Thanks so much for your updates, I’m only 2 1/2 months into my treatment on same areas.
Encouraging to hear someone document the
full story.
Thank you Melys, I’m finished month 9and month 2.5 doesn’t feel too long ago!
Had my monthly session earlier this week. She was able to clear the areas in 25 minutes, so I was feeling good but she told me that she doesn’t think my coarse hairs are responding to treatment the way she would expect this far in (and she has been using a higher setting recently) and she foresees me still needing treatment a year from now. Even though she was saying 15 minutes every other month or so it was a bit crushing to hear. I should expect the heavy regrowth to start in about a week so we’ll see what happens.
Last session was exactly two weeks ago and the first dark coarse hair has appeared today. Hopefully not too many friends join it.
In the first 4-6 months especially, after one starts electrolysis, if you get an area cleared, you will see NEW HAIR (the next group) appear in 2-3 weeks. Nothing unusual. Stay on a schedule to clear the hair and soon there will be no hair to clear.
Had my 18th electrolysis session earlier this week finishing up 9 hours. I felt like going in other than a couple course hairs, the usual coarse hairs were a bit finer and lighter—there were certainly fewer of them. I felt 100% comfortable running errands before my appointment with some makeup and a scarf. I felt like I had more redness and scabbing than usual but less swelling. I really hope to see less hair for my next appointment, which will be month 11 of treatment. I can’t believe I’ve almost gone a full year without tweezing!
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Hi dear
I would like some information on some machine, I’m new to the whole electrolysis thing and I’m going to school right now but i would like to find a affordable machine to buy for my state bored exam!
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I don’t have any of that info, I am just a client. You would be best to create a new post to get that information from the pros.
It’s been three weeks since my last session and I’ve been struggling with a lot of regrowth this month and the return of dark coarse hairs. Probably a dozen total of the beardlike ones over my chin and upper lip (so yes there is a reduction) but are in addition to the dark thinner growth I have. I’ve had almost a five a clock shadow this month so it’s been hard after feeling so positive over my progress. I decided to start using those silicone scar strips on my upper lip that Andrea suggested. I’m hoping it will help me feel like I’m getting somewhere over the next few months while dealing with the ups and downs of treatment into the second year.
Hi! I identified with your earlier experience where you were debating weekly or bi weekly. I JUST began Jan 22 and took 2 weeks of bc of time of the month and a social event i had planned. My official second session was today. I am doing my chin and upper lip and have been waxing for years. So…today was much more painful than my first session and I’m not sure why - each were 30 min - I used her numbering cream (my electrolysists) last week which I believe was 10.85% lidocaine instead of what my doc prescribed that was 2.5 lidocaine and 2.5 pridocaine. Anyway, I’m feeling much more sore this time around. I felt like I could feel the needle going in each time and I was sort of obsessing over it. I’m allergic to nickel so she uses the gold needle on me. Wondering if you have advice- did you switch to every other week? The sooner I get this done the happier I am but today felt like too much. Will try and post pics here now…
Does pic have to be a url link!?
Thanks for your help!!!
Pain varies from session to session. Usually upper lip is much more painful than chin. You probably have some pretty deep hairs returning after waxing, which can also be more painful to treat. As the hairs get thinner in width and density, it will not hurt as much.
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I started weekly because like you I was in a hurry to finish. Almost a year later I can tell you there is no hurrying. It takes forever. I feel like quitting almost every single month and going back to tweezing, then I realize I have come too far and must see it through. I found treatment to be more manageable once I went to monthly sessions because I don’t feel like my entire life revolves around my electrolysis sessions.
As for the pain, every visit is different. Sometimes I don’t feel a thing and other times it’s pretty painful. Pain is progress so I don’t mind too much. Good luck!
Thanks - you are probably right about waxing for so long - I have been for years and my chin hairs are stubborn mofos! 
Hi @JENDV523
Thanks for this…I hear you but I am up for the journey and know this is going to be a long road but it’s worth it to me - I have added up all the money I have spent on waxing my face (and tips) weekly and it is A LOT.
The way things have shaken out, I have been going bi weekly (b/c of my period and social events, etc) even though the plan was weekly - this is working out well. I got for 30 minutes and she covers my upper lip and chin.
What kind of numbing cream do you use?
Hi @JENDV523 Sorry I am replying to your comments out of order. I just read this one where you talk about the silicone strips – how is that going? and if you don’t mind me asking, how long are your sessions – you mentioned you go monthly – is it for full chin and upper lip?
The corners of my chin are the worst and then it’s a bit sporadic leading up to my sideburns - not having her tackle those b/c it doesn’t seem worth it to me - too many hairs!
Stay positive and I am sorry this is taking longer than you planned! Hang in there.
It’s hard because there aren’t a lot of new posts on here. I don’t use any numbing cream and I have always had 30 minute sessions.
Yesterday I finished my 9.5 hours/19th session/12th month of electrolysis. I’ve spent just under $1,000. Hitting the year mark makes me pause to reflect on the experience thus far. If I knew how slow my progress would be I’m not sure I would have been brave enough to start this process. Years of tweezing have made my hair tough to treat. My hyperpigmentation has been difficult to live with and has made me avoid friends and social situations, perhaps a bit depressed. However I’m still glad I’m doing this. I believe my hair has been reduced by half or more. I love that my life isn’t consumed by tweezing for the past year.
To anyone who is thinking about starting and reading this let me tell you what I wish I knew at the beginning:
-Use lots of protection from the sun year round (hat, avoid peak sun, SPF 50 Mineral sunscreen replied throughout the day)
-Ice after treatments
-less product is more after appointments. Witch hazel only then a light moisturizer once the skin has calmed is all I’ve needed.
I’m pretty scabbed up today, mostly on the side of my upper lip that had a lot of growth.
The higher setting treatments have been over the last three months, so I’m hoping we’ll see less hair as we work through these new hair cycles. I really need to have fewer treatments over the summer to combat my hyperpigmentation and hoping I see the results I need to have that happen.
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Thank you for your latest update! That looks pretty good for so soon after treatment.
Continue to use a mild cleanser and 100% aloe vera gel with no menthol. Avoid sunlight in that area and consider using a triple antibiotic ointment to keep the skin as bacteria-free as possible.
After the inflammation has gone down, I recommend getting some silicone sheeting to help mitigate long-term effects.
Once things have healed completely, you can consider some over the counter skin lightening options like Meladerm, but I recommend testing these before using them on your face, and only on your face when everything is healed.
Hello
I’m having my second treatment this Tuesday for facial hair. I started the hair removal process with laser and it worked but i’m at a point where the hair is thinned out so laser isn’t doing much anymore so I decided to start electrolysis. I do 1 hour session each time because I prefer it that way…costs $110 for that one hour session and I don’t mind. I’m also suppose to go back every 2 weeks compared to the 6 weeks when I did laser. My only issue is that I can’t trim the hair in between sessions, I have school so I rather not look hairy but I guess I can’t really do anything about it now. Is it normal that she didn’t mention to put on sunscreen after each session…whenever I finished my laser appointment they would apply sunscreen.
I put on sunscreen multiple times per day. I am extremely prone to PIH (I get it from Acne too) so I do whatever I can to minimize my dark upper lip.
It’s been a little over two weeks since my last session and I’ve been disappointed to see almost immediate growth. I miss those days when I would enjoy a week or so of hair free time, and wondering why this is happening this far into my treatment…maybe a pro can weigh in? Should we be altering our treatment schedule? I’m not talking about a hair here or there, I’m talking the full hairy areas filling right in.