Electrolysis appointment

[Suzanne F]

I had my first electrolysis clearing of my genital area today. I have had several laser treatments on my face but no electrolysis yet. It took 3 hours and it was excruciating at times. I used numbing cream and took pain relievers but it really hurt. I have surgery scheduled for May 12th so I had to get started. I just wanted to say that I have more respect for the women who have already been down this road now. I know this is right for me no matter what the cost.
Suzanne

[Megan Thomas]

It's certainly eye watering at times! Have you been told you have enough time to allow for a complete clearance? Last thing you need is internal hair post-op.

[PretzelGirl]

Three hours? I pass out at one. <bows in great respect>

[Jennifer-GWN]

Suzanne;

Tue / wed / Thursday for me. 1 to 1.5 hours. That's about all I can do more because I find her bed not that comfortable. It's a necessary evil. A friend of mine just had 5 hours straight with 2 techs. She's nuts but on a mission.

The crap we goes through and deal with.

Cheers... Jennifer

[jenniferinsf]

ladies

you all have my respect...i have been thinking about the process but the more i read, i think my pain threshold is too low

carry on, stay calm

[Peggie Lee]

Yes it is painful, when I started the genital area clearing I ask my doctor for something to help with this, he proscribed oxycodone-HCL for this which was a big help at the end just before SRS As I was doing 3 hour sessions to finish off the regrowth from previous clearings. I had to have someone take me and pick me up because I was unable to drive on the amount of Oxy I was taking but it really worked good. So talk to your Doctor about this.

[Eryn]

Wow, 3 hours! I've been doing two just about forever on my face/neck/chest/etc. but three would be really stretching my tolerance.

It will be fairly painful as the tech is probably running considerable power to ensure that the hair is killed. Not fun at all, but you don't want to risk hair "waking up" after a few months and your surgery!

[Kris Avery]

You know...

There are places that do lidocaine injections before the electro making "it" painless...Let me clarify..when I say "it", I'm referring to the electro..not the shots with 1.5" long 29ga needles under your skin.

I have done 6.5+ hours with two techs at once this way, including the upper chest with no pain relief, and genital clearing with injections ----- all on the same day.:o

Oxy? Heck no...oh wait...Heck yeah - give me 2.

I guess I'm just a badass/daredevil as I *then* drove the 6+ hours home on the lower unit after "the works" on bumpy roads through Oklahoma. Fun times for sure.

At least I hang out with Paula each time the night before.

[MarieTS]

Just a suggestion for those just venturing down the road of transition, and a personal opinion only, but looking back, of all the body procedures we dream of and undergo, in terms of prioritization, facial hair removal should be your top priority before all others. Yes, if fortunate you may multi task with a couple of different procedures in the works i.e., mones, etc. But if unable due to time, cost, etc., I suggest facial clearing be job #1!

[PaulaQ]

There are places that do lidocaine injections before the electro making "it" painless...Let me clarify..when I say "it", I'm referring to the electro..not the shots with 1.5" long 29ga needles under your skin.

Electrology 3000 does this, in Dallas. (Well, actually Lewisville Texas.) I believe there are one or two others doing this now.


At least I hang out with Paula each time the night before.

Looking forward to seeing you! :) Hey, if anyone else travels to Electrology 3000, send me a PM and I'd be glad to meet up! :)

[LeaP]

Just a suggestion for those just venturing down the road of transition, ... facial hair removal should be your top priority before all others. ... I suggest facial clearing be job #1!

Agree 100%.

This gets repeated endlessly because it needs repeating. The time and money sink for electrolysis in particular is much greater than anyone starting believes. The results are SO worth it. People sometimes think they have no beard shadow - they are wrong 100% of the time. People think they will be done in [pick your number] of hours. They are wrong 99% of the time. People think they will be done in [pick your number] of months. They are wrong 95% of the time! Start yesterday!

For the laser folks. I know it's popular to go laser when you have the skin and hair for it. Just be aware that some report that it's better for body hair removal, long-term, than facial hair. The issue that crops up with facial hair on occasion a few years post-laser is the development of very dense vellus hair, which is difficult and time-consuming to remove. Everyone has vellus hair - look at any GG's face closely (assuming she doesn't remove it for makeup purposes). Now imagine that at male facial hair density.

[Eryn]

Agree 100%.

This gets repeated endlessly because it needs repeating. The time and money sink for electrolysis in particular is much greater than anyone starting believes. The results are SO worth it. People sometimes think they have no beard shadow - they are wrong 100% of the time. People think they will be done in [pick your number] of hours. They are wrong 99% of the time. People think they will be done in [pick your number] of months. They are wrong 95% of the time! Start yesterday!...

Very wise words!

Despite the time and expense, electrolysis is the best thing I've ever done for myself. It has changed going out from a two hour makeup ordeal to simply tossing on some clothes and lipstick and heading out the door. It has changed my life from feeling abnormal to feeling normal in my desired presentation.

[Jennifer-GWN]

+1 to comments above. I work at home when not traveling so have the luxury of not having to worry as much about facial hair during the week although it drives me absolutely nuts as I have electro most tue/wed/thurs early mornings. Shave Thursday after session, Friday, and last shave Saturday morning to get ready for Tuesday. Sunday's are not such a bad day. If perchance, which is becoming more frequent I have a f2f meeting during the week I maintain my current schedule but leave the neck unshaved and hide with a scarf. Oh it just pains me to no end and I wouldn't dream of being office bound without either my face clear or stopping electro all together and putting up with shaving going forward.

This week it seems I've turned a corner on my face. I needed to shave for a business meeting after my session and had planned to leave neck untouched as usual in these situations, except this time my lady asked that I do not shave again until next weeks sessions are complete. Seems we've beat the darn hairs into submission and she'd like to close out the year getting as much as possible because it's likely the visit frequency is going to come to an end. I think I've finally won the war, with a few stubborn battles ahead but essentially not much is coming back on most of my face.

Being scruffy really really sucks and is one of a number of factors that should be considered before going full time particularly in the work setting if your job is outward facing or involves a good deal of personal interaction. Blessed are those who qualify for laser for the majority of their face. It wasn't an option for me sadly.

Cheers... Jennifer

[Badtranny]

If you're even considering transition, then start hair removal.

It's no big deal when you're a dude to grow out your face for a few days for an electrolysis session but when your name is Melissa you may not feel very comfortable growing out your facial hair.

[Zooey]

It's no big deal when you're a dude to grow out your face for a few days for an electrolysis session but when your name is Melissa you may not feel very comfortable growing out your facial hair.

Truth, right down to the name.

[PaulaQ]

but when your name is Melissa you may not feel very comfortable growing out your facial hair.

I understand how uncomfortable that is all too well. I've had a public speaking engagement, or important face to face meeting either the day before, the day after, and in one instance on the day OF electrolysis every time I've gone for electrolysis this year. I don't understand how this can happen every single time. But it has. At this point, I just roll with it. The one on the day of electrolysis was just awesome. I ended up in a totally unscheduled meeting with a bunch of city officials who had written a not so trans friendly ordinance. I remember the city attorney just stared at me in horror, lol. She must've thought hormones were really hard on your skin, or that I'd been beaten by my pimp, or something. She looked just totally freaked out when I addressed her.

I've been doing full face clears every 6-8 weeks for two years now. This is just never going to end. :(

Actually I'm hoping it ends by March so that I can start - wait for it - laser hair removal for the rest of me. The rather high dosage of estradiol (maybe progesterone played a part in this) seemed to really slow down my body hair growth, so I really only needed to shave maybe once a week. Post-op, my doc lowered my estradiol dosage, and took me off progesterone altogether. And I now seem to grow body hair more quickly now. I assume it's the change to HRT anyway - this started post op, when I was off HRT altogether.

[emma5410]

After my op my body hair seemed to grow faster. It seems to have gone back to pre op levels now if not better. It probably took a month or two.

[LeaP]

Oh, but it gets worse.

I've reached the point where I've largely stopped shaving at my tech's request as most of my remaining facial hair is coming in slower or is finer (she prefers longer for these). I have a complete clearing done every week, but there is always some growth left after the session, either some she just missed, some just emerging, or couldn't get to because she decided to concentrate on a few areas. So I feel like I look kind of straggly all the time. The truth is that you can't really see it except very close-up and in the last couple of days prior to the session, but it feels AWFUL.

My electrologist's office is 10 minutes from work. She's normally only there Tue-Thu, 9-5, so not only are my appointments during the work week, but for the rare end-of-day appointment, I return to work after a session ... looking like I just skidded down the road on my face after a bicycle crash and then got attacked by killer bees. (ok, that's a little dramatic, but still). Yesterday, that meant walking from my car into a meeting with my new manager and the new department's staff. Nothing like a round of introductions right after electrolysis!

One way I describe electrolysis is a progression of varying ways to look or feel bad, punctuated by the occasional moment of bliss. There's the dismay as the number of follicles finally sinks in. The impressions that nothing is happening in the early days. The patchiness of the results a bit later on. The times when major areas of your face are largely clear between sessions while others look like your razor broke and you couldn't finish the job. The new dismay when you learn those "cleared" areas just aren't so clear after all. The good news/bad news when your tech announces you've reached a milestone - first full clearing! ... downhill from here! ... followed by stating it may only be another 50-60 hours before hitting maintenance (OMG). Shaving stops at some point (see above). Hopefully it ALL ends at some point, but I know that some people go in for maintenance appointments every few months for a loooonnnngggg time, so maybe not.

Oh, the bliss. Yup, there's that, too. The feeling of those first bare spots and the touch of soft skin. The *amazing* feeling after shaving when you are further along. Etc. All good. You just have to manage through a year or two (or three, or ...) of going to work looking and feeling like crap. At the same time you desperately want and need to feel better about yourself.

All in all, a lengthy explication of Melissa's comment that if you are even considering transition, start facial hair removal now.

On the OP topic: ... and THEN you get to genital electrolysis. A whole NEW set of complications. I have been thinking of it, but I don't want to think about it. I don't want to do it with my current tech. I'm embarrassed out my mind thinking about it.

They say suicide rates spike before and after transition. SURELY electrolysis is a factor?

[AllieSF]

After my op my body hair seemed to grow faster. It seems to have gone back to pre op levels now if not better. It probably took a month or two.

Emma,

My electrolysis technician who used to be a nurse told me that after any trauma to the body, like an accident, operation, whatever, there is a tendency for a near future facial hair growth spurt. I recently had shoulder surgery and that happened to me. Prior to that I had a series of cortisone shots in that same shoulder with the same results. It usually takes 2-3 weeks for that to happen, then it starts to settle down. I just recently started going for about 1 hour every 2 weeks. I hope that is a good sign!

[Suzanne F]

I started laser treatments on my face about 18 months ago. I have a lot of white hair left and am starting electrolysis on my face Monday. In January I have my next full genital clearing. I am also fearful of juggling non shaving and a very public job. It has been a depressing subject for me but what is a girl going to do but just get on with it.
Suzanne

[PretzelGirl]

Truth, right down to the name.

<snicker>


Actually I'm hoping it ends by March so that I can start - wait for it - laser hair removal for the rest of me. The rather high dosage of estradiol (maybe progesterone played a part in this) seemed to really slow down my body hair growth, so I really only needed to shave maybe once a week. Post-op, my doc lowered my estradiol dosage, and took me off progesterone altogether. And I now seem to grow body hair more quickly now. I assume it's the change to HRT anyway - this started post op, when I was off HRT altogether.

The way I understand it is that Estrogen lessens the hair and Progesterone can bring some back.


On the OP topic: ... and THEN you get to genital electrolysis. A whole NEW set of complications. I have been thinking of it, but I don't want to think about it. I don't want to do it with my current tech. I'm embarrassed out my mind thinking about it.

I started facial laser/electrolysis four and a half years ago. Still going every 6 weeks for 45-60 minutes. It takes time. I am very glad I started three and a half years before transition. I benefited there. On genital, I now know why it is so painful, above the fact that my scarring is a big contributor. Last time in, I asked and she said that because I don't have time for one growth cycle after another, that she has cranked it way up to be sure she is killing everything. So now I will preach on not waiting on the genital either. Get bare today!

[VanTG]

If I may Chime in on this, I have been doing laser over electrolysis and I have tried to use the power of the mind to block out the pain. It actually worked for a bit but really didn't work in the end.

Here is what i cannot figure out. They can put a man on the moon but they can't make hair removal painless. Seriously, I think its time priorities get straightened out.

[Zooey]

Here is what i cannot figure out. They can put a man on the moon but they can't make hair removal painless. Seriously, I think its time priorities get straightened out.

There are lots of painless hair removal systems. Shame none of them work. ;)

Seriously, all the actually permanent ones involve literally burning your follicles (embedded several layers past your skin) to death. NASA figured out how to build some amazing heat shields, but not even they have figured out how to make fire safe once it's inside the hull. :)

[Eryn]

Conventional galvanic electrolysis is relatively painless, but takes 30 seconds per hair. Rather than heat the follicle, it creates a electrochemical reaction that produces NaOH in the follicle.

[LeaP]

Yes, which produces an exothermic reaction (heat) which kills the follicle!

[Eryn]

Or poisons the follicle. It's a matter of point of view!

[Peggie Lee]

My electrolysis is the blended method which uses both heat and galvanic, this is the most effective form of any hair removal.

[LeaP]

Or poisons the follicle. It's a matter of point of view!

It's really not. Passing a current via the needle into what is basically a brine solution (i.e., your follicle) triggers the production of aqueous sodium hydroxide and a few gases. That's the "electrolysis" part of the process. Heat is produced when aqueous sodium hydroxide is formed as hydrated hydroxide and hydrated sodium ions are created out of the liberated sodium and oxygen ions combining with water molecules. Result - an exothermic chemical reaction. i.e., heat, and a subsequent burn ... followed by tissue (follicle) decomposition.

The process is exactly the same as tossing solid sodium hydroxide into water ... which will get quite hot ... and then sticking your hand into it ... which I don't recommend trying! You WILL get burned. Badly.

Diathermy is the production of heat in the follicle through tissue stimulation via high frequencies in the probe (may or may not be at the tip depending on the probe type). Not exactly the same a microwaving the follicle, but conceptually similar. Flash is diathermy at very high frequencies. You may hear one or both referred to in the trade as "thermolysis" - which technically is the tissue decomposition itself and not the process of *producing* the heat.

All kill the follicle by heat, one way or another.

[Jenny123]

ladies

you all have my respect...i have been thinking about the process but the more i read, i think my pain threshold is too low

carry on, stay calm

This summarizes my thoughts exactly as I read through this. I've been thinking about getting this done for a while, but not sure about my pain tolerance!

[Jennifer-GWN]

{smile} my pain threshold is pretty good. Yesterday not only did I shock myself by also my tech by actually falling asleep for 30 minute of the 90 minute session. Perhaps the girls last weekend really did a number on me combined with a heavy week or Maybe I was knocked unconscience... Who knows. I did ask if I snored as that would have been totally embarrassing.

Hahah ... Just had to throw that out there.

[PretzelGirl]

Lea - Mind blown. LOL I feel that we all go and start electrolysis and between what we read here and get from our aesthetician, we feel we have a great understanding. The fact is most of us know just our little piece. Most will say "my method is best" because we want to feel like we did due diligence. Thank you for the explanation.

Jenny, like many things related to transition, if you feel suitably driven, you will do what is necessary. You may not be there yet, but you may later. I was doing electrolysis before i verbally decided to transition. It all depends on your driver.

Jennifer, I have been there on the face a few times, and yes she told me I snored. I think they were all on cheeks and sides of the neck as I die towards the middle. I have a friend that loves pain (really) and gets electrolysis as gift certificates and just dozes off for the whole session. I can't imagine....

[debstar]

{smile} my pain threshold is pretty good. Yesterday not only did I shock myself by also my tech by actually falling asleep for 30 minute of the 90 minute session. ...

Jennifer - on first reading I thought you said your tech fell asleep so you did it your self :)

-- EDIT --

personally I have not found it SO bad so far.. can any one explain why it hurts more on the left side of my face? or is it just me?


Debs.

[Badtranny]

Another reason to start early is because there is a strong suspicion among some of us that HRT makes it hurt worse.

Both of my electrologists have said there may be something to it. The skin on my face after all has been the most dramatic change from the 'mones.

I can also say from experience that it seems like it was much more painful a year after HRT than a year before.

[LeaP]

Another reason to start early is because there is a strong suspicion among some of us that HRT makes it hurt worse.



Mine says that, too. Hasn't happened to me, though. But I'm in the fall asleep group, with the occasional painful moment exception. Only one painful *session* to-date. But I do have areas more sensitive than others.

[Kaitlyn Michele]

i never completed my electrolysis...
after my srs, i was played out...all the physical effort has literally exhausted me to the point of dysfunction...i didnt want to do anything for months..
then i got a big blast of feeling depressed about "is this it??"....... i started skipping my appts then just stopped...

anyway that's my excuse
i lightly shave most days...sometimes when i know i'm going to see people i wait an extra day...
it awkward and it sucks...i have to do something about it but you are all making me want to do it "later"

btw i did over 250 hrs of electro for sure...maybe closer to 300... i also did laser.... my facial hair just really f'd me over.... you cant everytime i guess.....

strangely enough, i had laser all over my body and after a couple treatments i have almost no body hair...i shave my legs once or twice a month ..little bit of hair on the arms but that's about it... and i was a hairy hairy person...

[MarieTS]

What incredible info, thanks gals!

I did body laser first, now I shave no more down there (legs, bikini, very, very rarely arms) than a gg. I was not particulaly face-hairy at all, but still electro was the only fix for the face.

As for HRT making it more painful... it probably does. The reason for that is because males have thicker facial skin to support the growth of beards. Female facial skin is thinner. That is why a woman usually gets lines and wrinkles on her face before a guy. It stands to reason that if we have been on HRT for some time the facial skin has possibly begun to thin-out which could logically explain the increasing sensitivity to electro.

This is probably all the more reason to make facial hair removal job #1 even before mones. If I knew then what I know now, well, that is exactly what I would have done.

[Eryn]

My electrologist demonstrated traditional galvanic on a couple of facial hairs. I didn't feel any sensation of heat. It's a pure, low voltage DC current, so the subject has to be grounded to the electrolysis machine. It's really slow!
Thermolysis, the most popular mode, involves sending RF energy to the needle, resulting in a corona discharge at the tip of the needle. At these frequencies, grounding isn't needed.

The methods can be combined, but unless the subject is grounded it really isn't galvanic.

It's rather ironic that electrolysis isn't actually electrolysis these days!

I didn't note any change in pain level after starting HRT, but my face was nearly clear by that time. My electrologist did notice my body hair getting finer.

[Zooey]

I'm fortunate that facial laser has worked quite well for me (8 sessions so far). I still have a few small dark patches left, but the rest is all really light hair. I'll be starting conventional electro soon to take care of all of that. My baseline for being comfortable going full time was that I wanted to feel totally comfortable with close friends (and dealing with delivery people) without makeup on, so long as I've shaved within a day or so. That's mostly true, so long as it's not the first few days after laser, before shedding, when all the hairs are black.

[Eringirl]

My electro tech said the same thing about the left side being harder and more sensitive, and she really doesn't know why, but it happens all the time. For me, my left side is just a bit more stubborn to come out, but doesn't hurt anymore than the right side.

I wish I could sleep through it......but we get to chatting and we end up talking the entire time !

[Eryn]

Mine says the same thing about the left side, but I can't sense much difference. It may something that became "common knowledge" simply by being repeated enough times.

[Suzanne F]

This morning was first facial electrolysis appointment with a local woman. I will be seeing her for the rest of my treatment I believe. She did two hours on upper lip and chin. Yes it hurt but not nearly as bad as the genital area. She also used a different machine, the process where you do not have to be grounded. I can do this! It helped cheer me up as I have been depressed badly as of late. It heLped to take another positive step!
Suzanne

[Bria]

I have been reading a book for young athletes and their parents, they address fear and one's ability to turn fear into a learning experience rather than a debilitating and paralyzing situation. As adults we are supposed to be able to do that, but sometimes even as I approach the three quarters of a century point its not always easy!

I glad you have gotten past that point!

Hugs, Bria