Removing beard, in-growns & my plan of action

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Hello,

I have a few questions about removing coarse beard hair.

Firstly, thank-you wholeheartedly to all who contribute to this forum; been reading on/off for years.

So I am having my beard hair removed via electrolysis. I previously tried laser - GentleLase Alexandrite at high levels - but it’s not working on dark ginger hair (although it does on the finer chest hair!)

So as to have regular electro appointments, I am using 3 electrologists. They all use a Rayvue machine as per http://www.elegans.com.au/beauty-products-electrolysis.html

They look like pretty old school machines but I figure they do the job.

MY DRAMA is this: We started with my upper neck and jaw area where I have subsequently had terrible in-grown hair problems - big cysts, welts, redness and pussy acne that lasts for several weeks. Red marks like those take about 4 months or more to fade. I am not too keen on my whole beard area ending up like that!

I’ve been informed by all 3 pros that to remove beard hair can take several zaps for each hair.

Q1: Does that sound right re: multiple zaps are required? Feedback welcome.

Q2: Would a more modern machine speed up the process? (I’d have to travel to Sydney 400 kms away for more modern machines).

MY PLAN:

So as to avoid ending up a bigger mess of red scars from in-growns and acne I have asked them to not tweeze the hair out after zapping; to just zap the hair and leave it in.

Now my skin is coping much better. :slight_smile:

Q3: Would the dead hairs fall out of their own accord after a few weeks - like they do with laser?

We’ve completed about one zap of the whole beard area; 2 zaps for the neck and jaw area; took about 25 hours.

I’ve read here that it’s traditionally ideal to clear an area (zap and tweeze out the hairs) and then get the newer hairs as they come out. I understand the logic in that.

My alternative plan - which I’d appreciate any feedback on - is to have the whole area zapped about 4 times before we next attempt removal.

Q4: Does this sound like the most sensible course of action considering my reaction? Feedback welcome.

As you can appreciate I want to avoid the in-growns and the long-term scarring from those.

Any other feedback is most welcome.

best wishes to all, Robert

PS - Reason I am doing this is because I usually suffer terrible shaving rashes and in-growns/acne, as I have coarse curly hair. I’ve tried every which way or other over 20 years to shave but am sick of it! :wink: The problems from shaving greatly limits what I can do socially so am looking to be free long-term from the chore and pain of shaving regularly.

#2

Would it surprise you to know that I have a client who comes from Australia to see me because he wanted to do face, back and arms and was unsatisfied with the best work he could get from the locals there?

While some think I say this to break my arm patting myself on the back, the real reason is to make the point that there REALLY IS a big difference in the potential for treatment outcome and hair removal success. If one can get more hair removed per hour, and reduce the skin irritation, it is worth the travel (although even I thought coming half way around the world was a bit much… until I saw what he wanted removed.)

If you can get better equipment, and better treatment results by driving 400 kms down the road, just do it. It would be nice if some one of these people is doing the single entry method where they treat the hair at the level that gets it removed with ONE zap, instead of unnecessarily blasting your skin away with many.

Although leaving the hairs in can work for your purposes, it still allows the potential for infection. You should know, however, that there was an electrologist here in the US who claimed to have stopped removing the hairs at all, in order to increase his number of hairs treated per session. He directed clients to take a long hot shower when they got home, and said many of the hairs came out in the wash (as they no longer had an anchor system keeping them in place)

Generally speaking, I clear a man’s beard area in plus or minus 25 hours depending on the beard. The higher numbers are for beards with 250 to 500+ hairs per square inch. For those text book people with 100 hairs per square inch, it is like a paid vacation, and we finish in 4 to 6 hours depending on factors like angles, distorted hairs, ingrowns and so on.

If I were you, I would find the person with the best equipment, and try to see of you can get them to do it in the most skin friendly, yet fastest way possible, and I would not be afraid to travel for that result.

Using the method I have described, you would need only clear the area once every 6 weeks at a minimum. You could clear it once every 3 to 4 weeks, and never shave again from the beginning.

#3

Hi James,

Thank-you very much for the detailed response. Much food for thought. Will ponder it and likely have a few questions in a few days.

I’ve found now that from 1 of the 3 electrologists I am getting inflammation and infections in most of the hairs she does, regardless of leaving the hair in or out, so as lovely as a person she is, will have to cancel future appointments with her.

#4

What kind of aftercare do you use? Are you careful not to touch the area? I’m sure you are, but it’s worth mentioning.

Such a shame that this (presumably avoidable) reaction could prevent you from moving forward with this. I would definitely visit the less local person and do a test area. You’d be surprised at the difference a practitioner (or machine) can sometimes make.

Also, even if you do get some acne scars, it sounds like you get them anyway from shaving, right? So it’s a lifetime of ingrowns and infections, or a few months of them (since the reaction would surely lessen after the first couple clearances).

An infection is bad news, but if it’s just red bumps and some mild acne, it may still be better for your skin than the PFB you seem to have. Sorry you’re having such trouble with your hair. :frowning:

#5

I am from Sydney, a good one hear is the advanced electrolysis centre.

#6

Hello,

Thank-you 55555 for your Sydney referral. :slight_smile: I will look into that too.

Thank-you MPK for your comments. Yes I am certainly continuing with electrolysis. As you point out, several months of inconvenience are better than a life time (from shaving).

The in-growns are much less of a problem now that I am not having the hairs removed. Trying not to touch the areas though sometimes I go “digging” with a sterlilized “tweezer” to dig out in-growns! I did a salicyclic acid face peel 4 days after my latest electro appt and that has helped get many in-growns out too this week.

Have 10 hours worth of electro booked for next week. Had about 30 hours so far and several large patches are noticeably thinned out.

I am self-employed working at home so I get by OK being a hermit whilst my skin is inflamed.

As for after care I am using a blend of tea tree oil and witch hazel and sometimes Dr Eckstein’s Azulen paste on the puss filled pimples from the in-growns.

Will keep you all posted about progress over the months.

thanks, R.

#7

You should use witch hazel during the day and tea tree oil only at night (it’s very potent).

#8

Hi

Remember not to apply the tea tree oil straight on the skin-it’s important to only use a small amount diluted in water, otherwise you will damage your skin. And limit your “digging” for ingrowns as you risk permanent scarring…

There are a couple of electrologists in Sydney who offer the multi-needle galvanic method, which is often very suitable for treating beard growth, have you tried this method?

#9

Although it is perfectly fine to dilute Tea Tree Oil (I have always heard of it being diluted with other oils, like Lavender, or Olive oils), pure tea tree oil CAN be used directly on the skin. One just doesn’t want to over do it. If one is prone to use too much, then diluting it is a good thing. Overuse of Tea Tree Oil will dry and flake the skin.

As for Multi-probe/needle electrolysis on the beard… Sure, if you got a lifetime to do it and unlimited cash.

#10

Is it true that multi needle galvanic is a lot like getting your car battery trickle charged?

#11

Thank-you everyone for the new comments.

I am going to Sydney next week to test the Apilus Platinum Prime on my neck, jawline and shoulders.

James, I gather from what you say that multi-probe/needle electrolysis on the beard isn’t effective? (Wouldn’t it vary between galvanic and thermo or other modes?)

What method would you say is most effective for beard hair?

My skin is still healing now from the removal of hairs (after zapping) 4 months ago (on the old analogue Rayvue machines linked above). So I want to make sure that the next time I have the hairs removed (after zapping) that I am using the best possible method for destroying the beard follicles. I’m planning to have some of the facial/neck hairs removed next week in Sydney with the Apilus Platnium. Though I’m rather afraid that I might be covered in in-grown cysts and red welts for the rest of the year.

thank-you, R.

#12

Hi, sorry about the incorrect advice re. Tea Tree oil. I have seen friends really bring up bad reactions after applying it neat, and had heard you should always dilute it. Thank you James for correcting me.

Robert, I have heard great things about Apilus, so I am sure you will not be disappointed- Good luck with the process!

#13

Please understand that all forms of electrolysis are effective when done properly. Multi-Needle/Probe Galvanic is perfectly effective on the hairs it is used on. A fast pace would be about 100 hairs per hour, average about 50 to 60 hairs an hour. Blend would get you 250 or more at a fast pace, and thermolysis can get you 500 and more hairs removed per hour.

So you see, the point is not what is effective, but which will get the most hairs treated in the least amount of time, especially when you have two directives, one, get to full clearance in as little time as possible, and second, lowest cost to completion of the project.

As for the Tea Tree Oil, since you are in Australia, you have a wide variety of product available. Some is more caustic than others. In the US, only “pharmaceutical grade” oil is allowed on store shelves. In any event, a more caustic grade of Tea Tree Oil could be more lightly used, or diluted with Lavender, to both make it smell better, and eliminate over aggressive skin reactions.

#14

Thank-you once again! :slight_smile: