how long is too long????

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

hello all,

i started seeing an electrologist after doing enough research in march 2007. i got very good advise from this forum. it has been more than 3.5 years and i am still not done. i have IV type skin and hair growth is restricted to upper lips and chin area. i was using mirena for birth control and i suspect that that triggered hair growth. i got it removed last year hoping that i might be done with electrolysis soon. but i am still going twice a month and spending more than 70 bucks every month. my husband has started questioning abt the effectiveness of the treatment and i am getting anxious. i have spent more than $2500 on electrolysis and reasults are not achieved yet. my electrologist is a board certified member and practicing this since 1970s. she is using thermolysis and setting is normally on 32 /34. i am 39 years old and my hormon tests come normal. i do not understand why am I not seeing the concrete reasults? my course hair are still dark and visible when they grow. i am freaking out now…
thanks…

#2

A picture would help here.

It is possible that although you have had much reduction in the amount of hair, you may still be recruiting new hairs due to some condition, or drug interaction(s).

This is the main reason we tell people to take before, during and after pictures while having work done, as this will make it easier to see the actual progress of the treatments. Often people forget how much hair they had when they began, and start focusing on the hairs they thought were unimportant, once all the really bad ones are gone.

#3

Are you getting cleared of all noticeable hair that can be seen by a person having a conversation with you? Are you doing anything between treatments that pull the hair out? What does your electrologist have to say about your concerns?

Mirena is a progestin only birth control device used for women with an underlying medical condition who want long term contraception. Candidates for this IUD would be women who can’t take estrogen, women who have seizures or migraine headaches and I’m sure there are some more indications. Perhaps your age makes you a good candidate for Mirena?? Are you a smoker? Combined products with estrogen and progestin are generally safe for healthy women older than 35 who do not smoke. Whatever the reason your doctor prescribed Mirena, you will have to bring up the hair growth issue with her/him and perhaps there is another contraceptive that will be better for you, your lip and your chin.

Progestin can cause hair growth. Electrolysis works and you should have been “finished” by now for the lip and chin area if you had regular appointments and your electrologist is skilled, which it sounds like she is?? It may be the Mirena that keeps stimulating the hair growth that she can barely keep up with. I just know something is wrong and it is not the fault of the electrolysis procedure.

#4

Are you getting cleared every time? It should take about 1-1.5 years after your first clearance. You definitely shouldn’t need to go in twice a month st this point still if everything is right. Has your treatment time decreased at each appt?

How many electrologists have you tried? Do you feel the hair being released without resistance after it’s zapped?

#5

Thanks all for your replies.

My treatment time has been reduced a bit. But I still have to go twice a month becasuse the hair starts growing and they are clearly visible after 10th day most of the time. Sometimes after 14 days. But my electrologist says that I should stick to 2 weeks’ cycle. I do not use any temporary hair removal method except cutting those corse black hair between the treatments. I have been going to her regularly since last three years except 2 month’s break last year.

My face looks clear on the treatment day but next day it has some scabs n scars which go away in 2-3 days. Practically, I have just 5-6 feel good days between the treatments. I feel embarassed either because of scabs or the dark hair. My skin tone has changed a bit where it has been treated. But it is temporary, because last year I was on vacation for 2 months and they were gone during that time.

I moved 3 times during the first year of my treatment but I have been seeing only one since last 3 years. Currently I am not taking any hormones for birth control and I do not smoke. I asked my electrologist to change the setting but she says that it will be more painful and and leave more scars n scabs on face.

This is my story… I dont know why things are not working for me…

#6

Mirena is birth control. It contains progestin only. A properly treated hair cannot return in 10-14 days. Those are different hairs. You do not have to scab. Do you feel a pull after she treats the hair? Have her show a full hair bulb every fifth hair she treats. If the hair is breaking off under the skin, she is not not doing this correctly and you need to go to someone else after you tell her you are not pleased. Again, something is wrong. Is it medication or skill? I don’t know? It would be best for you to take this information and talk to your doctor and your electrologist. Women can get hair removed permanently in 9-18 months with few or no scabbing and appointments should lessen by month 6-9 at most after the first clearance. Again, do you feel a tug when she lifts the hair out?

#7

i feel heat and pain when she inserts the probe and pulls the hair out. i can not see much of those dark but fine hair on my chin but dark and corse ones keep coming back. My electrologist is one of the first certified electrologists in the state and she is an active member of the board. That is the reason I chose her. I also found her name from the referral section of this forum. Yesterday I found one negative review about her posted in one website and that made me think that is she really doing something or just keep on poking my skin and pulling hair. She keeps on saying that she can see bald patches on my skin n hair are gone permanently but dark ones are still there.

I am going to meet an another electrologist on monday. She also does laser hair removal.

#8

Does the hair feel plucked when she pulls it out or does it slide out without resistance? That makes a huge difference. Properly treated hair slides out and doesn’t require plucking.

Where are you located? You need to try out several electrologists so you can compare things. It can be hard to tell when it’s done properly when you have nothing to compare things to.

#9

Get those consultations. Perhaps we can offer some names of practitioners that have had good reviews here on hairtell. The referral section does not imply that a practitioner is recommended by anyone - it just lists anyone’s name. We rely on consumers to relate their stories, in a truthful manner, here on hairtell.

When you see the second electrologist, I would really be careful in deciding to have have my face lased or not.

One other thing, I looked up the side effects of Mirena on lexi.com and hair growth is a side effect reported by less than %5 of women FYI.

Dee

#10

i met an another electrologist today. she suggested me that my electrologist has not done much on me in 3 years. she told me that she had several complaints against her ( I also found one bad review abt her on the internet and also got a message from an another electrologist from Gastonia, NC suggesting me some electrologist in Raleigh and advise to stay away from my electrologist)) but she managed to come out clean with the help of a board member who happened to be her friend!!! she told me that she has damaged the skin with thermolysis and she suggested me to apply aquifer ointment. she told me that she can do 3 laser treatment first and then remove remaining hair with electrolysis. She has Alexandrite machine and she told me that it will work fine on my skin. She doesn’t use yag machines which work good for dark skins. I have type IV skin. She uses blend method. I am thinking abt laser because I am skeptical… I am going to meet other professional in the area. I live in Raleigh. If someone knows good electrologist, please give me the name.

I also went for the treatment with my electrologist today and paid attention to what she does. I felt that she is pulling some of the hair. I asked her couple of questions and she was forcing me to believe what she is saying is right. She told me that I have hormone problem which sometimes is not detected by the tests!!! I was discussing the length of the treatment and results, she was not at all concerned abt it!! She is trying to prove that she is doing the best but it is my body which keeps on producing new hair and that is beyond her control… I really feel like filing a complaint against her so that she doesnt cheat other people.

Thanks all for your support and advise. I really appreciate that.

#11

Keep searching and follow your instincts. Electrologists in your area have been mentioned here on hairtell. Use the search feature here on hairtell and type in ‘Raleigh’.