Clear and wait strategy?

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Hello everyone,

I was hoping you Hairtell experts would give me a bit of guidance on my situation.

I started electrolysis on the under-chin last year, in May and on the nipple area in September. I went in for a session every 3 to 4 weeks, where I would get a full clearance, and the situation was improving very slowly but surely. However, I waited 4 months because of Covid 19, from March to June before going back for a session. Back then, it seemed like a lot of hair were still here and I felt sad that after one year things were not looking up. But, since my last session (15th of June), I have the general impression that a lot less hair is present.

2 questions:

  1. Could it be that the “clear and wait” strategy works better than going every month? Why would that be?
  2. Now that I have 10 sparse hair on the left side of my under-chin and 2 on the right (I had around 20 on the left and 10 on the right last month before my 1st session post covid), should I book one session next week or wait it out to see if more hair appears, and leave 2 to 3 months before going again? I will be leaving France to go to Canada (hopefully) in August and have no idea where I could find an electrologist around Calgary, where my boyfriend lives. I’m tempted to wait longer but I don’t know if this was a one time thing or not. Except for 2/3 hair on the nipple area, no other hair has grown back, so I take it as a sign of victory. I just hope I didn’t “delay” the situation by waiting 4 months.

Thank you very much if you can advise me :slight_smile:

#2

Whatever strategies don’t matter. What is the most important is not disturbing the hair underneath the skin. By that I mean no plucking, no epilation cream or other methods that disturb hair follicle. If u get all unwanted hair follicles treated by electrolysis within 1 1/2 - 2 yrs, they should be all permanently gone, provided your regular commitment.

#3

No, there’s a little more to it than that.

The clear and wait strategy ( as defined by it’s creators Michael Bono and Josefa Reina) involves doing NOTHING to the hair , for up to 5- 6 months ( essentially an entire growth cycle) before the clearance. Then to make a FULL clearance, and go after each hair , ( in Josepha’s words) " Like it was the MOST important hair of their career. Give no mercy, destroy every follicle thoroughly! " . No plucking, no waxing and NO SHAVING EITHER. Leave the area completely undisturbed.

The idea, is that the hairs are undisturbed. so the maximum number of hairs are present in the follicle at the time of clearance. She and Michael do this, because they both know that the stage of growth of the hair, is irrelevant.They have the ability to kill hair in ALL STAGES of growth and this is why the strategy works. By having the maximum hairs present at the time of treatment they are able to spot the hairs without issue, treat them, and move on to the next. They are “stacking the odds” in their favour by having the most hair present.

I’m noticing declines ( in keeping with where we were in the removal process) after 4-5 months of closures too bu t that is alsodue to seeing the results of the work we did 5-6 months ago… But I KNOW when a client has been shaving or cutting hairs between. Because I can see the hairs, all in telogen, all SUPER SHORT and so short in fact, that it renders them un-treatable. except in a minority of case. So I know, that further down the line, I will see those hairs return, and that is unfortunate.

The fact you arent seeing the hairs after the outbreak, likely has more to do with the fact that MOST of the hair is cut at the surface, and thus cannot be seen, or if it can, cannot be treated.Just waiting for 4-5 months isnt enough. We need the hair untouched.

I have great respect for the treat and wait strategy. I’ve SEEN it work in my own work.

#4

Thank you so much for the clarification :slight_smile: