I don’t know much about electrolysis. I’ve been reading about laser for a while but the “not necessarily permanent” thing bothers me.
I’m a very hairy brunette, and my facial hair is really bugging me. I don’t really have an upper lip problem, but I do have sideburns and lots of hairs on my cheeks. Actually, it really looks like a beard pattern, although I don’t have any hairs on my chin. I’m now very self-conscious and before I become a hermit, I think it’s time to do something about it. I haven’t done anything about it so far, no wax, no nothing.
I was thinking of trying electrolysis:
-Is it really permanent?
-If so, how many treatments does it take for all the hairs to be cleared?
-Can the electrologist zap all the hairs during one appointment, or am I stuck with “half a beard” (!) until my next appointment?
-How do I choose a good electrologist? I’m in Montreal, Canada.
Electrolysis is really permanent. If it wasn’t,it would not still be around after 130 years and counting.
Questions in regard to how many sessions or how much will it cost depend on how much hair you have, the reason why you have that hair growing in the wrong place, the texture of your hair, what you are doing to disguise that hair now, medications you are taking, heredity, hormones, electrologist skill and proper timing so that offeneding hair is treated when it is in the growing phase as oppossed to the shedding phase.
If you find a modern, skilled electrologist that uses thermolysis, specifically microflash or picoflash types, with a quality computerized epilator, good magnification glasses and lighting, most likely you can walk out of the office with the offending hair treated in one session. You have to give her enough time to do this though. You need to get a free consult so the electrologist can look at you and see how much hair you have. If you have a lot, you may want to break it down into weekly sessions until you get that precious first, full clearance. She may be able to remove only the thicker hairs first on bith sides so you don’t look lop-sided. Then, you go for the medium and finer, longer hairs in the next session. It’s up to the electrologist to advise you on your particular situation.
Get several consults. Get 15 minute sample treatments so you can judge sensation and healing factors. Make sure the office looks hygenic. Make sure the electrologist looks hygenic and that she washes her hands and wears gloves. Read hairtell. Do a search for electrologists in Montreal on hairtell. Take notes and then you will know more about choosing someone with good credentials and decent speed. I could go on, but then I would be writing a book and some people have already told me that they don’t like to muddle through my long posts. Feel free to ask questions if you can’t find them by using the search feature at the above right side.
When you say you can’t really tell how many sessions it would take, I guess I’m just wondering if it’s a question of months, years or decades (yikes, I hope not!).
Oh, no Coralie, not decades! However, if you choose someone who is really off their rocker and you personally have not investigated what a good electrolysis plan looks like, then this can go on and on. Generally speaking, you need anywhere from 9 to 12 months of properly spaced appointments after the first, full clearance. Don’t be in a huff if it takes 14 months, 16 months or 18 months??? Every case is different for a variety of reasons. The first six months are the hardest, so don’t hang up the phone too soon. Keep moving onward. The electrologist needs to be good to great and the client needs to exhibit certain behaviors to get from Point A to Point Z, or success will not come. We are both fighting a tough, tough enemy.
A little story. I have been treating an 80 year old lady for three years. Coarse, curly hair with type 4 skin. Hair is present on her chin, neck and sides. I have emphasized at every appointment that she needs to see me once a month or this will never end, but she doesn’t come. I clear her everytime she has shown up, but she only comes every three - four months! She has verbalized that she understands that she needs to come once a month, but she is just so very busy! She told me yesterday that this better be finished in a couple more treatments or else. Or else what! I politely responded that it is up to her when this will be completed and I cannnot possibly deliver permanent hair removal if she is not laying on my table once a month, at the very least. I added that Mother Nature is in charge of her hair growth cycles - not me! It’s not a question of money either as I charge her $30 once a month and I end up doing 50 minutes of work! That’s quite a senior citizen discount wouldn’t you say? She is not a poor woman either. I’ve decided not to conduct business like this anymore and give financial breaks because the recipient is never appreciative.
This is the frustration many electrologists have to deal with. That’s why I have certain principles of electrolysis posted on the wall of my office offering bold, bullit points about hair growth cycles and other behavior tips for being successful in a span of about a year. I need to point to that wall many times, for certain people. I know how to remove hair permanently, but I can’t do this if the client chooses to remain ignorant and doesn’t come in at the appropriate times.
So, do learn all you can and follow up on the advice your electrologist gives you for timing appointments correctly. If he or she doesn’t give you advice, then come here to hairtell and we’ll try to help you out.
