I’m hoping some of the knowledgeable members of this board can help me out a bit.
I have been getting electrolysis treatments (of the thermolysis variety) on my stomach, on a small area beneath my belly button, for about four months. We have thus far treated the area eight times, getting full clearance each time. However, thus far, I can see absolutely no reduction in either the density or thickness of the hair.
Perhaps worse, during each treatment, and with virtually each hair, the actual extraction of the hair hurts worse than the electrolysis. That is to say, it seems the hair is being tweezed or plucked rather than effectively treated. According to what I’ve read about electrolysis, one should not feel that the hair is being plucked, especially by the eigth treatment.
My electrologist has told me numerous times that, after each treatment, the hair will grow back thinner and softer, although I certainly haven’t seen any improvement in that regard. She’s been practicing for some 30 years, and has a big nice-looking certificate on her wall boasting her graduation from an electrology school, but I’m having serious doubts about both her competence and the effectiveness of thermolysis itself.
Sometimes I think electrolysis is faith based in the beginning. You just have to be patient. However, if you don’t have faith in your electrologist, maybe you should shop around for another. Have you told her that you perceive the hairs as being plucked? What method is she using on you?
I’m wondering why you feel the hair being plucked at this stage in the game? Do you see good hair bulbs? Initial treatments are full of variety and sensation flavors, but after the first, full clearance any new hair treated should not be so resistant that you feel plucking. hmmmn. Do talk to her. Those hairs are deep and can be thick. Hopefully, she’s getting to the bottom of the follicle with a big enough probe with the correct intensity and timing. Do you think she can see okay?
I’d be interested in your answers to Jes’s questions above. Having faith is good, but add a touch of common sense and instinctive feeling to that as well.
Electrolysis is only ineffective if the real live human being behind the process is ineffective in her/his approach. Sort of reminds me of the friend who told me her car got slammed good by a big, old SUV, forgetting that a crazy person was driving that big, old SUV. I know your subject title is not meant to blame the electrolysis proceedure, but just wanted to clarify this concept again here on hairtell.
I just want to add that once one finds a good electrologist (and we don’t know that you have) one must have faith in that person for at least 3 months to see noticeable improvement. One may even need before and after pictures to really understand the difference.
Hi again, and thanks for the quick responses. I’ll try to clarify a bit more.
As I said, my electrologist is using the thermolysis method, though I don’t know much beyond that. The last time I went, I asked her to zap each hair more than once, because when she did that, I felt less of a tweezing sensation. However, within a few minutes, she went back to just one quick zap and then a quick tug to extract the hair, which invariably caused a plucking sensation. Again, I have almost never felt the hair come out without considerable resistance.
I’ve been going for four months now, with eight treatments that have each achieved full clearance, and though I don’t have before and after pictures, my eyes tell me there’s been no difference thus far in hair density or thickness.
I’m getting the feeling that all of the treatments thus far have simply been tweezing with a bit of electric shock thrown in just for fun. Time to look for a new electrologist, you think?
I won’t weigh in on your question directly, but would like to throw out one suggestion.
It’s not too late to take some ‘before’ pictures. I’d highly recommend doing so as soon as the treated areas have grown back in (just before your next treatment session). Permanent removal can be a long process, and I’ve found pic.s I took early in my ‘hair wars’ to be very valuable in giving me an unsubjective ‘benchmark’ to look back on.
I have had clients who felt like you, that “after all this time I don’t see any difference” like little kids saying “Are we there yet?”
When I show them the progression pictures they get to see how they came to me looking one way, and they progressed to looking another, and then changed their idea of what hairs they wanted gone. Suddenly, hairs they never noticed before were on their hit list, and because the stereo microscope sees all, they are confident that I can remove them too.
On the other issue, I am not the electrologist treating you, so I don’t know if you are getting treated so that the hairs are coming out with a pop, or coming out because they are breaking off, or what. At four months into this, you should be able to have shorter appointments (unless you are now trying to get more and more hairs because you are getting more and more picky) or do longer appointments spaced farther apart, depending on your preference.
I do strongly advise keeping pictures of your progress.
Keeping in mind all that was said above, you are certainly free to explore other electrologists IIIIFFFF you are lucky to have more to explore in your area. The plucking sensation is bothering you making you think that the hair is not being affected permanently. If you told her that, then one would think to pick up on that and say to herself, “Hmm, let me try to insert, zap and lift those hairs without too much traction”. You have been there eight times and you have been cleared. After clearance and steady appointments, I’m thinking that the tweezing sensation should not be present. Discuss it with her again. Tweezing hurts and it upsets the client who is paying for permanent hair removal. I’ll ask this again: Are you seeing full hair structure with bulbs?
Involving the client in the process and explaining things along the way, even after the initial consult, keeps anxiety levels low. Removing the hair permanently is viewed as a “war they must win”. The client is paying money for something that is ouchy and they want every hair to count. They want every hair treated correctly so as not to lay on that table longer than needed. I’ve been on the other side and I know what you are saying. That is why I firmly believe that the talking is never over when one starts electrolysis. People need to know where they are on the electrolysis timeline and what they might expect to see in the future. It gives them HOPE. It is very wise for the electrologist to ask her clients periodically, “Do you have any questions or concerns?”. Even thirty year veterns can do this if they desire. In any case, it is hard to second guess the professional who is giving you electrolysis care. In fact, it gets down right awkward because we can’t see you or know the true specifics. That’s why we encourage you to talk to her as best you can or venture out into the world and go sample others technique and equipment choices. Sampling others only puts more information at your fingertips so you can decide who you are more comfortable with in the end. List and compare if that is what it takes to make you happier and more secure.
What does your skin look like after the treatment?
Are you seeing little pinpoint scabs with no hair growing from them? This would be a good sign.
Are you seeing broken hairs emerging from the skin (or from the tiny scabs) in a few days? Are you getting ingrown hairs at all? These would be bad signs.
How many minutes did your second clearing take? How many minutes have subsequent treatments taken to clear? If you have been clearing the area about every two weeks for 4 months, then the time needed to clear this area should be decreasing. (Assuming the first treatment took the longest due to virgin growth in all stages.)
Other factors would include the reason for the hair growth and what methods you were using before you began electrolysis.
Back to the “tweezing sensation”. Would it be out of line to ask the electrologist about their views on the sensation that should occur during extraction? It is my opinion that the extraction should NOT hurt more than the application of treatment energy. The only time that might occur is when the hair is in telogen and has a dried up sheath that is larger than the opening of the hair follicle - and that is usually felt on the upper lip more than any other area.
This is what should be happening: As you progress, you will spend less time clearing the area and can then spend more time between the treatments.