Hello,
I write for the first time, but I have been reading this forum for a long time and it has really given me lots of new information about hair removal methods and also let me know that I am not the only one in the world struggling with excess hair issue
I started electrolysis 7 months back. I didn`t have many choices between practitioners since electrolysis is not common at all where I come from. I moved and had to change my practitioner some time ago and now I have received 3 sessions in Northern Germany. Since my city isn`t a very big one I don`t get to select between many different practitioners here also.
I have seen results though and now I have to go in after 2-3 weeks for 15-30 minutes although I was a plucker with coarse dark hair on my chin before. I also have some skin damage from all this, my skin is very prone to change color as a reaction of to any kind of irritation, but nothing that won`t fade in some months I believe.
My question is: I had a session today and I really think I felt too much plucking and very little sensation during the treatment. I don`t really know the settings but something showed 15 on the machine. When I asked the lady who was working on me she said it is normal and she can`t turn the setting higher because that would damage the skin too much. But I really think I felt almost every hair being plucked this time (which wasn`t the case last time or before that) and I feel I would rather not pay them tons of money for nothing. Sometimes I feel she doesn`t really know what she is talking about.
So here`s the question: is she right and it still works even though the hair was not killed totally? Maybe the hair will grow back but weaker? Or am I just waisting my money .
It`s thermolysis treatments, but I don`t know the name of the machine.
Thanks a lot in advance. I love this forum Electrolysis is quite hard journey for me but if it will finally leave me hair-free.. it will be worth it.
ps. sorry for bad english.

I don't know Germany but there is an electrolysis school in Germany managed by Iris Gminsky, electrologist and Certified Professional Electrologist (CPE). She also belongs to AEA. It may be she has trained somebody who works not very far from you.

Sometimes it's when a client mentions lack of sensation that I discover that my needle cord needs to be replaced. (or when I notice that the hairs are not coming out correctly)

The numbers (epilator settings) that consumers give us on a message board mean nothing to us, unless we know the brand/model of epilator and we know ALL the settings. So 15 could be high or low or somewhere in between.

I would have the same concerns that you have. It's okay to be a broken record about your concerns if they continue. State that the hairs are feeling plucked and that you understand that they should not be feeling plucked.

If you do not get satisfaction, I hope there is someone else in your new location to try.

I have been told that sometimes you may feel a slight tweeze because the bulb of the hair is larger than the opening it's being pulled out through. Makes sense. But it's a different feeling than an all-out tweeze.

If you are being plucked, those hairs are not being permanently removed. It's a waste of money. I would find someone else if you are sure that is what they are doing.

There is one situation where this would be different.

Some electrolysis practitioners will pluck any hairs in shedding phase, so as to save time while giving the look of being finished.

In this case, one would treat a growing hair, and remove the treated hair (which you most likely won't feel) and pluck 2 or 3 shedding hairs nearby.

On a related note, what does it mean, if anything, if the bulb and root sheath fall off of the hair as they are sliding out of the follicle? (the bulb is visible in the opening of the follicle where it breaks off)

If you are talking about where the sheath turns solid and comes inside out like a sock when you take it off, and the hair shaft comes out without a plucking sensation, but the shaft is left on the surface of the skin, the hair has been treated on the razor's edge of just enough and just under perfect treatment. In most cases, the hair is gone and gone for good, as the lower portion is what we care most about. If the hair needs treating again in the future, it will be on a vastly thinner and weaker hair months from the treatment in question.

Thanks everybody for your answers.
My electrologist treats me first and plucks all the hair after she has finished. I find it weird because I think that way she can`t really be sure the intensity is enough. In previous treatments I have felt some hairs plucked but mostly sliding out, but the last time I really felt most or all the hairs being plucked. This time I also felt considerably less sensation than last times. Yet I think the intensity was the same as before. Maybe the reason could be what Barbara said.
I get treatments from another lady, not the one who owns the place and who game me a consultation. Last time when I told my electrologist my concern she invited the owner of the place, who then told me that everything was okay and basically I don`t know what I am saying. So I feel I have communication problems with this place, I don`t want to risk paying for useless treatments and I try to get an appointment in a bigger city from a certified professional next time.

Strange strategy to treat all the hair first and then lift it out later. Yes, how does she know that the intensity and timing is correct? It would be such a waste to start lifting a few hairs only to feel traction, then have to go back and do more zapping. I hope they are not purposly fleecing you.

This is a technique that I'm not familiar with.

Well, there is a guy (who visits here occasionally) who had a technique like that - only I think he had the clients tweeze the hairs at home! Saved time, I guess.

It is an acceptable technique to treat multiple hairs, then remove them. If they do not slide out, then they get treated again.