to the pain.

Ali :icon_flower:

Okay, this may seem like a dumb question, but....what is an epilator, exactly? 

I've seen it mentioned before, and I've seen home laser systems and the like, but what is it?

Ravensong,

It is kinda hard to properly describe but an epilator is an elictric tweezing device. Mine has 72 rapidly spinning tweezers which pull my body hairs out kinda quickly and by the root. It is like tweezing or waxing in that sense. It may take multiple passes in one sitting with the epilator to get all the hairs in an area.

If you can afford it, the best way to epilate is to start with a full body wax, and then epilate weekly from there on in to maintain the smooth hairlessness. Waxing is much faster, so that first full body epilation can be hours of hurt. It took me three hours the first time... but my epilator was cheaper than a single body wax.

Maintenance epilation takes a fraction of the time and hardly hurts in comparison because you are never ripping out as much hair at once. Also, when hair grows back, it may come back finer (getting rid of the guy hair!) and therefore, more able to pull by the root.

Electrolysis reallytruly Sucks. I definitely foresee PTSD problems in the future regarding the needle and that noise it makes

Quote from: Jill F on August 21, 2014, 02:10:05 AM
The thing is that the total pain factor seemed like (Hairs that get zapped X Level on machine = Total pain) to me.  The first few blasted away the most hairs total, but they were on a lower setting.  By the time I was on session #12, there were very few dark ones left.  I literally told the nurse to turn it up to "11" (That's a common Spinal Tap reference/musician joke BTW, for those of you that are younger than umm, 35ish. I mean, right, that movie came out like 30 years ago or something...).   Her response made me laugh out loud.  I mean, I had no idea about the settings on these things, but her response was pertty much verbatim, "OK, really?  We already had it up to 10 and a half on the last session.  Are you sure?  Most people can't take that."

Of course I can take it.  I'm trans.  This is a walk in the park.

Anyway, every session got easier to take, even when the intensity went up because there were exponentially fewer hairs to zap at each subsequent session. By the time they got to "11", there were probably fewer than 50 to zap. 

Now I can't find any dark ones left, so it's all electro from now on. 

YAY?

Was your original hairs light colored? 11 sessions? Geez. I'm down to about a 70% reduction on my 2nd zap alone. And I had an average density beard.

Quote from: Evelyn K on August 21, 2014, 09:00:35 PM
Was your original hairs light colored? 11 sessions? Geez. I'm down to about a 70% reduction on my 2nd zap alone. And I had an average density beard.

Well, I had a beard of every color.  The reds, blonds and grays didn't get "seen" by the laser, so I had the taser done for those. (Razor, laser, taser, right?)  So far I've done about 75 hours of electro over the last 14 months, and I'm guessing that I have about 2% of the beard left to go.  The good news is that it's all blond/gray now, there is nevermore a shadow to give me away and I only shave a couple times a week now.

Quote from: Tori on August 21, 2014, 08:45:34 PM
Ravensong,

It is kinda hard to properly describe but an epilator is an elictric tweezing device. Mine has 72 rapidly spinning tweezers which pull my body hairs out kinda quickly and by the root. It is like tweezing or waxing in that sense. It may take multiple passes in one sitting with the epilator to get all the hairs in an area.

If you can afford it, the best way to epilate is to start with a full body wax, and then epilate weekly from there on in to maintain the smooth hairlessness. Waxing is much faster, so that first full body epilation can be hours of hurt. It took me three hours the first time... but my epilator was cheaper than a single body wax.

Maintenance epilation takes a fraction of the time and hardly hurts in comparison because you are never ripping out as much hair at once. Also, when hair grows back, it may come back finer (getting rid of the guy hair!) and therefore, more able to pull by the root.

Thanks Tori.  That explains a lot now.  :)