I have been trying to get in contact with a local electrolysis place, but they have not returned my calls. Which is good. I decided to email one near my work. Michele emailed me back right away. I decided to get a consultation right after work. She said they had an opening. I end up being 10 minutes late. It took 20 minutes to go 4 miles. Michele was super under standing. Had me fill out paper work and walked me right in the room. Asked me how far I was into my transition amazingly understanding. She had me lay do to examine my face. She told me I was luck to not have a full heavy beard. She then asked if she could do a little test spot to see how my hair reacts. She cleared a quarter sized spot with minimal pain. Turns out she has 30 years experience. She told me it would probably take 20 hours to clear my face. However she also said she has another colleague who is quicker and could have it done in about 20% less time.

The place was clean, nice calming back ground music, right in town on the main road. The only ting is, it is a little on the pricey side. But I almost prefer that because of the atmosphere. Now I just need to figure out what I can afford.

20 hrs is great, but don't plan on that being the end.  It'll probably be more like 80 as a lot if the hair will still regrow.  Still though, 80 hrs is a bargain!

Yeah, she said the initial clear would be about 20 hours. Having limited facial hair almost makes up for my huge feet... almost.

Sounds good. A soothing atmosphere is also going to help with the pain management.

Keep in mind one thing. You need to clear the face at least 6 times before the hair removal is permanent. So you are really looking at 120 hours minimum. Most of us need 200 hours or more before we have permanent hair removal.

I have about 80 hours done and I am just beginning to see areas that do not grow any hair at all. I still have much more to do on my face and neck.

Hi  Guy`s ,

I am so new here it is crazy ,  O__ this is a hair removal question , just want to say hello and that I told my T last night . my first time telling anyone ( yikes = scary ) , but getting back to hair removal.

What is safest and most cost effective laser or electrolysis ? , O__ sorry , for face , I have to get rid of that ugly beard before I go nuts , I have always hated shaving.

Anyway thanks I appreciate being here although since I joined I have had way too much to do  , sorry.

Later

Tappy

Laser is faster, cheaper and you clean shave. Disadvantage is it only works for some skin/hair colors.
Electrolysis works for everything but it's slow, expensive and you need about 3 days of growth when you are treated.

It's not so much which is better but what will work for you.

Hi Dena ,

Sorry , my info may help , strong beard presence reddish gray normally I shave every other day due to skin irritation , have always wanted to get rid of it , but you folks are are the first to know my feelings , aside from my therapist who I just told lat night ,  it was so depressing living ( trying to live ) a lie , I stared becoming so depressed. Sorry I ramble  , but that s about it , just want it gone and what ever way is easiest and most cost effective ( no insurance ).

Thanks , I appreciate your help ,

Tappy

I am not an expert on laser as all my treatment was electrolysis but you may have a problem with a reddish gray beard. Some of the newer lasers may be able to handle the red but I suspect you will still need a fair amount of electrolysis for the rest. Interview the operator carefully to find out what you can and can't expect from their laser.

The advantage of electrolysis is you don't need all the money at once. My treatment was rather expensive by todays standards at $60 and hour (remember a bunch of inflation) but I had two hours a week. You could go with a single hour or more if you can afford it. The cost seems to range between $60 and $120 today. Also if you have a coarse beard, you might be lucky as often that means fewer hairs per square inch than somebody with a fine beard.

It would be best if you start as soon as possible because passing with 3 days of beard growth is rather difficult. The sooner you start, the less you will have to deal with it latter.

Tappy,

Many of us start with several laser treatments just to get as much as laser will get, then go to electrolysis to get the rest of those pesky hair follicles off our face!

Tappy,

As Dani suggested Laser can be a good way to get a first clearance. Most good places will give you a free trial and the modern laser systems are a vast improvement on what was around even a few years back.

My 5 cents worth would be to get a consult for Laser and get a trial, see what it can do. Then clear the rest with electro. Laser is quicker and covers more in a shorter time, it can be very effective. Electro is usually the only way to have the total clearance but is generally more painful and slower.

That said I have only had laser and I am clear and have been for more than 5 years.

One thing that is not appreciated is that hair growth cycles are complex. You cannot just get zapped and zapped. It is a waste of time. The average adult face has about a 6 week hair growth cycle and the pattern of growth is in a 'wave' pattern. It is not appreciated by most technicians but the good ones do know and can use the cycles to clear the growth more effectively.

I'm sort of sad to say that I wrote a paper in 1975 on hair growth cycles and their importance and then gave it all away. I could have made a fortune in retrospect  .

I was lucky, never had lots of facial hair. I did approx. 90 sessions.
I've never heard of the face needs to be cleared at least six times. Then again, I was going to her about every five days.

Hi Friends ,

Thank you all for the kind suggestions and support.

I totally agree that getting the face done should be first on my list .

My plan would be further sessions with my therapist as she is very kind and smart she is not a PhD and as not taken the optional sexuality studies to guide the transgender. I knew that before 9/27 , I had been seeing her for about 2 months and I just could not take my depression and repressed thoughts any longer , so I told myself on the 27th she will know.

I remember when we first met , I asked her , "do you plan to further your studies and get your Phd as well as the optional sexuality studies ?" her reply was thats the plan. I knew right then and there she would become the very fist person to know that I have an extreme dislike of myself  , sorry  this is for another thread.

But yes , plan is further sessions / facial hair removal / HRT / and the see what happens , I might be too old for SRS , but I have never had any major health issues and have never spent even one night in a hospital in almost 65 years !

So if I did , this not only would be my first surgery , but also my first hospital stay.

Anyway  , another busy /crazy day ahead , thank you again for everything , and I am new !! and you make me feel so at home , you guy`s ...

Take care ,

Tappy 

Hi Guy`s ,

I meet with the NP/Office Manager of a lady trans doc near me , and we talked for a bit ( sorry I know another thread please !! LOL ) and she was the 2nd person I told I am transgender. Waiting for a call for possible consultation.

NOW

The reason I am still posting here is because I would appreciate your advice on this price list for electrolysis that is near me.

Rates
15 minutes ... 28.00
30 minutes ... 38.00
45 minutes ... 48.00
60 minutes ... 58.00

Can you please chime in on this . i.e. to high / average and they are transgender friendly and right now , that matters !!

I am a bundle of nerves  , things seem to be happening at light speed , it is weird how I feel , still sad and going through other issues ( I know / another thread please !! OK--- ).

But I have to do this . like I said I can`t live a lie any longer , I have no idea if my therapist will even stay the course , so much is in the air , and so much seems to be where it always should have been. ( another thread please , gotcha ya )

Thanks again for all the help and support , I so appreciate it , my folks have passed , I am all alone , and often scared , but never frightened , does that make any sense at all

Take care

Later ,

Tappy

Those are good prices.

Hi Michele ,

Thanks for your reply , I appreciate it

Tappy

Hi Tappy,

I am paying $75.00/hr for my electrolysis and from what I understand those are good rates here in Oregon.

Laurie

Hi Laurie ,

Thanks for your input , I honestly had no idea , so when I did a Google search of my area , I saw some free consultations , some free 15 minutes , but none said transgender friendly.

One did , and for me , I would rather forgo the free consult or 15 min.`s for someone who will be compassionate to my needs and the journey I plan to take.

As I have mentioned , it will be a long and hard road , I know that ,  but I also know it is a road I must travel if I am to stop the madness , and be who I was always meant to be , even if from within.

Learning that you have to love yourself is not an easy task , I truly hope I learn it soon. I just can`t live a lie anymore.

Take care ,

Tappy

Odds are they will give you a free consult and remove a few hairs so you know what it's like. It's more or less a sales pitch and they know if you receive treatment from them, you are in it for the long haul. The introduction was a standard even when I received treatment.

What they are wary about is a woman who just wants a few hairs removed from their face that can be taken care of in a few minutes.

Hi Dena ,

Thanks , there website did not mention anything for free , just that they were trans friendly and could even do referrals if you needed one , like a doc or therapist  , I guess.

After I see my therapist next week , I might know more.

I appreciate your input , take care and thanks

Later ,

Tappy

IMHO, finding a trans friendly place shouldn't be important. It'd be nice I suppose, but electrologists earn their money with clientele who come back often. I doubt any would turn away a client if they were trans.