My Fairly Radical New Approach to Electolysis

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Moved this post to here. Copied and pasted it on a new thread since the ELECTROLYSIS SUCCESS STORIES thread is for those that are finished with electrolysis treatments. Jessie, please private message me if you have any concerns with this.

Thanks,

Dee

#108847 - Today at 08:26 AM Re:A big ELECTROLYSIS SUCCESS STORY! [Re: Tina Marie]
JessieH
Member

Registered: Sat Aug 18 2012
Posts: 7
I have my whole “home spa day” online now, detailed descriptions of how I fit in fifty things without losing a beat. It contains the following on my fairly radical new approach to electrolysis, that seems to be doing just what I hoped: more hairs, more effectively, with far less facial impact!

My Weekly Electrolysis – high effect, low impact.

I’ve had had some real trouble with electrolysis,

  1. There was the need to let facial hair grow for three days before weekly treatments, and then letting my face heal for 3 days after the treatments. That took too much out of the week

  2. I got small bumpy scarring all over my face, too, that accumulated both for having sensitive skin and because the technician would:

  • a. focus on concentrated areas to maximize the appearance of hair removal, rather than spreading out the impact of the treatment to maximize the real hair removal effect.
  • b. keep going back over areas that were no longer chilled (a good way to reduce impact) or that were already inflamed in an earlier pass.
  1. Progress had also been extremely slow, the tech using a low setting in part thinking that’d relieve the damage, with my skin so sensitive. After 8 months on and off, I needed a whole new approach and so quit for 8 months:
  • a. To let the estrogen work to further slow and weaken the hair growth, and to let my face really heal
  • b. I found a bargain on a Fraxel treatment to remove the scarring.
    c. I had a few Laser treatments to remove dark hairs with low impact, probably weakening some, to help maintain my appearance.
  1. Then I put together what seems to be the defining solution, proven only at the moment by three consecutive unusually effective and low impact sessions:
  • a. For anesthetic on more sensitive areas 5% Lidocane is now available inexpensively from Amazon, and far better than 1 ½% creams
  • i. I use a thin layer on by lips and chin alone, as just icing works elsewhere
  • ii. I cover it with a square of lunch bag plastic I cut out, but only for neatness as I ice the area, for the same half hour before treatment
  • iii. For me, the pre-chilling of each area to treat is much more important than the Lidocane. The ice packs (if cold enough) work much better and are much less messy. They’re easily repeatable during the session too! The needle treats the hair just the same in any case, and the skin reaction doesn’t occur.
  1. The two main changes
  • a. Instruct the electrolysis tech. to remove just one hair per ¼” square zone, as he or she covers the whole face uniformly in a one hour session.
  • b. Leave the hair in place “to die in peace”, and do not extract the hairs at all, (except to confirm effective hair treatment, the technique used, the setting, the angle of approach).
  1. Pre-chill ALL areas to be treated with very cold ice packs, moving along in advance of the treatment. The sequence for me has been to
  • a. first pre-chill my nose and lips, then my lips and chin, treating a vertical rectangle completely with a ¼” square grid (conceptually)
  • b. Then as those are done in sequence move to chilling the right side cheek, then the left, then alternating jaw lines, and the under-chin area.
  • c. That makes up actually 10 areas, that can in fact be covered at ¼” at a time, pre-chilled, to leave the skin red but not bruised and possible to put make-up on the next AM, with quite distinct improvement in overall skin texture and reduction in apparent hair growth, in two or three days.
  1. I don’t know where the un-retracted hairs go, as they don’t seem to fall out immediately, as is often with laser.
  • a. After treatment I use a portable electric razor and a cover-up cream (for electrolysis). The impact is so slight it’s quite hard to tell if I’ve just left a treatment! It’s not perfect, but quite presentable!!
  1. The follicle goes dormant I guess, and the hair may be drawn back in, to be reabsorbed.
  • a. The newly smoother areas stay that way over the week, and accumulate
  1. There is a significant increase in break-outs though, but seemed effectively controlled:
  • a. by being especially careful with being clean while doing the treatment
  • b. and making sure no areas that have warmed up are returned to without chilling.
    jlh

Edited by JessieH (Today at 08:31 AM)

#2

Because of the moved content I’m missing some context here. However this:

“To let the estrogen work to further slow and weaken the hair growth, and to let my face really heal” tells me a couple things."
And This:
“There was the need to let facial hair grow for three days before weekly treatments, and then letting my face heal for 3 days after the treatments. That took too much out of the week”

do tell me some things. It tells me you are on estrogen ( and probably TG) and that you are suffering not only from scarring and discomfort issues, but gender dysphoria as a result of having to grow out just to be treated

For the Gender dysphoria, I have to agree with you. Letting it grow out, really sucks especially if you are presenting daily and on the job. I actually have to let mine grow out a bit longer than you, 4-5 days in order to get enough to do the “loop” recommended for blend method. And it sounds like you are doing the right thing in regards to heating up the area, with chilling it and communicating with the esthician that you arent going for total clearance but looking to reduce the impact over a slightly larger area.

I actually have pretty high tolerance enough to make the electrolysists comment on it. Using the lower settings may improve comfort, but you may want the pro’s here to weigh in on whether it’s a smart thing to do or not. I’ve heard Dee comment in one of my posts recently that the type of machine can make a difference, in that some can be set to give an initial surge and that after that you dont feel as much from the actual treatment dose. I’m wondering if you have tried out other electrolygists to see if the type of machine they are using and technique can make a difference in heating pattern and comfort.

What I would suggest though is limiting the area you are growing out for treatment into smaller areas, and having shorter sessions more frequently. This will still allow the electrolysist to spead out the treatment as you are suggesting without having to go for clearance in the area. You can then start growing out the next area to be treated in a few days right away and shave the area you are done with until next time. That should help with preventing the gender dysphoria from a full face grown out. We tend to leave alot more hair unshaved to be treated per session than whatthe electrolysist needs whether using a thinning approach or a clearance approach.

I’d also like to mention, estrogen doesnt do anything to weaken the root structure to my knowledge.It will thin and lighten the hair on legs and arms, but not the root structure and pubic or face area hair is generally unaffected.

As always, I’m going to point out I’m NOT a pro, so their opinions may differ. In the event they do, you should probably pay greater attention to the pro’s as they have experience I dont.

Seana

#3

I suppose I could be considered a “pro” and there’s nothing you said, Seana, that I disagree with. I also like, very much, the way you think about issues (fact based with no nonsense).

I don’t want to sound negative about the original poster … with all the “discoveries” … but I think her electrologist could be recommended for a “Purple Heart.” Certainly a “Jobe award” if there were such a thing. Is there?

#4

Aww shucks, you honor a newbie with such high praise. I hope I can learn half as much as you teach.

If anything, this story shows how much really good communication with your electrolysist can make a difference.

Seana