I think I’m having good results with this DIY hair removal. I’ve only been at this for about 6 weeks, I have everything cleared below my jawline and the line from sideburns to goatee is an inch wide. the regrowth has not been bad yet, I’m expecting it to get worse. my cheek areas are getting a lot of the fine dark hairs and I’m wondering if the after care products that I want to help the skin heal are also encouraging more hair to grow back in that healing process.
I was using a vitamin D cream from “fruit of the earth” that seems to help a lot with skin healing but I also just got some tea tree oil that seems popular on here. btw, I’m using a one touch that has worked quite well just on setting 1 (out of 10). I tried it on 2 for a couple of days, lots more scabbing but it did heal and those areas may be showing less regrowth. I did have to re-engineer the unit putting it into an old computer box and giving it wall power, sorry but I’m just not afraid that it’s going to short out, at least not the power supply. I have the ability to work on this several times a week with a long session on the weekends to clear new areas. should I be waiting to clear one a week or less? or can I clear them as soon as I can get a grip on them?
Hi Bonnie,
I think my biggest comment on your post is regarding aftercare. It’s been shown by some of the professionals here that the best thing you can put on your skin as an aftercare/healing promotion product, is soap and water. Moisturizers, Vitamin XYX , makup, lotions, and most antibiotic ointmants, tend to do more to inhibit healing, than to promote it.
In fact when it comes to vitamins being spread on ( the more common of which used is vitamin E , sometimes sqqueezed from a gel-cap) the general synopsis is that you would get more from taking the piull, than spreading it on treated area. Tea tree oil, witch hazel and refridgerated aloe ( in the case of thermolysis) are all acceptable, but the best thing you can do to promote healing is to keep the area clean, wash away any possible contaminants .
I’ll give credit to Michael Bono for my absolute favorite and most recommended recipe of aftercare, simply washing the area multiple times a day in the period following treatment, and other than that, leaving it alone.
As to how often you should treat an area, I personally dont like to return to re-treating an area I have worked for a week or two… This has more to do with giving the skin time to recover, before attacking it again. While technically ypou can treat an area even the next day.You Dont really have to wait any period or for hair to get to a certain length .
While I would certainly give you kudo’s for taking on this as a DIY project, I feel you could benefit from better equipment. The One touch , even modified, is a poor electrolysis machine and even modified, would not hold a candle to a professionally put together machine. These dont have to be expensive. I think TES sells a basic blend machine for under $400 that takes standard f-shank probes and you can usually pick up a good used machine on craigslist or even ebay. You will definitely will have an easier time of it as a DIY’er using a probe -holder that is designed well and not the clunky thing they have on the one touch. I’ve found blend easier and faster than galvanic in general with less chance of overtreating the follicle. I still wont do thermolysis as a DIY, because you dont have the same accuracy of insertions with DIY, and this is critical to performing thermolysis effectively.
I hope you have good success with your project. If you look around I did a description…somewhere , of how I made DIY doable ergonomically by suspending a mirror over my bed. Being in a comfortable position when you are treating yourself is pretty critical.
My best advice therefore boils down to: get a better made electrolysis machine and switch to descent probes. BE sparing with anything put on your skin afterwards. And of course, look for a smooth traction free extraction of the hair, if you have accomplished that, even with galvanic, you stand a good chance of eliminating regrowth. It should come out without any pulling or tugging, it should feel like there is 0 resistance.
Seana
Yes definitely, if I have done a full clear on an area, I'll leave it alone for a couple weeks to heal up nicely before I go near it again. I was more referring to my lower neck where I might clear everything on the weekend and I'd see some that were too small to get then but are just right by Tuesday. You answered my question though. Thanks for the advice on the machine, I know the probe handle and the tips really suck with this one touch but I have adapted fairly well and I have a dozen fresh needles on the shelf. I'll start looking for a good machine but all I was finding was people talking bad about machines, none seemed to be a good choice. What is this TES you speak of? I could not get answers from Google on that :) At least this way, I have maybe $100 into the project so far.
I did find a simple hack for the spring loaded tips. I took one of them apart and the wire is mounted on a dumbell shaped thing that rides on the spring. On a fresh needle, take a pair of wire strippers (5$ at harbr freight or lowes) and crimp the outer case of the needle about 1/8" or so from the wire end using the stripper for 14 gauge wire. This will crimp the outer housing down just enough to stop the dumbell from moving without damaging the needle at all. test it out on an old needle to get a feel for it. so far I have just been taking the new wires and bent them either 60 or 90 degrees depending on the angle I need to work on, that also eliminates most of the movement.
I'm getting into an area where the hairs are thick but fairly sparse and they resist more than the neck ones did. I have started cooking them longer and then I try to let them soak for a few minutes before I go back and yank them, it's helping a lot. I see now that if I zap one and don't yank it because i missed it, it will fester up and be obvious in a day or 2, well ready to yank with no resistance.TES is texas electrolysis supply who’s website can be seen at :
http://texaselectrolysisstore.com/
I still think you should be looking at a better epilator. Also good luck working on the lower neck, I was never able to master insertions on my neck much at all.