Pro's : Is this the busy season?

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

So as some of you know I do the odd bit of freebie work for other transwomen, and cheap work for those who cant afford it. Now normally I dont take on anyone new until and unless I have a break in the schedule because someone goes away for an extended time or finishes up ( which doesnt happen that often) But I was finding myself with more free time the last couple months, so a week ago I indicated that I would take on new folks if I could schedule it in.

Since then I’ve had no less than 4 people come to me and schedule to start. This seems like a lot to me. Maybe they were waiting in the wings for their chance I dont know, but I’m wondering if the impending spring gets people thinking about the hair and start electrolysis? I know many of the pro’s have been quiet of late, and that usually means they are busy working.
Is it always a busy season in the spring? As it is I am now completely booked solid with folks for electrolysis this coming week, and 3 personal appointments. I have only one person booked for next week, but I have a feeling it will fill up fast too.

Seana

#2

Yes, Seana, it seems that the demand for treatment increases dramatically at this time of year. A contradiction, as it is now when cases should be nearly completed and the remaining time until it reaches the swimming season should be reserved for the healing process.

#3

Busy all year round here. There is no “busy” time. My local colleagues and I were featured in a newspaper article on Christmas day. I must say that new client calls increased with this article.

#4

I recently opened myself to taking a “few” new folks on. Not wanting to overwhelm myself but fill up available time. I also started charging a little bit because some dont take it seriously if it’s a free service, and it helps me pay for probes and little pieces of equipment. It’s not much , sometimes I’ll get 20$ or 25$ and work for 3-4 or more hours but it’s a little bit to help pay the costs
I very quickly had five or six people wanting to start various treatments. Some will work out, others not and I’m still getting new inquiries. For quite a while I said I wouldnt take on anyone new at all. I still give 80% of my work away.It really surprised me how quickly people jumped at the chance. I know some have been considering treatments for a long time though. I’m trying not to get too big for my britches too.

Seana

#5

Have you been doing any formal training Seana ? if you are going to do it professionally its definitely worth doing. No offense I have no idea if you have or not. I personally would only go to someone that was on the official UK electrolysis site, cos I know they have done formal training, have to updating training each year pay to be apart of the site and are inspected annually to prove there skill but also by the local council to prove hygiene levels. My electrolysis joked that she had to ring out emergency boiler help as her heating stopped working and the council can stop check any time she needs to keep the temperature at a certain level to run a business or they can shut her down. You are obviously charging reasonable very low prices though in order for them to get treatment and extend your experience. For instance I went to my local hair dressing college yesterday for blonde high lights cost me £32 instead of £70 but I was there 4.5 hours instead of my usual 2. Everyone has to start somewhere good luck

#6

Helen,

I may work professionally one day but I am not there yet. I’ve taken some minimal training and intend to take more but financially paying for it is a bit of an issue.
I mostly have “volunteers” who pass a couple bucks perhaps to cover costs which is pretty much voluntary. Most of the people work on are transwomen who come to me because they live on a pittance and cant pay the 60, 85 or 100 dollars an hour they charge. I get skin to practise on ( which I’m very thankful for because honestly I dont have much left I can do on myself) and they get help with an issue that means very much in their lives.
You are free to seek out treatment with whoever you like? I suppose they are too.
I honestly wish I kept a passport because twice I’ve had to turn down offers for professional hands on with some of the top pro’s here.As it is I always said I would wait to get a certificate until I felt I was ready to do some professional work but I like to get more practise before I consider such so for me it’s a good arrangement.I do however abide very tightly to health regulations in my area and working on more than myself that means I invest more in things like sterilization equipment, probes etc and that’s what the tiny bit I get, goes toward.
It’s important to note that where I live, electrolysis is an uncontolled activity ( as it is everywhere in canada) so legally I have no issues.

Seana

#7

Unfortunately its not really controlled in the UK either, the official electrolysis site is only voluntary many work out of beauty salon’s and have probably only undertaken the 1 day session sterex provide :confused: which is why I preferred to go to there website to know people have to have done more than just that. It’s shocking that people can go to 1 training session and then set up shop the following day and you just don’t know.

#8

It’s the same here Helen.The course I’m looking at is only 3 days, with 6 hours each day so 18 or so hours of instruction.There are some longer ones( Dectro runs a 3 week thing in montreal, but it’s all in french) but to be perfectly honest electrolysis is a skill that is learned by practising, by racking up as many treatment hours as is possible.This is why I practise as much as I do and why “making money at it” is least of my worries as long as I cover costs.Also longer courses isnt the answer either, as what happens is you spend most of your time practising on other people taking hte course and often near zero instruction.

Now in reality, many of those starting will work under a senior electrologist for a while so they can gain experience( not an apprentice but along that lines) . Many many others never take up the trade .A select few will seek other certifications like the CPE which will require a certain number of document-able hours of practise. A electrologist of a large clinic in my city told me that of 8 electrologists working in their office, only one was CPE and this is one of the more respected places in town.

Seana

#9

I had already been doing a couple years of selfie-electrolysis before I entered Hinkel’s school in Los Angeles … so, yes Seana; it’s ALL about doing it! Did I improve my skills at school? Absolutely!

If you can find the correct learning environment, you are “standing on the shoulders” of all who came before you. No need to “re-invent the wheel!”

Please beware the “weekend wonder” classes. In general they are advertisements for a manufacturer. Get yourself to a working pro and get some serious “hands on.” (But be careful here too, some are self-taught and can only pass on bad habits!)

Still, I’m a BIG fan of “chair side” learning, but those with economic interests usually are able to convince ruling authorities to make laws that primarily benefit themselves.

For example:

In California, we require 600 clock ours of school training that can easily be done in 3 - 4 months. California used to allow “apprenticeship” (chair-side) learning, but mandated one full year of such training (they even stipulated 8-hours per day, 5-days per week … of course, nobody did this).

However, the new-and-improved rules state that the “apprenticeship” for electrologists in California now requires TWO YEARS of training. Essentially, the schools got the board to write in rules to guarantee their enrollment. Doing the math, that would be more than 4,000 hours of apprentice training (versus 600 hours). Let’s see, the over-all time? Three or four months versus TWO YEARS? Yeah, sure …

Thing is, to my understanding, nobody has done an apprentice program in California for at least 10 years … so, what the hell? What are “they” afraid of? Oh yeah … competition!

There’s a word for this, but if I used it I would be thrown off Hairtell …

#10

I have some feelers out to some of the local CPE’s . I’m considering apprenticing actually if I can find someone willing, actually I’d jump at the chance to learn more. As many work solitary though I’m not sure how much success I’ll have. We shall see.

California is unique to my understanding. Many states have no licensing at all ( similar to here in canada). Do I feel that 2000 hours is excessive? Um yes. Would you learn some skills in that time? undoubtedly.In the end who does it protect? Those 2000 hours are performed on SOMEONE…

Seana

#11

Well, 2,000 hours would be nice. But as I said, it’s more like 4,000 hours if you to chair-side! 600 hours if you are in a licensed CA school.

I seriously think it incorrect to simply “count up hours.” What’s an HOUR? (LOTS of those “hours” are spent reading magazines in the student area!) If a person knows the material and is a super technician, who cares how long the “learning” might have been.

There are no “hours” required, for example, in The Netherlands. Their board (private, by the way), simply conducts a VERY comprehensive examination (written and hands-on). Isn’t THAT what counts?

#12

The words Cartel, Syndicalism and Draconian never got anyone tossed off of HairTell. Although they may get lots of venom and angry emails sent around the world to one and about one.

This random thought, apropos of nothing is just a public service announcement. :wink: