My question is for after the first full clearance of an area… for me, I started to see some regrowth after about 3 weeks, and about half regrowth (I know they’re supposed to be new hairs, but what looks like half regrowth) after 2 months. Sound normal/like successful treatment? And why would patches of my hair grow back in completely and other patches–for the moment–remain bare?
Thanks for any light you can shed!
What do you mean by half regrowth?
What area was treated and were the hairs untouched prior to treatment (at least 3 months)?
What’s the density of the growth like now compared to prior to treatment?
I mean it’s about half as dense! Thighs; they were untouched prior to treatment. Thanks!
Untouched thighs should have about 80%+ (I’d say more like 85%) of their total active follicles with hairs in them. So 3 months after a full clearance, there should only be around 15-20% of the original density IF all the hairs were cleared and all those treated follicles were killed. I would therefore say that you are seeing a decent amount true regrowth (follicles that were treated).
You do need to wait another month for the full picture. It’s not terrible but it’s not great either. Leg hairs aren’t typically difficult to treat and even a student electrologist should be able to kill all the follicles they treat without too much issue.
Thanks for the information! I know you’re not supposed to wax, but I did actually wax the backs of my thighs that weren’t treated after my last electrolysis appointment (I had full clearance on bikini line). At my next electrologist appointment, it will have been 2.5 months since I waxed, but I now want the backs of my thighs treated, too–what kind of regrowth should I expect then? Thank you!! And yes, I’ve stopped waxing for good now. 
If you waxed prior to treatment you can expect the treatment to take longer because it sometimes takes months for all the hairs to show through.
If all hairs were present never touch your thigh hair a day in your life then yes 80% can be expected.
However if you waxed then you’ve 50% is probably about right.
I am not an electrolysis just a customer like you that’s done lots of research because I like yourself was worried about lots of hairs coming back it took until the 8 month mark for them to stop and from then onwards any coming in would only be new not regrowth.
When we say ‘untouched’ we mean no waxing for at least 3-6 months prior to the treatment - that is enough time to get 80%+ reduction from one clearance on a stable body area, providing all the hair containing follicles are treated and all those treated follicles are killed (not ‘never touch your hair a day in your life’).
If you are going for treatment for the back of the thighs only 2.5 months after waxing, you can expect the reduction from one clearance to less than the 50% you already observed on the front of the thighs… because it will also include more ‘false regrowth’ - hairs that weren’t present to be treated. All it really means is that the second clearance will take a bit longer than otherwise.
I don’t know if your electrologist will be open to trying new things but I don’t think it would be difficult for him/her to improve the kill rate. They should not extract hairs that are showing any resistance. This is why I like Josefa’s method of using fingers for extraction as even an inexperienced electrologist can easily observe when the hair is displaying any resistance and instead of removing it regardless, they can re-insert and treat again with a different target within the follicle to get that smooth release. It’s worth having a look at Josefa’s videos to see what a smooth release looks like.
I’ll jump in here for a moment. In my 40-years of experience, I only yield 50% reduction from the first clearance on hair that has never been shaved or waxed, i.e., a man’s back.
I have relied on this “forever” and basically guarantee this result … whoever is getting 80% reduction from ONE clearance is really doing something that I’d like to experience.
If you get a true 80% reduction, the area would look just about hairless. Of course, nobody’s actually counting hairs. ARE THEY? It’s all about “how it appears.”
Q. So, How do I calculate percentage of hairs permanently removed?
A. Treatment hours.
If it takes me HALF the time to complete the second clearance, I can safely assume that’s because there were HALF the hairs removed.
If you do ONE clearance in 10-hours … and you get 80% reduction, then the second clearance should only take a total of about 2-hours. (I think that’s right? I suck at math.) Are these the results you are getting? WOW!
Here’s a real client of mine named “Chris.” (He’s a fireman.)
First Clearance:
Start Date: January 25, 2014
TTT: 29 hours
Second Clearance:
Start Date: May 7, 2014
TTT: 14 hours
Third Clearance:
Start Date: August 17, 2014
TTT: 7 hours.
Chris required no local anesthetic for his entire back. At this point he’s finished except for, perhaps, a few scattered hairs that most guys don’t notice. If he does notice, then it will take an additional three treatments of about 15-minutes or so … again separating those intervals by about two months.
This is a textbook case and not out of the ordinary.
Jossie does Michael, so yes I’m speaking from experience. Her daughter too, who did my sister’s lower legs. Only on areas where 80% of the total active follicles have hairs in them (woman’s forearms, legs etc) and all hairs have to be removed, even the small ones that can missed… which I think is what usually happens in treatment (which can be on purpose too if you want to avoid the associated skin reaction) but Jossie is too conscientious to leave any behind if she’s not rushed. I think you’ll find many of the cases she’s displays here only require minimal time for the second clearance. And yes, her predictions of how long second clearance would take for us have never been wrong so far!
I knew you’d object, I didn’t think it would take a few days!
Well, that is amazing. I also have to say that adding-in information and talking about my own experience is not “OBJECTING!”
I’m only saying … I can’t do this. I’m not challenging your honesty. (Gosh, folks … “questioning is not objecting.”)
I suppose it was just the tone of the language! Fair enough.
I was amazed when Josefa explained that we could expect more than 80% results from one clearance in some areas. Then she more fully explained, allowing me to observe the area under magnification and it made complete sense. To achieve this, she has to pretty much remove every visible hair (and some are tiiiny) and this often requires going back over an area after a few days when the swelling has subsided to catch any hairs that were missed. It’s quite amusing observing her and my sister during treatment - they are ruthless.
Odd that I tried to change the stuff “under my posts” … where you saw the good writing by one of my heroes … Chris Hitchens. I tried and everything simply got deleted. I tried to fix it, and cannot … Just blank and no “Chris.” I was trying to add that I’ve only got about a year left in my electrolysis practice.
I will say, as I’ve just now spoken to Josefa about this, that probably my results are better than 50% on certain areas only … for me the results on unshaven underarms always surprises me … in the “good direction” … maybe 75%?
Still, I’m not all that good at specifically measuring each detail. If I stated 80% with each clearance, then the client would expect to be finished in only two clearances. (Such results would render the area more than 95% hair free and most men would see that as being “finished.”)
I’ll stick to my “three clearances” … because this is a guarantee of results on everybody and on every body part. (Although, recently I had to do 4 clearances on a guy from Georgia … not a great amount of time, but still a “clearance” in my book. I greatly reduced the price.)
Specifically, with underarms, my absolute guarantee is “never more than 8-hours total.” If more time is required, it’s free. (Never happened … yet.)
Oh, on TONE? Always remember that there is a big difference in the way Americans talk and the way British talk. As my German and Dutch friends always tell me, laughingly … Americans are more direct. Here’s an example my Dutch friend gave me.
*** How to “Pass the butter?” ***
English: “Excuse me, if it’s not too much trouble, would you mind ‘passing the butter’?”
American: “Pass the butter?”
Fewer words, same outcome. Just AMERICAN! I suppose to a Brit the American “tone” seems abrupt. To an American it’s just fine.
Stoppit you have been told before though what Josie provided yourself is not the norm she is exceptional and under ordinary circumstances 50% is good and the norm to expect.
I don’t think it helps people to expect what Josie provides because you maybe making people feel they are not getting good treatment which they are.
Josie is the exception and not the norm, not everyone had the money to travel abroad for her treatment and she doesn’t have the time to treat everyone.
Telling people to expect 80% reduction under most circumstances just isn’t going to happen. People could try a 100 electrolysis and may never get such rates.
Michael being an English women no one would say Excuse me if its not too much trouble would you mind passing the butter lol.
More like simply Michael can you pass me the butter please. We do use our please and thank you but don’t make the long speech about it that you presume we do in most of your explanation of our language.
If that makes sense you get a bit long winded about it.
Thank you all for your answers! In looking at the area again, I actually think it’s less than 50% regrown… about 50% of the area is regrown, but the thickness is less. It can be hard to estimate, but I think it’s maybe closer to 30-40% regrown.
But thank you to everyone for your insight! I’m certainly sticking with electrolysis for the moment.
Gosh Helen … think “comedy” think “caricature” … and having a bit of fun.
The point was about “tone” and the American tone is certainly different (way more abrupt and direct) than the British. I don’t think you would disagree with that … and that was the point; not the exact specific way that you and your colleagues speak.
I was sorry I didn’t add the way the “Aussies” might say it … so here goes.
Australian: … “Budd-ah!”
Gosh Helen … think “comedy” think “caricature” … and having a bit of fun.
The point was about “tone” and the American tone is certainly different (way more abrupt and direct) than the British. I don’t think you would disagree with that … and that was the point; not the exact specific way that you and your colleagues speak.
Of course, styles of speach differ in various parts of the US and in the UK too.
I was sorry I didn’t add the way the “Aussies” might say it … so here goes.
Australian: … “Budd-ah!”
Hey I’m not to sure how to start a new thread but I had electrolysis done last Tuesday on a few blonde hairs on my chin and a few dark and blonde ones on my neck. I still have a rash and red scabs. I’m a big sufferer of anxiety amounts other things and I’m so scared my face has been scarred. The last that done the electrolysis was registered, I checked up on this. I’m in the uk. I actually haven’t left my house since, I have been to the doctors and he have me antibiotics and and antibiotic cream. I followed correct after care. Can anyone please advice me.
Thanks in advance
I think I would know better than most that what Josefa provides is not the ‘norm’. I don’t think anyone except perhaps yourself has ‘told’ me this.
Since you seem to consistently misunderstand me, let me try again.
The response I gave to skydivingjess was for the ideal situation.
What is the ideal situation for 80% reduction from one clearance (in some areas like the area being discussed here)?
[*1] The area should be untouched for 3-6 months prior to treatment [confirmed by jess]. On the thighs this means that around 80% of total active follicles would have hairs in them.
[*2] All the hairs should be treated/cleared in the treatment area.
[*3] The electrologist kills all the treated follicles, or very close to all.
No 2 and 3 are why I stated in my post “So 3 months after a full clearance, there should only be around 15-20% of the original density IF all the hairs were cleared and all those treated follicles were killed.” Note the capital IF and the and.
Now, if the client observes a 50% reduction after 3 months, two things can be happening. Either the electrologist was unable to clear ALL the hairs (very understandable) or there is ‘true’ regrowth. It’s up to the client to figure out which it is.
If they observe the area a few days after treatment once the swelling has subsided and in actual fact 10%-20% of the hairs didn’t get treated, then they can more or less discount these hairs from what they observe at 3 months. If the area is completely devoid of all hairs after clearance, then at 3 months post treatment anything more than about 20% growth is regrowth. In the hypothetical 50% growth situation, that would mean 30% is regrowth… that means 3 out of every 10 follicles treated was not killed. It is up to the client to decide whether this is acceptable or not. Is this acceptable to me? No. Because I know from experience that it will take a very long time to complete treatment if the electrologist is not killing 30% of the hairs they treat every time. Every client of Josefa’s (and probably Michael’s for that matter) who previously had treatment elsewhere will know this very well. I’m sure like myself, others persevered with such treatment but once you’ve been at it for a year or two, it is VERY frustrating.
As I also mentioned, Josefa’s daughter who doesn’t have decades of experience behind her treated my sister’s legs with the same results Josefa would achieve. If a relatively new electrologist can do this on an “easy to treat” area like the legs, then I personally don’t ‘buy’ it that others can’t. As I’ve said countless times before, if clients keep paying for treatment where follicles are not being completely killed, they give the profession as a whole no reason to improve.
Finally, I would hazard a guess and say that Michael’s first clearance results are around 50% (or as he has said, higher in some areas), because he doesn’t treat every single visible hair in that first session as Jossie typically does. Not because there is any discrepancy in kill rates. So the situation is more ‘maintain and advance’ - not advance the area but advance in clearance. Please do correct me if I’m wrong Michael. Besides, Michaels assurance to complete the work in 3 clearances is what is important. Not some wishy-washy stuff about taking 18 months plus of regular treatments to complete an area, which I’ve heard at practically every consultation I’ve ever been to.