Hi ladies my question is about epilators and creams I want to try a epilator for body hair and use kalo hair growth inhibitor as well as try a product called stop grow which is like a depilatory cream only it mimics male pattern baldness i guess by killing the hair follicle over time thinning it out and I was thinking of using the kalo cream as well as the stop grow plus pbf vanish for ingrown hairs.  This is all for pre electrolysis and a cheaper alternative to laser.  So my question is has anyone tried this route and have any tips there are other brands of cream vs atop grow but it is the highest reviewed with endorsements from bodybuilders who apparently like transwomen hate body hair and facial hair too.

Epilators work great for body hair. I was thinking about using Kalo, too, but the hair thinned out so much after the first year that it hardly seems worth it.

For facial hair, I've seen a number of cautions about doing anything to slow growth before electrolysis. I think the argument was that it would just prolong the electrolysis process, and maybe make it harder to kill some hairs which had become finer (not sure why that would be true).

Thanks eve how did you do your face you seem pretty much hair free...

There's a cream called Vaniqa or Eflornithine that's FDA approved, and I think it may require a prescription. The others sounds more like the usual rip off type product - they usually have good marketing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eflornithine

Vaniqa stops working when you stop using it, and its not particularly cheap. You can find a few mentions of transgender people using it if you do some searching.

Check out possible the side effects of Eflornithine, because if thats FDA approved and the others are not and yet still work, you've got to wonder how bad their side effects are going to be.

Went through several epilators over the early years of transition. The very first time I did my legs it was more painful than SRS. After the first time it did not hurt much.

The one thing though is that it ALWAYS took a LOT of time to rip those hairs out.

I ended up years later buying a professional electrolysis machine from a lady who retired in Canada. Again it took a LONG time to zap hairs but at least after they are zapped they DONT come back!

KAtie

Quote from: Katie on March 06, 2015, 10:13:58 PM
Went through several epilators over the early years of transition. The very first time I did my legs it was more painful than SRS.

That's good to hear. I'd hate to think it was the other way around.

Quote from: Katie on March 06, 2015, 10:13:58 PM
Went through several epilators over the early years of transition. The very first time I did my legs it was more painful than SRS. After the first time it did not hurt much.

The one thing though is that it ALWAYS took a LOT of time to rip those hairs out.

I ended up years later buying a professional electrolysis machine from a lady who retired in Canada. Again it took a LONG time to zap hairs but at least after they are zapped they DONT come back!

KAtie

Haha...so true. I've said this before, I'm sure the epilator was used during the Spanish Inquisition.
On a scale of 1-10 - 10 being absolute pain - GRS for me was a 2 and epilator a 7.
Even getting my tattoos and piercings were less painful than the epilator.
Electrolysis is put up there at 7.
A 10 pain for me was being on Oxycodone for 3 months with 2 herniated discs.

I got an epilator a while back. After the first time I shaved my legs and saw how great the skin underneath the hair was I was like "I can't ever go back". But...after epilating over the course of like 2 days and maybe 6 hours or so? I'm really not -that- hairy it's just...stubborn or something. Anyways, the pores where the hair follicles are on my legs were red for weeks afterward. Tons of tiny red dots, and whenever I'd go into a cold area or something, where usually the hairs would stand up I guess? It would feel really odd...a strange tingling. That's finally gone away now but I'm basically covered in small scars where the hairs went in-grown and left some discoloration.
Wheee!

So I guess my point is, careful with the epilator if you've got thick stubborn hairs, or something. Maybe it works better after the hair has chilled out a bit from HRT? I'm actually really bummed out about all the scarring/discoloration. Oh the joys of super sensitive skin and angry, vengeful hairs. It's been an issue with facial shaving my entire life too.

Quote from: ick_to_lauren on March 06, 2015, 09:18:08 PM
Thanks eve how did you do your face you seem pretty much hair free...

Electrolysis mostly. A lot of the hairs are white now, so no other choice really...

I used vaniqa (the official one sold in the US, not Eflora) as I had a prescription for it.

It worked but I found it to be a waste after a while.

I did electrolysis and the regrowth was just coming back over and over.

Then I started laser and a world of difference.

So I'd say save your money and spend it on some laser and electrolysis.

With laser and electro I don't have to be rubbing cream in my face 2x a day for life, wait for it to absorb then apply makeup. Once they're done, they're done and I can just cleanse my face, moisturize and apply makeup.

Laser alone may do it for me as I have thick dark hairs. But they have to use the Nd:YAG due to my darker skin.

Yea I have been getting lazer on my face as it is my biggest concern (have noticed HRT is already thinning out my body hair). But now I pretty much have 0 dark hairs on my face, only white hairs. Thinking of getting electrolysis done next cause the hair is still course and it really gets me down.

In your case electrolysis is your best option