Speed of Electrolysis and total time

[930310]

Hi, I've been getting electrolysis for my facial hair seven times total now. The treatment time is 45min every week and during that time my electrologist(?) is able to do about 250 hairs. After that my skin can't take it anymore and I start swelling and get really red in my face. I lie completely still during treatment. I've heard that the averae male face has about 30 000 hairs, and if you need three times for each hair that's 90 000 times total. If she can take 250 hairs every session then that means it will take 90 000/250= 360 times total and that means about 270 hours. It costs about $80 each time so that'll be 80*360=$28 800.
I've just turned 21 and I started electrolysis because my hair was too light for laser.
There aren't more electrologists in my area(Helsingborg, Sweden) so I'm stuck with her for now.

So my question is: Is this a good estimation for the time it'll take?
270 hours, seven years(!!!!) and $28 800?

[VickyMI]

YMMV but yes you are in the ball park
Me.
80% grey hairs
265 hours 28 months into it.  I average about 10 hours a month.
50 bucks an hour
I probably have another 100 hours to go.
I also did laser during this time frame which helped.

This is why they say you should start hair treatment first. Even if you are not sure you will go full time.

Right now I can go three days without shaving above my jaw line. And still go out at Vicky.

[FrancisAnn]

It's tough, no question. However it does work. My electrolysis took small areas to clean up so you could see the difference & not get over done with it all.   Good luck.

[Zumbagirl]

When I did my face I stuck with blend. It took about 10 seconds per hair. So obviously the treatment goes much more slowly. To make up for it I did it in 4 hour marathon sessions. I wasn't fun, but all in all it took about the same probably around 300 hours and I did not have a very hairy face to start with.

What my electrologist did was to get to an initial clearing. Eventually I was shaving less and less until I reached the day where a weekly electrolysis became the weekly shaving. I was living full time right around the time of my initial clearing. It was a nice feeling when the day came and I realized that I was not shaving anymore.

[eh-lyssa]

The speed of electrolysis (hairs killed per hour) will vary greatly depending on the type of electrolysis (blend, electrolysis, thermolysis). The first place I went to had blend and took around 10 seconds per hair and between 250-300 hairs per hour. The second place I went to used flash thermolysis and did one hair every 2-3 seconds. Also they cleared my entire face in one day with 2 technicians at once for 5 hours. They also use lidocaine injections to numb the area before they zap it. The second place is called E3000 in Carrollton TX. Their clients are more than 95% MTF and mostly out of state/country.

Thanks,

Alyssa

[930310]

So I should try to do more than 45min at the time? The problem I have is that my skin gets awfully red and swollen during the treatment. So I don't really know how I could do more than I already do.

[Cindi Lane]

Hi, I've been getting electrolysis for my facial hair seven times total now. The treatment time is 45min every week and during that time my electrologist(?) is able to do about 250 hairs. After that my skin can't take it anymore and I start swelling and get really red in my face. I lie completely still during treatment. I've heard that the averae male face has about 30 000 hairs, and if you need three times for each hair that's 90 000 times total. If she can take 250 hairs every session then that means it will take 90 000/250= 360 times total and that means about 270 hours. It costs about $80 each time so that'll be 80*360=$28 800.
I've just turned 21 and I started electrolysis because my hair was too light for laser.
There aren't more electrologists in my area(Helsingborg, Sweden) so I'm stuck with her for now.

So my question is: Is this a good estimation for the time it'll take?
270 hours, seven years(!!!!) and $28 800?

So I should try to do more than 45min at the time? The problem I have is that my skin gets awfully red and swollen during the treatment. So I don't really know how I could do more than I already do.

Hi,
Finding a high quality electrologist can be difficult even when you have more than one choice. I may be worth traveling to find an alternate.

Yes, more hours per week will really help. The key is to treat the hairs when they are in the active growing stage for most effectiveness. Achieving the first full clearing and then treat each new hair is when you are in the home stretch.

This is what I do to help my handle my current 2 hour sessions:

Preparation:
- I drink plenty of water every day and some extra the day before and morning of the treatment
    Electrolysis is more effective when the tissue around the follicle is fully hydrated
- I get plenty of sleep during the week before each treatment
- I try to calm my mind and let go of life stresses starting the evening before treatment
- I take acetaminophen (a pain reliever that does not thin the blood) 1.5 hours before treatment
- I take diphenhydramine (an antihistamine) 1.5 hours before treatment to reduce my skin's reaction during treatment.

During treatment:
- I find ways to concentrate on something besides the pain of the treatment
  I listen to music that pulls me in that does not drive up my pulse rate
  while I have worked mental puzzles
  or while I have worked on inventing mechanical devices related to one of my hobbies
  or while I have relived a pleasant walk in the woods
  etc

I found that if I was stressed out about something before treatment or suffering from lack of sleep, it hurt 10x as much.

Some folks can calm their mind with meditation and disconnect from sensation with meditation or mindfulness training.


In terms of speed (hairs per hour) and effectiveness (number of treatments per hair) it depends on the skill of the electrologist, the equipment and the treatment type (as Alyssa's post notes).

A highly skilled electrologist using Blend should have very good effectiveness, but blend is time consuming.

A highly skilled electrologist using high end equipment and the newer flash thermolysis (E.G. picoflash)  should have very good effectiveness at 600 to 1000 hairs an hour.


-Cindi

[930310]

Thanks for your information Cindi.
The problem for me is that there are very few electrologists around in my area and since I don't have a drivers license it's extremely time-consuming to go by train. I have counted the time it takes for the "burn" each time and it doesn't take more than 2-3 seconds for her to do each hair. The thing that takes an awful lot of time for her are finding the roots of the hairs since many, if not all, of them are very light and hard to find the bottom of.
The area she's been working on is my throat and below my chin. I did actually count every single one of her stings and during the first 35 minutes she worked on said part and got 159. The last 10 minutes she moved up to my right cheek and got 95. So it may depend on how thick my hair is too.

[FrancisAnn]

Whatever you do try not to delay. Get them all gone if you can.

I've had so many laser & electrolysis treatments & some are removed however not enough to live full time as a normal person, a woman.  I hate those stubborn hairs. It only gets worse with age & time & more wrong T stuff.

Good luck.

[930310]

Whatever you do try not to delay. Get them all gone if you can.

I've had so many laser & electrolysis treatments & some are removed however not enough to live full time as a normal person, a woman.  I hate those stubborn hairs. It only gets worse with age & time & more wrong T stuff.

Good luck.

I don't understand? I am doing electrolysis every week and I'm trying to kill them all permanently.
I've also bought a "Deluxe Home Electrolysis"-kit that hopefully can speed things up a little bit.

Thanks for the motivation!

[FrancisAnn]

Just keep at it while you are young. Electrolysis is the only way to really kill each hair.

Good luck.

Fyi, I had laser work in my late teens & early 20's. It helped some but not enough. I wish I had found a way to stop all the wrong T hormones long long ago.

[930310]

Just keep at it while you are young. Electrolysis is the only way to really kill each hair.

Good luck.

Fyi, I had laser work in my late teens & early 20's. It helped some but not enough. I wish I had found a way to stop all the wrong T hormones long long ago.

I sure will!