Just had my first electrolysis session with affordable permanent electrolysis in NYC. I was preparing for the worst in terms of pain but it really wasn't bad! The worst part of it was hearing the crackling but the pain itself? Not much different from shaving. There's not much redness now either probably masked by my dark skin.

Shelly is an absolute doll. I want to cry, I don't think I've seen myself behind this nasty beard in like forever.

It's always good when it doesn't hurt. I find 10% of zapped hairs don't hurt at all, 30% are moderately painful, 50% are definitely painful, 10% are excruciating! Did she work on your upper lip, if not, reserve your judgement until then!

Quote from: Ms Grace on October 30, 2014, 11:29:36 AM
It's always good when it doesn't hurt. I find 10% of zapped hairs don't hurt at all, 30% are moderately painful, 50% are definitely painful, 10% are excruciating! Did she work on your upper lip, if not, reserve your judgement until then!

No she didn't work on that, but she said that would be murder... next session, that is what we're working on. I'm thinking of taking a painkiller preemptively.

Unless it's morphine I don't think that will make much difference. Emla cream, applied directly to the area an hour beforehand helps numb the area a bit.

Congrats on your first session. Upper lip really does hurt. And like Grace said  emla cream is a must on the upper lip. I would also take half a pain pill before I walk in. Started with the upper lip. The center under the nose is awful. But so so worth any pain. Everything else is moderate pain but easily bearable. I just got done another hour last night on the upper lip. Can't wait to be done.

I found pain pills do nothing for sharp, acute pain, EMLA barely put a dent in it, and Benzo/Lido/Tetracaine barely warranted the expense.

My advice is to work on the upper lip just a little bit at a time.  This means you can shave most of it beforehand.

I also found multi-probe was WAY less painful than single probe.

A couple of tips I recommend for electrolysis:

• Stay hydrated since moisture in the skin helps make electrolysis more effective.
• Stay away from caffeine 12 - 24 hours prior to a electrolysis session (a lot of caffeine can cause more than normal bleeding during electrolysis)
• Get plenty of sleep (if your tired, your more irritable and pain feels worse)
• Taking 2 Advil 30 min prior does help take some of the edge off
• Google "bioevolve numbing cream" for a numbing cream that I think works better than Emla (the 3rd link is where I get it from) and doesn't require a prescription

After a year of electrolysis and laser, you pick up a few things here and there. Fortunately I don't have a whole lot left. Very soon it will be just maintenance sessions and touchups.

Thanks for the advice Sydney! (and nice meeting you!)

Actually Shelly did a bit of the upper lip but didn't clear the whole thing because it would be too much heat wise, plus we didn't have time. But she did the settings in such a way as to work near my pain threshold so it was effective but not as painful.

The pain was more than the cheeks and jaw line but it wasn't that bad. However due to proximity to the nose it made me feel like sneezing. I didn't take any painkillers or anything. I did drink a lot of water though. But yes the pain was there and I did have tears but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting.

Quote from: Jill F on October 30, 2014, 02:30:30 PM
My advice is to work on the upper lip just a little bit at a time.  This means you can shave most of it beforehand.

This is what the electrologist did. She did a "swiss cheese" sort of thing where she did small patches. She said we'll work off a little at a time each session.

The way she did it though, I have to let the stubble grow.

Quote
I also found multi-probe was WAY less painful than single probe.

This electrologist doesn't have multiprobe, IIRC, but she is pretty skilled with the single probe.

Quote from: ImagineKate on November 06, 2014, 11:47:58 AM
Thanks for the advice Sydney! (and nice meeting you!)

Actually Shelly did a bit of the upper lip but didn't clear the whole thing because it would be too much heat wise, plus we didn't have time. But she did the settings in such a way as to work near my pain threshold so it was effective but not as painful.

The pain was more than the cheeks and jaw line but it wasn't that bad. However due to proximity to the nose it made me feel like sneezing. I didn't take any painkillers or anything. I did drink a lot of water though. But yes the pain was there and I did have tears but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting.

Your welcome and it was nice meeting you today as well.

Today she (the electrologists) was able to clear everything around my lip (upper and lower) that laser had left (a few hairs not quite dark enough for laser) that had been driving me crazy the last few weeks as they took forever to come out where she could get to them. Even with some pain killers (I only used the "bioevolve numbing cream" today) the pain wasn't bad, but I did tear up. Now it feels so nice and got rid of the extremely small trace of a shadow I had. (I have seen cis-women with more shadow.)

I'm glad the advice worked well for you.