First Electrolysis Appointment Thursday

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
1

I have a electrolysis consultation on Thursday with the help of Barbara,thank you so much by the way. I am really excited. I have finally saved up some money so that I will be able to start and continue treatments. I won’t be getting a treatment on Thursday I don’t think, but I am going to a consultation.

It has been 14 weeks since my last laser treatment, and I’ve let my hair grow out about 2 weeks without trimming it. It looks so bad and is depressing. Usually I’m relatively hair free between laser treatments and just go back when the hair starts to grow in from 10-12 week mark since my previous one.

I don’t really know what to expect on Thursday but what type of questions should I ask? They have flash thermolysis at the place I was going, and the electrolysist said she would have to look at the area I needed treatment to determine which route to go.

Anyways, I will try to take some pictures with my crappy picture phone so I can evaluate my progress. If anybody has anything I should ask during the consultation let me know. Wish me luck!

2

We do wish you Luck.
For electrolysis, hair does not have to be real long, just enough that the electrologist can get the tip of forceps on them. Also it helps pain wise, to stay away from Caffeine for at least 24 hours prior to appointments. Also try and be calm as possible. Anziety causes the nerves to be much more excited and you will feel things much more.
There are over the counter ointments that can help a bit with electrolysis. 4% or 5% Lidocaine is the ingredient that you would be looking for. However, most of my clients do not feel the need for it, but personally, I do have some for those who need it.
On my consults, I do go over their health history etc, to make certain that there are no contra-indications to electrolysis. I will also spend time evaluation how the client responds to treatment and to see what modality seems to work best for them. We are all individuals and one size does not fit all by any means.
Let us know how the appointment goes.

Martha Montgomery
Puget Sound Electrology

3

So I went to my first electrolysis consultation today. It was in the back of a women’s beauty shop type deal. Kind of awkward waiting in such a place while waiting to get my shoulder hair removed. But the electrolysis was very nice and seemed to be very knowledgeable. I told her I’ve tried 5 different laser and about 7 different techs but she still thought I should try laser again and referred me to another laser clinic she thought was reputable. She seemed to think the culprit behind my no results in 25 or so laser treatments could of been the operator.

I know in electrolysis that may be the case, but seriously, all you do when you are a laser tech is push the button on how many joules to apply, use the appropriate hand piece depending, and press against the skin and push a button. It really isn’t rocket science. THe reason she suggested laser STILL was because I had a large area. What really discouraged me was that she said it would probably take about 3-4 years or even more to finally clear the area. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> I was under the impression that if I went 4 hours a week, and went very aggressively I could be finished in about a year or a year in a half.

Anyway, she did a few test zaps on me and to my surprise I found the pain to be very minimal. Compared to the pain of laser, there is no comparison. The pain of laser is EXCRUCIATING however, in electrolysis, I could not believe how much it didn’t really hurt. The method she was using was micro=flash thermolysis. She inserted the probe and sent 3 seperate shocks, puleses or whatever as she went in to the follicle. The third was pulsed right when the needle was all the way in the follicle. Then she just would pluck it out, when I say pluck it out, it would come right out easily. Just like when hairs shed after I got laser 3 weeks later. She said it was good that I had a white bulb on the bottom of my hair because that meant it was in the anagen stage and propery treated.

Her fee is $62 an hour, but to my dismay she says she barely ever goes over 1 hour straight at a time. I would actually like to at first go 3 hours at a time, and get as much done as I can and aggressively clear the area as fast as I can. I think she is used to working on smaller areas with women, but she was telling me male clients that she used.

All in all, I was suprised at how little pain I felt even with a probe being inserted into my skin. Quite amazing how she could fit it down the shaft of the hair. I was dissapointed with the time frame. 3-4 years is a long long time. THat is 3-4 years of my life just gone, poof, that I will be hairy and unable to do anything at all. At 4 hours a week, for 4 years, I’m afraid that would be too much money than I could produce. That would be over 50 thousand dollars. I have continuous hair all along my lower neck, shoulders, upper arms, shoulder blades, small portion of upper back to be treated. $250 a week is too much for me to stomach for the long haul. I have saved up about 5K but that will only last me so long and I will be depleted.

Anyway, sorry for the novel

4

We love long posts, as long as they are not repetitive, and have something to say.

You will find many electrologists don’t want to do body work, as it is a little different from face work. You will also find that many electrologists don’t work on one person more than an hour.

Of course, that is why so many people with large treatment areas end up traveling to someone who will do marathon sessions, and has a track record of large area clearances.

You were correct when you estimated that you could have essential clearance doing some 4 hour sessions in the beginning, and fewer and shorter appointments later, and have it over in a year or two. Needless to say, if you only did one hour a week, it could take you 12 to 24 weeks just to get to first clearance. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

I have usually been able to get to first clearance on men’s backs in 6 to 12 hours. Most men would like that to happen in the space of one to two weeks instead of six to twelve weeks. That is why most of my male clients start out with at least 3 hour appointments.

Good Luck in finding someone who can give you what you are looking for, in a way that would meet your goals and your schedule.

5

Three-four years and $50,000 is not even close to what you can expect to pay in time and money.

In my personal situation as to what I can do as an electrologist, I have been working on a male client, upper arms, shoulders, full back for about 6 months. He is clear and staying clear from the upper arms and shoulders all the way to the bottom of the rib cage.We’re moving down fast. He comes 2 hours a week and spends $112 per week. At the rate we are going, he will be completed in a year or less.

I love doing large areas. It is not a problem when the client is compliant and the electrologist has a winning strategy.

Your electrologist sounds very good, but I agree with James, it sounds like she doesn’t want to take on your back hair.

Dee

6

I am trying to go to another electrolysis in my area next week, but have playing phone tag with her this week. She also uses micro-flash electrolysis, so I’ll get an opinion from her as well about how long it should take, prices, and so forth. I take it most electrolysists wouldn’t appreciate me going to multiple electrolysists at the same time?

The 3-4 year thing really scared me. I found it odd that she made that assumption before I even took my shirt off. I just described that I had constant thick hair on my shoulders, upper arms, small portion of upper back, and lower neck. I suppose after a few treatments I may know a little more about how fast she works, and what to expect, but even then, I can expect alot of the hair to come back after an area has been cleared right?

Wouldn’t it be nice to be rich? I’d use 2 different electrolysists at a time simultaneously, and get my first clearance as fast as possible and expediate the process that way. I am just kind of down in the dumps because I’ve never had to be hairy like this for this long. I have always used laser, ipl’s to create a sort of hair free period for weeks at a time, but now theres nothing I can do except wait and kinda be antisocial, especially with the ladies.

I really appreciate all the help from James and DFAHEY though, you have been a great help. I cannot thank you enough.

7

Thanks for the appreciation, Chuck.

What you can expect after a first clearing of an area is to see new hair appear or hair that was treated but was not in the anagen stage at the time it was treated, to pop through. Only a third of the hair you really have is present and shown at the first visit. The rest is hiding below.

That is why the electrologist should always start an appointment going back over the cleared area each time to get those new hairs that were hiding. At first take it will appear that a lot of hair has come back, but it is not the case, unless the hairs were undertreated in the first place or they were treated in the telogen phase to begin with. Patience is a requirement along with practitioner skill and practitioner speed for this area. Speed can equal permanent destruction.

Pretty soon, there are not many hairs to zap in those cleared areas. They get as sparse as “one tree only on 100 acres of prarie land” as your treatements progress. That’s the point where I am now with my client who I described earlier. It’s a beautiful site to see his nice clear, smooth skin.

Now, do you truly believe you have to be anti-social until you rid yourself of hair? I am just so puzzled by this. Your lovability is not measured by how much hair you have or don’t have. I know you know this deep within, so give yourself break, Chuck. There is not one person alive that doesn’t have something they feels flaws them physically, so you are definitely in the majority with the rest of us.

Do sample someone else who can put a good strategy together for getting the areas you want treated finished ASAP and don’t forget to relax and have fun with others at the same time. Okay?

Dee

8

Communication is not always clear, and I think that some facts may have been left out. Even if it takes several years, there is no way that you would need 4 hours a week for that length of time.

Lots of hair takes longer than less hair. Even then, the amount of hair you have is reduced and then reduced again, and again and again.

It is hard to explain the frequency of treatments when there are two kinds. One is about the epilator and the other is how often you will need a treatment. Here is a good rule to expect, but it cannot always be followed - just because of the budgeting of life’s time and money. Clearing and area and keeping it cleared should result in about half the amount of hair in two months. Following through with those clearings should again result in half the hair in about 2 months… That translates in less and less time (and money) needed to get the areas cleared, therefore done.

9

I think the hair that will be most difficult to be treated will be the hair on the front of my neck. I say that because it is right below my adams apple, and luckily it isn’t as thick as my beard, but seeing how electrolysis works, I am weary of a needle being stuck in my neck. Is it difficult to treat this area? It doesn’t seem like there is alot in between my skin and my esophagus/throat in this area. Could inserting a probe be dangerous in this area? Are there any areas that are dangerous to be treated with electrolysis?

BTW, Since my appointment last week the irritation really hasn’t been as bad as I thought it would be. I only had about 10 hair folicles treated, and I had what looks like small ingrowns a few days after and redness around the hair follice but it has subsided quite well for the tiem being. It is still red around the hair follicle but compared to laser, I think there is a little less irritation.

10

The dangerous area for electrology treatments is inside your nostrils…the reason is that there are lots of microorganisms inside the nose that could contribute to an infection.

The throat is not a dangerous area to treat. The flexible skin might result in your seeing irritation after the treatment, but the hairs usually define those follicles very well - making them easy to treat.

11

So it was my ACTUAL first electrolysis session today. One hour for $62. I think I might of found out why my electrolysis said it could take 3-4 years. She only does one hour at a time, works about 30 hours a week, and it’s going to be hard for me to schedule over 2 hours MAX a week. But I really like her, she’s very nice and sociable. In an hour, we did an area of my shoulders/upper arms on both sides, half an hour a piece. Probably about a 2x2 inch area on both sides of the shoulders, is that about expected? She seemed to work very fast. I have very thick hair too.

Question about the procedure, sometimes she would send 3 pulses as she inserted into the follicle, but about 75% of the hair follicles treated today she only inserted all the way and send one big pulse. Is there a difference? She is using micro-flash, and for the life of me I can’t remember what machine she was using, but I’ll make sure I remember next time.

I think I am going to go to two electrolysists. I’ll just have one do the right hand side of my area, and the other do the left hand side. I hope that won’t piss them off, but it’s the only way I can get rid of this problem as fast as possible and I’ll find out who truly is better as well. I figure I should be able to fit in 3 hours a week with the combination of both of them. The other electrolysist I am going to next week doesn’t use micro-flash electrolysis though, but it’s not Galvanic either. It may be blend, I’ll have to find out.

12

When clients are open and honest with us, we can’t be offended. I have clients who visit other electrologists in addition to me.

If you are going to the two women I know - they will be fine with this.

The multiple pulses vs. one pulse. With experience, the electrologist can recognize the hairs that will need more current to come out. On a man’s back, there will be vellus, accelerated vellus, coarse and very coarse hair. The vellus can be skipped (for now possibly) the accelerated vellus comes out very easily, but the very coarse hair needs more treatment energy to be gone for good.

While the second electrologist might not use micro-flash, it does not mean that she won’t be using thermolysis.

Good luck!

13

When I first started I also had to see 2 different electrologists at a time. They knew that I was doing it but were not pissed off. They did ask me who it was that I was going to, and their technique just so they know their competition. Eventually I didn’t have as much hair so now I only need to go to one of them, but during that time I had a good chance to evaluate who did a better job and I stuck with that one.

14

While the second electrologist might not use micro-flash, it does not mean that she won’t be using thermolysis.

Good luck!

What type of thermolysis method does the Apple Electrolysis use? How much of a difference is that compared to micro-flash, generally speaking. I know the skill of the electrolysist is a major issue, but I just hear so much about flash and blend on here.

15

Chuck, one of the major advantages of the higher end equipment is that they enable the electrologist to release energy at tiny fractions of a second (micro/pico)which means, when applied adequately, it provides a more comfortable treatment with barely noticable surface tissue trauma.

When you indicate, “Apple”, I presume you are referring to the Apilus which is a brand name for a line of machines manufactured by Dectro. Note that not all Apilus machines are capable of doing micro or pico flash (thermolysis) and not all are of the Apilus machines are capable of doing blend.

What if there is no one locally who has a machine that is consistantly promoted at this website?

What is the effect of promoting a particular brand of equipment when there are other machines that are capable of providing great electrolysis in the hands of a skilled practitioner?

Personally, even though I have high end equipment from different manufacturers, Apilus included, I know that in the past, I have been able to provide highly effective and comfortable treatments with other types of equipment and have fond memories of an old Fischer in blend mode.

Somehow, it just doesn’t seem right to heavily promote a particular manufacturers equipment here when some folks, seeking information, might not have an electrologist who has a newer apilus. Yeah, I personally get disgusted when professional electrologists do not upgrade but what is a potential client supposed to do… fly across the country to see James, Dee or me?

16

Hi Chuck,

Regarding the business named “Apple Electrolysis”: I’m not sure what epilator that the KC Barbara uses. It did make sense to me to refer you to both of these electrologists, as I know that they both attend continuing education. Most of us are also aware that clients will sometimes choose the electrologist by how they “relate” to one another. Personalities are different and it made sense to give you some choices.

17

I have suggested to my electrologist to upgrade to something more modern than a Clairblende but she won’t budge. She seems to be perpetually broke.

Are all you electrologists broke?

18

What kind of question is that?

Anybody, in any profession, knows it is hard to make a buck. I would assume that if your electrologist wanted to upgrade, she would find a way to make it happen regardless of her budget woes. What makes you think she is not happy with her Clareblend? If you’re not happy, you have the freedom to find someone else, or you can purchase a better epilator for her.

19

I can tell you, the second electrolysis I went to the pain was almost twice as much, but I kind of liked it. It felt like it was “working more”. I’m sure this has nothing to do with permanency, but it was a nice umph. I’m sure it will get annoying after a while in marathong sessions, but it was bearable for 45 minutes. This electrolysis did straight thermolysis, and the probe was in the hair follicle for a longer duration of time. Usually about 1-2 seconds. I could actually feel the probe heat up while in the hair follice. I also got alot more irritation from this method.

Flash is supposed to be so fast, but to me, this electrolysis cleared as much as the flash method that I receieved last week. It may be a tiny bit slower, but not much.

The best thing about the the second electrolysis is that she seems to have more times to see me. She is willing to do 1.5 to 2 hour sessions sometimes, and even some Saturdays which is great. I guess I won’t know how long until the irritation subsides but it’s pretty bad, I can still feel it on the back of my neck. This electrolysis seemed rather excited when pulling my hairs out after they have been treated. She kept calling them perfect hairs, and said a few times that the subaceous gland had come out with the hair. Paid $45 for 45 minutes. When she saw my area, she said it should take 1-2 years depending, but that was before I told her I wanted to go for 4 hours a week and had saved up 6K.

20

Here are some pictures on my area. These pictures really don’t do justice as I am more hairy than these grainy photos show. The hair is still pretty short as the hair has only been growing above the skin for about 5-7 weeks.

Here is the area I am wanting to treat: http://i10.tinypic.com/2wqzi0y.jpg (CLOSE VIEW)
Far view: http://i12.tinypic.com/30w2zpy.jpg (FAR VIEW)

Here are some other photos to try to show the areas I am going to work on. You can see that big red spot to the right of my neck/right neck from the appointment I had today.

http://i10.tinypic.com/44655c5.jpg
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http://i14.tinypic.com/2pzis1u.jpg
http://i11.tinypic.com/2mfdm37.jpg
http://i12.tinypic.com/2eyflz9.jpg
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http://i10.tinypic.com/2wqzi0y.jpg