The actual procedure wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. From what I'd read on the interwebs I was expecting a fair amount of pain. But of all the hairs we got done today, only two of them even hurt a little: the rest were nothing worse than an uncomfortable pinching feeling. So either I've got an unusually high pain tolerance or an unusually good electrologist, but either way I was pleasantly surprised.
Granted, she only worked on my cheek today. I suspect that the chin and especially the upper lip will be worse. It also probably helps that I'm not on HRT, as apparently estrogens tend to make your skin more sensitive.
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| I took this picture as soon as I got home. By then most of the redness had disappeared, but you can still see a little discolouration in the middle of my cheek. |
They say that galvanic electrolysis permanently removes 99% of treated hairs on the the first treatment. That means that, statistically speaking, all 15 hairs we got to today are probably gone for good. It's not much, but that's the first permanent alteration I've made to my body for the sake of aligning it more closely with my gender identity. And for that I say: yay yay yay!!! :D
A Beginning! It is how our future happens. Yay yay YAY!
ReplyDeleteHalle your thoughts are always so poetic :)
DeleteIt's great to make a start, and every hair dealt with is a little victory. Electrolysis is indeed permanent, but one area on your face - the 'Mexican moustache' area - is prone to regrowth, and hairs on your upper lip will keep coming back again and again and again until the body's regenerative reaction quits. It requires a great deal of patience!
ReplyDeleteElsewhere one treatment should be enough, although there are so many facial hairs that electrolysis alone will make getting rid of them seem slow work. Clearance by laser, which works beautifully if you have dark hair, is a more expensive but much faster option.
I was a late transitioner, and fair-haired. An awful lot of my facial hair was turning grey or white. Only a very few laser sessions were worthwhile. Most hair clearance has been using the 'blend' method of electrolysis, but I am now making quicker progress with the 'flash' method. Currently I have two 90 minute sessions per month, and about 1,000 hairs must bite the dust every time. So far, 159 hours of electrolysis altogether since November 2009. I expect to be cleared and simply dealing with the odd bit of regrowth by the end of 2016. It will have taken me a long time. I quite envy dark-haired transitioners, who can make faster progress! But of course, it's not a race.
One good thing anyway: the first sessions make a huge difference to one's general appearance. It's a real confidence booster. Good luck!
Lucy
Thanks!
DeleteAnd yeah, it's kind of starting to sink in that this going to be a part of my life for a while.
Woo hoo! Happy dancing for you!!!
ReplyDelete:)
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