Well, i finally had my first electrolysis session today. Below are my journal notes about it. By the way, my electrologist's name is Alicia.

For my electrolysis appointment, i wore my girl clothes, although without a bra, wig, or makeup. I just feel more comfortable this way. However, since my capris don't have a pocket for my wallet, i brought a small women's wallet with me. An hour before my appointment, i generously applied lidocaine and put plastic wrap over it. Just before i left, i applied another layer.

My one-hour electrolysis session went fairly fast, and i'm glad i'd taken both Advil and applied the Lidocaine before hand. There was a fair amount of stinging during the session, but nothing unbearable. However, i did bring along some meditation music to listen to during the session, which helped to keep me calm. Next time, i'll bring my lidocaine with me so i can apply it to the left portion of my face before the session. Since Alicia works one side at a time, this will ensure the left side of my face is sufficiently numb when she gets to that side next time.

While Alicia initially told me that it would take about six hours to do an initial clearing of my face, one Susan's Place poster said that hers took about 18 hours. After my session was over, it didn't look like a sixth of my face was complete, so i'm more inclined to believe my first clearing will take closer to 18 hours than six. I'm not sure if i can handle two-hour sessions, but i may want to schedule two sessions a week. My next session is scheduled for Monday morning.

When i returned home, i shaved and applied Zinc Oxide, in the form of baby rash lotion, which is supposed to help with the healing. After shaving, i did notice a variety of red rashes on my face, which is normal. With the zinc oxide applied though, my face is completely white so i'll need to wipe this off after a few hours.

Laura

Hi, Laura!  Sounds like you are doing all the right things so far.

6 hours to clear the face would be remarkable.  The Electrolysis 3000 folks seem to think two full days or more with injected anesthesia and two electrolysts working at the same time is needed.  I've got 23 hours in so far, and my chin up to the lower lip and about an inch past the corners of the mouth are clear.  Each visit includes a pass over the upper lip, not to completely clear but to thin it a little each time without having to pry me from the ceiling. My electrolyst re-clears the previously cleared area each time and extends the cleared area a bit.

Yesterday we re-cleared everything in a two hour session and worked a bit farther up the cheeks.  On Monday's appointment we will spend two hours breaking new ground again.

The goal is to clear the areas where even shaved facial hair (the shadow) would be most visible first, to help me out a bit, then move on to expanding the cleared area.

So, right now I can never grow a goatee or soul patch again, and a mustache would look pretty scraggly.  I could grow mutton chops and a great neckbeard.

Well, this is about as depressing as i thought. I certain six hours will just put a dent in things. While a one-hour session was a good start, at least to figure out if i was cut out for this, i'd like to try some two-hour sessions, but i'll have to go heavy on the lidocaine beforehand. i'm also temped to try one-hour sessions on consecutive days. Today, Alicia didn't start my upper lip, which is probably a good think given your comments, as well as comments i've read from others. Let's see, 23 hours times $70 plus tip equals (egad). it's a long road.

Laura

I'm sorry, Laura. I didn't mean to be depressing.  It's just that I felt that your electrolyst or somebody had given you what sounded like unreasonable expectations.   Now, if you had a very sparse beard, or were in your teens and on an androgen blocker the low number of hours might make sense. For most of us, we're looking at many, many hours in the chair.

That's why laser is so very popular with those it will work on, and electrolysis is seen as a way to 'clean up' the leftovers.  It can be a huge timesaver for some folks.  For a graybeard like me, not so much.

I do two hours at a time because I really, really hate having a beard and having to shave.  My hand shakes when I have to lean into the mirror and lift that razor, but the blade is the only thing that cuts close enough for me to avoid the hairy face discomfort for the rest of the day.  Needing 3 days growth before electrolysis means I can't be out in public as myself for a couple days before, which I don't like.  Given the 'confinement' I go through in growing a crop for treatment, I want to have as much harvested as possible in a session.  That's why I do two hours.  I am using pain killers, of course, and like you I listen to music during the session, concentrating on the performance and trying to visualize it.  If I don't I find myself concentrating on the electrolysis anticipating each poke and zap, which makes it worse.

I present as myself for each session.  Jodie doesn't mind at all.  Heck, she gives me great suggestions.  I find that being myself before and during the session helps relax me a little.  She is a very kind and gentle electrolyst, and helps keep me distracted through the process, which I very much appreciate.

This is just something just we have to do if we want the hair and beard shadow gone.  With each zap I get a little closer to my goal.

I have about a dozen hours or so in on my face so far, pretty much the same regimen that Michelle describes, with a focus on removing grey hairs first, and keeping the thinning even over most of my face.  I'm going to pause now, and get ready for my first three days in Dallas at E3K in October.  I should have a pretty good idea of the difference between methods then, although I also ought to be a month into HRT for that trip if things continue according to plan.  Stay strong. 

L

Quote from: lauraelliott1951 on September 09, 2016, 09:39:31 PM
Well, this is about as depressing as i thought. I certain six hours will just put a dent in things. While a one-hour session was a good start, at least to figure out if i was cut out for this, i'd like to try some two-hour sessions, but i'll have to go heavy on the lidocaine beforehand. i'm also temped to try one-hour sessions on consecutive days. Today, Alicia didn't start my upper lip, which is probably a good think given your comments, as well as comments i've read from others. Let's see, 23 hours times $70 plus tip equals (egad). it's a long road.

Laura

Well done in getting through an hour, I barely make any longer than 30 minutes. I just can't seem to get that pain under control...I think much of my issue is psychological...however I am having a full clearance of my lip and chin on the 22nd of the month. I am also getting 4 dental injections to be able to do this. My Session starts at 9 45 and will go for as long as I can tolerate it. With these injections I have had 1 hour 15 minute session along with 2 x 30 minute sessions So I should be able to finish  off that part of my face on the 22nd. I Hope so. I also have a really strong topical cream I use which is really effective and needs to go on for an hour before hand...I am now just really starting to make some progress after a very difficult start with Electrolysis, Hopefully as HRT begins toi really get going I will see a difference in the quality of the hair...at the moment they are still pulling out the original greys

Well done and I hope it keeps working out for you.

Hugs
Liz

I apply a liberal coating of 5% Lidocaine to the part of my face that my electrologist will work on first 1-1/2 hours before I arrive at her salon.  I cover it with two layers of Saran Wrap to keep it from evaporating.  It's very effective in numbing sensitive areas to the point of reducing pain to the 2/10 level even near my nose where I'm most sensitive.  My electro sessions last as long as needed to clear my whole face and neck.  5 to 6 hours is typical.  I've noticed that my tolerance for pain has increased dramatically over the past 22 months since starting electrolysis.  I have logged 225 hours of electrolysis so far and am 95% hair free on face and neck.

Just to chime in, this is a long-term expensive proposition.  I had 300+ hours of blend electrolysis over a two-year period back in the day.  At $60/hr (a deal today), that was 18 grand alone.  Which got me to about 90% clear, at which point I started plucking (not the best decision I've made). 

So, why does it take so long?

Several reasons.  First, hairs are tricky to kill.  The probe only goes in on one side, and your operator wants to kill it with the lowest energy possible so as to preserve the integrity of your skin.  Many will be reduced, only to come back later.  Second, your body is constantly triggering new hair growth, because of androgen hormones.  Third, not all hairs are "active" but actually lying dormant under your skin, waiting to reemerge months and months later.  What's actually on the surface right now is only a fraction of the whole schlemial.  There are hundreds of thousands of the suckers by the time you're in your late 20s. 

Material reality sucks.

Six hours? That's wayyyy optimistic.

I've had a 12 laser sessions over a period of a year and then have had 22 hours of electro. The laser cleared me for awhile but a bunch of white/gray hairs eventually popped back up. After 22 hours of electro it's is definitely getting less worse but i clearly have a lot more hours to go *sigh*......

Wow electro is cheap for you. Here it's $135 per hour

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I had my ninth session yesterday and i really can't see the progress. I swear that i think waterboarding would be preferable to electrolysis. Yes, i found the 5% Lidocaine solution at Kaiser's pharmacy. No prescription is needed, which is too bad because then insurance would cover it, but at $20 a bottle, it's about three times more expensive than the 4% solution i buy from Walmart. I apply the 5% to my lip and chin and the 4% to the rest of my face starting 90 minutes before my session. Yes, i also wrap my face with plastic wrap. Just before i leave for the session, i reapply lidocaine and rewrap my face for the drive. Yes, it's freakish but if it helps keep the numbing going, it's a small price.

Still, i've had to reduce my sessions to 45minutes. Around that point, the pain becomes too great to continue. I"m currently attending two sessions each week, but the prospect of continuing this for one to two years, and of completing 200+ hours, as many here have needed, is crazy. Sadly, electrolysis seems to be as expensive as FFS.

Laura

Quote from: lauraelliott1951 on October 14, 2016, 10:39:01 PM
I had my ninth session yesterday and i really can't see the progress. I swear that i think waterboarding would be preferable to electrolysis. Yes, i found the 5% Lidocaine solution at Kaiser's pharmacy. No prescription is needed, which is too bad because then insurance would cover it, but at $20 a bottle, it's about three times more expensive than the 4% solution i buy from Walmart. I apply the 5% to my lip and chin and the 4% to the rest of my face starting 90 minutes before my session. Yes, i also wrap my face with plastic wrap. Just before i leave for the session, i reapply lidocaine and rewrap my face for the drive. Yes, it's freakish but if it helps keep the numbing going, it's a small price.

Still, i've had to reduce my sessions to 45minutes. Around that point, the pain becomes too great to continue. I"m currently attending two sessions each week, but the prospect of continuing this for one to two years, and of completing 200+ hours, as many here have needed, is crazy. Sadly, electrolysis seems to be as expensive as FFS.

Laura

Hi Lauraelliot

It can be really daunting and I have researched all types of ways to gain some pain relief. I have hypersensitivity caused by other medications so I understand how you feel about the pain. I have a specially compounded ointment that is over 20% Lidocaine along with a few other nice topical anaesthetics. This works ok for me and the best I can manage is about a 1/2 hour session if I am using it. I would think that someone without my issues would find this compound excellent, I don't know because no one else I know uses it. 100 grams cost me $110 where something like Emla 5% lidocaine cost me about $70 for 30grams. So the one I have compounded is far cheaper.

I have resorted to dental injections and facial lidocaine injections. It is the only way I am going to get through this first major clearance. I would think that once I am dealing with new growth the currents will be reduced a bit and I will hopefully be able to tolerate things betters.

PM me if you want more details about the compounded ointment.

Regards

Liz

As I understand it, if they happen to do the hair that's in it's growth phase and kill the root that hair will not grow back.

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Ive had two sessions so far. The first was a 4hr session, the second was a 6 hour session. All of the focus as been on my upper lip, and whilst ive had two clearings of the upper lip so far, ive still got a decent amount of regrowth. Luckily the place that I go to, can do dental injections to the facial nerve that supplies the upper lip, and there is also nitrous oxide (laughing gas) for pain relief.

I'm still finding it hard even though I have access to some of the best pain relief methods available for electrolysis. So after 10 hours I feel that very little progress has been made, but in reality I've really come a decent way since before.

I did have 10 laser sessions prior to starting electrolysis, and whilst it has "thinned out" the herd of hairs, I've ended up with a fair bit of regrowth from the laser.

Keep at it. Pain is temporary and the results are worth it.