Electrolysis appointment tomorrow

[Suzanne F]

My GG friend is also my dentist. She reccomended a person that she used for her bikini line. I called her today. She is going to see me tomorrow. My friend said I could absolutely trust this person about the true cost involved. During our initial conversation I told the electrolysis provider that I had considered doing laser first. She agreed that in some cases that could be effective. She told me that if I could do some laser she knew of a very good laser treatment provider and we could talk about it. I felt like she truly wanted to help me. Anyway it was a good start. I can't wait to see her tomorrow to begin planning my treatment. I told my wife and she said cool! I feel like I am really taking concrete steps to living as a woman.
Suzanne

[stefan37]

Facial hair removal will require a huge time commitment and lots of cash. It will take more time and money than you think. Start to find ways to supplement your income so you can proceed without interruption. Getting clean and smooth is a great feeling. Good luck!!

[kimdl93]

It seems like you've taken many, many concrete steps towards life as a woman.

[Cheryl123]

I'm happy for you Suzanne. You are indeed taking concrete step towards living as a woman. Many of us get so focused on starting HRT and getting the permission letter and all that involves that we overlook electrolysis, which is just as important. (And you don't need anyone's permission to start). When I tell people I love my electrolysis sessions, they look at me like I'm crazy. Yes, it hurts. But each of those little stings tells me that I'm one step closer to becoming the person I so very much want to be. I wish you well on your journey.

[Angela Campbell]

well......ouch. lol. expect slow progress. I started with 5 hr sessions over a year ago every week. I now go every two weeks for about 2 each time. It is slow but the progress is clear. I can go days without shaving now if I want to and the face actually looks different without all those hairs underneath.

[Suzanne F]

Many of us get so focused on starting HRT and getting the permission letter and all that involves that we overlook electrolysis, which is just as important.

My therapist and psychiatrist have already indicated they will approve HRT. I will hold off until after I run the Biston Marathon in April of next year!
Suzanne

[sandra-leigh]

Time requirements for hair removal are pretty variable. I did laser 2 years ago, and this year I started electrolysis. I have had about 12 or so one hour electrolysis sessions; for my face we just reached the point where skipping a week is starting to make sense.

I do not have much hair on my chest, and probably none at all on my back. Those can really add up for people.

[stefan37]

Why would you hold of until after the marathon. I noticed an increase in energy levels after reducing T and introducing estrogen. I continue to swim 3500-4500 yds weekly with no reduction in lap times. I have been on estrogen for 2 years to date. You have plenty of time to train between now and next spring.

[LeaP]

...the face actually looks different without all those hairs underneath.

You know, it does, and it's not just shadowing, either. I'm 70-80 hours in (haven't asked in a while). My cheeks and sides of my neck are essentially clear. My upper lip and chin are noticeably thinned. The only dense area left is the front of my neck from the jawline down. I've been trying to figure out what the change is, exactly, that makes the clear areas of my face look so different. It's not like I had much of a shadow before anyway - but it still looks different.

[Eryn]

I think that we all have rather rosy outlooks when it comes to hair removal. I thought that 6 or 8 laser sessions would get most of it. Ha!

A couple of years later at two hours per week of electrolysis I'm now fairly clear. My electrologist now spends an hour or so clearing my face (it goes slower when you have fewer and finer hairs and she has to hunt for them) and then works on my chest and lower back. I no longer shave.

I also find that it has changed the shape of my lips. The follicles do create a distinct bulge, particularly in the upper lip above the lip line. I've had several people with no knowledge of my hair removal say that I look younger and I think that the lack of beard shadow contributes to that.

[PretzelGirl]

I got the young comment in May from a cousin that hadn't seen me in something like 20 years. But there was a big pause between "you look so" and "young". So they notice something is different, but not all will process.

I think it isn't just rosy outlooks, but once it looks like we are making progress in that more is done in a session, then we expect more progress quicker. I was hoping to be in grazing mode by now and I am basically at 2 hours at once a month to clear. The difference today is she was hunting for hairs the last five minutes.

[sandra-leigh]

Why would you hold of until after the marathon. I noticed an increase in energy levels after reducing T and introducing estrogen.

It is common for people to react to spiro by getting winded easily. Perhaps continued training would assist in mitigating that, but it needs to be taken into account. The dizzyness you can get from low blood pressure due to spiro can be pretty serious.

For me, cypro also lead to shortage of breath, but in a different way and not as intensely as spiro.

HRT for me was also accompanied by my sweating hard from my forehead after not much effort. The sweating required that I do a lot of hydration, quite a bit more than would be practical in a marathon. This was not "all over the body" sweat: my head (especially forehead) would be dripping while other parts of me such as underarms were normal.

Some people do report more energy on HRT, but as best I can tell, the majority encounter breathing difficulties for a time.

And that's without even considering the massive reduction in muscle power than can result from HRT. Testosterone is fuel for muscles more directly than estrogen. My experience was that my "strength" did not necessarily alter drastically (at least for "jerk and snatch" type lifting), but that my endurance fell enormously. If you turn down the water pressure leading to your toilet tank then your flushes don't get any weaker but you can't re-flush as quickly.

[Aprilrain]

There will always be more hair! I'm now working on my eye brows which look like hair factories.

[stefan37]

I am convinced it will never end. Get clear go 2-3 weeks without noticeable growth then BOOM a forest has appeared from no where.
It's an expensive, time consuming, tedious process that seems to never ends. But it does feel good to only need to shave weekly to keep the stragglers in check.

[allisonagain]

I've just started laser after doing electrolysis for about 40 hours so far. It is going to be slow, I wish I had done the laser first, it gets a lot done quickly. It will sure be nice to get them cleared. I appreciate the comments about changes in physical endurance and strength on HRT. I am considering that in the future and am an avid cyclist riding thousands of miles a year, many very fast and hard. I have wondered if I will lose my ability to continue at the level I am now…for another thread I guess. Anyways, good luck on hair removal, someday we'll all be smooth!

[Michelle789]

I think with hair removal it's YMMV literally. It depends on how much hair growth we have, how stubborn it is, and whether or not we're on HRT. I've heard that starting HRT can make hair removal easier, but others said that starting HRT makes it harder.

How long does electrolysis take? I have heard anything from 2 years to 6 years, and some say that you have to do electro for the rest of your life.

I thought that 6 or 8 laser sessions would get most of it. Ha!

I think living in sunny Los Angeles means that we require double the amount of laser hair removal sessions than elsewhere. Unless you did your laser hair removal during 2010 when we had 7 months of "June Gloom", I would blame the sun for your laser result.


Also, after two laser sessions, my laser specialist told me that for laser to work you need to have your skin be as light as possible, so that they can use the maximum amount of voltage to zap your hairs. This means wearing lots of sunscreen and avoiding the sun. Living in Los Angeles means that it can be practically impossible to avoid the sun.

[Aprilrain]

Living in Los Angeles means that it can be practically impossible to avoid the sun.

Here in ohio we have this thing called "inside" where the sun doesn't shine. It's pretty much where I live

[grace7777]

I started laser hair removal in December of 2012 on my face and ended up doing 4 sessions and the results after the 4 sessions were good. Due to the place closing down and then moving out of state I stopped doing laser hair removal until recently. Hair on the lip and chin came back again almost to the level before I started. On the sides of my face most of it did not grow back. A little over a month ago I resumed doing laser hair removal on my face, and 2 weeks after the session I have had better results than I had from the previous 4 sessions. Now more than 5 weeks later some has started to come back on the lip and just a little on the chin. I have another session on Tuesday, and the plan is to have a session every 6 weeks.

[GabbiSophia]

Here in ohio we have this thing called "inside" where the sun doesn't shine. It's pretty much where I live

Here in fla even on the inside the sun gets u. I have an outdoor job and 50 spf hat and face cover for 8 weeks barely touched my tan

[BOBBI G.]

I have found that magical place Aprilrain mentioned here in Florida. With the exception of having to do yard work, I am pretty much ian inside person. Here, in Fla., staying inside also means staying cooler.

Bobbi