And I want to add, that I am in no way in hurry so this doesn’t apply to me. I had first partial/incomplete clearance of my face (didn’t book enough time) last September and the second treatment will be this coming September. I probably won’t have a third on the face.
NO. Plucking does not lead to MORE hairs. Repeated waxing and tweezing can make the epilated hairs become larger in diameter over time. It can also result in skin problems because of using dirty tweezers, digging at ingrown hairs, and the little infections that occur when the root sheath remains in the skin.
Steroids can make the hair change into larger and more noticeable hairs. Are you still taking steroids?
Shaving is the best way to hide the hair between treatments. Allowing it to grow some (quarter to half an inch) will allow the electrologist to give you a good clearance.
I want to clarify some points because I have the impression that my statements may confuse and / or harm to other colleagues who follow a different strategy.
A. - Until very recently all schools and experts recommended work “only anagen.” Most professionals learned that working so you could ensure the best results. Therefore they are trying to do the best for their customers.
B. - The death rate of the practitioner is independent of the chosen strategy. The issue is the total time to finish all the hairs in a given area.
C. - I also have clients who refuse to let their hair grow before the start. Precisely these are the clients who often complain of the high regrowth after the first clearance. I hate to say this phrase: “I warned you, if you come with 50% of total hairs that are in the area, the other 50% has to appear.”
Here a very clear example of what the problem with shaving. This man was shaved last few days before the start of Electrolysis. Finer hairs were in a resting stage, ie not grow enough to be treated. 2 weeks after these hairs have grown a few millimeters. The client tends to think that this is regrowth, but in reality, these new hairs are different ones. The electrolysis was effective … of course, but the percentage of dead hairs would have been greater if this man had let his beard grow a couple of weeks.
I’m not taking the steroids anymore. I don’t remember how long I was on them, but it didn’t seem like very long. I think part of my problem too is when I started plucking the new hairs, I also plucked the really fine hairs that everybody has… I was stupid. I know 4 & 1/2 years of plucking is probably more than most people do before they break down and start electrolysis and I knew it would be a long process… I just didn’t expect to have to stop living my life until it’s done.
Oh, my! Many women have been tweezing for twenty years before they start electrolysis! You are not stupid for tweezing - you didn’t know any better. Regardless, just stay with electrolysis and see the change for the good that is in store for you. You will be fine as long as you have a skilled electrologist and your life won’t be interrupted. Actually, I don’t think I fully understood your last comment?
Josefa, thanks for your careful and patient explanations about shaving. For my clients that need to hold on to shaving in between treatments, I guess this becomes a matter of me teaching them and reinforcing concepts along the way. Telling them that they may be fooled by an influx of hair that may be perceived as lots of regrowth, where in actuality, it is new hair, will ease their anxiety. What we predict to come impresses the client when it comes true. If they cannot accept this, then their other choice is not to shave. It is up to them to choose their course. Either way, they will still get the precious gift of permanent hair removal in a predictable time frame, barring no internal medical problems.
Haha sorry, I meant that while in the process of doing the electrolysis, I have seriously had to put my life on hold. It’s awful. It’s been 15 months so I am hoping I wont have to worry too much longer.
In between appointments I get the little black dots on my chin (this is my problem area for hair) that can be seen even under makeup (probably from shaving, even though I get as close as possible) so it looks like a 5 o’clock shadow, even after I just shaved it off. The hair remover cream doesn’t remove them either. It’s hopeless.
Right after electrolysis, my face swells up. Not because she is doing anything wrong, my skin is just super sensitive. I see her other clients and they never look swollen.
On my upper lip, I only have a few hairs each time that need done, but my lip stays swollen for many days, so I look like I have a red mustache. When the redness goes away, it leaves my skin almost looking black in it’s place. I am fair skinned so it’s really noticeable.
The swelling on my chin goes away after a few hours…but several days later is when the black dots show up.
Black dots? New hair coming forth under the skin? Broken hair from previous treatment? Pieces of the root sheath left in the follicle?
Fifteen months and you are seeing these dots?
Redheads and blonds can look naturally more reactive after a treatment no matter what you do.
If you haven’t been cleared each time, that can prolong things. I just don’t have the ability to analyze your case because I don’t have enough information and I am not there to observe. I just know that by month fifteen, even my most challenging cases have done the flip for the better and the client knows they are almost home hair-free.
I’m unsure if it’s new hairs growing through or if they’re remnants from old hairs. I don’t think I am a challenging case, and we do get full clearances each time.
I know we have progressed, because I can look at my face after 3 weeks worth of not plucking (I have not plucked in the full 15 months) and see what I would have seen in just a single day before I started electrolysis. And everyday after plucking I would have an equal amount the next morning. That is the only way I can measure the progress.
So in essence one doesn’t have to do weekly appointments and can go quarterly as long as the person doesn’t shave and allows max growth during those 3 months? Now, that I would love if what I’m understanding is indeed correct. That would save me so much time and money.
hairwo - Really, the best situation is to wait 3 months before the first clearance as well. If you haven’t it is still effective if you wait 3 months between the 1st and 2nd.
Perhaps you can tell us which body area you refer to and the electrologists can then let us know how long the anagen period is for that area. Because if waiting 3 months means some of the hairs will progress to telogen phase then you also need an electrologist who is confident treating telogen hairs for maximum effectiveness.
Treating telogen hairs effectively? Are we talking about inserting the probe through the bottom of the follicle to reach the detached papilla(as Michael Bono advocates in his book). By the way, Dectro, the manufacturer of the Apilus epilator does not recommend this technique, as it does cause considerable pain. Is puncturing through the bottom of the follicle the only way to effectively treat (permanently remove with one treatment) this type of hair?
Josefa, any advise about settings and depth of insertion with the Apilus Platinum when treating this type case: a 50yr. old women with dry skin, medium structured telogen hairs in the lip area.
It seems from your many videos that you use high intensity (at least higher than say a preset level 3 lip setting - not sure if that is considered high - but for many clients 66%-99% hurts, especially below the nose!). It appears from your videos that you turn down the timing considerably and use lots of pulses on these type hairs.
So many different ways to set this amazing epilator!!!
I like to work on all hair structures. I always stress the importance of complete clearances at each session. That doesn’t work for all because of budgets and lengthy appts. but I do encourage them to follow this process if possible.
On body work, many clients are receptive and follow instructions not to shave in order for me to see and treat as many hairs as possible. For many women with facial hair, it is difficult to let the hair grow. I definitely am someone who would not let my facial hair get long for all to see. I let the clients decide on the path they wish to take and work away. As long as they have regular appts. we eventually get all the hairs. My clients are happy working it this way.
What is your strategy distinguishing telegon hairs and anagen hairs?
By lack of pigment? Or you can feel the bottom of the follicle? With Laurier probe many said it is possible to feel it.
