electrolysis insight. Help!

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
1

Hi,
I’m new to this site and have some questions about electrolysis. I just had my first electrolysis treatment. I have dark course hair on my upper lip and chin(but not as course as a mans), and also have A LOT of finer blond/light brown(but not vellus hair) on my face(cheeks, jaw line).

Has anyone had a similar situation and want to tell me how long it took to get clear. It didn’t seem like much was done in my first 1hr session with the blend method. When should I expect to see some sort of results?

I’m so upset about this it’s ruining my life!!! I just want to hear some positive experiences. Please if anyone can tell me anything about what to expect that would be great.

2

Have a look on “post laser trauma” by GirlWithHope she’s a classic example of how successful electrolysis is.

In regards to methods used, if your electrologist can utilise Microflash or Picoflash she should be able to do a lot more work than what she could do with blend in the same period of time. Blend is far slower than thermolysis alone, let alone Micro or Pico flash (these are the newest modalities of thermolysis).

Do you know what machine she is using? Where are you located?

Regards,
Benji

3

I’m not into the blend for lighter hairs, especially if there is a lot of hair to clear. Yes, microflash/picoflash would be ideal for your situation. Starting with larger hairs first and working your way down to finer and longer hairs, no matter what the color, will give you much happiness if you find a skilled microflash/picoflash electrologist. If you do not have these choices where you live, then blend will still get you to your goal as it truly works quite well even though it is slower.

Dee

4

I’m in the Detroit area. What is microflash/picoflash, never heard of it, but I’m going to look for someone who does that around here. They’re just faster modalities I’m guessing? Thanks.

5

You can use the search feature here to read discussions about microflash and picoflash. Yes, they are faster forms of thermolysis only found on computerized epilators. In the hands of a skilled, trained electrologist, areas can be cleared faster with better sensation and better skin outcome for the most part.
If an electrologist can not be located that offers these modalities, then understand that the other modalities of electrolysis, in the hands of a skilled professional electrologist, can get you to a beautiful ending. So, don’t write off these other modalities if that is all that is offered where you live. Be ready for some possibly negative comments about microflash or picoflash thermolysis or be ready for the electrologist that says she has never heard of microflash or picoflash. This has been some of the feedback from hairtell posters in the recent past.

I’m sorry that I don’t know of anyone in the Detroit area to lead you to. Let us know if you find someone good so you can personally help others that come after you. We really depend on the honesty of the posters here to tell us about their positive experiences. I think that someone here has posted about a good electrologist in Detroit, but I’m not absolutely sure.

Thanks,

Dee

6

hey michgirl- What do u mean “not vellus” hairs? I think I may have a similar hair pattern as yours. I have some dark coarse hairs on and under my chin, upper lip and even some sporadic ones on my cheeks but I also have LOTS of blonde vellus hairs, some long, some shorter but still sticking out and offensive and I have seen a tremendous improvement from microflash with a skilled operator with good lighting and magnification equipment.

I started Nov 15th and I obviously still have the hairs coming in since the cycle takes 12-18 months but my confidence level has improved vastly and I have it much more under control.I see a noticable difference and so does my electrologist. She mentioned this last time that I had much less hair to choose from than the first time I came in when it was a bit overwhelming for both of us to dive in. I average an hr or 2 a week. I go once a month to this good electrologist and do about 5 hrs but thats b/c she’s almost 3 hrs away. In the beginning I was going to another woman once a week to get the darker hairs but now its seems like I go once or twice a month for an hour to the someone nearby for the dark hairs and once a month to the woman far away to tackle all the blonde ones since ppl without sufficient lighting and magnification cant see those and I cant find that nearby.If I had someone good nearby I’d go once a week. I think starting out once a week would help u out a lot and eventually it will become less.

I recommend also looking for someone who does microflash since its faster and hurts less (at least for me) but the key is to find someone who knows it well. I cant find it closeby so sometimes I settle for blend for the dark hairs but blend isn’t ideal for the blondies and finer hairs like Dee said. I am currently on a mission to test out EVERYONE in my surrounding area for 15 min to see what I find. This way its not enuff time to really damage ur skin if they arent skilled. I have written down more than 20 numbers and I feel like a little electrologist detective.

Don’t let urself get frustrated. It wont happen over night that all the hair u dont like disappears magically but over time u will notice a huge improvement. I’m 4 months into it and my outlook on life has hugely turned toward the better. To give u an idea, I was severely depressed and even had thoughts about not wanting to live anymore and quit my job AND grad school. I got another job a month ago and things are looking on the up and up and I owe most of it to electrolysis AND a certain phenominal practitioner who has a lot to do with my success and therefore my positive thinking. She has instilled in me a new sense of hope. (That and really great family and friends who understand ,as hard as it may be, that I have trouble with issues that they may not struggle with or know what its like, and that I can’t control my obsession just by wishing it away.I can help control it, though, and my life, by being proactive and researching every electrologist that I can and sticking with driving a good distance consistently to see the woman who I know does work for me, instead of sitting in front of the mirror tweezing my entire face daily and crying every time I leave a bathroom.)

Its not a miracle, but it is a solution and this problem CAN be mastered and handled. Don’t give up. It took me along time to get over not giving up on myself but trust me…It’s worth it to have hope and fight the battle of hair removal in a productive way verses a destructive one. Good luck and may true hope be with you. Feel free to PM me with any questions anytime.Like the great Cesar Chavez said :" Si se puede!" ( yes it can be done!)

7

Alli, thank you for your positive outlook on this situation. It sounds like you do have a similar situation as me. I’m looking finding someone in my area who does microflash, but so far have not had any luck. If I have to drive a bit I will. If anyone knows of someone for me to go to that would be great. Even if it’s to Lansing, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Toledo… I’ll drive, I don’t care. I’m going to ask the woman I’ve been going to to do thermolysis in the meantime, and hope that makes a difference. Thanks Alli! I don’t know what PM means.

8

PM means private message. Its so nice to hear myself looked at as having a positive outlook since I am really a cinic and things seemed so bleak for me for so long. This just goes to show that electrolysis in the right hands with the right equipment really does work. If it turned my outlook around it can turn anyone’s. Someone else PM’d me thanking me for an inspirational post and I thought I would share some of the msg I wrote back to her b/c I think it could benefit anyone just starting out with electrolysis. We are all in this together.

I know how hard it is to even find a glimmer of inspiraTion in any sort of prospect concerning facial hair removal issues or the horrible depressing feelings that can accompany it. I started out probably 10 yrs ago (I’m 32) just plucking my chin and within the last 3 yrs it turned into all under my chin and on my throat and neck, and much on my cheeks and sideburns as well. It got the worst about a yr ago when I began spending 3 hrs at a time some days with tweezers in front of a mirror. I still have a hard time with some mirrors and especially looking at my face in direct sunlight in a mirror. My constant plucking FOR SURE made it worse but I know I have heredity issues too and slightly raised testosterone but even if ur hormones are fine it could be that you are just androgen sensitive and will still deal with hair issues even if hormonal levels are normal.

Stopping waxing/tweezing is a difficult hurdle to jump if u are a constant plucker when starting electgrolysis. The first month was the HARDEST ever for me. I stopped tweezing the end of october and had my first elec. treatment Nov 15th. I actually took down the mirror off the wall in one of my bathrooms and got rid of my magnification mirrors or duct-taped the magnified side of hand mirrors. I tried not to drive as much as I could in daylight hours b/c the rear-view mirror can put me crying in a walmart parkinglot within minutes in the right light.

I am not cured of my obsession with my facial hair and its still hard for me to handle all the facets of compulsion, obsession, depression, patience and frustration, but I am not lying when I tell u that electrolysis has given me a new hope…And a little hope turned into an even bigger hope, and it keeps growing as time goes by and I get more treatments. I’ve been lucky enough to find at least one really good and understanding electrologist who understands my feeelings and really wants to help (even if I’m annoying pointing out more blonde hairs every few minutes) and who’s not just in it for the money and takes the time to care(even if she technically doesn’t have much of it) when many dont.

I never thought I’d shave and it kills me to resist plucking since I’ve always been so obssessed with getting evry last hair and never being able to get enough but I now shave my chin with one of those little electric wand like things (those as seen on tv ones)and I clip using curved cuticle scissors on my chin, jawline, and under chin area. I try to keep in mind that those hairs will get killed or weaker if I wait for the electrolysis instead of making them stronger and darker but I have to clip or shave to soften the desire to pluck since if they dont stick out too much it doesnt seem as bad for a temproary situation.

Its hard to find any solace even knowing that other ppl out there also deal with similar problems but it is a tiny bit more comforting to know I am not alone. Its just hard, like sanny has stated, that I dont really seem to see many more ppl with my problem in real life, but I know they are there from this forum.

Dont be disheartened by the fact that some electrologis might not be as sensitive and concerned as others and can even seem intimidating. But many others are as sweet as can be.The James and Dee’s out there are not a dime a dozen but they are out there so you mus’nt give up or stop looking if u don’t find exactly what you are looking for with the first few practitioners. (Did I just say mus’nt? Lol). I drive 3 hrs once or twice a month and its worth it for someone good. Good lighting and magnification are important if all your hairs arent dark. Thats my problem. Anyone can get my dark hairs around here but the long blonde ones escape bad lighting. My good electrologist says I have eagle eyes- and I guess I do after spending so much time obsessing about my face. It disgusts me so much that I probably go overboard with my expectations and how much I want removed but it can be done if u find the right person and they work with you.

Dont be easily discouraged.
I got very discouraged in the beginning cuz some of the women were insensitive and also couldn’t see a lot of the hairs. One told me “at least u don’t have a full man’s growth”. I’m thinking “at least? Umm, I came here to try and feel better about myself and get help, not thank my lucky stars that people wont actaully mistake me for a man.” I was going through the heighth of my depression and this lady has that to say.
hope and help is out there.

9

michgirl, start by using the search feature at the top right. Use the Advanced feature and run a search for your city. it’s likely that you will find past discussions of electrologists in your area.

I think you should just look for someone who uses the thermolysis method. If they have the microflash or picoflash thermolysis, great. But if not, regular thermolysis will still be light years faster than blend. You need to find someone who’re experienced and relatively fast to get to your first clearance. Once that’s achieved, you just go in as soon as you see new hair pop up and you’ll be on your way in no time.

10

Alli,
Can you please post who you have been going to for microflash? I’m considering coming to your area, even though it’s 3 hours away, it may help put a dent in my situation. Thanks!

michgirl

11

Alli, it’s so nice to hear that your turning your life around. I read your msgs and it seems that we are both in the same boat, infact it could have been me that wrote it. I too think I have hormonal issues as I’m showing sypthoms (sp?) of PCOS. I’m in the UK and I’m having major problems finding an electrologist that uses good lighting and magnification. I have almost given up having treatments as I’m afraid that the finer hairs maybe being plucked, even if I can’t feel the plucking, as I know this can happen! The reason I’m thinking this is because if most of the fine hairs I want removed, she can’t see, then how is she seeing the follicle opening to make a good insertion with the other fine hairs that she says she can see but with differculty?
Anyway, good luck with your journey and continue to keep us updated.

Maxine