How do I judge the skill of the electrologist?

Special Issues Transgender / Transsexual
#1

I have read on websites such as Andrea James and hair zapper and Transgendercare that practioner skill is the most important factor in choosing a method.

I would prefer blend (but only if the practioner is competent and is not actually doing mostly thermolysis by accident), and then multi-needle galvanic is my second choice. Thermolysis is horrible, from what I have read.

But when choosing an electro, how do I determinine their competence from just my consultation with them? I want fast speed, but also solid results with little or no pitting/scarring. Is this too much to ask?

Thanks!

And sorry for all of my posts!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

#2

Don’t be confused here, Thermolysis is not horrible, it is just the hardest modality to master, therefore, many electrologists utilizing thermolysis deliver horrible results. Get thermolysis from someone competent, or even excellent in the art, and you get great results light years faster than blend or galvanic. Good thermolysis compared to galvanic is like comparing time travel to just waiting for time to pass.

There is no way around it, the only way to know an electrologist’s skill level is to view their completed work on someone else (often not available, because who wants to be the person whose face is out there for everyone else to see their before and after), or you can get consultations and sample treatments to see what they can do for you on your treatment area, and document both what you feel, and what you see.

I have to say that here, even word of mouth is not always best, because consumers often don’t know the difference between the best there is, passable competence and outright incompetence.

#3

Hi James, thanks!

I wonder why electrologists do not do before and after pictures. This is common in the other medical fields, like endermologie or breast augmentation (they just block out the eyes to cover the face in the pics). If you do online searches for these, you will see lots of practitioners do show before and after pics.

Also, re thermolysis, what I have learned from reading online is galvanic is slower, but less likely to scare or pit; whereas thermolysis is faster, but damage is more likely. Plus thermolysis is best left for thinner and shallow hairs on genetic females (like peach fuzz hair), whereas it does not work well on the male beard, due to the coarseness and depth of the hair follicle. And electrologists never get enough training in school on male hairs, especially the beard. That is why the results are so horrible for TS people sometimes.

It’s like no one cares about T people:

  1. Pantyhose manufacturers, for example, know that are large percentage of their purchasers are men (or TS people) (20-30% maybe??), yet they do not market to these populations and deny that men wear pantyhose.

  2. Shoe makers still do not make women’s shoes often enough in larger sizes (11-14 extra wide).

  3. Almost no electrologist makes mention of the fact they treat T people on their websites, and they do not get training for this in school), due to political reasons (it would outrage everyone and might alienate their female clients–same as with pantyhose manufacturers–women would stop wearing pantyhose if they started marketing them for men).

  4. Hormone manufacturers have not tested female hormones on T people, despite the fact that that many genetic males (i.e., T people) take estrogens, so there is no research literature available on if the effects differ in men than women. Testing this and putting the results in their leaflets that come with the meds would again cause an uproar and alienate custoemrs, since they would be acknowledging that female hormones have a legitimate use in T people.

Sorry for my rant!!

#4

feel free to rant.

I can only say that my T clients who utilize thermolysis are very happy indeed. I did not say that any place you go to for thermolysis will deliver what I deliver, but it is out there, and it is possible. That is all I want you to know. Thermolysis is only more likely to scar or pit because it is the most difficult to master.

It is like Nunchauku (Nunchucks, think two sticks joined by a chain or rope, you know, Bruce Lee Stuff), they are a very useful weapon, IF you know how to use them well, otherwise, you clobber yourself, leaving your enemy laughing at you.

#5

Very good analogy. LOL!