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Hair removal tips needed!
Hey all, so I'm a trans woman and, like a lot of other people, my biggest point of dysphoria is my facial hair. I've been going through electrolysis for the past five months. I love it when it works, but the speed of the process is really getting me down. I do one hour every two weeks (I'd do more if I had the money), and after five months of solely working on my upper lip the progress just isn't where I was hoping to be.
What are y'alls experiences with electro, and what was the regiment that worked for you? Did you do something other than electrolysis, how'd it work out? Other general hair removal tips to look as clean as possible?
I'll share one of my own:
- The Finishing Touch Flawless Razor (Walmart link) has been the best, and most affordable electric razor I've found that gets an extremely close shave without too much skin irritation (I have the most irritated skin in the world). Highly recommend!
I did laser, was 99% gone after 7 sessions 5 weeks apart. Was expensive though as it comes with a lifetime guarantee.
That is incredibly lucky.
I've had 25 sessions in total. 12 with IPL at a clinic, 8 with diode at clinics, and 5+ at home on myself (with a Tria 4x) and while it has all helped, there is still quite a lot left and will be visible if I don't shave every single god damn day.
But yeah, laser is definitely the way to go... But your mileage may vary.
What is your review of the at-home device? I'm interested but skeptical!
No need to be skeptical. I understand why but it definitely works.
It's less powerful than what they have at clinics but it gets the job done and it's a lot cheaper in the long run. It's more painful though, and results are much slower, maybe 30% the effect of clinics I've been to, but it's worth it for me as I can't afford continuing going to clinics
Seconding this! If you have a lot of fuzz to shift, you might have an easier time of things getting laser hair reduction first and then finishing off with electrolysis.
The reason I went with electrolysis is because it's supposed to be permeant, and laser isn't (though I guess that may not be entirely the facts from your comment?). Have you had any hair regrowth if you don't mind my asking? Do you have to grow your air out at all for laser?
You don't have to grow your hair out for laser - in fact they will ask you to shave before a session. I can only talk about my experience: I did two full body courses of 12 sessions and it's been a complete game changer.
It's not permanent hair removal but it IS permanent hair reduction. I have a lighter skin/ darker hair combo and can count on one hand the number of times I bother to shave my legs in a year now. What has grown back is generally very thin, wispy and patchy and wouldn't be noticeable unless you stared. Some areas have been more stubborn but it's still made an overall positive difference. Solid 8/10, would recommend. Just to add, I've been doing electrolysis too :)
My Dr said I could use laser hair removal for bottom surgery as he can get the few that are left. But I'll do electrolysis for the clear hairs it made/left.
Good luck on your journey! :)
Thanks! I am a little disappointed as it was going to be next week but had to be rescheduled as the Dr had a family emergency.
I think laser should be good enough in most cases if your skin and hair type are good candidates. Although laser isn't permanent hair removal, it should be enough of a reduction that it's not noticeable - cis women do have some fine hairs as well. If you have to go back after 5 years for a touch-up or do some electrolysis on some particularly stubborn areas, that should also be fine.
I can't entirely speak from personal experience - I'm a trans man and have been getting electrolysis on my arm only. But I've been doing it often in the past year and the hair is still growing back, so it seems to take much longer to see good results. But since the area won't be accessible after surgery, the hair removal really does have to be permanent.
Cis woman here with light skin / dark hair combo (Asian), sharing my experience with laser hair removal and hair regrowth :)
About 10 years ago, I had laser hair removal done on my underarms. It took around 8 sessions, 5-6 weeks between each session. I would notice significant hair reduction after each session. Hair was completely gone for around 5 years, then started growing back, but the hair that grew back was finer and probably 1/3 or 1/4 of the original quantity. So I would just pluck it.
This year I started laser hair removal again for the same area. I chose NDYAG laser over diode and IPL since NDYAG is supposedly both gentler and more effective. I didn't notice hair reduction after 2 sessions (6-7 weeks between each session). But after my 3rd session, it took around 8 weeks for any hair to grow back, and it's now just several strands left on each side, and these strands are also much thinner and finer than before. I'll probably go back for another session in a week or 2.
I do not pluck anymore (as I recently heard that plucking "reactivates" the follicles or something), and also haven't been shaving as the clinic I go to wants to see what the hair regrowth looks like in between sessions. (They just shave it right before the laser treatment.)
The clinic I go to has emphasized that the hair removal effect and the hair regrowth rate are really different for each person. So it might take many sessions / years to see how effective it is long-term, or if there's regrowth. But I've also heard that regrowth is really expected after laser hair removal, it might just take years.
Good luck on your hair removal journey!
I chose NDYag as well. I did:
OP, laser in my opinion was well worth it and I would do it again. I did it at a medspa that had a Groupon but I would go to a dermatologist for the face (don't risk folliculitis or hyperpigmentation on your face). If you want permanent I would do laser to lessen the growth and continue with your electrolysis.
I have not had any regrow, the downside is sometimes it wont kill the hair, just take all the pigment out so you end up with a white or clear hair they you have to pluck or go with electrolysis to get it removed. I have 3 of those on my face left. No hair need to be grown out, just not plucked. Needs to be shaved within 8 hours before session.
https://milanlaser.com/trans/
For the super cheap option I always try to spread the word about sugar wax. It's more of a body hair solution than facial but it certainly would work there too. Sugar wax is basically an epilating wax made out of heating sugar and an acid together (eg lemon juice) that you can make at home and use with cloth muslin strips. It's gentler than commercial waxes (won't bruise you), and water soluble so clean up is easy and the strips are reusable. It's certainly not the fast option, it takes time to wax and takes time to get permanent results, but it's definitely the option that costs the least for a decent result. You can go a few months between sessions each time and the hair will steadily thin out.