Electro-skeptic: The financial incentive to delay completion

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Hi all,

Apologies if this topic has been previously covered, but I’m beginning to debate wether my electrolysis provider’s interests are aligned with mine, and need advice on how to proceed.

We have been targeting sparse, dark hairs in the upper lip area, in three facial moles, and around the areola. I’ve received 15 monthly thermolysis treatments of 15 min each. Despite achieving complete clearance at each, the regrowth rate is essentially the same as that i experienced prior to beginning electrolysis, when i was plucking the same areas. Prior to starting electrolysis, I grew out the hair in these areas for six months (thanks pandemic masking!), so i also felt like i have a good sense of the pre-existing growth. I do regret, however, not taking pictures to document the progress.

I received the first five electrolysis treatments with one aesthetician, but she would always tell me i just needed “just one more session” (setting unrealistic goals), and berate me for trimming the hair between sessions. She insisted that by trimming the hair I was increasing re-growth and was responsible for requiring more treatments. I didn’t trim the hair too short for her to get a grip on it - a complain i would have understood - but she was convinced that trimming the hair “provided more oxygen for growth”. I didn’t want to keep seeing someone who understood her profession so poorly, so switched to another provider.

My current aesthetician certainly appears to understand her work, definitely understands that i need to trim my mustache between sessions, and quickly achieves complete clearance at each session… however, a year into working with her i’m still not seeing reduced re-growth. Part of the problem could be that she’s not treating each follicle with enough power - I do sometimes feel a tug when the hair is removed, but I try to express this when it happens, and it’s certainly not the case with every pull.

During this same period i’ve had incredible success with laser hair removal on larger areas (full legs, underarm, bikini), and now it’s probably only the sunk cost fallacy keeping me returning to the electrolysist.

I don’t think it’s irrelevant that it’s in an electrolysis’s financial interest to keep clients coming back indefinitely. Even if a provider has the best intentions, this must be a difficult reality to ignore, and given the pandemic-related reduction in business, along with rapidly increasing costs in this high COL city… I don’t know.

Any input would be much appreciated. I’m in LA and would be happy to share provider info by private message.

#2

Trimming, cutting, shaving, etc. does NOT cause any issues with hair growth or the electrolysis process. Electrolysis is a prescribed treatment program that takes an average of 12-24 months to finish and it is the ONLY process in the world capable of permanent hair removal. Be aware it can take up to 6 months to see a reduction in hair growth.

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#3

I can’t tell whether this is a genuine response or a bot…
“Be aware” that my post explains that i’ve had 15 monthly sessions and not seen any reduction in hair growth. Given this, is there any reason to continue with this provider, or is it time to find another?

#4

Well, with this statement, “trimming the hair provide[s[ more oxygen for growth,” it’s good you left that provider. I’m wondering, because in most jurisdictions estheticians are not allowed to perform electrolysis. In California, you need an electrology license. There are number of great electrologists in LA and I’m a bit befuddled why your treatments have not been successful.

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#5

Ah apologies, i’m probably using “a/esthetician” inappropriately - i’m actually not sure how these providers refer to themselves, but both are definitely licensed.

I’ve found referrals on this forum for other local providers, and will seek out consultations with them.

Thanks!

#6

I question a couple of your statements.

“She insisted that by trimming the hair, I was increasing re-growth and was responsible for requiring more treatments … providing more oxygen for growth.”

What you said here is equivalent to a licensed mechanic telling you to put water in your gas tank.

I know California schools very well. I know the owners … they use my books. One of the first things we learn is that trimming or shaving does nothing to stimulate hair growth or re-growth. All electrologists must graduate from such schools and take a licensing test. Frankly, I don’t believe any electrologist in California would make such a stupid comment.

“[after 5 treatments] she would always tell me I just needed just one more session.”

Again, this is a statement from someone who was brain-dead if they actually participated in electrology school. No skilled electrologist would give you the impression that you would be finished in 5-months (once per month) and needed only “one more treatment.” Hummmm …

” I don’t think it’s irrelevant that it’s in an electrolysis’s financial interest to keep clients coming back indefinitely.”

In your case, you have no work at all! Yours is one of the most minor cases I have heard in a long time. No electrologist is getting rich from 15-minute treatments once per month. Your case is so small, that I would not even consider you for treatment … and would refer you to another start-up electrologist. Your statement is questionable and somewhat insulting.

“15 monthly [clearance] treatments for 15 months.” Not to be invidious, but … With such a tiny amount of hair; and all those clearances, you should be finished or at the very end of your treatments. Something’s not right here.

I’d need second-party corroboration of your above statements, i.e., from your electrologists, before I would render a damning judgement about your electrologists. I’ve learned that clients sometimes exaggerate! Moreover, we only have evidence from the prosecution. Your OP does not sit well with me … sorry. I’m guessing that the others on this website have the same questions but were too reticent to comment?

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#7

Hi, I am writing from my husbands account. My name is Nicole and I am a professional electrologist in SC and went through a 350 hour training program and many continuing education hours. I own Evello in Aiken, SC. You have brought up several concerns and I would like to provide assistance, education and recommendations.

First, to address the first statement from your first provider… Sounds like this person lacked basic hair biology. Any type of “cutting” hair will NOT result in increased of hair growth of any kind. See my YouTube for many answers to questions concerning electrolysis. https://youtube.com/c/EvelloAiken

Second, unfortunately there are several states that do not require any training for electrolysis and do not regulate the field. If you are international, please check on the regulations in your region. Always ask where the electrologist was trained, how many hours was the program (at LEAST 350 hours), if they participate in continuing education, and read reviews.

Some facts about hair growth and electrolysis… Our hairs grow in many cycles and depending on your tweezing/waxing schedule you possibly have 100s to 1000s of terminal hairs (hairs different from peach fuzz). But from your statement it sounds like you have been going long enough and consistently enough to see some results if not more.

Third, the hairs you are describing as dark, possibly coarse, in the upper lip and breast area are hormonal growth areas. There could possibly be an underlying hormonal condition driving regrowth or new growth in the treatment area. It would be important to discuss this with a physician like an OBGYN, Endocrinologist or Functional medicine doctors about your hormone levels and/or rule out any causes for hormonal hair growth.

Lastly, you mentioned feeling tugging of the hairs. You are correct that the electrologist should be removing the majority of the hairs without tugging. Sometimes it happens… but it should be rare. The tugging and pulling of the hairs could continue to stimulate hair growth.

Laser & electrolysis are definitely different modalities. Laser is great for dark, coarse, dense hairs on lighter skin tones. It works so well for this type because it uses the hair itself to destroy the hair and follicle. But once the hair is finer it could stop working because the hair is not coarse enough and doesn’t have enough melanin for the laser to target.

I hope this is all helpful. Feel free to look up my business and contact me with any other questions or concerns. Definitely check out another electrologist if you are questioning your treatments.

#8

I agree with you Mike. I would have raised the same points as you, but you said it so much more gently.

We are not aware of other information, so this makes it an endless fishing expedition for truths. I think the OP gave better information than others that come on Hairtell, but with no pictures or knowing anything about the practitioners side of the story, it would not be helpful to make any comments. Fifteen clearances on the upper lip is more than enough if the client isn’t tweezing and the practitioner is getting the hair to slide out with NO traction.

#9

Yes … since I live near Los Angeles (where the client is located), I would be VERY happy to talk with her electrologist … non-confrontational, of course. I want to hear a “witness for the defense” … as they say. Remember, California is a “licensed State” and has very high standards …

#10

Apologies for using the wrong terminology in a few places above - i’m learning.

I first want to say that it’s obvious that the providers commenting on this form are very skilled and invested in applying electrolysis in the most optimal way. I absolutely appreciate this, but am not sure that it’s reasonable to assume that everyone practicing with a license is able to maintain perfect performance at all times.

I agree that the statements made by my first electrologist don’t make sense - that’s why I didn’t return to her. I’ve also been told by RNs at my laser clinic not to shave between sessions, so this particular myth does appear to be a particularly pervasive one in the industry. But tbh i wasn’t too surprised - I work in clinical research and routinely see primary care physicians fall into bad habits that involve advising and prescribing in ways incompatible with their guidelines and training (e.g. routinely prescribing antibiotics for self-limiting viral infections). In the field of aesthetics, where systematic clinical evidence is lacking, over-treatment and inappropriate treatment abounds. For decades waxers have told me that regular waxing would reduce growth, and that laser was a waste of money… i don’t think they were intentionally misleading me, just parroting a line that they hadn’t thought to question that kept their clients coming back. Of course one 15 min appointment per month isn’t making or breaking any business, but a schedule full of recurring appointments provides financial security.

Anyway, back on the topic of my electrolysis journey :wink: @Mwilcook raises some very helpful points.

  1. The hair i’m targeting with electrolysis is likely influenced by hormonal changes. I was noticing a slow increase in growth int these areas in the years prior to starting electrolysis, and additionally I stopped taking hormonal birth control shortly after starting electrolysis. I don’t know why this hadn’t occurred to me before! If i hadn’t been undergoing laser treatment in parallel, I may have noticed increased growth elsewhere. So perhaps we’re fighting an uphill battle here - clearing most anagen-phase hair growth with each treatment, but seeing increased thickening of the growth from other existing follicles. Hormonally, i’m within normal ranges, but slightly underweight, which i also understand can trigger unusual hair growth.

  2. The hairs we’re targeting were mostly coarse and prone to become ingrown, and I’d been plucking these areas religiously for years prior to starting electrolysis. Perhaps the follicles are already so significantly scarred that they’re unusually difficult to treat?

Anyway, the overall response here - that I should be seeing more progress - has inspired me to have a more in depth review with my electrologist this week. I have also sent requests to three other local electrologists recommended on these forum. I’ll provide an update after I speak with them, and will send @Bono a private message with more info on my experiences.

#11

sounds good!