I have heard on the 'nets that prior to vaginoplasty one should have completed their electrolysis ''down there''... I wonder if it's a must or optional? Or maybe something else? I'm not afraid of electrolysis but... having to do it on my privies would easily be the most embarrassing and dysphoric time of my life... :( :-X
My electrocutioner brought this subject up to me last week. She emphasized to have it completed prior to surgery, and that hair in your hoo hoo is a no no!
It depends on your surgeon and the type of vaginoplasty. I went to Suporn who didn't require it, but I've hear of many others requiring it.
I'm sure others on here can provide more specific info
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I'll most likely going for the vaginoplasty with cavity, with Dr Brassard since It'll be covered by insurances. Don't have much mobility either Montreal being the closest... I've only got my bicycle and a good pair of legs!
As others said, it depends on your surgeon. Some require it and if they do, the time spent also varies. Some require 6 months, some one year. Some state it is optional but recommended, and some others prefer not to have any hair removed.
You best ask your surgeon. It was one of the deciding factors when I picked my surgeon (optional and recommended) since I could only get about 4 months done before my planned date.
~Sarah
Quote from: alyssalove2790 on March 07, 2019, 09:13:25 AM
I have heard on the 'nets that prior to vaginoplasty one should have completed their electrolysis ''down there''... I wonder if it's a must or optional? Or maybe something else? I'm not afraid of electrolysis but... having to do it on my privies would easily be the most embarrassing and dysphoric time of my life... :( :-X
Yeah, I echo those below - it changes from surgeon to surgeon and technique to technique. My surgeon didn't require it and said it was optional but I thought I'd just do a bit. 3 jolts later I gave up. The worst pain I have ever felt!
When the hair isn't zapped off the doctors scrape the follicles off the skin so it still does not have hair. At least last I checked.
Dr. Brassard does a follicle scrape, so he does not require prior hair removal down there. However, many people would rather be sure, in case the scrape misses some hairs. Once they are on the inside of your vagina, they are virtually impossible to remove.
I am going to get the zero-depth procedure, so I won't have an inside to worry about. I am not planning to have the area zapped.
Okay here is a comment slightly off topic.
My electrocutioner has mentioned that some women find themselves with a small window of time before surgery and have to expedite "down below" sessions. She recommends starting two years prior.
Surgery is something I want, but may not be in the cards for me. Though I am one raised by the "Be Prepared" rule and I am considering starting now, so I'll be ready when and if that day comes.
Any thoughts?
From what i have read about that. There are a couple of surgeons that do require it but there are some that don't and i think it also depends on what kind of surgery you have done. Just wanted to say what i have found. Thanks all. Susan L
As far as I can tell surgeons don't require it because it's your problem and not theirs. The problem only occurs in a minority of cases and there's been a paper some years ago that appears to show that electrolysis makes no difference. There's another more recent paper that says laser works better. Personally I find it hard to accept either one.
If you do electrolysis then bear in mind the hair growth cycle is around a year, so you need at least that long, assuming you don't miss any.
Suporn might be the one exception as his technique is so different, but I'm not entirely sure. There's not enough info around. There are a number of his patients with hair at the entrance where it's easy to remove.
My Surgeon recommended Laser and or Electrolysis and said he would do a follicle scrape on the skin he used. I did have about 8 laser session and about 4 hrs of electrocution and 3 months post op I have no idea if I am hairy or not. I would follow the recommendations from your surgeon...they will suggest but not insist.
LizK
I was a little indecisive about it until it was too late.
After fully healing up post surgery, I had a gyno take a look for it inside. There was no hair, except for a little at the very entrance. Guys don't care, and neither do I really. I would not recommend it for others, but for myself I just nair it off every 3-4 months.. being super careful that it does not go 'inside'..
Kaiser Permente Does require it. If you schedule your bottom surgery you will have to do regular checkups with the surgeon so they can visually check your hair removal progress. If they feel you will not be complete with hair removal by surgery date they will push the surgery date out farther until they are satisfied with your hair removal
I just had a talk with my LGBT community representative, Dr Brassard does not require electrolysis prior to vaginoplasty but recommends staying off epilation a year before surgery so all hair follicles are visible during the scrape/cauterization of the skin graft.
That means I won't have to show my undesirable bits to anyone! ;)
My surgeon will do GCS either way. She does follicle scraping and she highly recommends getting 6 sessions of electrolysis 5 weeks apart and ending 6 months before GCS.
I followed her direction and I have no hair inside. If you have just one hair inside it will allow bacterial to grow and produce a fish small. A strong fish small and it will come back after cleaning inside after 6 hours.
My surgeon did not require it (Bowers), I did prepare the area many months in advance of the procedure while waiting (18 months of plucking). Now almost 3 years post op, no issues, so nice...
C -
Quote from: CynthiaAnn on March 14, 2019, 05:52:15 PM
My surgeon did not require it (Bowers), I did prepare the area many months in advance of the procedure while waiting (18 months of plucking). Now almost 3 years post op, no issues, so nice...
C -
@CynthiaAnn Well, either way, plucking or electrolyisis .... tears come to my eyes!!!!! ouchi!!!
Quote from: Alaskan Danielle on March 14, 2019, 05:54:19 PM
@CynthiaAnn
Well, either way, plucking or electrolyisis .... tears come to my eyes!!!!! ouchi!!!
It was not that bad to pluck those areas, and glad I spent the effort, I was freakin' over the thought of having the hot needle down there, like wowsers.....It was a legitimate concern at one time
Hugs Danielle
C -
I'm extremely nervous how I'd react to electrocution (LOVE that term! It's a new one on me. :D ) down there. I have a hard enough time showing that area as it is now to doctors and even my husband of many years (we've been together for 13 years) has only seen "it" a few times.
The surgeon that I just found out about that is local to me apparently does now recommend it, though he didn't at first.
Barring him, I would love to reschedule with Dr. Suporn, but I'm afraid that 14+ years post orchie I'm a little...lacking in material.
I've plucked and epilated just about every part of my body over the years. I'm not worried about the pain as there are topical cremes that do help (many hours of laser and electro on my face have proven that). I almost never even felt laser, but there were times during electro that I needed the occasional break. Because of reasons I could not prep for electro the way I did with laser. I had to apply that creme to my face mere minutes before getting stuck.
I would love to skip hair removal there if at all possible.
I plan to get lased down there, no matter if anything is required or not. They clean shaved me for my orchi, and now the hair is slowly growing back and starts to drive me nuts!
The laser will get me, as soon as it is safe to do it (for the surgical wound)!
Quote from: Tribble on March 19, 2019, 07:00:49 PM
Barring him, I would love to reschedule with Dr. Suporn, but I'm afraid that 14+ years post orchie I'm a little...lacking in material.
Perhaps you can stretch it?
Quote from: AnonyMs on March 20, 2019, 05:18:48 AM
Perhaps you can stretch it?
More than a little tugging can be painful, but you may be right. :)
I had surgery with Dr. McGinn a month ago, and went through 8 hour-long electrolysis sessions over a 3 month period before surgery (stopping 1 month before the operating date).
Dr. McGinn emphasized that, while she will scrape follicles of remaining hair in the surgical area, scraping is still only effective for hair that's in a growth cycle. However- she reassured that it's very typical for trans women to have *some* hair growing inside the vagina post op, and if coupled at least a few sessions of electrolysis, there very likely won't be enough hair to be noticed, or cause discomfort.
Anecdotally- the electrolysis isn't that bad! It was more painful on the face, tbh.