I just had a phone call request from someone seeking massive one time hair removal. Wanting at least 8 hours of electrolysis by multiple electrologists at the same time. I have heard of a location in Texas that performs this service, but none locally. They have a doctor available to deliver Novocaine injections as the electrolysis continues. I question how safe this practice really is. I would like to hear what others think about this practice.
I believe you are referring to Electrology 3000 in Dallas. I understand that the protocol they use has successfully helped many for years. Haven’t heard of any deaths yet.
I’m sure James Walker the 7th will add his comments to this, Martha.
Dee
I personally would opt for something similar. I think it’s a great idea to have two for one hour. A bilateral kind of thing. If one is going to get the first clearing sessions anyway, why not get them done quicker? The hurdles it would seem, are heat from all the lights and people in a small area, having two or three grounds, and would all electrologists have to work in synch? I’m thinking for blend, Flash it wouldn’t matter. And what about the patient’s own endurance? I know after an hour I’m usually the one to say lets call it a day. :eek: Three electrologists for eight hours, that’s a whole lotta pokin’ and shockin’.
Mantaray
That is what I mainly wonder about. Over Treatment and possible long recovery time, not counting all of the anesthesia that would have to be administered. This client has only had Blend Electrolysis in the past. Also had Laser over 5 years ago.
I am a medical assistant as well, but only allowed to administer injections if a Doctor is present. So at least in this state, a Doctor would have to be in the physical building the electrolysis is being performed. Client states they have a low threshold of pain. Personally, I think regular flash electrolysis might be a safer way for this client, but she did not wish to make an initial consultation.
I would like to be able to help this potential client, but for what she is after, maybe travel is the best way for her to go. I guess I just may be too concerned about possible over treatment.
http://www.electrology2000.com/
I think they have a waiting list until August to get in. So when you want to book it, you have to wait over six months. I think they only work on TG individuals, but if I had enough money I’d go down there and have them do my entire shoulders and arms in a weekend. My electrolysis says they pretty much just turn up the juice and hit the follicles EXTREMELY hard because the patient can tolerate it from the injections. I’ve read that their clients have more irritation that lasts a little while because of the higher energy level, but that it is very safe.
Martha,
The longest I’ve done is six hours but, when you give a 5-10 minute break every hour and a 30-60 minute lunch break you’ve reached an 8 hour day. I’ve never worked with another electrologist so these 6 hours are a single operator. When doing a marathon session I have a gal that works the skin for me. She applies witch hazle, ice, air, and some other lotions and potions and my clients don’t look overworked. After about 3 days the skin is capable of being worked again(I won’t do another marathon for a week).
My clients that want this done are usually TG & I have a ND & MD in the office just incase.
I saw Electrology 3000 in action, back when it was 2000 =), and it would make the patient look pretty damned awful immediately afterwards. The tech can hammer the hell out of the hair, but that leads to serum and some blood leakage everywhere they treated - so you have crusts on the treated area, as well as swelling - and the Xylocaine/adrenaline mixture injected (adrenaline to vasoconstrict, to tighten the capillaries to keep the Xylocaine in the area) tended to make the victim- er, I mean client, feel unwell afterwards. I recall minor to moderate nausea… and the staff there certainly suggested that all clients stay at a nearby motel rather than go home immediately.
If she wasn’t willing to come in for an initial consult, I’d be VERY wary of letting/helping her do what you said she wanted to do; I suspect she has no idea what she’s in for.
Hi:
One of the problems with someone going to a place like that is that they sometimes have to travel cross country, take time off work, stay several days, etc…That plus they pay a premium for such service. I have heard of people spending 20-30,000 dollars for treatments which they have to pay out over a relatively short period of time.
I think it is possible to get overtreatment too by this method. If you don't feel any pain because you are anesthetized
then there is nothing to give feedback to the electrologist that the settings might be too high for you.
I have gone to my local electrologist/laser tech for over 3 years and got excellent results. The key was to be patient and get regular treatments with someone who knows my hair and skin.
I paid out a fraction of what someone would spend at the marathon place.
Many people have waited a lifetime to come to a point in their life where they are ready to accept themselves and transition. Sometimes we have to be patient where such things as hair removal are concerned and not go for quick and easy gimmicks.
Alicia
I live in Dallas, and have been for a consult at E-3000 (2000, is was called then.) I was already about halfway done with my electrolysis at the time, so I decided against using them. They do good work, but it costs a fortune. They used to be booked up for ages and ages, but now they seem more reasonable and I was told I could get an appointment within a few months.
I think it’s pretty safe. I’ve never heard of anyone having a problem with them. BTW, they don’t use Novicaine anymore (it’s been out of use for about 30 years, so far as I know) because a lot of people have allergies to it. Now, I think most dentists use lidocaine.
I know most doctors use Lidocaine in their offices, and also what they use in case of an emergency. There happens to be a Naturalpathic Doctor in the same professional building as I rent, but I suspect a Naturalpathic Doctor might not want to get involved in pain treatment for electrolysis, but I am starting to think that maybe I should introduce my self and check to see if interested. Our locality does not have many doctors physically close location wise to my office, so maybe I would have to consider relocating if I were to decide to offer such services.
I guess, I am just kind of thinking with my fingers right now. Still very concerned about possible over-treatment when patients are injected with lidocaine though.
The person who called happened to have been transgendered, and transitioned without having first permanently removing hair, and now is in kind of a catch 22 situation. Post Transition, but now very much needing permanent hair removal.
Martha
I think with this large of an area irritated, one might be having to deal with larger scale histamine responses. That can be suppressed, but it could be a factor, especially since the operators have free reign to boost up power on a systemically numbed client. Much of the hair they’re trying to get a shot at could be out of reach with such inflammed skin. The odds of infections also greatly increase with the body’s ability diminished and spread out. I think eschar density is going to come into play as well. Large patches of eschars just seem to take longer to heal.
Things can only be rushed so fast, being covered with eschars for three or four weeks isn’t going to help anything, and hair is still going to grow in those areas during healing times. It would be good to hear what former clients have to say, that is, how many kept going back for additional treatments as opposed to how many sought standard electrology services.
I really don’t see what they are doing as super-drastic, but just physically, it would be such an ordeal for the client, away from home, in a hotel room, completely covered with eschars.
Mantaray
I think a long appointment like this is ok when treating lots of areas, but just for the face it is another matter. On the whole a long appointment on the face, with just one electrologist taking care not to overlap treatment is safe I think. Having two electrologists and using painkilling injections is just way over the top. I totally understand the desire to ‘get it over with’ but the customer still needs to wait for hair to grow in anyway, so why risk damaging their face? Stubble can be kept under control during a course of electrolysis. Skin damage is there for life. Talk to any acne sufferer if you want to know how much it damages self esteem.
As for E2000/3000, I always felt it was a last resort for people in the US because of the vast size of the country, where some may not have the option of going to a local electrologist and don’t have the luxury of taking into account potential skin damage. As a business model for electrolysis in general I don’t think it offers any advantage other than instant gratification. And we all know how long that lasts. Nothing worthwhile happens in a hurry.
Hi:
I started my laser followed by electrolysis before I went full time. I still needed to complete my electrolysis after I went full time. That meant having to let what facial hair was left grow out sufficiently to be treated which was a few days growth prior to the treatment.
I am not sure what the state of this womans facial hair, whether it is dense, average or whatever. She would be best to
get as long a session with you as she can stand without risking skin damage and stick to a regular schedule rather than to have to travel to someplace like E-3000 for the required 6 sessions.
The travel expenses are going to be high and an added expense
compared to going local. James Walker says he does marathon sessions without any problems.
Anyone who is considering transition should learn something
from this about getting electrolysis as soon as possible prior to
actually transitioning.
Alicia
I don’t have time to talk about this in the depth some may wish me to go into, but I will say that the value of traveling to someone who does marathon sessions and can get a full clearance in days to a week or two is that one can get the full phase of hair removed, and then be more easily able to have the local electrolysis practitioner maintain that clearance, instead of the two steps foreward, one step back approach that weekly one hour sessions would tend to be.
When one looks at the savings made from that, it is very much worth the trip. If one lives in an area where the work available is slower, due to comfort, speed of practitioner, or availability of consecutive hours, the built in savings of a trip are even higher.
bah. i’ve done six hour sessions (blend on a high setting) without any topical anaesthetic or narcotic painkillers.
I have many clients who have done 6 hours with no topicals or anything else. Some do it days at a time.
This is one of those things where it is just hard to convince people that this is the difference between one practitioner and another. That is why it is VERY important to visit as many as you can to see what is in fact available to you.
I personally have worked myself with many for long periods of time without any pain to speak of. However, some people are also very sensitive. This individual made their own mind up, that they needed injections and wanted 8 hours of treatment at one time. I tried to tell them that most of my clients do not need pain relief of any kind, but her mind was already made up. I doubt that I will hear from her again, as she has made up her mind what kind of treatment she wants.
I have been trying to see if there really is a need for this type of electrolysis. One the one hand it seems to be doing very well in Texas, or they would not be so booked up. One the other hand, it is a very expensive method, and I see myself as trying to help those who may be fighting with finances a lot. Keeping expenses low helps in that regards. Getting a doctor involved in order to be able to administer subdural lidocaine injections would certainly increase costs. Cost the client would have to pick up.
I guess I should not get too involved with just one request, but was wondering what other electrologist thought of the practice. I do believe that electrology has come a long ways over the years. I remember the crusts that I would get on my face when I was having Blend treatments over a decade ago. When I show my clients what it is like for both types of treatment, they always seem to prefer a mode of Thermolysis. I have several clients who come in for 3 hours or more of treatment and who use no pain relievers of any kind. But one client that I have is very sensitive, and even plucking a hair, seems to send pain thoughout her body. Most of her hairs are long terminal hairs that can be white or black. Insertions are very deep for these hairs. When I first started treating her, I could not even find a hair that had a bulb attached. It was like the hairs were attached long the shaft of the hair. Now almost all of the dark hairs have a bulb, but I still fight the Long White ones. But the dark ones got treatment sooner because they were easier to see, so it just may be a matter of time.
Everyone in the past as also told her that she was extremely sensitive to pain, and so it is not just myself experiencing this with her. Sometimes, I wonder if lidocaine injections would help ease her pain, but for now, Acetaminophen is helping somewhat. I really do appreciate others comments and I believe this is a wonderful forum to do so.
If the acetaminophen is helping then she probably has low-level inflammation, whch can be caused by a huge range of conditions (known or unknown). If she isn’t overweight and doesn’t have any obvious medical conditions then it might be an allergic reaction (e.g. beauty products).
You know Marthajoy, I didn’t think of that in this subject, but I have worked on my own self for comparable times. A couple of times on weekends I’ve had a good breakfast, put my favorite music on, put on my cell headset, and spent at least four to six hours at it, intermittantly listining to music and talking on the phone, with little breaks thrown in. Talking on the phone with a headset on is a godsend to self-DIY’ers. Time goes by quick. I covered a lot of ground in those sessions. It didn’t dawn on me that I’ve actually done marathon sessions like this to myself.
Mantaray
Ask your ND. about Procaine.