Electrolysis appt today

[KathrynJulia]

Today I go for my second electrolysis apt and I am so not looking forward to going. I now know what to expect. Problem is I am 57 and my hair is and always has been beach blond naturally, and still is. I don't even have a white, grey or anything even remotely a dark hair that I can find so I am so not a laser candidate. DJ says she has had like a bazillion hours of electrolysis. I am so screwed Kathryn

[Guest KarenLyn]

Look on the bright side, you don't have any shadow to worry about in between treatments. Yes, it takes a lot of hours. Have your electrologist work on the coarse hairs and don't worry about the fine stuff. All women have fine facial hair. Look for a balance you can live with. I'm still having touch ups on my upper lip and did another half hour this morning. Ouch! I feel your pain.

Karen

[Paula ult]

I am 60 now but started laser when i was 56 to get rid of the dark hairs first, i see laser is not an option for you, i had allot of gray/white hairs and started electrolysis about 6 months later, to date i have had over 120 hours of electrolysis, I found the upper lip and lower lip the worst as far as pain goes, my tech suggested an ointment to dull the pain, it contained 4% xylocaine and i had to ask for it over the counter at the pharmacy, i put it on about 30 minutes before my session and covered it with plastic wrap to help it absorb better, EMLA cream will work too but it requires a prescription, i did this if i knew she was going to work on my upper or lower lip, after about 6 sessions i stopped using it and what few hairs that remained i could deal with the discomfort, the chin and jawbone area was next as far as discomfort i used nothing to deaden the area, my cheeks i hardly felt a thing, electrolysis is one of those things you just have to tough it out if you want a smooth hairless face.

Paula

[Guest Melissa~]

You know that picture in my other post( laser questions.) That's after about 25 hours of self treatment, granted I started extremely slow, and have gruduated to only turtle slow( about 1 hair a minute.) Surely a pro can shame that speed. there's only 80,000 hairs on the face at 1440 minutes per day, hmmm...

[KathrynJulia]

I saw my doctor today and received prescription for Percoset for pain to keep the swelling down, 5% Hydrocortizone cream. And he bumped up my Estrogen. With thrre months supply's it is going to cost me a pretty penny for the deductible, but worth it. I found a good lab study on Trans Hormone therapy and what it did to average lab values. Our lab values wont be consistant with male values or female values. They found that because of estrogen, our blood chemistry, Triglycerides, cholesterol all change to our own values. My doctor is really interested in seeing what my lab values do.

Kathryn

[Guest ~DeeDee~]

Sorry to hear that, at therapy today she told me I have the perfect complexion for lazer. I guess blondes don't really have all the fun.

[KathrynJulia]

Hi DeeDee

Alas I don't own a dark hair on my entire body and I had such high hopes for laser. Laser is just a no go with really blond hair. People actually question me do I color my hair. It's still my natural color. My hair never darkened and I have a few hairs that are either very light blond or possibly white. What I don't understand is I've always had a high pain thresshold my whole life. I'm wondering if in addition to softer skin whether my threshold has changed. My electrolysis hurt a whole lot worse than I ever expected. It really surprised me. I'm going to take the percoset and hope for the best. Kathryn

[KathrynJulia]

Success. I've always had a high pain threshold, but electrolysis had me reaching for the ceiling. I spoke to my doctor and he prescribed for me Percoset one hour before my electro appointment. It really took the edge off my electrolysis pain and an hour flew by. Thank God, because I really want to complete electrolysis and I was worried that I wouldn't finish due to the pain. I have an amazing doctor who is completely in my corner. I could not ask for a better.

Kathryn

[Guest Melissa~]

Good to know you have a system that's going to help, I have to concur with others the below the nose area is the worst, If you have had work done there and are tolerating it, you probably are good to go.

[Guest Ney'ite]

Uggh - electrology - a "necessary evil" for sure! But glad this session of yours is over. Mine are for 1 hour. I could NOT take it any longer for sure. I have not had laser, only because I ended up settling with electrology in the beginning and just stuck with it. This Fall will be 3 years for me, my first year or so was 1 hour weekly, followed by every 2 or 3 weeks, till this year I go about every 4 ~ 6 weeks.

My electrologist (she is phenomenal!) suggests regular OTC Ibuprofen about an hour before, and NO caffeine that day. Caffeine can intensify the pain.

That is awesomesauce you have a Dr totally in your corner!

[KathrynJulia]

Caffein, No Caffein, actually I used to be a caffein junky. Now I drink one maybe two cups of coffee in the morning and non caffinated Root Beer or milk the rest of the day or just sip ice water . My sleeping is much improved. Working to feminized my voice probably is responsible for much of the change in caffein habits. Kathryn

[Guest CindyLouCovington]

If pain bothers you(and who doesn't it bother?) then it is worth going to Electrology 3000 like Caroline and me did. A moment of pain for the lidocaine injections(the upper lip and the chin are DEFINITELY the worse,OUCH!),and the rest is a breeze.You just lie there in a dentist chair for several hours while they work faster than you imagine possible.Cleared my face in 3 days,one girl the first two days, two the last.First day was eight hours not counting half hour lunch break.Caroline fell asleep while they were working on her,shows you how comfortable it is.She said that there was less pain in the whole time (two days, two girls) that they worked on her than in one hour with her local electrologist.Said that she wished that she hadn't bothered with anything else, laser,etc. Consideing everyone says that there is less regrowth and little danger of scaring with their system,it is really great.I wouldn't go anywhere else,consider it money very well spent.

[KathrynJulia]

Cindy

What did it cost you for three days. I'd like to get an idea and I may just take out a loan and go that route. Take a week of vacation and just get it done. Cindy, my pain threshold used to be so high that my doctor sent me to a neurologist when I was a child because I could just ignore pain. Since I started HRT, my pain threshold, tolerance to cold and heat has noticibly changed. for the worst. So injections of lidocaine is probably the way to go. To think that I used to throw away a bottle of lidocaine every month and go sign for a new bottle to inject patients for biopsies with that I kept on my procedure cart. But the one percoset and hour before electrolysis seemed to work pretty well last week. I go for an hour every Thursday. I hate letting the stubble grow for a couple of days. I haven't received any coments yet, but I just don't want it to affect my job either. Dr Swenson commented on how thick my hair is coming in today. I think another couple weeks or so and I'm going to get it styled, cut and maybe permed. I was thinking of something similar to a Page Boy Haircut and style. Kathryn

[Guest Melissa~]

Kathryn they are $105 per tech per hour, (facial and most of the body.) They need to have good photos to estimate amount of work to be done, I have talked with then via email. That sounds higher than a local tech, because it is, apparently the lidocaine injections are included in that price.

Now about names:

Electrology2000, 3000 same place in Texas. At some point they "reorganized" a few years ago and changed out names. Electrolysis 2000 is a place in New Hampshire apparently unrelated.

The Texas place (e3000) is primarily for TS/TG I'm not sure they target the general electrolysis market at all. They state an intent to open a full suite of services in the future as a clinic: hair removal, most counseling services, a few beauty salon services.

[KathrynJulia]

Probably their malpractice insurance to use lidocaine takes out a chunk of their fee as lidocaine is pretty cheap. So for 3 days worth of treatment, ballpark figure of $2500.00 with travel and motel and food a little over $3000.00 would cover it all. And because they are medically supervised by a doctor and are using a prescription drug during the procedure, you could use your healthcare cafeteria spending account or deduct it as a medical expense on your taxes. I may continue with my regular electrolysis and plan the expense into my cafeteria account for next year.

Kathryn

[Guest CindyLouCovington]

Kathryn,

It is $105 per hour per tech but for new clients there is a 15% discount, so that helps some.And of course if you can get someone to go with you to share the motel,that will cut it. Caroline and me drove from New Orleans and the total cost for both of us for

gas, motel,food,etc was about $500.Cost to clear my face(never had anything done before) was about $2500,and of course subsequent sessions will be less and less.Of course we were lucky to be within driving distance and not have to bother with a plane, rental car,etc.Their machines are custom built for them, and they use special needles ,insulated so that only the end is exposed,with a bulbous end so that the needle in inserted into the follicle until it "bottoms out".That is what they explained to us.Place looks like a regular dentists office including dental chairs and lights.Seperate rooms like a dental office.Several places to eat a short walk away.They also do women and even a lawyer who got fed up with having to shave his thick beard twice a day.

Cindy

[KathrynJulia]

Thanks Cindy: I'm going to have to consider this. Kathryn

[Cyndee]

Today I go for my second electrolysis apt and I am so not looking forward to going. I now know what to expect. Problem is I am 57 and my hair is and always has been beach blond naturally, and still is. I don't even have a white, grey or anything even remotely a dark hair that I can find so I am so not a laser candidate. DJ says she has had like a bazillion hours of electrolysis. I am so screwed Kathryn

Vent follows -

I know the feeling Kathryn, I am at just about 40 hours in the electroylsis chair this year and the way it's going I expect to probably need about 200 hours total which at $70 / hr would = 14K just to clear myself of this grey scourge. Not to mention the never ending bee stings (10,000 + of them) as the needle goes in and she hits the current, some are better than others, you get to know your nerve matrix. To those out there considering starting take it from someone in the midst of this, this process will really test your resolve over the long haul, it's expensive, it's hurts, and just plain sucks. I keep telling myself it's better than trying to cover it up, which only lasts a while without shaving, I want to live naturally without makeup or coverup, and each session I seem to be gaining ground, so nice when I can touch my face and it's smooth. The very nice lady (RN) that I go to is so understanding and so pleasant, gives me all kinds of extras and free time, she knows the scope of this project. She has become my second gender therapist, we are becoming good friends, she knows a lot about me and likewise with her.

Good luck Kathryn with your face, it's one of the hardest aspects of MTF transition.

CIndy

[KathrynJulia]

It sure is Cindy. I had an appt last night and she started hitting some of those upper lip hairs. Ouch. I'm at around 10 or 11 hours. My electrolysis is an RN retired. Worked dialysis for 20+++ years. She normally charges $70.00 an hour, But has since dropped it down to $60.00 an hour for me. She's taking a 10 month long class in order to also offer laser hair removal. And my schedule is so flexible, that I can accomadate changes in her schedule. She called me up yesterday and rescheduled from 4:00 to 6:30 pm. Bette has warned me about those uppere lip hairs as being the absolute worst to remove. Apparently those hairs grow all the way through your lip and grab ahold of your teeth and hang on. Something like yanking a fish hook out of your upper lip, oh joy.

I ordered voice lessons from Deep Stealth, I was getting pretty burned out with my current lessons, and it's been 2 weeks and I hadn't received the CD Roms. Andrea James wrote me back and sent me the nicest email. I sent her back a reply and thanked her for all that she has done for our community. And that I appreciated it that she personally took the time to check on my order. And you are so right about all this lousy hair removal. I'm with you. I'm sick and tired of shaving it, looking at it, and feeling it. I just want it gone. When you think about the cost, It's basically a car payment for two to three years.

Kathryn

[Guest angelvice]

wow girls, congradulations on your will and perseverence... we have a saying in french that says "il faut souffrir pour être belle" which, translated literally means "you need to suffer to be beautiful". In my case, i always thought of that saying when i had to do my legs (i have a machine that yanks the hair out) or when i wear high heels (i hate heels with a passion), but your suffering really takes the cake! Lucky really IS lucky since we have a very good beauty salon close by that does Laser, and her beard is pretty dark.. so i guess it will be easier for her when she gets there... I did make her promise though that if SHE gets laser for her beard, then im getting laser for my eyebrows... pesky little things have to be tweased so often its annoying! "On lache pas les filles!" (don't give up!) Im rooting for you girls!!!

*Vicey the cheerleader*

[Guest Eh-lyssa]

... I did make her promise though that if SHE gets laser for her beard, then im getting laser for my eyebrows... pesky little things have to be tweased so often its annoying! "On lache pas les filles!" (don't give up!) Im rooting for you girls!!!

I would do electrolysis for the eyebrows as it is much more precise. I would worry about them blasting away too many hairs, unless you want all of them gone.

[Guest angelvice]

OOPS! no I don't want them all gone Eh-lyssa! Thanks for the tip, i had no idea....

Do you girls know how much laser costs compared to electrolysis and how much time as compared to that too?

[Guest Lizzie McTrucker]

Well, at the place I go to, laser is about $250/session, whereas electrolysis is like $50/hour.

My laser tech told me she could not zap the hairs below my brow because they were too close to the eye and could cause damage, so she would only do electrolysis to permanently shape them if I wanted to go that route. For now, I'll stick with waxing and tweezing.

[Guest Eh-lyssa]

OOPS! no I don't want them all gone Eh-lyssa! Thanks for the tip, i had no idea....

Do you girls know how much laser costs compared to electrolysis and how much time as compared to that too?

Laser is generally cheaper and runs about $50 per treatment depending on the size of the area. Usually you need 6 treatments to clear an area. You can quite often find laser hair removal deals on sites like groupon.com or livingsocial.com.

Electrolysis runs about $50-$150 per hour and it needs multiple treatments to clear an area too. For the number of hairs needed for an eyebrow shaping though I would think it would take very little time.

I have had laser on my tummy and lower back with some success even though my skin and hair are very light. I have had electrolysis on my facial hair and "south pole" area at E3000. Each type has their pluses and minuses.

[KathrynJulia]

Vice:

I pay $60.00 an hour for electrolysis and they target individuals hairs. So it's really precise. Both Laser and electrolysis can hurt or not. depending on the location of the hair to be removed. Male beard hair are generally deeper than cis female hair. So it generally is less painful. My doctor prescribe percoset for me that I take an hour and a half before i get treated. Helps a bunch.

Kathryn