Should I continue electrolysis?

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

After many years of struggling with tweezing and waxing upper lip and chin hair, I started seeing an electrologist. She’s wonderful but after eight one hour sessions, I still haven’t had a full clear.

I do have a lot of chin hair made worse by years of plucking and have been using scissors between treatments which average two per week. Was on vacation for a week and hair was very obvious. I’m very discouraged and not looking forward to the 2-3 years of treatment my electrologist has suggested. I do have PCOS and have made an appt. to see an endocrinologist and will be seeing a dr. for a laser consultation (lightsheer diode) tomorrow. However, I’m terrified laser will make the hair worse. (I do have pale skin and dark, coarse hair.) I really don’t know what to do…be patient and stick with electrolysis, stop costly electrolysis until I get hormones under control (and go back to waxing/plucking), or turn to laser? If anyone can share their thoughts, I’d be grateful. I realy don’t want to go back to tweezing and am so tired of the hair…

#2

Hi pellitos

It’s very difficult to give advice without actually seeing the areas you are having treated. If possible submit some pictures that clearly show your chin and upper lip. Include information about your last treatment and the amount of growth your picture/s show/s. Find out which modality your electrologist is using.
Try to resist the urge to tweeze as this will not help and actually has a detrimental effect.
Your PCOS may be the cause of the hair and may in the longer term cause more follicles to become active but I believe the PCOS can be managed and any additional active follicles can be dealt with as hair appears. Sticking with treatment before your hormones are brought under control will deal with any existing hairs which judging by your description are established and won’t disappear regardless of hormone adjustment.
I wouldn’t personally try laser because of my own experience with it and the experiences of others which you can read about here on hair tell.
I’ve personal messaged you with some more useful info

#3

It concerns me that your electrologist thinks it will take 2-3 years.

I would say, stick with electrolysis but look for a new electrologist. I’m sure you don’t want to throw money away, so perhaps choose a one inch square area to work on (get it cleared) and see how it is responding compared to the non treated area. You will be able to tell after a few clearances whether it is working or not.

#4

Thanks for the replies!

My electrologist is using blend and uses a high setting (should I ask how high?). I’d estimate that I have about 150 hairs on my chin and the underside of my chin. I have noticed a clear patch on the right side of my chin where my electrologist tends to work most (after upper lip) during our sessions. She did tell me early on that she thought it would take about 1 hour to clear my lip area and maybe 1- 1 1/2 for my chin. Together, that’s two, almost three hours and I have only been booking 1 hour at a time and the left side of my chin is not getting much attention. Hair has regrown where she’s worked and she thinks it’s gotten finer already and is impressed with the speed.

I started plucking this area 5-7 years ago and noticed that what were once fine, long dark hairs are now thick and black. I am pretty convinced that through plucking I worsened the situation.

Perhaps I’m being too impatient and too obsessive about wanting the hair cleared? Laser consultation today is free and it’s offered through my dermatologist’s office. I have a truckload of questions for him. My electrologist seemed very supportive of checking out laser for hair reduction…I really do like her and she has been adamant that we are a team and that she is committed to working with me.

Just confused right now so thanks so much for reading…