How’s it going everybody? I’m looking for advice regarding my next move in my hair removal journey. I currently am nearing the end of an 8 session laser package from Ideal Image and at this point have had less than satisfactory results.
Initially, I purchased the package to help combat reoccurring ingrown hairs on the front of my neck due to shaving and also wanted some stray hairs above my eyebrows taken care of. Being 6 treatments in, I now have more hair than I started with and it is in places I did not have hair before. The laser has however, made the hair on my neck very thin/light colored and I think the fact the hair is so weak is contributing to the ingrown problem. The few hairs above my eyebrows have now turned into dozens of newly sprouted ones. I am disappointed beyond belief after spending over $1800.
I am now contemplating making a move over to electrolysis. Has anyone had experience with this treatment on their neck/eyebrows? Also, does anyone have a recommendation for a good electrologist is the Milwaukee, WI area. Thanks!
Just keep in mind that since WI is a licensed state, the fact that one is NOT a member of the AEA is not really a statement on their fitness to work on you, as most consider AEA membership an additional expense that is not needed in their case, as AEA membership does not help them maintain their license.
Hi Ingrown3, I am surprised that LHR was done on the eyebrow area. It upsets me when i hear stories like this, these laser technicians who do not care and are willing to do laser anywhere just for the money!I am sorry to hear it has made it worse but do not worry you are not the only one it has happened to. I am an electrologist and i would say 90% of my clients are people who have had laser hair tremoval done and only to find that it has made the treated area worse.
Yes electrolysis is definetely the way to go. Just make sure you go to a good electrologist.
I spent $10,000 on laser (for neck, chest, arms and back) and just ended up with weaker finer hair but more of it - ie. seemed to make some fine vellus hairs become coloured longer advanced vellus hairs.
So I’ve been having electrolysis - tons of it this year - I’ve been to 12 therapists and found 5 professionals I trust.
I am having good results on the finer hairs on my upper face (eyebrows, cheeks) and hands with the Apilus Platinum machine.
I seemed to get a fair amount of regrowth on the coarser hairs around lower neck. I figure it’s regrowth because the hairs come through initially with little red bumps; never happened before naturally. (I put a dab of retin-A on those to help the skin shed and make the hair come through the surface faster.)
On beard and neck hairs … I initially had horrific results from bad thermolysis (by beauticians - avoid them!) on my beard-neck area - in-growns that caused cysts that lasted 3+ months. I have some acne-like pitting as result (a year later).
So I have mostly had galvanic (multiprobe machines) on my neck area - decided to leave the face-beard alone. Galvanic makes a mess (takes 1-3 weeks to heal; scabs for a week then redness) - but the hairs seem to go and stay gone =
But because it is very slow (can only treat so many hairs each week) I am now trying thermo again with Apilus thermolysis and so far, fingers crossed, it’s going OK; much faster than galvanic. Though I do expect regrowth.
The most important thing I’ve found is that the therapist does not “pluck” the hairs that are not ready to come out. If they do they can break and cause the ingrowns cysts = disaster!
They must only gently pull at the hair and only remove the ones that slide out easily and fully. So insist on that at the start of treatment.
With my neck-beard hairs sometimes the Apilus therapist zaps the hairs 10+ times before they will come out. All of them have said I have the toughest hairs they’ve encountered - esp on the right hand side of my neck. That’s probably because of the bad thermolysis I had a year ago - by beauticians - which distorted the hair follicles.
PS - I have also had tremendous results on my back and shoulders from galvanic multi-probe. Again it’s been a long journey - over 6 months and maybe 15 visits (to another city!) treatments of 3 to 6 hours using 2 to 4 machines at once (being 32 to 64 probes at once).
Some areas hurt like hell. Some don’t. But I use EMLA in last several months and we have really good chats. The more you get talking about sometihng you are passionate about (like relationships! lol) the time flies by and you don’t notice the pain. I am now trying Apilus Platinum thermo to more rapidly zap the remaining finer hairs on those areas.
I have currently been undergoing electrolysis in Australia too and have had some stead success. I have to ask why have you chosen to go all out?, other options just not an option and you really dislike your bodyhair?.
I have been undergoing electrolysis in crucial areas where I have needed it with a really good technician. I haven’t been undergoing treatment on my back and chest but i have been considering waxing.
I am very hairy and my question to you is why don’t you wax? my experience with electrolysis has been painful, expensive and enduring but one that I have to say has been worth it in my instance. I don’t think I could go through with an entire body thermolysis or electrolysis routine, I would die lol.
I live in Australia too, g’day mate haha.
p.s I too underwent laser hair removal by a horrible place in Austraila http://www.laserskincare.com.au/ and now I have permanent scarring from it, they (Dr Main) blamed it on a predisposed condition I have and that was that they left me hung, drawn and quartered and stopped treatments as soon as they realised the extent of the damage. If it wasn’t for my electrologist I would have killed myself already - I am not seeking sympathy for this comment, I am just stating my gratitute for all the help I have been given by my electrologist. She saved my life.
PicoFlash thermolysis, as featured on the Apilus Platinum, along with a probe size that matches the thickness of your hair, with the correct choice of timing and intensity and proper insertions, will destroy those thick hairs on the first pass. Some hairs may need a second pass weeks later??? Who knows??? PicoFlash thermolysis would be just as effective and FASTER than galvanic. Sensation is better, too. If you are being told otherwise, then I am here to say NOT SO. You can decide for yourself by comparing.
I am an electrologist in Australia, I use multi galvanic , thermolysis and blend. I have purchased the Apilus platinum pure which I will recieve in about 2 weeks. I have to say every time I have read your posts about picoflash thermolysis, I feel reassured I have made a good choice with this purchase. Please tell me do you use synchro? Do you still use any othe methods I mentioned above since your purchase of the apilus, and if so what for?
I know I made a good choice when I purchased the Apilus Platinum. My clients tell me that it’s not too bad compared to what they experienced in the past. New clients, that have been to the electrologist in the next suburb, tell me that they can only do 30 minutes of electrolysis because it hurts too much. When they get on the table, and I start treatment with the AP, they end up asking me to do 45, 60, 90 + minutes because the AP is more comfortable than what they had experienced with their last electrologist.
I have used all the thermolysis and blend modalities. I like them all. I use Synchro on straight anagen hairs on the body and I have used this modality on beard hair on the face with great care. You must use an insulated probe. If your radio is on, you will hear a soft buzz when the current releases through the radio or even the tv. I like Synchro, but some of my clients tell me they like PicoFlash much better. I use MultiPlex on deep, curvy hairs. OmniBlend is the most comfortable blend mode. I used that yesterday on a woman’s chin hairs. She had less than 50 hairs, so I was able able to clear her with blend in the time frame she requested. I mainly choose a thermolysis mode, but I love the blend as well. It all depends on the situation. When I use one of the blend modes, I usually tweak the intensity and timing both on the galvanic side and thermolysis side. I like to use gold probes with blend. It is so neat to see the hydrogen and chlorine gases escaping out of the follicle opening, too. I’m just happy to have such good choices since everybody is different.
When I first started using the Platinum, I stayed close to the shore so to speak, and mastered PicoFlash. I then ventured out a little and added a newer mode each week or two in order to get the feel. I wish Dectro had an instructional DVD that offered much detail on the different modes, but they don’t, so I was on my own mostly. I made some phone calls and asked some questions here and there. Very rarely do I go to the higher levels. If the hair doesn’t release, think that it could be that your intensity is too high and back it down.
I do not think you will have any regrets. Just know, that you cannot use this epilator like you used your other epilator. It’s very powerful. Start low and ease upwards as needed, always watching the skin reaction.
Are you near Christine O’Connell? She may be able to help you get started.
Yes I know Christine O’Connell. She is fantastic. I will be giving her a call as soon as my machine arrives, although I don’t think Christine has got the synchro option. I will have to ask her.
Thanks for that info, James. I may try it on a body area of a willing subject soon. I find that I really need to focus more when I use Synchro. It is a really useful modality on deep, thick, anagen, straight hairs. Kind of like doing a quick blend.
Dfahey, so this special insertion technique is this explained in the manual ? Now I am worried if I got this additional option and may not use it. Did you teach yourself how to use synchro?
It was not in my manual, but maybe the manual offers more details now. I had to teach myself after talking to some colleagues. This is why Dectro needs to include a detailed instructional video, in many languages, since they serve consumers internationally. Seeing the technique demonstrated is easier than writing about it. I wouldn’t worry about this. If you can insert well, then the rest should follow. Did you purchase your epilator from California or Cananda? You can call and talk to a real person who can walk you through this. Once you learn to use Synchro, you will be happy to have this modality in your electrolysis arsenal. Be not afraid of the new!
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