Is electrolysis a good option? *pics included*

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Hi, My name is Zac, I am 19 years old and a new reader of hair tell. I am very interested in getting the hair on the front of my neck removed permanently and I’m wondering if I am a good candidate for electrolysis. I have found a certified electrologist in my area who gets amazing reviews and who charges $80/an hour but I have not set up a consultation yet. I am wondering a couple things.
1.) How long might a single clearing of the area take?

2.) How frequent do appointments have to be? If it has to be weekly I don’t think i can do it because I don’t have much free time.

3.) Can i shave during electrolysis? I really don’t like walking around with this stubble on my neck and I know it has to be grown out for treatment but I would like to shave in between treatment.

4.) How long after a laser treatment should I wait to get electrolysis?

I know the pics aren’t the best but the area I want treated is everything on my neck below the natural beard line. I actually got my first laser treatment on my neck 6 days ago, which I now regret. The area has looked odd, like permanent stubble ever since. I don’t want to continue with laser at all now. any help or advice for a someone who is new to this is appreciated, thanks!

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#2

That is an ideal area for electrolysis. I am no pro, but in my experience if you can’t go every week you can go every other week or so and just spend longer. I would get “first clearance” as fast as your operator says is okay, and then be religious about grabbing the stragglers.

#3

Your post laser reaction is normal it’s called tomb stones where you have these pepper spots of fried hair. They will shed in coming weeks. Sometimes when they don’t shed well, you go in for touch up and laser burns off those pepper spots.

As for electolysis, you can start 6-8 weeks after your laser treatments. No one can predict how long it will take to clear that area because every electrologist has their own speed, skills and ability. Some are naturally fast and some can’t work fast. That’s why you should go to several consults and try different treatments before you commit to one.

Once you get your first clearance, which shouldn’t take more than 5 hours for that patch of neck hairs, you can go to regular treatments every 3-6 weeks depending how fast your hair grows in. It takes about 18 months of treatments on average but expect longer to get finish the job. You can shave in between appointments but frequent shaving makes the overall process longer because you’re interfering with hair growth cycles and won’t allow more hairs to be visible for our next treatment.

I had neck hair and collar bone cleared and because of the angles of hair growth, I saw better results from Blend electrolysis than from Flash/thermolysis. Ask your electrologist if they know how to work with Blend. If you don’t start seeing differences after 4-5 clearances, I would change modalities or find a new electrologist.

#4

Thank you both,(fenix and WeRNotAfraid) for your responses.18 months sure is a long time. I know shaving in between isn’t good but I don’t really have an option since i’ll have to go to work and all. I spoke to an electrolygist, she said we could do an appointment every other week but she said spacing the treatments farther apart would not be succesful, at least not in the beginning. ALso thanks for letting me know about the ‘tombstones’ left after laser. I thought it was an abnormal or bad reaction, I feel better knowing it’s normal.

#5

Once you start treatments, you’ll be surprised how fast treatments and months fly. Keep a journal calendar of each treatment/ clearance and in no time you’ll be on your 3rd, 4th, 5th month of clearances. Don’t think about the months ahead of you, just start now and stay committed.

#6

Now I’m confused. This morning my electrologist said she recommends that I finish getting laser then come in for electrolysis after. She already told me laser wasn’t permenant. Why would she tell me to do this?

#7

Laser is hit and miss IMO. BUT it can generally provide at least some reduction providing you are a good skin/hair type and have a good operator. Electrolysis is surefire permanent but more tedious. In your case, laser is a good option to start and clean up the stragglers with electrolysis.

Be advised though, shaving DOES NOT effect the growth cycle of hair. Laser does so regrowth does not generally happen on a normal time cycle. It may be a little unpredictable.

#8

I feel like I’ll probably experience full regrowth from laser anyway though, At least based on what I’ve read. I’ve already gotten one treatment of laser and have paid for 5 more.I suppose i should go ahead and get all 6 treatments? Whats the point of getting laser if all the hair wil eventually comeback?

#9

Please don’t underestimate laser reduction. You will get a certain percentage of reduction. People of pallor, with dark, coarse hair respond pretty well, but yes, you will need the refining tool of electrolysis.

For men who want full beard removal, I actually like if they get laser first, if they are good candidates, and then I can quickly do electrolysis to clean up the rest of the hair left behind. Consider getting all six treatments. All the hair won’t come back if you involve yourself with an experienced laser specialist, who uses a quality laser.

I have seen MANY clients who have had wonderful laser experiences. Don’t let anyone tell you that all the hair comes back with laser. That is not a fact. Laser can be a gamble and we can’t always predict how much reduction you will get, but it is worth a try. With the amount of hair you have, I think it is worth getting the bulk of the hair off, before commencing with electrolysis if you are wanting full beard removal.

If you choose to do full beard removal with electrolysis only, you are looking at 125 - 200 hours of electrolysis. At max, you may need 250 hours? That is why I like the idea of punching out as much hair with laser first.

#10

Well this makes me feel a little better. I thought laser was entirely temporary. I’m actually not getting my full beard removed, just cleaning up my neck. I hate how the area looks post laser because of the “tombstones” that won’t shave off but I’ve got my second appointment in December so for now I guess ill finish with laser and come back with electrolysis later on. Thanks for your help!

#11

If you want thinning of your neck hair, then getting one or two full clearances with electrolysis will do it. If you want all the hair gone on your neck, you can do laser first and then electrolysis. I don’t think I understood what goal you have in mind?

#12

DFahey, the pics I included aren’t great but if You zoom in or look close you see where hair grows down the front and sides of my neck. One side has a patch of hair while the other side has more random hairs here and there. It almost connects my beard with my chest hair. That’s what I want removed. I want to keep all of my beard though.

#13

Okay, I understand. Thank you.