LHR and summer

[JulieK1980]

Just wanted to vent. I have recently decided to take the steps to transition. I've bottled it up for decades upon decades and here I am, on the cusp of finally being brave enough to move towards becoming who I deep down have always known myself to be, even if I have rejected it over and over again. I just had my very first therapy appointment and have come away feeling as though I am on top of the world. I want to do laser hair removal before I start hormones because of everything I've read saying that hormones can have an impact on the success of hair removal, and if I start hormones first, and some day have to come off of hormones, I risk more facial hair growth. Anywhoo, so I have a consult with a local office that does LHR which is expensive but well known in the area to be the best, I get the test area completed, ask lots of questions, and am generally thrilled at the experience, and the staff, and the excitement of starting this only to hear, "well, you may want to hold off for the summer, because having a tan on your face can seriously increase the risk pf scarring and skin damage." UGH! Right out of the gate, I have to hurry up and wait. I researched, and researched, and read article after article but somehow missed every single part about tanning, and sun exposure in the summer months. :(

[Macey]

Maybe you could do a more covered area of your body in the meantime?

[Katya@]

Or do electrolysis. Every hair follicle killed is one less to grow later. Also, I started hormones and electro at the same time. The only difference was the body hair, not facial. Also, chances are low you will get off hormones. It's kind of a lifetime journey, a train you will feel reluctant to get off from.

[Jeri Ann]

Any permanent hair removal technique is brutal on the skin. HRT usually makes your skin thinner and more fragile over time. Ideally, hair removal should be completed before beginning HRT.

[Laura912]

Julie, note that they suggested “ you might want” to hold off during the summer. This does not mean you have too. You can avoid prolonged sun exposure, use high SPF foundation and sun protection, and go ahead. If you work outdoors in the sun full time, this plan will be a little more difficult. I had no difficulty with summer treatments.

[Nigella]

The therapist I use never said anything about not having hair removal during summer. The only advice they give is to use a high SPF (I use factor 50), just the face though.

[Devi SM]

Julie,
I understand the advice about sun exposition because I've been for around 2 years using my own hlp machine mainly on legs, together with hormones, now I shave once a month and use the machine after. Sometimes the time just pass and I forget to shave and ot noticeable hair. Well, the point is the manufacturer recommend to avoid the exposition to the direct sunlight because it would like a double le exposition.
By the other hand, it's a known fact that with laser hair wi eventually grow again so you need to do periodic maintenance, unlike the electrolysis, once the hair follicle is killed there is no hair again and there is no pro lem with the sunlight just for a coue of days after each session because skin will be sensitive.
I live in California, my belt insurer told me to be at least a year on HRT to approve the electrolysis, now I'm guessing that guideline refers more to the top and bottom removal but anyway, I'm almost approved.
Finally, I heard several times to say that as soon they start on therapy can start on hormones, in my case, endocrinologist ask me the referral letter and had been a year under therapy, so now, I'd been 2 years on therapy and one year on hormones, we're even talking about top and bottom sugeries. That's something that needs to be face yet for my wife but I'm confident that it'll be done soon.

[Melanie Moxon]

The therapist I use never said anything about not having hair removal during summer. The only advice they give is to use a high SPF (I use factor 50), just the face though.

That is what I was told, though she said to stay out of the sun on the day the LHR was done, I had session 6 today my face is rather red at the moment :)

[JulieK1980]

Julie, note that they suggested “ you might want” to hold off during the summer. This does not mean you have too. You can avoid prolonged sun exposure, use high SPF foundation and sun protection, and go ahead. If you work outdoors in the sun full time, this plan will be a little more difficult. I had no difficulty with summer treatments.

Unfortunately I do have to spend a significant portion of time outdoors in the summer, so I may have to wait. As others have said, I may work on other parts of the body over the summer and pick up on the face in the fall. Frustrating though, as my beard is probably the single most important thing to me to get rid of. I despise everything to do with it. The rest of my body isn't particularly hairy, just a little bit in the chest area.

[JulieK1980]

So I had my first session today, because I procrastinated from asking a physician for a numbing agent, I went without. Holy crap that hurt, but my god I'm so beyond happy. I know the results aren't permanent by far after just the single session, and as I write this I still feel scruffy, but I can't help but feel elated with every pass of my hand across my face more hair falls out. I have decided to wait until fall to finish as I have some vacations to some tropical locations coming up over the summer, but I so can't wait to continue with this, I've realized my beard is probably one of the biggest sources of my dysphoria at the moment, and eliminating it makes me happier than I can remember in a long time.