Guessing how long a chin takes?? (pics included)

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
1

Hi, I’m new here. After a lot of research I think I’ve decided to have electrolysis on and under my chin. It’s pretty exciting to think of not having to pluck anymore, but I’m still very confused about how many hours total I might need of treatment (and therefore how much this will cost). I know it’s impossible to know beforehand, but can you help me make any rough guess at the total hours?

Here are pics I took of my chin (when these pics were taken, it had been two weeks since I last plucked any of the hairs). I hope you can tell something from them. Basically there are lots of hairs under the chin, plus stray hairs along the jawline. I don’t care about the blond hairs, just want to get rid of the dark hairs.

http://bayimg.com/mAHbDaaBG
http://bayimg.com/hAhcgAAbg
http://bayimg.com/HAhchAAbG

Other factors for treatment length:

  • I’d say I have an average tolerance for pain;
  • My schedule is very flexible, so I could schedule sessions at whatever would be the ideal intervals;
  • I live in a city so I’m sure I can find a good experienced person (although I will be looking hard for somebody who is also affordable, since cost is a BIG factor for me).

Thank you very much for any ideas!

2

The standard answer is you need to know how many hairs are in the area, the speed YOUR PRACTITIONER can work ON YOU, in THAT AREA and make a mathematical guess based on that. Time wise, if you do the right amount of work (lots of work up front to get to First Clearance and let it trail off as you keep on schedule) you will have most of all of it done in 9 months.

Since you were plucking, you don’t have all the actual hairs available for treatment, so there will be a seeming rebound period where it looks like it is getting worse, as all your hairs start to come in because you have stopped plucking on a daily basis.

While having treatment, we have a saying, pluck only the hairs you want to keep! :wink:

3

Thanks, James! Did you mean to say I will have most of it done in 9 months? Can you give any idea of roughly how many hours? Are you thinking, for example, a global average of one hour a week over 9 months (for 40 hours total)?

If we’re talking numbers in that neighborhood I have to completely forget about this. In my area, 40 hours would be $3000+ before tips… completely out of the question financially.

4

There is no way that your chin area will take 40 hours. I say this based on a couple things that must be in place for you to have permanent success. First off, investigate and sample electrologists that are recommended. Make sure they have up-to-date computerized epilators, quality magnification and a good light source so they can see the opening of the hair follicles. Secondly, if the electrologist you choose does microflash thermolysis, you will get a first full clearance of all hairs, gray, blond, brown, red and black within 3-5 hours. With skill and good equipment, you can divide up your sessions into 2 long sessions if you want, meaning that you will be hairless in two weeks. After the first full clearance, all you have to do is wait for the next group of hairs that cycle in and then zap all the new hair to become smooth once again. This scene goes on for about 6-9 months approximately every 3-4 weeks until the number of hairs coming to the surface are drastically reduced. You will not need to spend anywhere near $3,000 if you hire a competent person that has decent speed.

Find someone with skill. Find someone with modern tools. Attack the hair up front with frequent appointments spaced close together in the beginning. Never doubt or give up. Punch away, and soon there will be nothing left to punch because electrolysis is PERMANENT HAIR REMOVAL. It’s a great day of reckoning when you realize that this is working!

Speaking only for myself after seeing your excellent pictures, if I saw you in my office I would be estimating that you would be finished in 9-12 months with about 20-25 sessions spread out over that time period. The first several months would be sessions averaging about an hour to 45 minutes, followed by sessions ranging from 30-45 minutes, followed by sessions ranging from 20-30 minutes This is how the electrolysis process works. Keep in mind though that if you have a medical condition or other factors stimulating hair, then you are looking at more effort and time to win the prize of permanent hair removal. If you are not consistent with your appointments, this won’t be completed in 9-12 months. So your effort means a lot for success as well.

If you care to share where you live, maybe those that participate in this hair forum can recommend a good electrologist for you.

Keep posting your questions and experience and we can help you through this.

Dee

5

Thanks so much, Dee! I know anything here is a guess, but it’s SO valuable for me to have specific guesses.

Based on the midpoints of your estimates [and adjusting for 15-min sessions to replace the 20-min ones you mention, because I’m more commonly seeing rates for 15 mins]:

I might need c. 24 sessions, perhaps divided into

  • four 60-min sessions at $75+tip each (240 mins, $348)
  • seven 45-min sessions at $60+tip each (315 mins, $483)
  • seven 30-min sessions at $45+tip each (210 mins, $364)
  • six 15-min sessions at $30+tip each (90 mins, $207)

14.3 hrs total, $1405 total.

Those prices are advertised rate plus a 15% tip rounded up to the nearest dollar. I got them from the website of the person most strongly recommended to me so far (actually I came here to this site from her site… her office is c. 80 mins from me on the subway, so that would add at least 160 mins to each treatment time, for c. 80 hrs grand total).

Overall this is still discouraging (definitely more money and time than I naively hoped it would be). But I’m extremely grateful for the expert input!

6

So, $1,405 is discouraging to get permanent hair removal for your facial areas? People look at your face everyday. If these numbers are close guesstimations, which I think they are, that’s pretty darn cheap in the big scheme of things. Think of this as investing $117.09 per month or $29.27 per week, over a year’s time toward what will be a smooth, hair-free face that people look at every single day. Some people have rent/mortgage payments and car payments far higher than $117 a month that seem to never end.

I must tell you your numbers are impressive and I will be very curious to see you how close you come within these costs and timeframe. I think this sounds typical. Good luck and good speed with your chosen electrologist!

Dee

7

Remember, that this amount will be spread out over 1-1.5 years. Plus, you won’t have to do anything about it once you start going, so you will be clear pretty much throughout that period. I personally think it’s totally worth such a small monthly investment with an end in sight.

8

Hmmm, that is discouraging? If you paid that with a Credit Card one would only be paying a monthly payment of $15 to $20 per month.

9

Hi:

I had my whole face and neck done, so it is hard to estimate, just how much time is needed for the chin area.

I don’t think it is necessary to give a tip, although I do sometimes. I usually give my electrologist a cash bonus and present at christmas. If funds are scarce for you, then save your money. It is generous of you, but they don’t expect a tip.

Probably the best way to think of it is that you would budget so much per month for electroysis. Try not to think of the total, since you aren't going to be paying it in a lump sum.

Over the last 4 years I have spent close to $10,000 on hair removal or $2500 per year. But really the results I have gotten are more than worth it. To me the money was not the most important thing, it was the results and the happiness that I achieved that were important.

The important thing is to get started and see if it does what you are trying to achieve. If the results make you feel better about yourself, then continue on with it till completion.

Alicia

10

CQ -

I’ve had about 9 months of work (weekly basis, 30 minutes) on my chin and neck (amongst other areas), and I can say the results are worth it. I’m still cleaning up some hairs here and there.

A few things to consider:

I find this area to be quite sensitive to pain. I can only handle so much treatment in this area, even at moderate settings. Definitely consider using a topical numbing cream like Emla (Rx) prior to treatment, at least for the first few sessions.

I’m also very prone to ingrowns in this area. They’re a little difficult to manage outside of the electrologists office - because they are difficult to see. When you start treatment, consider using a mild exfoliant like PFB (roll-on) on a daily basis, and use a harsher substance like Tend Skin or Folique (aspirin in alcohol, etc) with a q-tip to spot-treat ingrowns.

My gut tells me you could take a little longer than nine months … but your results may vary (I am a male).

Best of luck with the endeavor. With a good practitioner, you should get some excellent results that will amaze you.

11

Getting the hair removed permanently is indeed an investment in you. Your skin will look better and you will feel better and have more confidence.

There are two ways you could go about doing this. Jumping in and trying to get it done as soon as possible, or taking your time (but be consistent).

Here is what I would tell a client with your hair problem. The length of that first treatment is unknown. Let’s say that you did not tweeze for 3 weeks and the first treatment took 60 minutes to clear the visible hair. If you were to return in 3 weeks then you could expect 60 minutes again. (You can shave the hair to hide it because there is NO MORE TWEEZING once you begin this process.) If you shortened that time to 2 weeks between treatments, then you might have a shorter treatment, or the electrologist can pick up other hairs****. As your treatments progress, then the time spent removing hair becomes shorter and shorter, then further apart.

**** Any hair that grows beyond vellus length, even though blond, will very likely convert to a terminal (darker, coarser) hair. It is easier (on you and the electrologist) to treat them when they are accellerated vellus.

If your electrologist were nearby, then you could begin with 30 minutes every week or two for a few months, then spread them out. You would not get the area cleared in the beginning with this plan, but it might be more budget-wise.

Regarding the costs - I hope no one shoots me, but you do not need to tip your electrologist. It is nice when someone does that, but most electrologists own their own business and tips are for people who work on commission (hairdressers) or for a low pay (waitresses).

I just looked up two clients I had with similar hair growth to yours. One spread out the treatments and spent about $1800.00. The second one was aggressive with her treatments and spent about $1800.00.

I also believe that being told you’ll be done in 9 months is misleading. The tweezing you have done and the reason (whatever it is) for the hair growth would result in my telling a client in your situation to expect 18 months (more or less) of treatment. Remember that the end of that 18 months means short and infrequent treatments - it’s a “reverse exponential” sort of thing.

From the pictures, I am sure that electrolysis is the method to go with. You will LOVE the results!

12

I agree with the tipping part. Not necessasary.

For clarification, nine months is not enough time to finish your job, but you will definitely be hit with the happiness stick by that time because you will see that it is really working.In fact, you will look great after the first six months of steady appointments with full clearance each time and then it is all downhill after that. The hairs needing treatment from month 6-12 are usually softer, sparser and weaker. There is the occassional hair here and there that has the root structure of hairs that were being treated in the beginning. Somewhere between months 12 and 18 it is reduced to nit picking. The timeframes mentioned are dependent on client compliance and practitioner strategy and skill. As Barbara said “short and infrequent treatments” happen near the end of treatments. For all real purposes, you are going to be highly satisfied well before 18 months.

Dee

13

Realsore- what is PFB roll on? Is it ok to exfoliate the skin while doing electrolysis even in the beginning with frequent treatments or will it be too damaging to the skin?

14

PFB is for ingrown hair.

Do not exfoliate for at least a week after treatment to be conservative. Gently exfoliating before a treatment is good for many reasons. Your electrologist will love you for it.

15

So what do you do about ingrown hairs if you have treatment once a week or more in the beginning and how can you best prepare as far as pre-treatment?

16

Gently exfoliate prior to treatment after you are healed. If that’s not possible in the beginning because your treatments are closer together, then you can do your exfoliating when your treatments start to spread out a bit.

17

how long is to long on a treatment of the chin. If client tolerates can you treat as able?

18

depends on many things, one being if a computerized epilator is being used. I have cleared 500 hairs within an hour’s time from the chin. The electrologist needs to “read” the skin reaction and proceed accordingly. With microflash thermolysis, this task can be accomplished for most clients.

Dee

19

I am a new electrolysis and using the blend method. Clareblend machine. MY client on sat. wants chin hair gone now. She tolerated 3 hrs and of course I am new and prob. not very fast compaired to others. She was slightly red. I am waiting to here from her today.

20

Welcome to hairtell mccowan. If you are a new electroLOGIST, do you belong to the AEA? There are professionals that can help you out with your questions on the AEA forum. Being that you are new, you will inevitably have some sticky situations that you are not sure about.

After you become very proficient with the blend (not that you aren’t now) you might want to look forward to the future and incorporate microflash into your practice. Your Clareblend can do flash, but for microflash you will need to upgrade to a computerized epilator. Clients appreciate practitioners that can do both modalities.

Dee