New in London - Strategy advice from pros needed!!

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Hi everyone, I’ve been lurking on these boards gaining knowledge from you all (as all us amateurs tend to do before we join!) and wanted to firstly thank you - its been invaluable.

I’m just starting my electrolysis journey and wanted some advice. I live in London and want to start with priority areas like my chin, uppper lip, sides, etc., and if successful, add in other body parts. As you all know from Stoppit’s posts, there aren’t that many great practioners in central London. I have narrowed down to two - Sara Thomas in Harrow and Sharon at Parkside. Sharon has an older machine and wants to see me every week, focusing just on my chin till we get initial clearance before moving on to another area. Sharon is near enough central london that I can see her weekly, but this just feels a bit like a long drawn out process, plus I am a bit concerned with Stoppits comments about the re-growth rate (i.e. her kill rate isn’t too high). Sara Thomas lives quite far, and has very inconvenient hours (weekdays till 5pm and on some saturdays), which is fair enough for her but difficult to accomodate as I work - but with her, I feel like each session would give me more clearance as she uses the latest machines and does 1 - 1.5 hr sessions.

Also has anyone heard of the BeautyWorksWest medspa in Notting HIll? Apparently they have a certified electrolysist with a Sterex machine. I haven’t yet had a consult there but if she’s good that would be VERY convenient (and therefore more likely for me to keep on top of my appointments).

Last option is that since I’m from NY, I go to one of the NY practitioners on these boards who are known to do good work for full clearances (I go to NY at lease once every 3 months), and just do maintainance with Sharon at Parkside in between these sessions?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Stas:
I’m female, 30, with quite a lot of coarse hairs on my chin, and less coarse hairs on upper lip which I have been threading for years (although have stopped and now been shaving for a while in prep for this). I have virgin hair on sides etc. My chin is considered top priority but I’d very much like to start the other areas in decent time as well so within a 1.5yr I am a t a good state. and PS - maintenance of skin condition is VERY important to me. Also, I have been checked twice, no hormonal issues detected.

Any advice would be REALLY appreciated!!!

sorry for the long post! I think I gleaned from lurking the kind of info you all need to know so included it all hopefully.

Nina

#2

I would go to Arlene Batz in Queens (New York), she meets all the requirements you seek. She has a machine that can work very fast with the best results you can get, and she uses high quality probes specially designed to protect your skin. If you can go every 3 months (if you try to go with the maximum of hairs present), this is enough to get started and you may not need to do anything in this time interval, except trim the hairs with scissors. The rest, the areas that you have not never touched, do not need anything, and it will always remain better than before.

Good luck!

#3

Josefa has given you the best advice. Since you will be in NY, I would see someone there. The work you can have done is not comparable to what is on offer here.

In the U.K. I would recommend Mairi Hawkes in Scotland because she can do the kind of work you are looking for. But since you are going to the U.S. anyway, it does not make sense to make trips to Scotland.

#4

thanks Josepha and stoppit, really appreciate the advice!!

I’ve contacted the person you recommended, hopefully she’s willing to take me on!

If I do need some maintenance in between my NY trips, do you think electrolysists get offended if you start the work with someone else? eg would Sharon mind that I started with someone else and come to her just to clear me up in between?

#5

It depends on the person. I don’t think Sharon would be offended.

I would question the usefulness of maintenance sessions though. Every hair Sharon removes (note: removes not necessarily kills) is one less your NY electrologist will be able to when you see them. Also, the rates there are very expensive on pay as you go. I guess if you have some coarse hairs you cannot live without removing, then it is an option. But do consider all the temporary solutions you can to keep the hair at bay - bleaching, trimming with scissors etc, between your NY trips.

#6

Thanks!! Stoppit - have sent you a PM.

#7

For your future reference, Londonaye,
I have a small dermatology practice in Peebles, Scottish Borders.
I specialise in electrolysis, use an Apilus Senior 2 and can accomodate long sessions and day(s) of treatment.
The longest I have done is 4 days so far.
At present I charge £30 an hour and I can arrange/advise on local accomodation as required.
Good luck with your treatments!
June
CherryTree Electrolysis

#8

Stoppit, May I ask you please:
How many electrologists you went to in London for consultations before deciding to leave the country for treatment ?

Did you get a list of all BIAE members in London and if so did you go to them all for a consultation ?

#9

Hi Therese,

The salon I had my treatments with (27 hours work) had 4 BIAE registered members, all performing similar work. I visited another 3 for consultations including over an hour worth of work with each to really give them a chance. Another had stopped practising and for a few more I relied on the feedback of others as to their work and I did not visit them because I felt the person I was having work with was better just from the reviews.

I am confident there is no one in the UK who could offer me equivalent treatment to what I received abroad. I feel I am reasonably well acquainted with the opinions and stance of the association. What’s the deal with BIAE and Sterex?

I’m not sure if you have read my sister’s electrolysis diary linked in my signature. If you can recommend someone in the UK who is performing the same level of work as Josefa, please do. I am not looking for a new electrologist but others may be.

My time and money is precious and I was fed up wasting it for “Oh uhm perhaps about 18 months of regular (i.e. weekly) treatments” and people who believe telogen hairs cannot be killed or cannot deal with the shallow insertions required for extremely fine facial hair.

#10

I have a couple of questions for you too, Stoppit: Some of your suggestions have been addressed, or just, heard from some members of BIAE in London? Did any of them has expressed an interest in learning other strategies? Do any of them have recognized your effort to raise the level of Electrolysis in the UK?. And lastly, someone has thanked you for raising the number of customers for Electrolysis in Parkside, for example?

#11

Hi Josefa,

My suggestions have been heard but generally met with shrugged shoulders. Amongst the replies I have had, there have been “Apilus = Flash = Bad and outlawed by BIAE”, “Apilus machines are too expensive to consider”, “Hairs must be in anagen for the follicle to be destroyed”, “That area is too large for electrolysis”. No interest in giving the Laurier probes a try for thermolysis work, for example.

I’ve also been told that BIAE does not want change.

I suppose my efforts have been recognised if I consider that more than one electrologist here has suggested I take up the profession. I was thanked by my electrologist who was an employee… but what I wanted - which was for the owner to consider the demands of modern clients - was asking for too much.

So this the the point: Electrologists in the U.K. have access to the same, equipment and knowledge as those that post on these boards. They have the same opportunities to take their work forward to offer the gold standard of permanent hair removal that can compete with Laser on cost and beat it in performance. But no, as long as they have paying clients they are satisfied with the status quo… perhaps just buy an IPL machine to address those pesky clients who want body work done.

#12

Hi Stoppit,
I know exactly what you mean and what you say is definitely correct. I used to be a member of the BIAE for about 15 years and I haven’t bothered renewing my membership for the past two years or so. They have not moved with the times and I felt that they had no interest in promoting new technology or ideas. I think the general public probably thinks that if they are being treated by someone who is a BIAE member that they are getting the best, but in most cases this is not so. The very fact that you went to a number of different BIAE members and still had to leave the country to get suitable treatment says it all. The last newsletter I received when I was a member stated how they had been receiving complaints from the public about members working from home and their clients being greeted by cats and dogs and electrologists not wearing clinical uniforms. That was enough for me ! Also during all the years that I was a member I never had an inspection to my premises and there was no requirement to take refresher training. I purchased my first Apilus Platinum 6 years ago from HOF in the UK and I went over there for some training. I remember the trainer there at the time telling me that she did not have much success with BIAE members and I know that she did try very hard. She even gave a 5% discount to BIAE members on the purchase of equipment. To give you some idea of the poor state of electrolysis in this side of Europe, there is no other electrologist in Ireland using an Apilus Platinium other than myself. Most of my clients come to me from all parts of Ireland because they cannot get the same treatment near them at home i.e long sessions, vellus hair treated, all body areas etc. Electrolysis has received a terrible bad name because of practitioners refusing to update equipment, techniques or to invest time or money in training. I actually don’t describe my treatment as electrolysis anymore. I tell people that I am a thermologist and the treatment is Thermolysis using computerised, programable modern equipment and that it does not resemble old style electrolysis at all.
Stoppit, you need to be congratulated on your efforts to educate people and yes you definitely should consider training to be a thermologist

#13

It starts with one and spreads to two and then to three and so on and so on it grows. You two should keep pressing on, changing one heart at a time. People feel threatened by change, but eventually they may embrace the newer electrolysis equipment and strategies to help the hairy. One thing for sure is, people do want the hair off as fast as possible and fast does not imply careless hit or miss treatments.

#14

I could echo the comments of Ms. Therese Moylan for the professional organizations in the US. Most people really have to look hard to count some value for their membership dollar.

#15

In the UK there seems to be a general lack of passion for electrolysis which I think has happened over the last 14 years. I for one cannot understand why a professional body would not be interested in new technology. True electrologists are thirsty for info and we are in a big drought in the Uk thank goodness for this website, talking about machines, stratigies, probes, skin aftercare, and yikes when things ok wrong and of course seeing beautiful documented work(thanks Josefa) of what we do-guaranteed permanent hair removal. I’m still a member who lives in hope and as Dee says spreading the word one by one. I have been in discussion with an electrologist over the last few months and I’m delighted to say she had now purchased an Apilus she is thrilled with it. June Howard is located near Peterhead. I have also introduced her to this website so will ask her to post here. Stoppit, we would love someone with her passion and knowledge to join our ranks as everybody who reads her posts knows she is a great communicator.

#16

I think electrolysis has a bad rep/doctors are afraid to recommend it because there are too many practitioners doing poor work (either scarring or just ineffective). I had electrolysis for almost a year on my chin hairs in NY about 4 years ago with no results. zero results. I kept going because she kept convincing me it was different hairs, but after 1 year of regular appointments and a lot of money, I have NO results. I stopped because I moved to London. Now finding this forum (where I came to initially investigate Laser), I finally realize what good electrolysis can do - and am trying again.

In short, please do spread the word because UK or US, there are just not enough talented electrolysists in the world!

#17

Good to see passion from Scottish electrolysists!
I know of another talented Apilus user who is moving to Scotland in a few months time and that will make 4 Apilus users that I know of here. Well spread over the country too. NorthEast/SouthWest/Central and Borders.
I maintain that a good electrolysist is about more than the machine used - Willingness to learn, Commitment to the profession, CPD, Accuracy over speed etc - I certainly wouldn’t swap my Apilus and I am currently trialling Laurier probes. I amn’t about to blow my trumpet - I learn loads both from this site and from my clients’ feedback - and have loads still to learn.
I think it would be disastrous to completely undermine the BIAE though - change is required, not annihilation.
June x

#18

Further to a comment above re. clients being greeted by cats and dogs and electrolysists not wearing uniform;
Many of us work from clinics within our own homes. Many of us do have family pets (I include myself).
I think that you have to allow that, occasionally pets and clients may meet - at the front door on arrival/leaving for example. That is not a disaster in my view. Obviously we must remember that pets are not liked/tolerated by everyone and, to that end, make every effort to keep them (and their hairs etc) completely out of the way. Occasional encounters are inevitable though.
As to uniform - Tunics, Tabards, Plastic aprons, Jackets, as long as they are either single-use or washable at a high temperature, even own clothes are fine!
I read the Probe regularly and remember the piece referred to - I don’t think there is a far reaching problem in this area, rather, just a wee reminder to practitioners.
June x

#19

Totally off subject here. In recent times, there is a new trend of bringing dogs to the office, daily. At one stage, we had three in our building. Personally, I adore our furry friends, and occasionally during a missed appointment, I could borrow a dog and go to the park. Is this occurring elsewhere? Apart from Paris, where they are brought to restaurants!!

#20

Several years ago, my son-in-law was encouraged to bring his dog to work. They had a doggy day care area close enough to the employees so the little friends could see their masters at all times. I had a client who brought her little angel to my office in a crate. The dog had had some surgery and she wanted to be close to her. I know of other businesses that have a dog or cat lazily wondering around, too, but I don’t think it is routinely encouraged, especially in fields related to health care or a medical spa situation. I bet it feels good to take a walk with your little friends, Christine, after sitting for a long session.