an American girl: how to estimate total time.

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

An American girl: How to estimate total time.

Following Jossie’s suggestion to me, I’m also posting an entire electrolysis treatment. The photos below are of a young woman I worked on, May 9, 2011. I did one clearing on her right underarm. From this first treatment I know the total time and the cost. (I guarantee this to her.) Here it is:

I. This first clearing (right underarm) was 40 minutes. The left underarm was also 40 minutes. So, 80 minutes total. Now, I won’t see her for 2 months.

II. The second clearing will be the same time because she was shaving — maybe a bit less. So that gives us another 80 minutes.

III. Third clearing (2 months later), and we will see real progress. It will take 40 minutes for both underarms.

IV. “Clean up mode” 2 - 3 months later … high estimate of 30 minutes for both.

V. Months later, a few hairs here and there that I will do for free. Maybe later, another session of a couple minutes — again, free. So let’s do the math.

a) 230 minutes total. Let’s just add in another 20 minutes for “fun.” That’s 250 minutes for a total of 4 hours for the entire job.

b) At $70 per hour, her total cost will be $280. I told her, after I did my computations, that her cost will be no more than $350 for the entire job. If it’s more, she pays nothing. (I always bump up my estimate a bit. Coming in “below the estimate” always makes the client happy.)

Photo 1: before treatment.
Photo 2: immediately after treatment.
Photo 3: 4 days after treatment (crusts).
Photo 4: 18 days after treatment (skin clear).

#2

Excellent stuff Michael.

Does it hurt? I’ve had my underarms done (after laser) with both thermolysis and blend and it hurts like anything.

I wish I had such little underarm hair to begin with though :frowning:
My underarm hair area is twice as much and it was much more dense than this. I want to take a picture for feedback actually, even after the Laser and electrolysis, although very little hair is left the skin looks grey and bumpy. Not smooth and even like all the photos I see.

#3

Yes, this is a pretty easy case!

My average for underarms, and I have done hundreds and hundreds (my favorite, by the way), is 5 hours (that’s total time). Only one time it went to 8 hours, and that was my Italian cousin Gina! Yes, ‘we’ have the ‘hair gene’ for sure!

When I work at the Medical Spa in Montecito, we charge a flat fee for all underarms and the time is just what it is. The folks that go there are beyond rich, so they do sort of “up the price” ($850). Seriously, we can see “Oprah’s house” from the spa! On a side note, Oprah had to get a building variance from the City, because her total square footage of her “house” is 86,000 square feet! (She has a full TV/movie studio and is planning to do productions.) She didn’t really retire! I’ll retire when she does!

#4

Is it possible to have armpit envy?
Lovely work Michael - perfect. Seriously we NEED you guys over here in U.K sob

#5

Oh my … I really have to figure out a better way to post my photos. I’ll try. Too bad we can’t just upload directly to Hairtell.

Armpit envy … now THAT’S funny. BTW are the “Tao Clinics” still in business in the UK? I did a could talks at their clinics.

#6

That’s great.

I would be curious to see you do one of her underarms and compare the other one to laser. :slight_smile: Underarm treatments nowdays cost as little as $25 per treatment. One usually needs about 5-6 treatments spaced 2-3 months apart and each treatment takes about 3 mins.

#7

No doubt that laser is faster and effective, too, as LAgirl has pointed out. This client would have been an ideal candidate.

Okay, hopefully, a teaching moment from the greatest of teachers. In the second picture, what is the blanching due to? Is it sodium hydroxide or topical anesthetic??? Also, how many ma’s were you using and how many seconds for each hair??? Is this an example of 4 second blend?

This young lady is lucky to only have this amount of hair. Please thank her for allowing you to show us your remarkable work.

#8

You mean the clinics in Scotland, Exeter and Oxford?
Yes they are still running I belive.
I googled because I wondered if there were any locally - sadly not.

#9

I would love to do a side-by-side of laser and electrolysis. I would do underarms because laser does a good job on them — so, that would be a pretty fair “test.”

Yes, “blanching” is from anesthetic.

Time per hair was between <1 to 3 seconds (but I won’t count hairs per minute … he he he.) Time is adjusted as I see it.

This is NOT a big deal and very standard for my local colleagues. Just normal.

The real test will be at the end of this series. Anybody can show “before and after” a recent treatment. However, what does it look like a year after the final treatment? That’s the real issue.

Once I get used to posting photos I have some pretty decent stuff to show you all.

Tao Clinics … some very funny stories, but better not say anything — I too easily get myself in trouble anyway.

#10

I think the end result would end up in total hair removal with electrolysis and very good hair removal with laser, but not total elimination. There would be several to many whispy, long hairs left with laser that would need several cleanups with electrolysis. There have been times when my clients get lased and then are back to me for the lighter, finer hairs. I warn them about this, but they are still not happy that they have to continue to spend money having electrolysis when they already spent money for laser.

So the energy levels were .99 ma’s perhaps???

Lovely work dear colleague.

#11

Hey Dee,

In my own silly way, I still what to challenge laser … I am gearing up to do just that and I will tell you all when it happens.

In the Medi Spa where I’m working (I kid you not) the tech that was doing laser? Well, I did her chin with electrolysis (big black beard hairs on wite skin). Now that I’m back (almost) in full swing — my surgery almost killed me — I have lots of patients to ‘finish up’ who had laser. See, the laser is no longer at the spa (long interesting story and I do not want to be politically incorrect … so “Ich sage nichts!”)

On the DC level: I usually put it at 10/10tenths. However, at the speed I’m going, I’m really only doing Thermolysis — probably too fast for much electrolysis reaction in the skin. (I really don’t know! And, I don’t much care either! If it’s working … well who cares).

I ordered, finally, a needle cord for the IB probes. I plan to just do straight thermolysis (no DC at all). I think I will get good results. I love your idea of “summertime” treatments with no crusts. Perfect idea and I’m going with it!

A little history: Years ago, Hinkel and St. Pierre had a temporary “falling out,” so Art made the Model F, that was only thermolysis. He told me that the unit worked really well, about the same as the blend (the old model D). Of course, I was not around at the time; this was one of Art’s many stories he told me. I still miss Art Hinkel a lot! Why do people have to die?

BTW, no compliments yet … let’s actually see what happens! I’m going to try to post some more photos (of Trevor), but I’m SCARED!!! Maybe tomorrow!

#12

I got to do that photo thing, too, but I’m lazy. I think you and Jossie are inspiring me.

Oh, I like those history stories.