Wow, I need to read the FDA site! Kork, are you a business owner or a scientist? I believe you told me at one time, but sorry, I don’t recall. I like your ambition to study these issues in depth.
Engineer.
P.S. I don’t recommend the FDA site. It’s an excruciating combination of labyrinthian and boring.
What do you recommend?
Do you find the FDA site fairly factual?
You are welcome Korkskrew.
Our dear Andrea slaved many moons making that site what it is today.
Oh, yeah, and this one too. 
I was mostly being a smart-ass. The site is entierly factual, but I felt like I needed good luck, or a lot of time, to find the info I wanted. It’s murder to navigate.
It has become clear to me that if one is serious about understanding the scope and full meaning of the FDA regulatory system, the best idea is to hire a lawyer who had FDA experience.
Well not sure who will remember me or my story (since last time I updated this thread).
Quick re-cap, have been doing electrolysis for about 9/10 years… Never got any reduction (only some pitting/scarring) - used many different electrolygists at home in ireland and also in ascot valve, keilor east & Brunswick, melbourne Australia.
Then moved on to the Applisonix Selectif Pro. Did lots of research and it promised many wonderful things. When it wasnt working very well, i took advice from the distributor and started waxing after the applisonix selectif pro sessions (to get the hairs in anagen phase for next session around). Eventually gave up at the start of August 2011 and reverted back to electrolysis reluctantly (on advice from Dfahey & Christine O’Connell) on this forum.
Christine recommended someone here in Melbourne for me. Ghitta based in city. Went to her with no faith or confidence in the whole electrolysis process (as the 9/10 years of trying it did nothing for me even though i did everything properly, went regular, no plucking etc etc).
Anyway I now think it is time to update this forum to apologize firstly to Dfahey and Christine for my lack of confidence in electrolysis and also to let you know where I am at now…
I have been going regularly to Ghitta (Melbourne Hair removal Centre - now based in Coburg) since August last year. It has been a slow but steady process.
She was using an older machine for the first few months but now has the apilus. The apilus is less painful and my skin reacts much better to it. I find Ghitta truly brilliant - not only her actual work but her commitment and caring. She will keep trying until she gets it and will not pluck… If the hair does not come out easily after the first zap, she will go back again and again until it does (no plucking happening here). Thankfully the most it takes is 2/3 zaps for the 1 hair (and that usually only the difficult ones)…
Her attitude is brilliant, she is very persistent, which I love. The last electrolygist i went to knew the hair stuff (cycles etc) inside out and upside down but did not have the commitment/perseverance to go after those niggly blond long hairs. Ghitta always asks what bothers me most and works on that.
The results with Ghitta have been very good. Don’t get me wrong there is a long way to go yet (before I sit at a restuarant window in full sunshine with my hair tied up - lol!)without worring about my hairs while i talk to somebody across the table. But we are definetly getting there…
I have went the longest i’ve ever went without having some form of hair treatment (5.5weeks), just had the appointment today. I had one brown coarse hair this treatment and none last treatment and obviously a few each time before that. However it is the blonde hairs which trouble me as they grow long and i have lots of that dreadful irish fuzz… However she has been working on the long blonde hairs too and I also have a noticed a reduction in them. It will be interesting to see where I am in another 6 months (at which i promise to update again).
it is so hard to find a good electrolygist and my experience is that only about 1/10 are any good, thankfully i eventually found one…
I would just like to add for those people who may read this post and have bad experiences with electrolysis, keep trying… the problem is it is very hard to know after only a few sessions, it takes a while… but from my current experiences, I would look for someone with hygienic office (Ghitta first electrolygist I ever went to that wears gloves), v persistent and actually asks and cares which areas bother you most and also the electrolygist who doesnt just give one zap and remove the hair with the tweezers but who keeps going back until it becomes loose itself. Also an electrolygist with an apilus would be the only electrolygist i would go to now… It is much kinder to my skin (however still marks for about 2 days but better than the previous machines).
I will update again in another 6 months (at which time I’ll hopefully be sitting at that restaurant window (with my hair tied up) - may sound ridiculous but its my aspiration!!! Good luck to all
Thanks dee.oz, You say when you gave up on Applisonix, but not when you started. How long did you give it before you gave up?
i started it in August 2010…
Oh, no apologies needed. We have conversations here about hair removal options and you the consumer freely chooses what you want to try.
I’m glad you found Ghitta. I’m glad she updated her epilator, but let me just say that there are many electrologists that have other models of epilators that can offer good skin outcome. It truly boils down to skill. Comfort is a bonus with the AP PLAT/PURE and that is why many electrologists are updating to 27 megahertz technology.
Twenty-three pages of this thread and now you are on the right track with Ghitta. We’ll be waiting for your update. Keep positive, 'Kay?
Hi all, time for update… I’ll be coming up to a year soon with Ghitta (the new electrolygist with the apilus in Coburg, Melbourne)… I still think she’s wonderful… I can stretch out my sessions now to about 5 weeks. Unfortunately, i am not near my dream goal of being able to sit near a window with my hair tied up, not sure I ever will be… think i just have too much hair…
on the other hand all my dark hairs are gone (except on my upper lip, which i am just starting to get electrolysis - i find this area v painful)… The applisonix did seem to reduce the hairs on the sides of my upper lip but not in the middle… so unfortunately most of the hairs on my upper lip are directly in the middle above my lip (which i find the most painful for electrolysis - i have been waxing this area for years)…
Back to electrolysis on the face, i have no dark hairs, a good reduction in the long hairs but i just have so many hairs, i find it depressing at times… it is a lot better than it used be, thanks to Ghitta… but the only place i ever tie my hair up is on the way to the electrologist/around the house where no-one can see me… All i can do is hope that another year and maybe I will be able to tie my hair up and be outside comfortably talking to someone with the sun shining on my face and instead of totally losing concentration in the conversation I’m having with someone (because i keep thinking “are they looking at my hairs”?)… Anyway enough of that, have to keep positive…
Overall i am very thankful i met Ghitta and she is helping me… will update again in 6 months, take care all…
I’ve seen Selectif Pro Training Video, and the hairs seem to be tweezed for me on the video. What do you think?
Hi Dee.oz, could you possibly tell me which electrologists you were using in Ireland? I’m located in limerick but before I start the process I’d like to get some recommendations!
Thanks.
If its not too far, Catherine Hayes in Galway is very good.
Oh damn that is kinda too far. Anyone based in Limerick that anybody could recommend? And the average price as well I guess?
Thanks guys!
This may have already been posted but thought this was interesting? do you think it made her hair growth worse or was it just her hormones? I’d figure it wouldn’t do a thing to her hair? I’d never even heard of this ultrasonic hair device before. Im a little behind the times lol.
http://www.realself.com/question/laser-hair-removal3
oh just re-read it and i see she had laser before the ultrasound. Alot of $ down the drain for this girl
Does any one know whats with applisonix? There site is for some months down.
Just a WILD guess: maybe their product did not work and they are out of business?
Wow! Thanks for the heads-up jooe. I hadn’t checked in a while.
Hi All, Time for an update. No black/dark hairs in months and months. Now no long hairs(like there used be either).
Occasionally i get hairs which are a little bit longer than the rest, but still nowhere near the length they used be.
Also I would like to add I now wear my hair up occasionally (just over the last 2/3 months).
I still have downy hair but noting like it was.
Over the last 12 years i have tried so many electrologists, and not one but Ghitta (my current electrolygist) has made any improvements for me. This woman is amazing, not only in her skill but also her attitude. she never plucks hair. she may zap it 3\4 times before removing if it is a stubborn one. My hairs are now only blonde, so it may be difficult for her at times but she never says/complains. Her perseverance and attitiude is as good as her skilllevel, which is A++++. I wish this lady could train up all the previous electrolygists i went to, over the years or even start her own training school so she could teach others how to do it properly.
I’m not sure if i was unlucky having to go through so many electrolygists before i found a good one, i dont know. However my experience is that only Ghitta/of approx 10 made any improvements for me. One lady in particular left me with some minor scarring on my chin.
if i had to try and make a recommendation to anyone, i would suggest trying a few electrolygists;
(1)seeing if they have the apilus machine (kinder on skin)
(2)and if they zap once and pluck (or go zap and zap until the hair loosens up itself) - only a trial will tell you this…
(3)Also patience i think is very important. if your electrolygist finds it too difficult to chase the blonde hairs
(4)/also i think its very important that the electrolygist asks which areas bother you etc.
I am extremely grateful that all is good now. I actually had an appointment tonight and it must have been between 10-12weeks since my last one.
Hairmeout - I was using electrolygists in Sligo & Athlone and none of them were any good. The lady on this website who recommended Ghitta (my current electrolygist) to me is called Christine O’Connell. She said in one of her private messages that there was a great electrolygist in Galway (for when i was visiting Ireland). I never got the name off her, so not sure if its the name listed above. I would recommend contacting Christine (if she still on this website) and finding the name. I know it may be a long journey from Limerick to Galway but if you could book in long sessions with her it may be worth it.
Also CareBearHair - not sure if it was me you were referring to about getting laser, but i never got laser on my face, bikini & underarms - yes (but never on face). Overall the applisonix did not work much for me however it did work on some of the really dark coarse bristle like hairs on my upper lip (no where near to the level it promised) but it did work somewhat on the outer areas above my lip i.e. outer right and left above lips (did no improvement on middle area above lip). For the rest of my face, did nothing.
Hope this gives you all a summary of where I am up to… will probably update in another 6-9months but if you don’t hear from me, that means things are getting better & better (until menopause hits & then ill probably be back on every week lol!!)
Also Ghitta is based in Coburg, Melbourne if anyone was looking for an electrolygist in melbourne.
I am thrilled to read your update Dee, well done. Yes,Ghitta is a great electrologist and I am really pleased that you now know that,electrolysis,in skilled hands gives amazing results. I began my career in the west of Ireland and am happy to confidently recommend the following practitioners all of whom I have worked with or had treatments from, The Catherine Hayes clinic, Galway, Anne Dunne,Tralee, and the soon to commence Eden Electrolysis Clinic, Co Limerick.