What exactly is the cheapest way for an extremely hair person such as myself to permanently get rid of as much of my body hair and facial hair as possible?
Any thoughts on this? After all, I myself am unfortunately not made of money. :( Thus, I myself would certainly prefer to find something which is effective, permanent, and cheap. :)
Unfortunately you are using a combination of words that are not compatible!!!
If you want effective and permanent then cheap is pretty much out of the question, especially for the beard.
Waxing is the cheapest way, it is certainly quick in that it can be done in one session but it is effective only for a week or three and it certainly isn't permanent. Plus there's a risk of ingrown hairs - and believe me, waxing your beard is extremely painful.
You might be a good candidate for laser if you have dark hair and light skin. Laser will take several (6 - 8 sessions over a number of months) sessions and won't be cheap but is apparently quite effective and permanent-ish.
Otherwise it is electrolysis - thermolysis or galvanic, take your pick. I recommend galvanic multiprobe as the most effective and most permanent method. Sadly it is very slow (and I'm only talking beard here) and painful - takes about 150 hours over numerous sessions - months or years - and will cost a bucket. I took a loan out against my mortgage to pay for it but it has been worth it. Only a five to ten hours to go on my beard.
Laser, electrolytes and hrt are really the only ways to reduce/remove body/facial hair. You could try an at home laser that will cost $200-$400 for a good one but still it's not as powerful as a professional laser and maybe a waste of money. See if you can get a payment plan at a laser clinic.
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My wife and I purchased a Silk-n- Flash and Go three months ago, and it has worked fantastically. I'm lucky that I've never really had a hair problem per se, but what beard and upper lip hair that does come in is still dark and a little coarse.
I've been using it faithfully (I strayed from the manufacturer's recommended timetable) and my facial hair is markedly less coarse and the upper lip hair is going away. Very good and safe product, and for what you invest in with electro or laser the $300 price tag is a small cry from those other fees.
It is FDA tested and approved as well. It is relatively painless; when I went up on the setting it felt like a rubber band snapping on the area I was treating. Other than that, not bad at all.
The effects HRT have go without saying.
Good luck sweetie, and keep us posted.
Be safe
Marlo
My wife and I have both been going in for electrolysis (me for my hands, feet, back, ears, nape and underarms) and recently signed up on a Groupon deal to do legs and bikini area by laser. We're only three sessions in on the laser, but it seems to be thinning things out. It's very fast, we're in and out in less than an hour, but then waiting for 6 weeks between sessions, so it's hard to see what progress looks like at first.
Electrolysis, on the other hand, is much more satisfying in terms of visible results quickly, and it's more effective long term, I understand. Both are pretty pricey though. The laser deal for everything below the waist was almost $2k ea, if I remember correctly, And our electrolysis runs about $160/hr or so, and we're probably at 20 weeks in or so, averaging an hour a week, maybe 1 1/2.
Before we started, we researched the home laser machines, and weren't too optimistic, deciding to go with professionals. I'm fairly confident that we would not have gotten anywhere near the same level of results at home, but we're also in a location that's pretty rife with both laser and electrolysis providers, and we're in a position to be able to handle this level of treatment financially.
I haven't had any facial treatments, other than a few test hairs just out of curiosity so far. I'm not sure if I'll ever pursue that, but based upon my limited experience to date, I would lean toward laser for large areas (Back, chest, arms, legs) and electrolysis for smaller areas (hands, face, neck), at least as much as allowable given financial constraints.
For me, it was Tria.
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,102684.0.html
barbie~~
I'm with Barbie :) Tria girl. I'll warn you though I've burned myself pretty badly with it. I have pale skin and very dark very dense and coarse beard hair. It's taken my 9 months to get to the point I'm at and I would estimate I still have another 8 months to go. It does well but I have to be careful not to raise the setting too high. The FDA approval for these products is only for body and cis-female facial hair so if you have a beard to get through its not gonna be easy. I would love to get laser professionally but the places in Roanoke VA are super expensive and I don't trust that they are familiar enough with my needs. I wouldn't mind electrolysis but I can't even find any providers in the area that do that. So Tria it is. I'm thinking about getting one of the remington I-Light Pros for my tax time present for myself to help speed up the body hair issues... but the Tria works well enough for them for now.
Hormones will thin it out but it will take time. The laser place wanted $300 for full torso. Yikes! So I just wax every month or so. It gets thinner and thinner each time.
So here is my plan. I knw its going to be a while to before my HRT makes anything really noticeably fem. So my plan to to see my local electrolysis once or twice a month for the next year or so. I thinks she only charges $40 per a session. Once my face is done Im getting a home machine to do my chest, arms, and person areas.
Quote from: Futurist on December 01, 2015, 12:52:44 AM
What exactly is the cheapest way for an extremely hair person such as myself to permanently get rid of as much of my body hair and facial hair as possible?
Any thoughts on this? After all, I myself am unfortunately not made of money. :( Thus, I myself would certainly prefer to find something which is effective, permanent, and cheap. :)
I am hairy and cannot afford electrolysis, Try" Braun's silk epil 9 " epilator, removes with multiple tweezers and lasts around 4 weeks, reduces hair growth over time.
Cost -@$190 AU on the net
Quote from: Anna R on December 15, 2015, 02:33:20 AM
I am hairy and cannot afford electrolysis, Try" Braun's silk epil 9 " epilator, removes with multiple tweezers and lasts around 4 weeks, reduces hair growth over time.
Cost -@$190 AU on the net
My experience tells that using an epilator can cause ingrown hairs and scars. Tria home laser does not cause this kind of problem. Any ingrown hair can be painful and difficult to pluck up. Its length can reach a few inch and even more, penetrating deep into the skin and fresh, causing inflammation.
There are a bunch of stories on this. For example, http://www.steadyhealth.com/topics/dark-marks-and-scars-from-ingrown-hair-and-irritation-from-shaving-vagina-how-can-i-get-rid-of-them?page=4
Be careful!
barbie~~
Thank you very much for sharing all of this information, everyone! :)
Quote from: barbie on December 16, 2015, 11:41:17 AM
My experience tells that using an epilator can cause ingrown hairs and scars. Tria home laser does not cause this kind of problem. Any ingrown hair can be painful and difficult to pluck up. Its length can reach a few inch and even more, penetrating deep into the skin and fresh, causing inflammation.
There are a bunch of stories on this. For example, http://www.steadyhealth.com/topics/dark-marks-and-scars-from-ingrown-hair-and-irritation-from-shaving-vagina-how-can-i-get-rid-of-them?page=4
Be careful!
barbie~~
Yes, you can get ingrown hairs but if you were to follow advice from epilation blogs you will see that ingrown hairs are the result of dead skin cells blocking the follicle pathways.
You have to exfoliate the day before epilation to clean up the dead skin cells, if done religiously you will not get ingrown hairs.
Do not exfoliate just before epilating as this makes skin too tender.
Anna
Futurist, have you looked into the Silk-n-Flash-n Go? It is doing quite well with me and I know of several other trans women (or sisters) that have had good results with it.
It is not TOTALLY painless but at its highest level it kind of feels like a rubber band snapping you. You might want to look into it, especially in that it is FDA approved.
Be safe
Marlo
*
The real answer is YMMV. We are all so different with our own experiences.
I was extremely hairy over my entire face and body (arms, legs, chest, back). I successfully eliminated facial hair by both tweezing and electrolysis. Meanwhile, ERT hormones totally eliminated all body hair.
You can see my results in the 'Before and After' thread (#1630).
Allow me to second that you might as well have little to lose trying the lowest cost device first such as an epilator. It may not be permanent but it is a start.
Best wishes.
*
Quote from: Ms Grace on December 01, 2015, 01:10:29 AM
Unfortunately you are using a combination of words that are not compatible!!!
If you want effective and permanent then cheap is pretty much out of the question, especially for the beard.
Waxing is the cheapest way, it is certainly quick in that it can be done in one session but it is effective only for a week or three and it certainly isn't permanent. Plus there's a risk of ingrown hairs - and believe me, waxing your beard is extremely painful.
You might be a good candidate for laser if you have dark hair and light skin. Laser will take several (6 - 8 sessions over a number of months) sessions and won't be cheap but is apparently quite effective and permanent-ish.
Otherwise it is electrolysis - thermolysis or galvanic, take your pick. I recommend galvanic multiprobe as the most effective and most permanent method. Sadly it is very slow (and I'm only talking beard here) and painful - takes about 150 hours over numerous sessions - months or years - and will cost a bucket. I took a loan out against my mortgage to pay for it but it has been worth it. Only a five to ten hours to go on my beard.
Thanks ms Grace, :D i had the same question that the topic ???
Now im thinking about laser depilation because is easiest found it in my country and its sound less painful than the other ::)
Bye
I started out with course, dark and a heavy amount of hair on my face, chest, back and legs. Through primarily laser treatments I have eliminated all the dark hair. Unfortunately, I am now 62 years old have have a bit of grey hair. This has to be removed through electrolysis.
If you live full time as a woman or go out frequently, I suggest doing the laser first. It will eliminate essentially all of your hair. the benefit is that you always have a clean face. Where as electrolysis, you have to let the hair grow a couple of days prior to treatment. Something to check on. After laser treatments have removed all your hair, there will still need to be periodic treatments every so often. Check with your laser professional and see what the charge is for return visits. I deal with two different laser services. One charges a 10% cost of the original cost per session for periodic treatments. The other charges $50.00 flat fee.
Quote from: StephanieMI on March 03, 2016, 10:10:21 PM
I started out with course, dark and a heavy amount of hair on my face, chest, back and legs. Through primarily laser treatments I have eliminated all the dark hair. Unfortunately, I am now 62 years old have have a bit of grey hair. This has to be removed through electrolysis.
If you live full time as a woman or go out frequently, I suggest doing the laser first. It will eliminate essentially all of your hair. the benefit is that you always have a clean face. Where as electrolysis, you have to let the hair grow a couple of days prior to treatment. Something to check on. After laser treatments have removed all your hair, there will still need to be periodic treatments every so often. Check with your laser professional and see what the charge is for return visits. I deal with two different laser services. One charges a 10% cost of the original cost per session for periodic treatments. The other charges $50.00 flat fee.
If you don't mind me asking, where exactly on your body do you have grey hair, Stephanie?
HRT might eliminate all the body hair on its own. It did for me. At most I might have to shave every few months and even if I didn't you need to get really-really close to see anything at all.
Sapere Aude
Deborah, how long into HRT did you see significant changes to your body hair?
I hope that HRT is doing the same for me.
Quote from: Thessa on March 18, 2016, 06:51:53 AM
Deborah, how long into HRT did you see significant changes to your body hair?
I hope that HRT is doing the same for me.
I think it was after several months that I noticed my body hair been thinning and slowing its growth some. But it was right around the 12 month mark that I noticed that growth had virtually stopped. I last shaved my underarms either in Dec or maybe early Jan and the hair there is still invisible (and I looked really hard this morning). The rest of my body is pretty much the same. Unfortunately, it has not had that effect on my face although growth there is slowed a little. :'(
Quote from: Deborah on March 18, 2016, 09:05:04 AM
I think it was after several months that I noticed my body hair been thinning and slowing its growth some. But it was right around the 12 month mark that I noticed that growth had virtually stopped. I last shaved my underarms either in Dec or maybe early Jan and the hair there is still invisible (and I looked really hard this morning). The rest of my body is pretty much the same. Unfortunately, it has not had that effect on my face although growth there is slowed a little. :'(
Thanks Deborah, so there is hope that the wool is going away. *fingers crossed*
Next Monday, I will have my next laser session to get rid of the few remaining dark facial hairs.
Unfortunately we are all in the same boot regarding that. :(
Lots of estrogen & time, lots of E & no bad T stuff in your body. For me electrolysis for nasty facial hairs was the only way. I had some laser work done in my 20's that helped but you need to kill every folicle. None of becomming an attractive confident woman is cheap for us that were born with the wrong physical gender parts causing out bodies such things as too much hair in the wrong places.....& not enough in othes, ugggggg.
Hello Futuris,
I have grey hair on my face, arms and upper part of my chest. I still have to shave my face and chest.
I must have been meant to be a girl. My body is naturally smooth. Blonde little hairs on lower legs are soft. Could only grow a goatee and facial hair soft too. A close shave every few days all i need. Must have low testosterone by nature. So glad I love being a Gurl! Saves a bundle too.
Quote from: Karen6-10inheels on April 01, 2016, 12:26:34 AM
I must have been meant to be a girl. My body is naturally smooth. Blonde little hairs on lower legs are soft. Could only grow a goatee and facial hair soft too. A close shave every few days all i need. Must have low testosterone by nature. So glad I love being a Gurl! Saves a bundle too.
Lucky you girl friend. OMG after 2 years plus of hrt my body hair is finally going away but facial hairs are so damn stubborn, still killing them. Have fun for the rest of us.
I did electrolysis on my face for three plus years. This was by far the most expensive part of my transition (if you don't count the loss of pay because of the gender gap) I wish laser would have been available back then! My body hair pretty much went away within a couple years after my surgery. It is very seldom that I shave my legs. All of my chest hair went away.
I had a thick dark beard and a five o'clock shadow showed up within a couple hours after shaving.
For some of us there are no cheap options.