No shaving allowed in between treatments?

[uglymonster]

Hi all,

I just started elecrolysis treatments for the first time today after a consultation. I like my electrolygist - however, she is adamant on disallowing patients to touch the area while she is treating it.
This means, for approximately 2 years, while she is treating my upper lip hairs, I cannot touch the area or remove the hair there. Not with scissors, razors, depilatory creams or even bleach the hair with Jolen.

I am worried about the effect this will have on my life, my social life, my self esteem. I would like to be able to trim or shave the hair. I dont understand why that would affect what she is doing, I am not plucking or removing it from the root.

I had plans today and I cancelled them because I’m ashamed of leaving the house with facial hair.

Is my electrolygist being unreasonable? What is the worst that can happen from shaving?

I have pics below, taken almost immediately after my first half hour clearance today. She charged me $50 and I got about 40% of the hairs cleared. Is this a reasonable rate?

Thanks for answering my questions,

Mim

front front
left side left side
right side right side

[SeanaTG]

maybe a little, but not entirely is she being unreasonable. Here’s what happens.

When you shave you shave ALL the hair. Some of those hairs will be in the later hair growth cycles ( Telogen or exogen) and those hairs wont show up again for a couple months. If you shave them, the opportunity to treat these hairs now ( rather that 2 months from now) I’ve never met an electrologist who didnt allow you to trim the hairs though. That doesnt make a lot of sense. But if you dont have a LOT of hair and she is able to clear your face every 1 or 2 visits, then there shouldnt be alot of it to shave anyway.

$50 doesnt tll me much unless we know how long she worked, bt if it was for an hour, that’s a reasonable rate.

Seana

[uglymonster]

It was for 30 min of treatment

[Bono]

In your case, as I look at our photos, I completely agree with your electrologist. First, (in the big world of hair removal) you don’t have any hair! These are nearly-vellus microscopic hairs and, trust me; very few people have microscopes for eyes.

If you shave these tiny hairs, they will take “FOREVER” to grow long enough for your zapperette to treat them.

You’re “ashamed of leaving the house” with those tiny hairs that nobody can see?

Please read the thread: “All things in proper perspective!” Furthermore, this is not going to take 2 years. Seriously, on a scale of 1 to 10 this is a 0.00001 situation.

You are a young beautiful woman, your skin is gorgeous (insanely perfect lips and nose) … please get out there an stop fretting about “nothing.”

Oh, and another thing? You call yourself “Ugly Monster?” You need a serious spanking!

[emilily]

My hair situation on the upper lip is a little worse than yours. Since maybe the third or fourth appointment, I stopped shaving the area in between appointments. I use scissors to trim the outer corners where hairs grow a little long.

I know it seems hard - I find it hard sometimes too! But I feel that it will be worth it in 5 - 6 months time (depending on the length and frequency of your appointments, and your electrologist’s modality) you’ll find you don’t notice it as much… eventually it’ll be gone If you interfere with it, it will be much worse.

As far as the hairs go, I find mine (especially nearer the middle of the lip) don’t grow much longer anyway. Goodluck!

[Deedra]

I see and treat hair like this all the time. In one hours worth of treatment, you can get 98% cleared, if you desire, with PicoFlash thermolysis settings in the 42 - 68 el range. I see by your signature, that your Electrologist uses the Apilus Platinum. I routinely clear upper lips, going over the 15 - 30 limit others set. It can be done with care and gentleness with the tools of the trade I use, with no harm at all. Of course, one must see very well to get these smaller hairs like your picture illustrates.

Women are all over the place in their desire to get rid of hair on their upper lip. For a case like this, the client tells me to work on her chin only, that her upper lip doesn’t really bother her.

For a case like this, the client is in tears because she has so much blond hair, which no one can see at conversation distance .

[uglymonster]

Thanks for the kind comments, but in regards to this: “Furthermore, this is not going to take 2 years.”, how long do you think it would take? My electrologist gave me this estimation herself after viewing my upper lip grown out the way it is in the pictures above. We currently have weekly scheduled appointments.

I’m a little worried now myself, because I have seen full face clearances in 3 sessions and I just have my upper lip. I figured this estimation of time was based on the fact that I have been waxing, plucking, threading and shaving the hair for 10 years so it would be more stubborn to remove. I am also of south asian descent and i am hairier than most women.

[James_W_Walker_VII]

Once you get to First Clearance, I don’t see why you would have any need to use any temporary methods in between treatments, as you would be able to keep it clear with appointments spaced at least once every 3 weeks. If you and your practitioner liked, you could do shorter treatments once every week, or longer treatments every 4 to 6 weeks.

As for costs, some places charge on a sliding scale where shorter appointments cost more per minute than longer appointments. Many pay $40 - $50 for 15 minutes, but $60 to $100 for an hour at the same establishment.