Advice/progress

[Nicole13]

1st time posting, sorry this is long! Electrolysis client here… I have been following this page for a while and love all the great encouragement and knowledge I’ve learned here. However I have not seen many cases as severe as mine for a female so I follow the transgender posts for most of my info since my hair growth is that extreme. Trying to compare my progress and see what else I can do? How does this progress look to other professionals? For anyone with this problem it’s detrimental and depressing in all areas of my life and has kept me from doing so much.

Me late 30’s, born female, obviously hormonal issues but they say I’m fine, tried laser 2 separate times at different places and both were a horrible experience- burning, scars, skin bubbled and the pain was severe in my mid 20’s (about 9 sessions altogether). The hair growth after was worse than when I went in.

Never waxed, because I could never let it grow that long. Shaved daily religiously since 18 yrs old until I started plucking 10+ years ago. It was the only way to get the shadow away and let me be smooth for a week instead of a day. I know now! Huge mistake and here I am with it completely out of control. I plucked the upper lip, chin and sides of mouth, shaved the rest and kept up on it daily as soon as I could grab it. So when you look at the 1st picks of beginning electrolysis know that had been plucked up until a week before my consultation and why there are patches of no hair. I have not plucked once since Feb, unless removing an ingrown. Shaving only and leaving enough for her to work on.

I live in a very expensive state for this service and very few technicians. Ranging in price from $80-$200/hr. Most are booked full and have waiting lists months long. So the person I’ve been seeing is very experienced, older equipment, blend method. I go twice a week and have been very consistent with only missing 2 weeks cause I was out of town. My appts started at 1 hr then we bumped it up to 1.5-2hrs long each time. Usually the 1st appt we are going over regrowth and inching at new, she is quick and I rarely feel a tug. She said I am the highest setting she’s ever used on someone and I can sit still through it and let her focus. It hurts in places but doesn’t amount to what the outcome could be once completed. I wish I could find a place to do a marathon to get a complete clearing but any place I’ve talked to doesn’t want to do more than 1 hour it seems like. Today she should finish the upper part of my face, we have not touched the neck yet.

Pics at 6 months approx $4200/ 50 hrs of work:
Before my 2 hr apt today with 4 days of growth:

After my appt today with fully shaving my neck only, she cleaned the jawline and up:

I have mastered the 4 layers of thick primer and foundation and do not leave the house without it, the only reason I was able to start this journey was because of Covid, staying home and masks. The pic below is how everyone sees me, I just recently showed a few family members and best friend what I’ve been dealing with and they honestly had no idea since I go to extreme lengths to cover it.

Here are the best before pics I have when started in Feb. 2021
Again note I was a heavy plucker and stopped a week before these pics. When I didn’t pluck the front was as fully thick like the rest:

I wanted to give up a month ago but know this is the only thing that will work if I stick with it. All I see is disgust when I see the pics and is hard to see the progress, but it is thinner and sparser. Just looking for some input and I had one electrologist tell me I should get laser along with it to lessen the amount but keep reading everywhere I should NOT disrupt the process.
Also please note the scars and skin discoloration I have are from long before, severe stupid sun damage, laser, and plucking which ruined my skin and caused the most damage.
Will the discoloration of my upper lip ever go away, or will I look towards skin resurfacing/chemical peels once I’m finished with electrolysis?
To anyone thinking about electrolysis, do it, I wish I had been more educated at an early age and had started this much sooner and STOP plucking!!

Thank you for reading and input and any questions welcome

[dimitrov57]

You should check for PCOS. I could help you, if you were in Montreal. Do not give up. Best. Dimi.

[dimitrov57]

Never do laser on face.

[Nicole13]

Thanks, honestly will this help diminish if it’s PCOS, or will it continue to grow without medication? I don’t know what other explanation for what it would be.

[dimitrov57]

Hormonal disbalance will trigger new hair, unfortunately. Already activated follicles must be disabled by electrolysis. Medication will balance the hormones which will help decreasing activating new hairs.

[Anita111]

Your story is similar to mine. I’ve been dealing with facial hair for over 20 years. I started with electrolysis at 22 then stopped at 25. Then plucked for 5 years. At that time I had no idea plucking would undo any progress. I noticed discoloration on both sides of my chin (5:00 shadow) so I decided to try laser. After 1 year, I saw a major improvement then stopped going. The hair grew back with a vengeance. For 4 years, I shaved daily & wore lots of makeup.

I decided to go back to electrolysis. This time, I’ve been able to keep a steady schedule and rarely miss. I had 1 hr appointments when I started and it wasn’t a full clearing. Also the hair grew back 4 days later. It’s been 5 years and she still works on me every 2 weeks for 1 hour. I’m completely cleared in that time and it takes 10-11 days to grow back. She suggested I go to the doctor to check for PCOS, so I did. The treatment is birth control pills and I don’t want to do that. So I’ve realized I may have to have electrolysis for the rest of my life and I’m ok with that. The hair is under control, no 5:00 shadow and my confidence is better.

Don’t give up. It may take a while, but it does get better.

[Nicole13]

Wow thank you for sharing, gives me some hope seeing our situations are so similar. That’s awesome to hear about your confidence and being able to be cleared every couple weeks. I look forward to those days!

[Amy]

I would definitely recommend laser first, at low setting few times to reduce to hair then electrolysis. I very much believe that laser will do well with your skin color, except you need an experienced esthetician. I have darker skin clients whom I did laser and never burn. I mean electrolysis do the job but it takes long time to destroy your hair. From your pictures I see you’re with a good esthetician.
Good luck
Amy.

[DebHiker]

It took a full year of weekly treatments to reduce my facial hair to manageable --then I did monthly sessions for a few years. I now go in a couple times a year and pluck in between(which my electrologist told me not to do but I can’t stand having the dark hair roots showing from shaving. However mine was not as bad as yours so it may take longer. I know the person I go to was treating a few transgender people and said it is a challenge as it takes a lot of time. I would recommend reading Dr Aviva Romm’s book, Hormone Intelligence for help with PCOS. I don’t have that --just a lot of hair. Sorry you are dealing with this!

[Iluv2zap]

@Anita111

with facial hair for over 20 years. I started with electrolysis at 22 then stopped at 25. Then plucked for 5 years. At that time I had no idea plucking would undo any progress. I noticed discoloration on both sides of my chin (5:00 shadow) so I decided to try laser. After 1 year, I saw a major improvement then stopped going. The hair grew back with a vengeance. For 4 years, I shaved daily & wore lots of makeup.

I decided to go back to electrolysis. This time, I’ve been able to keep a steady schedule and rarely miss. I had 1 hr appointments when I started and it

Nicole,
Thank you so much for sharing your incredible journey!
The answer is yes, unfortunately I do see hair this severe in my practise pretty regularly. In some ways it’s even tougher than it is with transpeople, because at least the transpeople tend to be on hormone correcting drugs and often my CIS clients with PCOS this may or may not be the case. This is even more frustrating, when it is discounted by medical professionals as even being a problem! It’s very frustrating.
I do want to assure you however, you are on the right path. There is help and you can and will get there. I see progress in all the cases i see like this, and blend is a strong destroyer of hair that I believe in, so much so I did my entire face in blend. It 100% sounds like you are on track to resolution, but I also want to caution you it will be a long expensive and time consuming road to get there. I however want to encourage you, as you are doing all the right things.

Seana

[fin3]

similar story here. don’t give up. when I see your face I dont feel any disgust. I feel pity. but yes, I feel digust for my own facial hair.
I think the shame is the worst. but it’s not our fault… it’s hormones. try to stick to electrolysis. try to find out if you have pcos.
a book I can recommend is the ultimate pcos handbook. Metformin and lots of nutrients will help the process too. I also use saw palmetto which reduces testosterone in women too. dont give up ! we can do it.