Okay, so I just finished a year of laser on my face and neck, thirteen sessions in all. While it was something of a torturous marathon at least the sessions were short and I could tough it out without too much effort. (I've been told at a much higher energy level than many of their clients tolerate.) The effect overall was quite impressive. While I still have a lot of hairs left, a large number of the remainder are white. My skin condition has also improved beyond my wildest dreams over the constant irritated mess it used to be from shaving and regrowth. Ingrowns have been virtually eliminated forever too.
Determined to have a face that doesn't feel like sandpaper however I went out to investigate electrolysis. What I thought was just going to be a brief initial consultation turned into a full session lasting three and a half hours. Now I've read plenty of other people's experiences on this site before and had some idea what to expect but I wasn't fully prepared for the reality of what it was going to feel like. OOOWWWW!!! :o :o :o :'( :'( :'( Holy crap, like, some areas weren't so bad and a few hairs I didn't feel anything, but a large portion of it was almost unbearable! Perhaps they should have offered me a bullet to bite on so I wouldn't grit my teeth so much. They used EMLA cream on my mustache area but everything else was done in 'tough-love' fashion. The pain was worst in the following areas - edges of the mustache where the cream didn't reach, all along the jawline and under the chin, and down the outside edges of my neck. It wasn't so much a problem of the pain at the individual hairs as it was the relentlessness of it. I think it's fair to say this could easily be used as an effective form of psychological torture! I seriously felt at a few points that I was going to start bawling or swat the damned equipment away with an uncontrolled reflex. It was very difficult to contain myself and keep control.
I was really kind of in shock by the end, no pun intended. I'm not known for saying "Oh my god!!!" but I was certainly remarking this to myself afterwards! The technician mentioned some of her clients using painkillers before work on the bikini area - I shudder violently at the thought. Now that I've had to start growing out the hairs again for this, post-laser, I can see clearly what I'm up against. There seems to be as much hair still on my face afterwards as the amount they ripped out. They said it will get better and faster each time but I'm afraid I won't be reaching the point of major improvement anytime soon. It was recommended that I return for a three-hour session weekly for the foreseeable future. I'm kinda freaking out about how long it's going to take even just until they can clear my whole face in one session - a year perhaps? This is also going to eat almost half my monthly earnings for quite a while. I guess that's what my savings are for. Time to raid my bank account...
Any suggestions for effective pain management would be welcomed - Tylenol? A full slathering of EMLA? A good, stiff drink?!? I'd also like to hear how long it took for you gals to progress and how frequent and long your sessions were. As committed as I am to change, it's times like this that make me wonder what the hell I'm doing. It's going to be quite a trip!
Oh ya, and one important bit of advice for everyone I was told by the technician - DON'T wax an area you eventually want electrolysis on!!! She showed me a diagram depicting how the positioning of the follicle ends up distorted from repeated waxing damage. Basically the normally straight path for the needle ends up hooking sharply to the side at the base of the hair and this messes up the contact with the follicle, reducing the effectiveness of the treatment. I thankfully have never had this done.
It's painful alright. Strangely some sessions are better than others. Not sure if it's my frame of mind, how tired I feel or if it's related to the electro's focus that particular day. Maybe all of the above. I use emla for the top lip. Kind of helps a bit. Haven't had electro on the top lip without emla, so don't know what the comparison would be like.
I took Dihydrocodene an hour before electrolysis which helped a lot.I also got an injection from the dentist when I had my top lip done which was a great help
That is about the longest I have ever gone. You will find yourself thinking that it must be something you REALLY REALLY want to go through that discomfort. Amazingly, you will keep going back too!
Painful bits - top lip, lip line, bits where there is little tissue underneath like the jaw line and collarbones, at the side of the neck where the tendons are (don't know why, just is). Other places there just seem to be nerves just waiting to be stimulated! Emla is OK, non-water-based creams are better for me but you may not be able to find them. I got mine from a compounding pharmacist. My Doc offered to prescribe something stronger if I wanted. Some people take pain pills too. You have to work out what works for you.
It will get better especially once you start only having to work on hairs that are in the correct part of the growth cycle. Initially you are removing hair that is very mature and a bit tough to move. The techs working me over noted that the bits attached to the hair are getting smaller and smaller.
After a session yesterday to refresh my memory how much it hurts, I personally find it not terrible, however some really hurt more than others and test my painometer.
What I don't like it the pain and swelling the following day as well as the crusty residue.
So far it has been much better than I feared and expected so that's good??? No
The part I find painful is the cost.
For those who have had electrolysis and gotten tattoos (maybe in painful areas, like underarm?), what's the pain like in comparison. I'm a bit of an ink junkie, so I'm wondering if the pain is similar or much much worse (I don't personally think tattoos hurt very much).
Quote from: Nattie on April 06, 2014, 03:24:19 AM
For those who have had electrolysis and gotten tattoos (maybe in painful areas, like underarm?), what's the pain like in comparison. I'm a bit of an ink junkie, so I'm wondering if the pain is similar or much much worse (I don't personally think tattoos hurt very much).
It depends on which are you are talking about but there is nowhere when electrolysis is as completely painless as having the top of your shoulder done. At its mildest (cheeks) it is roughly the equivalent of having your bicep inked. At its most intense (top lip) it is right up there with the sensitive parts of the ribs. I usually have an hour a week and have been going for about 7 months following 3 fairly ineffectual laser sessions. I never use any painkillers but rely on meditation and the acceptance of pain that got me through being tatooed.
Rosie
Quote from: ♡ Emily ♡ on April 06, 2014, 02:57:41 AM
Great! I am contemplating to do a couple of sessions in a month or two, so this thread was very inspiring and uplifting to read!
:) :) :)
Violet, You just did scare the hell outta me :D
This is one time you might still appreciate the tough-guy period of your life. You may need to channel that! ;)
Quote from: EmmaD on April 06, 2014, 03:03:01 AM
Emla is OK, non-water-based creams are better for me but you may not be able to find them. I got mine from a compounding pharmacist.
My tech is an older woman who used to be a pharmacist so she's providing her own EMLA.
Quote from: Jenny07 on April 06, 2014, 03:09:16 AM
What I don't like is the pain and swelling the following day as well as the crusty residue.
I didn't really experience any of this. Perhaps they are cranking it up a little too high with you? Or maybe mine was low and I'm just being a baby? I can't imagine making it through this at a higher setting! :o
Quote from: Nattie on April 06, 2014, 03:24:19 AM
For those who have had electrolysis and gotten tattoos (maybe in painful areas, like underarm?), what's the pain like in comparison. I'm a bit of an ink junkie, so I'm wondering if the pain is similar or much much worse (I don't personally think tattoos hurt very much).
Ack! Tattoos?!? This electrolysis marathon is going to leave a permanent-enough stamp on my psyche. Maybe one day when I'm through it all I'll get a little tattoo to celebrate winning the war. It might not feel so rough after the pain conditioning from this current hell! ("current" - also no pun intended!)
There is no doubt that electrolysis hurts, costs too much, and takes too long. I have a bit over 100 hours done, and so have about 100 to go. At two hours a week I'll be completely done sometime in winter 2015. But this is my choice and a good value for me. I sometimes cry quietly while my technician and now friend Christine is doing her job, and I think this causes her as much angst as the whole thing does me. Still I thank her when I leave, am grateful that I no longer have any shadow between shaving, and that eventually it will end. As it stands now I'll be done with this about the same time my REL passes the year point, and I begin preparing for gender confirmation surgery. The journey continues, and no matter what, is so right for this lady.
j
I also had my first session this week, I have a 2 patches on my chin that was resistant to laser so I have no other options left. The strange thing is my technician just plucked 10-15 hairs and called it finished for the day, I asked and she told me that she cant work in such a dense area without messing up the skin and told me that our sessions will last 20-30 mins every week which seems REALLY slow for me. I thinks this is her first time working with a beard and she seems hesitant. I dont know what to do, confront her or look for somewhere else? It will take many years for those patches if we go like this
Quote from: Nattie on April 06, 2014, 03:24:19 AM
For those who have had electrolysis and gotten tattoos (maybe in painful areas, like underarm?), what's the pain like in comparison. I'm a bit of an ink junkie, so I'm wondering if the pain is similar or much much worse (I don't personally think tattoos hurt very much).
I've been getting electolysis for the past few years on and off, but I realize I don't have forever. So recently, I've been going nearly twice a week since late last year for an average of an hour & 1/2 a session. Funny you mention tattoos, as I've been looking to get 1 or 2 or several myself for the past few months. ;D I figure it couldn't be as painful as getting needles in your face 10,000 times.
Parts of my face and neck I don't even feel it. Other times, it is excruciating. Sometimes, I just lie there literally thinking to myself...
don't flinch
don't move
don't tear up
STFU and don't complainJust like when I told myself when I got my ears pierced a few months ago, the mental pain
of not doing anything is worse than the temporary physical pain. It is expensive and a royal pain, but the payoff is, as they say,
priceless. Most of my face, especially my cheeks and neck are buttery smooth. ;)
Quote from: Violet Bloom on April 06, 2014, 12:06:21 AM
...
Any suggestions for effective pain management would be welcomed - Tylenol? A full slathering of EMLA? A good, stiff drink?!? I'd also like to hear how long it took for you gals to progress and how frequent and long your sessions were. As committed as I am to change, it's times like this that make me wonder what the hell I'm doing. It's going to be quite a trip!
...
Hi Violet,
Almost everybody has a cumulative pain threshold, try going for a shorter session (like two hours) then try a little longer if your fine. I have worked up to the point were I can just handle two hours, going longer just seems to magnify the pain.
I have a few areas that are very painful (just below the center of my nose and and some "hot spots" near the jaw joint).
There are a number of numbing creams, you may need to try different ones (note that most creams have a very short shelf life). The best results for me were LMX for 30 minutes and covering it with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out. YMMV
Any time I am stressed out or exhausted, the pain level is higher.
This is what I do in preparation that really helps me:
- I drink plenty of water every day and some extra the day before and morning of the treatment.
Electrolysis is more effective when the tissue around the follicle is fully hydrated
- I get plenty of sleep during the week before each treatment
- I try to calm my mind and let go of life stresses starting the evening before treatment
- I take acetaminophen (a pain reliever that does not thin the blood) 1.5 hours before treatment
- I take diphenhydramine (an antihistamine) 1.5 hours before treatment to reduce my skin's reaction during treatment.
The electrologist, the mode, the type of probe, and the current settings all effect the sensation. A skilled electrologist will not just "turn up the heat", the settings must be high enough to provide an effective treatment (when the hair releases from the follicle easier than it would by just plucking), too high of setting increases the healing time.
Hugs and Sympathy
-Cindi
Quote from: Laurelin on April 06, 2014, 02:08:48 PM
I also had my first session this week, I have a 2 patches on my chin that was resistant to laser so I have no other options left. The strange thing is my technician just plucked 10-15 hairs and called it finished for the day, I asked and she told me that she cant work in such a dense area without messing up the skin and told me that our sessions will last 20-30 mins every week which seems REALLY slow for me. I thinks this is her first time working with a beard and she seems hesitant. I dont know what to do, confront her or look for somewhere else? It will take many years for those patches if we go like this
Hi Laurelin,
I think you should be looking for a more skilled electrologist, preferably with experience in beard hair removal.
A skilled electrologist can remove dense areas of hair without "messing up the skin". Aftercare is important, some small scabbing may occur, but should fall off within a week.
If they are not properly treating and removing at least 6 hairs per minute I would be very concerned with both the equipment and the skill. The best professionals can easily treat 600 or more hairs per hour. Typically for the first time (or first few times) clearing very dense areas, they should wait for 4 to 6 weeks before clearing that same area again.
Androgen driven terminal facial hair (male beard hair) is more difficult to treat than any other terminal hair on your body. I would be concerned about under treatment with your current electrologist which can damage the follicles in ways that make it more difficult to complete treatment (essentially the same damage that can happen with plucking or waxing the face).
Typically for the first time (or first few times) clearing very dense areas, they should wait for 4 to 6 weeks before clearing that same area again.
Hugs
-Cindi
Emla cream helps some. you really should apply it about an hour before treatment and cover it with plastic wrap. You'll feel really silly but it helps. uncovered it is much less effective. your electrologist should remove the plastic wrap little bit at a time.
the use of alcohol or betadine ointment after your treatment is important to control bacteria.
other pain management is for your electrologist to use an ice pack and move it as needed. I saw this on TV.
a technician who plucks untreated hair or partially treated hair (hairs should come out easily with no tugging)
is N/G
Benzocaine/Lidocaine/Tetracaine cream is way better than EMLA. I cry less.
The one thing that did happen to my skin was some small cold sores near the right corner of my mouth. I don't get these often although I used to have a much more frequent problem with them. Not sure if these ones resulted specifically from the electrolysis because I've gotten them before simply from high stress alone sometimes.
I absolutely agree. I endured one and a half years of electrolysis and it was pure unbearable torture. Unfortunately, I didn't figure out how to properly mitigate the pain effectively till later on in my sessions. I found that the most effective relief came from a thick layer of emla, enough that you cannot see the skin. Then cover it up with pieces of saran wrap as a dressing. Time it that you have the saran wrapped emla on your skin for an hour just before the electrolysis starts. If done correctly, the skin looks kinda white or blanched. You want to use pieces of saran wrap instead of one large piece so that the electrologist can remove one section at a time, while leaving other sections to still be covered in emla.
Oh the wonderful world of pain management. >.<
I remember being stoic when I had mine done pre-HRT. No drugs, I just shut my eyes and focused on slow deep breathing. I found that worked well as most of the discomfort was felt on initial insertion - it turned into a minor buzz after about a minute. I was having 3 hours sessions on a 16 probe galvanic for reference.
Having been on HRT for 2 years, I have to say that the discomfort I felt the last time I had a touch up was more marked, but I found slow regulated deep breathing still worked well.
My ideas/suggestion for pain management, going up in level of intervention:
1. Deep breathing and meditation. Pain is very much a personal perception - if you go in with the attitude, this is going to be agonising, it will be. A positive attitude "there will be minor discomfort" will move the goal posts - pain is a very emotive word and best avoided.
2. Ice - an area that is iced will have lower pain perception. Note that this will constrict the follicles and make it harder for the electrologist to insert the probes.
3. Pre-meds - non-steroidal anti-inflammatories are your best bet. Don't exceed dosages - past a certain dose, most over the counter analgesics have no additional pain mediation effect.
4. EMLA cream - apply liberally over the area and cover up with something for at least 1 hour so it doesn't dry out. Expose an area as it is being worked on. It has limited effect as skin is a very effective barrier.
5. Dental injection - a full cartridge injection of lignocaine with adrenaline or prilocaine with octapressin will give 2-3 hours of anaethesia. If you're lucky and your dentist does a lot of surgery, they may have bupivicaine which will last a lot longer.
The other important thing is to make sure your technician is always doing some work on the upper lip every session mixed in with other areas at the same time. If it's spread out amongst the other areas being managed, it is much more tolerable. In a multi-electrologist centre, they all tend to skive off the upper lip, hoping that the next person has to work there. :P
I hope that helps.
Thankyou so much for the posts everyone, lots of excellent info here :)
I'm a while off looking at getting it done myself but I can learn in the mean time right?
A question for you all though..
My chest hair's have darkened and started to grow more over the past two months or so, (didn't like that too much :P) so i shaved it off with my razor.
Is this a good idea or will it mess with the natural growth of hair follicle, doing damage that will make electrolysis more difficult when i get to it?
Don't mean to hijack the thread, I hope it's relevant enough. Guess I just don't want to make it more difficult to remove in the long run
thanks :)
Shaving is fine, it does not "mess with the natural growth of hair follicle". Be sure to clean your skin and disinfect the razor before shaving.
DO NOT wax or pluck hair if you will be doing electrolysis or laser in the future.
Best of the day to you
-Cindi
Thanks so much Cindi :)
I have never heard of having disinfecting the razor, i shall do that.
Eyebrows are fine for plucking though right? i have to do that lol, they get out of hand pretty quick otherwise :P
Quote from: shiney on April 09, 2014, 11:17:19 AM
Thankyou so much for the posts everyone, lots of excellent info here :)
Hey, you beat me to it!
I've been feeling really awkward over the past week because I've had to grow out my beard for the first time in almost two years. It wasn't too bad because most of it is white now and the hairs are so much finer from the laser but it was still weird. (The insiders at work seemed to be wondering what the hell I was doing since they'd been informed only very recently of my transition plans!) I'm trying not to freak out because I was finally feeling so good about my appearance. Tough luck for me for the next year or so???
I'll be going for my second electrolysis session tonight so I should end up much better off if they remove as many hairs as the first time. When traveling as a bearded lady I'm trying to keep in mind that many of the electrolysis clients at this clinic are cis females going through the same struggle with facial hair. They unfortunately don't really have a choice about how they present day to day. I at least have the 'benefit' of guy-mode still for much of my week. :P
my bad :P
QuoteI at least have the 'benefit' of guy-mode still for much of my week
there you go. there is always a positive :)
Did you have to grow it to make the electrolysis session easier?
Good luck tonight!!
Quote from: shiney on April 11, 2014, 12:11:36 PM
Did you have to grow it to make the electrolysis session easier?
The technician asked for roughly an 1/16" minimum to be able to grip each hair properly (about 3-days growth for me). A week later, having continued to grow what they didn't pluck due to sheer volume, the remaining long hairs are now 1/8" to 3/16" length. Doesn't seem like much in a single hair but over my entire face and neck its now like a carpet! :o God, I'm thankful most of it is white!
Yep now I'm officially afraid of electrolysis. I cried during my first and second laser session. Thankfully laser has cleared like 85% of my hair. I think the next session should finish the rest off. Idk if I'll start electrolysis, after laser yet. My pain tolerance is terribly low :-\
Oh my... Perhaps I shouldn't have read this thread as I have my first appointment tomorrow... From what you girls have said here I am glad it is just a consult, but I know sooner or later I will be the one going. Perhaps I may get some pain meds from my doctor first... I'm such a sissy when it comes to pain...
QuoteThe technician asked for roughly an 1/16" minimum to be able to grip each hair properly
ahhh i thought it might be something along those lines.
How'd you session go?
Had a three hour session yesterday - for some reason it was one of the least painful sessions I've ever had. Not that I'm complaining!! :laugh:
Not as much swelling or spotting as usual either.
BTW, I made my electrologist cry! I was telling her about how my family had been very accepting of me when I came out to them a few weeks back - she had to stop for a minute because she was tearing up so much she couldn't see properly. Sweet. She's great, my electro.
Mine's not bad either. ;)
That's good to know because I'll be playing tag with mine and yours in a month or two. It was the only way I could keep my fortnightly sessions moving forward.
I'd like to add some actual advice here since I pretty much ranted last time. ;) I don't know if this is obvious or not, but my electrolygist has a machine that has settings from 1 to 10. Usually they will dial it down if you tell them it's too painful, depending on what type machine is used. They will also use different settings on each part of the face.
Well, I made it though my first meeting with my electrolygist, and have my first appointment set in stone. She was very nice and answered all my questions. Also she was totally nonjudgmental as to my transition. I really did feel good about the whole meeting in general. She also made some good suggestions as to topical treatments I can get from my doctor as well to help with the pain. So, all in all a great first meeting.
Quote from: Christine Eryn on April 12, 2014, 01:58:52 PM
I'd like to add some actual advice here since I pretty much ranted last time. ;) I don't know if this is obvious or not, but my electrolygist has a machine that has settings from 1 to 10. Usually they will dial it down if you tell them it's too painful, depending on what type machine is used. They will also use different settings on each part of the face.
This is true, mine uses a lower setting for upper lip compared to the rest. Although of course, too low and it might not be effective in killing the follicle - sadly, the tougher the hair the more zap it needs and beard hairs are of course about as tough as they get :(
Quote from: Veronica M on April 12, 2014, 04:17:44 PM
Well, I made it though my first meeting with my electrolygist, and have my first appointment set in stone. She was very nice and answered all my questions. Also she was totally nonjudgmental as to my transition. I really did feel good about the whole meeting in general. She also made some good suggestions as to topical treatments I can get from my doctor as well to help with the pain. So, all in all a great first meeting.
That's great. Many won't be very judgemental. My electro has a lot of m2f trans* clients (obviously, no f2m!!) and even advertises in LGBT media to that effect. I'm sure we're the bread and butter for a lot of electrologists.
My electrologists is MtF trans so we have a lot to talk about and share tips. She started transitioning almost 2 years ago, so she has a head start. 2 weeks ago she gave me some great hair tips and I was giving her some nail (gels) tips.
Quote from: shiney on April 11, 2014, 10:18:38 PM
How'd your session go?
My second session started off weird. I was randomly getting what felt like an electric shock that would give me quite a twitch. The tech said "maybe there's something wrong with my cathode". After some sort of adjustment or maybe reconnection everything was fine. Fine as in the usual torture!
For a bit things seemed to be going easier but quickly it became just as painful as the first time. I'd taken an acetaminophen beforehand as an experiment but it seemed to have no effect. I think I was whimpering more throughout. Hair count is probably down to about a third of what I started with before the first session. Of course this is only temporary but I'm glad for any improvement.
Quote from: luna nyan on April 08, 2014, 05:39:56 AM
5. Dental injection - a full cartridge injection of lignocaine with adrenaline or prilocaine with octapressin will give 2-3 hours of anaethesia. If you're lucky and your dentist does a lot of surgery, they may have bupivicaine which will last a lot longer.
What is the legality of this for non-dental applications?
Quote from: Gwendolyn Mia Jennell (Gwynne) on April 13, 2014, 09:53:40 PM
What is the legality of this for non-dental applications?
As with a lot of things in the medical world, it would probably be classified as off label use as the lips are anaesthetised as a side effect of numbing the teeth for dental work.
Medico legally, so long as you've filled out a medical history form, and have had a consultation, an injection can be administered regardless of the purpose. The definition of a dentist is a health practitioner specialised in treatment of the soft and hard tissues of the mouth and associated structures, so strictly speaking, this does fall within the purvue of a dentist.
Quote from: luna nyan on April 13, 2014, 10:36:59 PM
As with a lot of things in the medical world, it would probably be classified as off label use as the lips are anaesthetised as a side effect of numbing the teeth for dental work.
Medico legally, so long as you've filled out a medical history form, and have had a consultation, an injection can be administered regardless of the purpose. The definition of a dentist is a health practitioner specialised in treatment of the soft and hard tissues of the mouth and associated structures, so strictly speaking, this does fall within the purvue of a dentist.
That was my sense. Now I'm curious whether any of the professional colleges have established formal guidelines on the matter.
Quote from: Gwendolyn Mia Jennell (Gwynne) on April 13, 2014, 10:49:14 PM
That was my sense. Now I'm curious whether any of the professional colleges have established formal guidelines on the matter.
I doubt that this has even crossed their minds. The occurrence rate would be small, and other matters of greater concern exist in most professional bodies.
Anaesthetic in general is safe, and so long as the injection sites are within a profession's area of expertise, there is no issue.
Quote from: luna nyan on April 14, 2014, 03:54:41 AM
I doubt that this has even crossed their minds. The occurrence rate would be small, and other matters of greater concern exist in most professional bodies.
Anaesthetic in general is safe, and so long as the injection sites are within a profession's area of expertise, there is no issue.
You're probably correct in any case, but to be clear, I meant a policy governing elective, off label administration of anesthetic in general--not a policy regarding trans women prepping for electrolysis. ;)
Perhaps my use of the words off label left things ambiguous. Thinking more on it, I would say alternate use of an established local anaesthetic deposition site. :)
To clarify, when a tooth is anaesthetised, usually the surrounding cheek area is inadvertently numbed as well. It is a valid technique for numbing the face, but not an area that a dentist would be usually be aiming to numb. Mind you, any dentist worth their salt would be more than familiar with the anatomy involved and is likely to be safer than a general medical practitioner.
So what kind of results do you get then ladies?
Does the hair ever come back in certain areas, only lighter and blonde-like or are they gone completely leaving super silky smooth skin behind?
I'm guessing its a permanent thing? Whereas treatments like laser are temporary?
Seems to be permanent. But since I haven't labelled each follicle, I can't say what has survived the first attack to be done again.
I started electrolysis in Feb 2012 and now go about every 3 to 4 weeks. I have peach fuzz now and a few stragglers arriving but pretty much done. My sisters have slightly fuzzy faces too so that part is normal. I haven't shaved in about 3 months and trim about 6 hairs between visits. Still want my sidies thinned.
We started at the base of my neck and progressively cleared from the bottom up each week. It seemed like quick progress UNTIL the mature hair removed first came back in its next growth cycle. These are the hairs that are too mature for the probe to reach the right spot for a full kill. Some come back, even if it is just weaker. Once an area has been cleared, any growth in that area is able to be treated at the right growth stage.
Given the fashion these days for the unshaven look along with "manly" beards, I just don't fit in any more. Oh....forgot about the boobs! ::)!
Quote from: luna nyan on April 14, 2014, 09:38:44 AM
Perhaps my use of the words off label left things ambiguous. Thinking more on it, I would say alternate use of an established local anaesthetic deposition site. :)
check.
Thanks, Gwen, for your PM!
One last thing about my second session I found out after - the setting had been higher than the first time. That explains all the tiny pin-sized scabs and perhaps why the painkiller didn't help. My tech is determined to make the most effective progress possible that I can tolerate so I won't be wasting time and money. For the cost of it I certainly appreciate her attitude towards the speed of the process. My third session is this afternoon.
Violet, it's good your electro is fiddling things to try and get things going faster. =)
I had a touch up (30 min) session today and I paid more attention to how I managed.
I definitely zone out into deep breathing/meditating. The other thing I noticed was that I'm exhaling as the probes are being inserted. That seems to help for me.
Thank goodness it's Easter though, my face looks like it's been attacked by a swarm of bees with rabies *lol*
Quote from: luna nyan on April 17, 2014, 12:45:10 AM
Thank goodness it's Easter though, my face looks like it's been attacked by a swarm of bees with rabies *lol*
If my face looks messy after this session I'll just tell people it's because I ate too many chocolate eggs. ;D
After another 3 hours of galvanic electrolysis and the permanent loss of another 950 odd hairs I feel slightly swollen but nevertheless pleased with the result of yesterday's session and the slow but inexorable progress. There is now an end in sight to the weekly torture - my electrologist estimates a further 20 to 30 visits and I will be all done apart from some minor touch ups.
There appears little doubt that laser and blend both work - to some degree but ymmv. With an estimated 1000 hairs per square cm on my upper lip this was always going to take time. Will miss the regular chats with my electrologist/counsellor but won't miss the discomfort aka pain, the irritated and sometimes infected skin and skin treatment suggestions from cis colleagues unaware of the electro torture.
Aisla
Today's session seemed easier for a while but still got quite rough in the third hour. The hairs down the edges of my neck hold on very hard. In those areas the plucking actually feels worse than the other effects. As I mentioned before I had tried an extra-strength Acetaminophen in the last session with little success. Given that it is next to useless for headaches in my system I shouldn't have been surprised. This time I went with my preferred headache reliever, extra-strength Ibuprofen, and I think it was more effective.
Without a magnifying mirror, to the eye at the moment my face is almost entirely clear of any hairs long enough to be plucked. I noticed that a large number of the little scabbed spots from before were actually trapped dark hairs growing back in. There is now a significant amount of peach fuzz visible that was likely previously hidden by all the other coarse hairs. My tech said I should be really pleased that I have such fine hairs that will be left as residual because she's noted over the years that many cis female clients of hers have not been so blessed.