Panic Attacks & Social phobia

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#21

At the moment I am having extreme social phobia and am anxiuos.

I am supposed to see some old friends tommorrow and am thinking about cancelling just because I know they will all be thinking what has happened to her face!!! When did she decide to grow a moustache… etc. It is so horrible. I have been crying this evening because it is making me so down that i can’t go out and see the people that I love cos I am scared that they will just think i am a freak.

I am also going travelling soon and should be looking forward to it and be really excited but I am just scared about not being able to meet anyone or have fun, because noone wants to know or hang out with a girl with a moustache. I have a month left before I go and am panicking thinking maybe I can get electrolysis done every week before I go or a couple of laser treatments but then it is not really worth it over the course of a month. Think i am going a bit crazy, think it all stems from these two girls nudging each other and I overheard them say look at her with the moustache just in the street a couple of days ago. When I have asked friends or family about it though they are always too polite to say anything, but i know what I am looking at in the mirror.

I usually wax about every 3 weeks, but it is just looking really bad at the moment and growing back so dark that I am now bleaching it as well. I have always wanted electrolysis or laser but just don’t have the money.

This is a bit of a garbled message, but it is how my head is at the moment. I just wanna feel normal and stop all this negative thought about myself :roll_eyes: !!!

#22

L.A.S.E.R. treatments would not get you ready for this event. You might still have skin discoloration and melted hair stubble working it’s way out of your skin on event day.

If you can find a great electrologists, you could have enough hair removed to look finished on event day. If you did nothing else from that point on, you would typically look finished for about 3 weeks afterwards.

In other news, while the waxing may be distorting your follicles, and thickening your hairs, the bleaching tends to make the hairs you already have expand and therefore be thicker, fatter, though blonde hairs.

Go for permanent removal if you can find a good practitioner. If you do, post your referal in our referral section.

#23

Hi all-
I am so glad to have found this forum. I have been reading different posts and am happy to finally have someone who can relate to this horrible problem. I have been battling with this problem for close to 20 years. I am in my late 30’s and have tried EVERYTHING. What makes me so angry about this is that I’ll bet every single person here is beautiful. The only thing that keeps us crazy is this single most annoying thorn in our side. I have had facial hair since I hit puberty. It didn’t bother me too much in high school because it wasn’t so pronounced but I’ve always bleached my entire face. When I entered college I took the advice of a really stupid cousin of mine and used hair remover on my entire face. After that, it grew back thicker and really, it ruined my life. I have had both good and bad electrolysists, I have used every home kit on the market, I have been on birth control and spironolactone, and nothing has been permenant. I hate to say it, but I am not hopeful about laser, either. It seems to be very expensive and experimental. I understand about the rude remarks of stupid people. Funny thing is, the ones making the remarks usually, have no room to talk. No one is perfect. I don’t want this to sound like someone who has lost hope, quite the contrary. I am a Christian and have asked the Lord to either heal me or help me to gracefully handle this problem. I believe He has allowed me to have it for whatever reason. Maybe it’s about vanity. Perhaps we need to work on developing our spiritual and mental capacities instead. I think about people who are much worse off then I am and am ashamed of myself. I know this is not a post of solutions but I do want it to be a post of hope. We need to love ourselves for who we are. Maybe this will make us more compassionate towards others and help us to gain a quiet sense of strength. I am always hoping for a cure. Surely, with all of this technology, someone can come up with something. Good luck all and learn to develop the good things about yourself physically that you can control. Always remember, there are others in the same boat. Peace. :smile:

[ April 25, 2004, 11:18 PM: Message edited by: Winter ]

#24

Excelent post!
Medication for hormonal imbalance is not a cure. It will (should) help you, but only while you’re on it. Hopefully, some time soon a cure will be found, but for now you have to rely on the meds to keep your hormones in shape. This, coupled with good electrology should bring you to a point where you don’t need to care of your facial hair, once you finish your electrolysis course of treatment. All the hair follicles on your face that are active will be destroyed, and new follicles will not be recruited to grow new hair, thanks to the medication.

You will need to take the medication indefinitely, but you need to do this anyway to reduce other health risks. Why did you stop the meds and electrolysis?

[ April 26, 2004, 05:24 AM: Message edited by: yb ]

#25

James, could you please elaborate a little on what bleaching causes to the hair? I am referring to what you said here:

</font><blockquote><font size=“1” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>quote:</font><hr /><font size=“2” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>Originally posted by James W. Walker VII, CPE:
<strong>…the bleaching tends to make the hairs you already have expand and therefore be thicker, fatter, though blonde hairs…</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size=“2” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>I had never heard of that and am curious of what that means. Thanks for any further explanation on it.

#26

yes, what a good post from rain, on making sure we keep control over those aspects of us that we can control.

Even though I am not happy with my hairy face, I try and make up for it by keeping fit and healthy and then when I get told I’ve got a great figure I don’t mind so much about not being as perfect looking as I would like face wise.

Today though I am feeling good. I have been for my first electrolysis treatment, after the advice from James - thanks. It hurt - made my eyes water during the treatment!!! - but i think it will be worth it. My lip was very red after but went down really quick and now looks fine. Am looking forward to facing the world for once!!

Even thinking about becoming a electrologist, just cos I want to be able to help people who are in the same boat as I am and want to be good at it so can really help people, there are so many scams out there.

Her name was passed on to me through a friend who was a man and now a woman, and her face looks great, no scars or anything. I will post her name on the refferal board if it all works well.

Think I am now going to feed Andrea’s cats. Thanks Andrea for this website.

#27

Elenacam,

James is referring to the hair above skin surface. Bleaching doesn’t effect hair below skin surface and it will grow out the same as before.
I notice that it can also make the hairs(above skin) more brittle.

#28

The process of bleaching hairs involves a chemical reaction which does make the hair more brittle, and pushes the fibers of the hair apart. When the process is finished, the thickness of the hair has increased, although the color has changed.

The result is thicker, although blonder, hairs.

#29

I just wanted to comment on what the effects of bleaching has done for me. As I stated in an earlier post, I too have a lot of facial hair. I have tried everything. Waxing, hair removal, etc.

The only product that has worked for me is bleaching. It’s not expensive, it’s convenient and it doesn’t make the hair grow thicker. As a matter of fact, it has thinned out the hair on me quite a bit. It’s still noticeable but eventually it will be thinned out to a satisfactory result. It doesn’t eliminate the problem but it’s a lot better then having to remove hair everyday.

I use this product once a week because of the amount of hair I have but each person has to experiment for themselves. I use Sally Hansen.

I don’t mean to contradict your post, Mr. James Walker. This is just a testimonial from myself.
It’s the only product that works for me until they bring out that miracle cure. yay! :smile:

#30

There is no contradiction here. For really thin hairs that people notice because of the contrast between your skin and your hair, the thickening might not be enough to notice. For those who have thicker hairs to begin with, the thickening that comes with bleaching is like trading black hairs on the face for clear fiber optic strands. They catch light and sparkle.

#31

</font><blockquote><font size=“1” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>quote:</font><hr /><font size=“2” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>Originally posted by Winter:
The only product that has worked for me is bleaching. It’s not expensive, it’s convenient and it doesn’t make the hair grow thicker. As a matter of fact, it has thinned out the hair on me quite a bit.

It’s still noticeable but eventually it will be thinned out to a satisfactory result. It doesn’t eliminate the problem but it’s a lot better then having to remove hair everyday. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size=“2” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>Which bleaching product are you using successfully?

#32

Hi! I came across this older thread and thought it might be useful to the member who recently wrote about their anxiety and trauma caused by hair removal. You’re definitely not alone and this thread shares other people’s experiences and has some good ideas which might help you.

Good luck!

smoothlover

#33

I have severe social phobia and anxiety problems. I never feel comfortable aound people. I’m constantly nervous. I’ve been diagnosed with GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) and depression. I do see a therapist but little progress has been made, because no matter what I’m told, the hair is still there. I don’t have severe facial hair, anf feel sorry for the people who have facial hair, but I have severe dark course long hair on my buttocks and legs. Shaving gives me shadow, and waxing gives me ingrown hairs and the hairs start to grow back within a week. This has resulted in me never being intimate with any man. And I haven’t worn shorts or bikini since I was 12 years old. (I’m a 20 year old female). I also have hair arms, arm pits, and stomach but I try to control that by shaving or waxing. I often think why me? What did I do to deserve this? And I’ve tried many things in my pathetic desperation to remove my body hair with no break. I’ve recently gotten a student loan, and I’m going to try laser hair removal. Wish me luck!

#34

Lately I think I’ve started having anxiety or panic attacks, but I’m
not sure. Twice this week my
heart began racing out of control, like I was afraid of something but I
don’t know what. Along
with that I had a sinking feeling. Kind of a very unworldly, lonely
feeling. I was really
concerned that I might be going crazy. I thought about seeing a doctor
but am more worried I’d
just be put on some medication. I found a list of anxiety symptoms at
www.selftherapy.org , which
has calmed me down a bit as it’s sounds quite like what I’m
experiencing. Has anyone every tried
that program? Or have any other suggestions? Does this sound like
anxiety??

#35

Another down day for me. It is 4 days after treatment and I am just now getting little scabs. I have the red dots and bumpiness this time. Yesterday looked bad enough that my husband even noticed a difference from my good recoveries. I don’t know if the heat or current was higher or what. I am so OVER this ordeal. I caught a glimpse of my cheek in the sunlight before my treatment last Monday and it was not great. Remember that I’ve been avoiding mirrors so I don’t have panic attacks. There was pinkness and pits all over. What the f…!!! I thought I was doing everything right! I am at the end of my rope with this mess and am considering stopping treatment all together. What is worse, fine, dark hairs or a pizza face? That’s what I am trying to decide. I just hope I am not stuck with both at this point. I have no self confidence anymore and I have nobody to blame but my own vanity.

#36

Hi Streeandanxiety

I think it is time to consult your doctor. What you are describing is a classic panic attack. This will eventuaually lead to yo being vouluntary confined to your home, unable to drive your car and unable to even go shopping. I am an epileptic so I do know about these things as well. I kake a different class of medication for my condition, but there is a combination of 2 drugs that may help you under your doctors supervision.

These should be be discussed carefully with your doctor. The first and short term drug is known a a Benzodiasipene and is a tranquiliser diagnosed to relax you at times of stress and anxiety. They are very addictive and not reccomended for long term use.

The second is not addictive and falls in the catagory of an anti depressent. Your doctor will best advise you on the use of the drugs. The antidepresents have some drowsy side effects which should fade in about 4 weeks, but they do help a lot. Discuss the use with your doctor as these combinations are copmlex.

Regards
Stuart

#37

no, you are not the only one. Having unwanted hair on my body has stopped me from doing many things that a normal perosn my age would do. Trustme after many years of isolating myself i have become a different person.I’ve lost good freinds over my hair problems, and i’m unable to do many things that I’m good at. Sometimes i just want to cry, and it’s so difficult to talk about this with people, because it seems like no one around me has this issue, and i’m the only one. but i guess talking about it here makes me feel alot better.

#38

Hair issues have affected EVERY aspect of my life. I would be a completely different person if I didn’t have this problem. I just try to avoid a lot of situations and don’t talk to a lot of people, and people think it’s because I’m either stuck up, shy, or crazy.

Well, I have been shy every since I was little, way before I had this problem. But the hair made my shyness problem 1000% worse.