could use a pep talk..

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Ok…I started electrolysis about a year and a half ago. I went in with a lot of hair (very dense) I had about 10 3 hour sessions and only got about half cleared because every time when I went in - the electrologist would first clear up the new growth in the area that had been cleared on the previous visit and only then start to clear a new area)

then I had to take about 3 months off for financial reasons…

then I came back for another 2 or 3 months of going in for 3 hours every week and again, I only got about half cleared for the same reason…and I had to take another 2 or 3 months off.

I think that I have been seeing her at this rate (3 hours a week for 2 or 3 months and then 2 or 3 months off and then I go back again) for the whole time…probably spending a little more time seeing her than not.

I have only gotten the entire area cleared twice so far. At this point, it only takes about half an hour to clear the remaining growth in the area that has been cleared multiple times, but the other half (which has only been cleared twice) is still very dense.

I guess what I want to know is - is this the wrong way to be going about it? Should I start asking her to focus on the densest area first and to ignore the hairs that come in in the area with very thin growth? Does it make a difference?

I realize that by not clearing the lower area it means that I will be going in for treatment of hairs in that area for a long time to come still…but I’m wondering if this method of treatment is increasing what will be the overall cost of treatment?

Also…I guess like most people going through electrolysis…I’m starting to wonder if its even working. It’s a dumb concern since I can definitely see that less hair is growing in…but man is it ever dumbfounding that after all this time there can be ANY hair growing in in the area that’s been cleared every time. It also doesn’t help that my electrologist keeps undestimating the amount of time that it will take to finish (clear the remaining area) Every time i see her she says that it shouldnt take the full three hours next week…but then it does and we’re still not cleared! It’s starting to drive me a little batty. She says that she just doesn’t remember how many hairs there are and that a lot of them are hard to get to…and I know that she’s treating a lot of hairs in the dense are because of the way it burns when she’s been working for a while…sighs

Anyone have any words of encouragement for me?

#2

I don’t think there’s any ‘right’ way or ‘wrong’ way as far as spacing out your treatments goes.

However, what you get is a difference in efficiency.

If you focus on clearing a specific area, and return only to get the new growth seen to, then you can be sure that every hair that’s treated will be ripe for being treated. (Hairs need to be in the growth phase in order for electrolysis to work effectively.)

Assuming that you’re electrolygist is deadly accurate with the probing, then you’re going to get a 100% hit rate.

However, if you take a treatment holiday, then the hairs that you have left will get out of phase with each other. When your practitioner goes back over the area after 2 or 3 months, then only about one third of the hairs will be in the growth stage.

So you’ll only get around a 33% hit rate.

Therefore, you’ll get much better value for money if you can focus on clearing an area each time. If you don’t have enough resources (time & money) to do that, then you should focus on a smaller area.

Of course, having said that, I know only too well that it’s easier said than done. But if you can be strict with yourself, then it will work.

As for seeing results - no, I wouldn’t expect you to be seeing much of an improvement yet. Hairs are like trees in a forest. You can cut down 50% even 75% of the trees, and it still looks like a forest. It’s only when you’ve done maybe 95%, that it starts to look less like a forest and more like a few of random trees here and there.

The only way to measure your progress is to keep a photo record of your progress. And try to inlude some sort of scale in your photos (like a ruler held against your skin). That will counteract the effects of scale.

Keep it up - you’ll get there in the end.

Toni

#3

Hi njbug:

You should stick with it. I am in the same boat in that the lower part is the last area of significant forest left.
Unfortunately those are thicker hairs and harder to treat.
Eventually you will get those under control too if you stick with it. Try to stay on a regular schedule though without several months off.

I know it takes a long time and courage, but stick with it
since it sounds like it is working for you.

Good luck, Alicia

#4

Ay…
thanks for the encouragement. It’s not my courage that’s faltering…it’s my bank account. I need an electrologist who will run a tab for me!
It gets sooo frustrating to have put sooo many thousands of dollars into this and to still see so many hairs appearing.

#5

Although most electrologists won’t run a tab for you, many do accept Credit Cards, and some even offer discounts for prepaid services. The combination of the two could spell relief for you. You can pay the CC off at a monthly rate, while being able to schedule treatment when you have time, instead of when you have the money.

#6

Hi Njbug:

I know how much you must hate seeing hair regrowth, since I hate it very much too. It has gotten to be less and less for me though as I go on.

How much does your electrolygist charge, and how many hours do you have so far? I did 9-10 laser sessions first and am at around 100 hours of electrolysis so far on my face. Not really fun times, but very necessary in my case.

Alicia

#7

I’ve been paying $1000 at a time and getting a reduced rate of $70/hr. I guess the thing to do might be to just have her work on a smaller area at a time so that I can do an hour or an hour and a half a week…that way my $1000 will take me a little further. I would’ve started doing that a while ago except that she always seems so confident that we’re almost cleared and that it wont even take the full 3 hours.

I never had any laser treatment because of all of the questionable reports I heard of it…decided to just start right out with electrolysis.

I mean…really…it’s ok. I’m sure I’ll get it finished eventually. It’s just so distressing sometimes to not have even a rough estimate of how much more money that I am going to have to throw at this problem to get it solved.

James: Credit is not an option. I do not consider hair removal to be such a priority that I would go into debt for it. There are very few things for which I would be willing to spend more money than I have.

#8

Hi Njbug:

Why not schedule a regular time, say a couple of hours every 2 weeks, or whatever, and start with clearing the same area each time. I did that with the face above the jawline working down towards the throat.

If you get the upper face cleared each time, it will make a big difference in the long run. Eventually you will get the whole face and throat cleared in that time or less eventually.

Just a suggestion, but at least you should see progress in the area you concentrate on. The upper face is the most noticeable and hardest to shave.

Good luck! Alicia

#9

Sounds like a good plan, Thanks for the support
I think that focusing on a smaller area will keep me from going crazy…or broke.

#10

Hi Njbug:

That plan worked well for me.

My neck hairs were very thick and the area was very sensitive, so we comcentrated on my upper face starting with
the upper lip, then the frontal area around the mouth and chin, moving out towards the sideburns. So each time my full
frontal area and sideburns got cleared, plus some of the neck hairs.

Seeing real progress in one area shows you it is actually
working and getting better.

Good luck, Alicia