Im back..and so happy!

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

I have not posted on here or been on the site for a few months!
Shame on me! I just wanted to give a quick update and ask a question!

I am now about a year into my electro…and its early here so forgive the typos…I am so happy!!! I Never have to shave anymore! I basically had the hair growth on my neck chin sideburns and upper jaw of a man. I use to have to shave daily and some times twice a day. I am on sprirolactone now and a low estrogen progesterone BC for my PCOS, i have seen a endocronologist and got the results of PCOS and its been a rough journey!

I now go to electro about once a week from thirty to forty five minutes, I was going in the begining for up to three hours and this would not get me a clearance.

I am so happy to rub my face on my bfs chest, or hug someone freely without the stubble! Now its mostly longer hairs and softer and typicaly much lighter in color.

I still get nasty ingrowns, and the black spots, where the “hair” will take a few weeks to work its way up and then usually it pops out and is nothing more then a black spot. I am unsure what this is really, and my eletrologist has never worked on someone as much as me, so it baffles her as well, on occasion she has to shock the hair from under the skin to treat it.
I do not break out like I was and with a cataphoresis treatment afterwards the redness is so minimum. My healing time is very fast now and the scabbing is very rare.

Im curious tho, as I have been sense day one, could I just have to deal with ingrowns FOREVER?? Could the few black spots that have been there for sometime remain? Is it safe to see a dermatologist and have some form of facial?
IVE NEVER HAD A FACIAL! Due to facial hair!
I am now thirty six…and oh boy do I wish I could have afforded electro in my twenties!

I love it! Time to shower and NOT shave!
Happy Friday all~

#2

Glad you made it!

You are getting what we call “tombstones”. This happens when the hair is treated, and the bottom of the bulb or some particulate matter thereabouts, is left behind when the hair is removed from the follicle following treatment. This is nothing to be concerned about. When you have your permanent removal, there won’t be any tombstones left. Ditto with the ingrown hairs.

All we ask is that you poke your head in every now and then and answer some of those daily “Does electrolysis really work?” questions. We especially need you when those snippy newbies come on and say something like, “Will someone other than these busy body professionals who have something to gain answer me if this electrolysis works, or not? After losing money on LASER, I want a real person/consumer to tell me that they are done and happy with their electrolysis before I spend my money.”

Somehow, they never believe us when we say, "The ones who are done and happy, don’t have much reason to be reading this forum anymore, unless they just want to help out here as a thank you for the forum being here for them when they had your question.

#3

OK so I know the word tombstone…my electrologist uses that word…my thing is how the HECK will it come out. I have two in the middle of my neck and when i look I SEE them with my naked eye! Or maybe its not naked if I already put my make up on :wink:

I’ve had a couple woman at work, who after reading my posts on FB about coming out about my hairyness, that have come to me in tears saying they are hairy and they need help. One choose to do laser, we will see how that goes for her, the other has had a consult with my trologist WHO I LOVE TO DEATH…and begins treatment next week.

One thing I always tell ppl who talk to me about it is that my pain tolerance is very high. I do not know if it really hurts, i do know instead of pain I feel anxiety and tend to take a benzo an hour before treatment to chill my nerves.

I do not really know the norm, if there is even a norm, but i have had hour long thermo treatments that perhaps were over treatments. It litterally took up to two hours to clear a four by four inch patch on both sides of my neck, and about an hour on either sides of my chin, just the chin area, and this was the first treatment.

I went into electro knowing it might take years to get the results I wanted. This includes the hollow in my throat, my chest, between my breasts and my nipples. I no longer shave or otherwise treat these areas with anything but electro. I am no longer a slave to the gilette corporation and the dang VENUS DIVINE! Altho I still love my razor. Im one of these woman who shaves from the my toes to my upper lip, DAILY! I just have to do my legs my bikini area and my armpits now…talk about saving time! And being a single mother of three what is more precious then time.

I also would let everyone thinking of electolysis know that on those days where you just really dont feel like going to your appt, when you feel like you are not gettin the results you want, when your skin might not look as beautiful as you had thought, DO NOT give up! Sure I have cancelled appts coz it just felt like to much, but when ive had to drag myself in with a numb upper lip and tears in my eyes, my electrologist has hugged me and put on my fave music, and made the time pass so quick and Ive always been thankful!

This forum truely set me on the right path and kept my head on straight when I thought I was going to go insane with facial hair. There are replies you will not like, I hated hearing from others you are being over treated, you will scar…and so on and so forth…but i took everything in that I was told and did with it what I choose.

To the professionals who make electrology their lives work, my hats off to you! If it werent for you and your kindness and dedication there would be hundreds thousands of men and women in the world who felt like they had no way out.

I would have to say besides the joy of not having to hide, of pulling my hair up, of letting my boyfriend caress my face, that electrolysis has shown and given me a patience I did not have any clue I possesed!

YAY for permanent hair removal!!

James you are a peach!!!

#4

Aww Shucks! Now you are making me blush. :slight_smile:

Tend skin usually can bring out tomb stones a little more quickly. Tea tree oil also tends to dissolve them in time, if not bring them to the surface.

#5

When you’re all done, you can consider laser for your underarms, bikini and even legs. Then you can really say goodbye to all razors :slight_smile:

#6

Or, she could continue with reliable electrolysis and avoid risk of burns.

(really now, is there anyone doing electrolysis who is NOT aware of Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation? If there is anything this forum has proven over time it is that while many people looking for LASER don’t know about electrolysis, the people doing electrolysis had to have chosen that over LASER, because all one hears about is LASER)

#7

James, with all due respect, I don’t think electrolysis (any that I have access to at least) could have given me the results I achieved on my Bikini Line in such a short time (3 treatments, 10-12 weeks apart, each approx 20 mins long) and low cost.

And having had electrolysis to clear the last 10% of finer underarm hairs post Laser, I can say I’m VERY glad I had the option to do Laser. I can just about cope with 5-10 mins of electrolysis on my underarms before the pain becomes too much and I have to stop. I can’t imagine doing an entire armpit with electrolysis! Yes, I know, if my electrologist was using newer tech etc etc, but that option is not available to anyone in London and the surrounding area.

I love both Laser and electrolysis!

#8

Just to add my own personal two cents…
My problem was my face chin and neck and chest and breasts.
Unfortunately in our society woman are not meant to be hairy, on their face and chest at least. I have no probelm with my leg or bikini or under arm hair. And for some odd reason I am not that hairy in these areas. Its course yes, but not dense so its just what I consider normal.

When all is said and done with electro I am DONE! The little break between my jolts of current are enough to let me breath. I have heard LASER is like getting snapped with a rubber band constantly. I dont know for sure as I have not done it. But Im afraid I would punch someone. And what is this article I read about LASER treatments being linked with certain throat and mouth cancers???

#9

James, burns are very rare and not a result of a normal good treatment. There isn’t much risk. How about we let those who acutally have experience with BOTH laser and electrolysis weigh in on the issue? It’s not very unbiased to weigh in on something you have no experience with yourself. Hearsay from other biased people doesn’t qualify as experience.

#10

James I think said RISK…
I will however say that when i did my research…the FDA could and would not call LASER permanent…they would and i believe still call it hair redution…that it will remove up to 90% give or take. Hence, the FDA’s use of the term “permanent hair reduction” rather than permanent hair removal. However the FDA calls electro PERMANENT hair removal.

I know one woman who had laser years ago and her hair returned and she is now doing electro. I know another woman who did laser and loves it. One who has done electro and now is doing laser to remove the lasts of her hair, and myself a year into electro and pleased.

Like everything else there will be some haters, some who had bad results, some who get good reaction and are pleased with their choice of removal.

Heresay or FDA or word of mouth, all and any info we can get as the hairy group is great. And do not forget that my MD told me for years It was just the row I had to hoe…imagine that!

#11

Electrolysis is not considered permanent for any other reason than it’s been around for a long time.

Laser only works on coarse hair. The hair doesn’t come back if the right type of hair is treated with the right type of laser at the right settings. Everything else is an issue with the provider, not laser itself. The same way that you can go to an incompetent electrologist (there are plenty) and RISK going for years, spending tons of money and getting no results and scars instead. Read some past posts on this forum to find recaps of cases just like this. The problem is never with laser or electrolysis itself. It’s always with the person performing it.

#12

Are you serious?

#13

Mhmm, my own experience as well as observation tells me it is more a risk of undertreatment or treatment of hair which is too light.

A few laser treatments performed at standards analogous to the standards especially You proclaim for our businiess (which i fully appreciate), of course in situations where it is applicable at all, would strongly reduce costs for our customers.

I actually believe that an intelligent and quality oriented combination of both approaches would thrive our own profession.

Beate

#14

FDA didn’t base it on any unbiased studies as far as I know. If you have different information (links?), please share.

#15

So are you saying the FDA approved the wording of permanent removal and reduction based on some form of prejudice or perhaps fair studies??? Could this be simply because Electro has “been around for so long”? Making the use of LASER questionable still as the studies are not in.

Dont get me wrong, I am not for or against one or the other. I say whatever works for whomever. Just as long as they get the facts and use someone who is clean and follows right procedure. I truelly agree that if people in the profession knew the costs rewards and benefits to both operations then you might just find yourself some PERMANENT hair removal. With a smile.

However in my area, all the laser removal was done in a beauty salon…where hair removal was not the one goal…color, cuts nails…but my electro just does electro. However we now have a dermatologist who does laser, i met with her and she said to me that she could not guarantee me permanent removal, just a reduction in the amount and or density or courseness. She said and I quote “Betsy your hairs are so deep and so thick it might just stunt them to grow weaker giving the appearance of less.” Hence more time and more money either way. And its funny she wanted the money up front. She wanted me to pay for three treatments. Still with no guarantee.

HMMMMMM have you checked the FDA website? Maybe the answers are there.

=)

#16

This statement is utterly false.

#17

I think LAgirl means that electrolysis is known to be permanent because we’ve observed that it is (as opposed to knowing it through theoretical or controlled studies). She also asked for links to studies by the FDA in case she was wrong and they DID do some. I don’t think LAgirl meant anything negative by it, she has had it done and likes electrolysis just fine.

#18

Ummm… I’ve been here on hairtell long enough to be well aware of LAgirl’s laser and electrolysis results. I know what her happiness level is with both modalities.

It’s not all about observation. There is data. I can list more references if you’d like. The information below is from Andrea’s sister site, Hairfacts.com.

Clinical data

Following a long absence from medical literature, electrolysis was once again taken up as an issue worthy of research in the latter part of the 20th century. [13, 14]. Good review articles by physicians [15, 16] complement the practice manuals by professional electrologists. [4, 6, 11]. The best electrolysis book written and edited by a physician is Richards. [5]

Electrolysis improperly performed or performed on non-normal skin can cause scarring, [17] spread infection, [18] and potentially cause isomorphic outbreaks or spread of lesions. [19]

One well-designed study found that about 2% of women under 50 who seek electrolysis have an undiagnosed glucose intolerance. [20]

Two studies, one small and one large, respectively demonstrated that 90% to 93% of consumers have satisfactory results [21, 22]

Two well-designed Japanese studies demonstrate permanence in treating underamrs. The thermolysis study showed “little to no regrowth” at 6 to 36 months after 3 to 8 treatments to the underarm. [23] The blend study observed no regrowth at 6 months after 7 to 14 treatments, while comparative plucking resulted in no significant hair removal at 6 months. [24]

References

Please see my selected list of published electrolysis medical literature.
Caldwell IW. The electronic pencil. British Medical Journal, 1972, 03 Jun(813):591-592.
Please see hairfacts.com for a discussion of home-use personal electrolysis units: cons and pros.
Gior F. Modern Electrology: Excess Hair, Its Causes and Treatments, 3d ed. 2000 and Published by Hair Publishing, Inc., Roslyn, New York 11576. (previous edition from Tarrytown NY: Milady Publishing, 1987) ISBN: 0-87350-413-5
Richards RN, Meharg GE. Cosmetic and Medical Electrolysis and Temporary Hair Removal: A practice manual and reference guide. Toronto: Medric Ltd. 1991. ISBN: 0-9694746-0-1. Pages 37-40.
Bono M. Real world electrology: the blend method. Santa Barbara, CA: Tortoise Press, 1994. ISBN: 0-9642682-0-5
But see Wagner RF Jr, Brysk H, Tyring SK. Revisiting the Michel/Green controversy of 1879: was Carron du Villards the first to use probe/needle electrolysis for permanent hair destruction? International Journal of Dermatology 1997 Dec;36(12):947-51.
Michel CE. Trichiasis and distichiasis; with an improved method for radical treatment. St. Louis Clinical Record, 1875 Oct; 2:145-148
Richards (1991) page 39. Available online via American Electrology Association.
Bordier H. [New treatment for hypertrichosis with diathermy]. Vie Medicale, 1924, 5:561 [article in French]
Hinkel AR, Lind RW. Electrolysis, Thermolysis and the Blend: the principles and practice of permanent hair removal. Los Angeles, CA: Arroway Publishers, 1968. ISBN 0-9600284-1-2
Please see hairfacts.com for a list of states that regulate electrolysis.
Chernosky ME. Permanent removal of superfluous hair. Texas Medicine, 1971, 67:72-78.
Johnson E. Epilation of growing hair follicles. Journal of Expermimental Zoology 1975 May;192(2):259-63.
Wagner RF Jr, Tomich JM, Grande DJ. Electrolysis and thermolysis for permanent hair removal. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 1985 Mar;12(3):441-9.
Hobbs ER, Ratz JL, James B. Electrosurgical epilation. Dermatologic Clinics 1987 Apr;5(2):437-44.
Vogt HJ [Formation of keloids after electroepilation]. [Article in German] Hautarzt 1973 May;24(5):203-4.
Ditmars DM Jr, Maguina P. Neck skin sporotrichosis after electrolysis. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 1998 Feb;101(2):504-6.
Petrozzi JW. Verrucae planae spread by electrolysis. Cutis, 1980, 26:85.
Dumesic DA, Herrmann RR, O’Brien AM. Estimated prevalence of undiagnosed glucose intolerance from hyperandrogenic anovulation among women requesting electrolysis. International Journal of Fertility and Womens Medicine 1997 Jul-Aug;42(4):255-60.
Verdich J [Treatment of hypertrichosis in women by means of electroepilation] Ugeskrift for Laeger, 141:2056-2057.
Richards RN, Meharg GE. Electrolysis: observations from 13 years and 140,000 hours of experience. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 1995 Oct;33(4):662-6.
Kobayashi T, Kamiyama G. Electroepilation using insulated needles. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery 1987;11(4):223-7.
Urushibata O, Kase K. A comparative study of axillar hair removal in women: plucking versus the blend method. Journal of Dermatology 1995 Oct;22(10):738-42.

#19

I wasn’t talking to you specifically, Dee. I’m sure you know all about LAgirl’s results. I was speaking to the general readers of the forum who might assume incorrectly that LAgirl is biased.

Please don’t be offended.

#20

Point taken. Thank you.