Hi. I have been on this board for some time “lurking”. I took everyone’s advice on how to find a good practitioner. I am so stressed with the inability to do so. I am upset because I had a brief appointment with one person, after switching because the other lady used very old equipment and seemed to tweeze. Well, the new lady had new equipment but left me with a few god awful pits(good thing I kept it brief). I have been struggling with the hair issue for awhile and had to seek counseling help because of the severe depression, so it was suggested that I find support and ask for help. So, here I am. I, like a few others on the board, have fine hair but it is dark. I want it ALL removed from my sides, cheeks, chin and lip. I am scared to death after the last incident and the depression is taking over my life. I want to know if there is a practitioner or client out there with SUCCESS. NO SKIN DAMAGE (no pits, scars, pigmentation, dermal collapse)and not being tweezed. I know this, from my experience so far:
-I need someone that uses new equipment (my skin is sensitive and seems to only work with this)
-I need someone with proven experience allowing me to talk to or see someone they have treated and are done
-I need someone skilled in fine hair
I am requesting with all sincerity help. I am in Ohio, but can travel to Michigan or Pennsylvania.
Is there hope?? Can hair be removed without the skin damage? Or is the rest of my life going to be filled with this self-hatred and depression every time I look in the mirror?? thank you in advance, I did not know where to turn.
A good post string to check out for some info on this question and some pics and charts can be found by clicking here ===> Proof it works?
There are also many other things like this on the board. You just have to look for them. This is just the most recent post of this type.
[ December 06, 2003, 05:25 PM: Message edited by: James W. Walker VII, CPE ]
There is hope, but you have to do your part,too.
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Find an electrologist by interviewing several or get word of mouth referrals with happy clients. Do your reading homework. It will seem overwhelming, however, all this information will permeate your mind so you understand as a consumer what to look for. This is a great website and you will garner plenty of information to help you make an informed decision about who is doing the job right and who isn’t.
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Know that you have to invest more time and money in the beginning months to get anywhere. Costs and time spent in the electrologist’s office will diminish as you reach permanancy. Time can not be predicted accurately because every area is different. There are too many variables that make time to completion unpredictable. As a general rule,I see good results on my clients,IF THEY COME TO ME CONSISTENTLY for at least three hair growth cycles or nine months. Does that mean they are finished. Sometimes yes, sometimes no, but you should certainly see a BIG difference by then (if hormones are under control). Don’t go for five or six weeks in a row and say it doesn’t work. You’re not being fair to yourself or your electrologist.
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How should treatments feel? You should not feel like you are being plucked. Occassionally you may feel a pulling because,for example, the bottom of the hair can be bigger than the pore it’s coming out of. After large hairs are removed,you will have that empty space that the hair once occupied looking like a big hole. It will heal.
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Scabbing and scarring does not and should not happen. But sometimes it does if overtreatment happens consistently. Body work is less of a concern than face work. In the beginning, you and your electrologist should be communicationg well with each other about how the last treatment went until a working point is found for your pain tolerance and skin tolerance. Skin manifestations vary from person to person, but personally, I am very vigilante when it comes to overtreating the skin (the face especially) and I quickly correct any settings I had last treatment that may have caused the client to have problems beyond 48 hours. So watch for overtreatment and observe if your electrologist listens to you and takes corrective measures.
I could go on and on, but I just want to say a word about your depression. Depression goes with unwanted hair, but you must and can visualize yourself strong and working toward the goal of doing something about your problem. Settle on a plan and keep moving with strong determination. Success and purpose is a good deterent to depression.
thanks for the replies, but there is another part to the question I am seeking, can a practitioner out there or a client treated successfully with no pits, scars, pigmentation, dermal collapse and no tweezing provide me with a referral where I can talk to people, see people that had successful treatment and someone who has newer equipment, see first post. After reading other posts, why is it that this seems like asking for the impossible? I guess that is where the depression comes in, I feel like there is no hope. I can go to Ohio, Michigan, or Pennsylvania. Should I attempt to buy my own equipment and treat myself?? Just curious. Thanks again.
The one thing I can help you with is your last statement.
Do not try to do face work on yourself.
This is how I started out, started on body and moved to face but I don’t recommend it. I took the course and I still have the occasional problem on my very sensitive pasty white ruddy undertone skin.
Please seek professional help.
Did you check in the referrals section of this forum yet?
I did check referrals and have not seen anything good. Can anyone help with referrals in the areas of my original post?? Someone finished or can let me see/talk to their finished client. More feedback is appreciated… So, no to the do-it-yourself? So what do I do if there are no professionals demonstrating competence in this type of hair and in the area of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania?? I feel so hopeless and sick over this.
Hello. I was hoping to ask for some feedback to my earlier post. I need help in finding someone that uses newer equipment, is able to give me references of clients who are done and happy, and are skilled at fine hair in the Ohio, Michigan or Pennsylvania area. My last consult was not good. I am really struggling with the depression and continue to ask for help. I do not want to hurt/damage my skin, but I cannot live with this hair, it is destroying my life. I am trying. Thanks in advance.
I am an electrologist in the central ohio area who has clients that had fine blond hair treated that are finished (no scarring). I am asked for referrals from time to time and I have clients who are willing to talk to others seeking the same type of hair removal.
Proper magnification with proper lighting is ESSENTIAL for fine blond hairs!! So if you interview electrologists, make sure they have the proper equipment. I use surgical telescopes from orascoptic research and a halogen light source. There are other mags and light sources that are just as good, but my point is, go into detail about this aspect with your prospective electrologist when you interview. Of course, practioner ability is number one. That’s why referrals are necessary.
I don’t know where you live (northeast,northwest Ohio) but if you give me a general idea, I could perhaps help you with names of electrologists. I have a few names in mind, but I’m not 100% sure what light source and magnification aids they are using for fine blond hairs.
Thanks for your reply. Northeast or Northwest Ohio is fine for me. I appreciate anyone that can let me know of someone using the proper equipment for this type of job (fine hair). I know magnification is a big one and a newer machine. Perhaps able to give references. My job also takes me to Michigan or Pennsylvania quite a bit. Thanks again. References are appreciate. I continue to have difficulty finding someone with the right tools and the depression is overwhelming. I feel like I cannot get up in the morning. I am trying so hard.
Hello. Just checking back in. I was hoping for some feedback and wanted to make sure the thread was not lost. Looking for someone skilled with fine hair with newer eqiupment and proper magnification. I travel from Ohio to Michigan to Northern PA. Thanks.
I’ll have to defer to someone else out there to give references, as the two electrologists I was thinking about in northern Ohio are using circular magnifiers that I honestly don’t think are the best for the job you described.
The surgical telescopes that I use are pricey ($1,700) so I’m guessing that some electrologists may not want to pay the price for these and opt to use less expensive optics. Maybe they work fine for them, but I couldn’t begin to see fine blond hair if I didn’t have my telescopes.
Maybe some one could offer some references to kel that might be reading this in Michigan, PA or northern Ohio???
Still looking for help/feedback on someone successfully treating fine hair (light to dark brown) with no skin damage. I recently had a consult, but the woman definitely tweezed each hair. It is very hard to find someone with newer equipment, good magnification for fine hair, and willingness to talk to/see clients that are done and happy. I do not want skin damage, that is very distressing for me. I was just hoping to get some feedback in the Ohio or Michigan or northern PA area. Thanks again.
kel,
If I were you I would forget about the equipment issue and get as many consults in your area as you can. You may find someone with older equipment who will do a wonderful job on you. Older machines are not less permanent than newer ones and they don’t give permanent skin damage if used properly. However, if used improperly, the newer machines can be even more dangerous as they can get hotter. Depending on your hair issue, there is a good chance that you can get really good results without a few thousand dollar telescope. Just make sure that your skin reaction isn’t too wild and that they don’t pluck. You might find the electrologist of your dreams just around the corner from you.
Good luck!
Yb,
I have had a few consults that either they plucked or they did serious scabbing, just speaking from my experience so far, the newer machines do better with my skin. I am not saying it has to be the newest, top of the line, but I do not want treatment from something ancient as I do notice more skin damage. Also, with the hair being fine, I noticed without the proper vision equipment, they are often tweezing. One lady treated me well, no tweezing, but she left me swollen for 5 days and then I noticed a few tiny pits, and I will not sacrifice my skin for treatment. I worry that since I have not had any feedback that there is nobody out there to treat this and it adds to my sense of hopelessness and depression. I cannot tell you how this has changed my life for the worse, I can never face people and feel like there is no hope, I cry often and wonder if I will ever get rid of this hair and move on with my life. I appreciate any help/recommendations from poeple that have had successful treatment for the same issue (finer but darker hair). Believe me, I am trying but frankly, it is hard to truly find somebody good. Thanks.
kel,
Scabbing is not that abnormal. You’d get it in a few days and it should clear within 10 days. This doesn’t mean that you will have permanent skin damage, as you most likely won’t. Even though scabbing could be caused by a variety of factors, including your own skin, hair and part of body treated, it is largely a side effect of older machines. This is part of the reason why many electrologists invest in the newer technologies. But it doesn’t mean that you’re getting bad treatment. Electrolysis has a history of over 100 yrs of clear skin and happy faces, when the “newer” machines’ history only takes you back to the late nineties. Do you see my point? You can get wonderful results with these “older” machines. If you swell up to much, speak with your electrologist about it. If s/he is as good as you think she is, she should be able to work something out by lowering the energy. Your type of hair doesn’t need that much current to release. I’m not saying that the older machines are preferable to the newer ones, but if this is all you can get in your area, it’s not such a bad alternative. You’ll be shocked, but there is even an opinion among some electrologists that the older machines are more permanent from the first time because they treat more tissue.
Even though it might not be the optimal technic, but I think that it’s still possible to treat your hair with inferior magnification. So don’t despair, try as many electrologists as you can, and steer away from those that tweeze.
Good luck!