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Does anyone here have experience with hair (beard) removal by Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)? Would you please share your experience?
How does IPL compare to laser and/or electrolisys?
The only place in my country that is offering "permanent hair removal", that I could find, is doing IPL, and they quoted me for 8-10 sessions @ US$150 each (with the legal minimum wage being about US$400 per month).
I am looking for testimonials and/or recomendations. Thank you.
Jessica
Not sure
I have not heard much about IPL. The most reputable tranny hair removal shop in my area (a very major metropolitan area) only does laser. My understanding is that IPL machines are cheaper so it is more affordable. A brief google search found issues such as melasma so if you are darker skinned it might not be for you. Laser is more versatile imho as there are many types that are available to cater to different hair and maybe even skin types. Laser will not work with light hairs though, though there are rumors there might be a new type that can but I have not personally done it before. I did my hair removal before laser.
Kim
Ouch.
I haven't personally done any permanent hair removal of anything, but from my understanding having done some SERIOUS research on the subject for writing's purposes, IPL tends not to be truly permanent. It'll be permanent enough for about 6 months, then you'll start to grow hairs there again, though a little finer than before.
Unfortunately, it's a myth that eventually hairs just stop growing when you merely weaken the follicle. They grow in finer and finer, but they still grow in. You have to literally destroy it completely, and the only way to really do that is electrolysis or "normal" laser.
Have you looked into buying a home electrolysis machine that uses conductive gels and tweezers/patches? I believe they sell for around 400 USD, not cheap, but you only need to buy it once, replacement patches are dirt cheap, at least in the states.
Abigail Drew.
BTW
for what it's worth, conductive gel electrolysis has essentially killed off getting professional electrolysis anywhere as far as I can tell. It's not just you. As for the laser not being available... dunno, guess it's a matter of cost, if your area really is that poor, no one can probably afford the machines or the training.
Abigail Drew.
Not where I live...
There are tons of professional electrologists here in Seattle, so at least conductive gel electrolysis hasn't killed it off everywhere.
The reviews I've read of home gel electrolysis systems--the Verseo ePen and the Vector Electrolysis System--have been mixed at best (well, the reviews that weren't obvious shills, anyway). Do you (or anyone else reading this) have personal experience with one of these systems you could share? I'd love to hear about them from someone I can be pretty sure isn't trying to sell me one, and isn't a professional trying to put me off buying one. I haven't tried any home "permanent" hair removal system myself because they all sound too good to be true, and the on-line reviews seem to mostly confirm that suspicion. I have had some professional electrolysis, and if I don't find a better alternative I'll eventually go back for more when I can afford it.
The reviews of home IPL systems I've seen are as bad or worse than the gel electrolysis ones, though I don't know how they compare to professional systems. I do know that lasers (and most likely professional IPL) can give lasting hair reduction, if you have a suitable skin type and hair color, but they haven't been shown (and can't claim) to provide permanent hair removal, which only galvanic electrolysis can honestly claim with independent research to back it up AFAIK.
Here's a link to a page on how to do galvanic electrolysis yourself, safely and effectively, for little money (though it takes a lot of time, like any electrolysis). I haven't tried it, mainly because it uses electrolysis needles and if I'm going to have to mess around with those I think I'd rather pay a pro since I have that option--when I can afford it again. But I've found the author of that page to be generally extremely well-informed about transition-related subjects in general (and HRT in particular), always citing actual peer-reviewed research when it's available to back up her statements.
They do not come in finer
They are just new hairs. If you plucked all the hair out of an area careful not to break any of them off, when the cycle starts again the new incoming hair would be fine, thin and pointy on the end as opposed to a mature hair that had been shaven or broken. It looks finer and weaker! Its is just a new hair.
If you did this or waxed at 4-6 week intervals in order to get the different hairs (only about 20% of the follicles are actively growing hair at any given time) then you would get the impression that waxing or plucking was an effective way of hair removal because almost no hair was present and what was coming in appeared finer. Stop yanking it out for a year and you will be right back where you started.
This is going to be true for most hair removal techniques that do not involve sticking a fine needle down the individual hair shafts into the follicles and apply galvanic current, RF energy or a combination of both.
A good friend after doing some electrology decided to try laser, she was so excited about laser she bought up most of the salons in her state, drove the rest out of business. Two years later she got rid of them all because in her own words "It does not work"(not permanently). I have heard this repeatedly. There is a part of the population that it does seem to work on somewhat, but a large portion of the hair follicles get scarred, this translates into thick white dry "woody" hairs that are impossible to kill by any means. Electrology won't work on them unless you crank the machine up to 11 because the hair and the follicle is dry as a dessert and the galvanic process won't work because it won't produce any lye, all that is left is give it a huge dose of RF and burn it out. Hurts like a mofo.
Interesting reading; Susan Laird was my original electrologist www.hairzapper.com
I Had Three Sessions Of It
Conductive Jell Hair removal
In 2005, I spent $7500 on Laser Hair removal through Kaiser Permanente. I had extremely heavy body hair, and a facial beard like a steel brush. The body hair part worked really well and took about 6 sessions. I have just tiny spots of hair even now on my body.
My beard is problematic because much of my beard was grey. So, Laser didn't do it and after a half dozen sessions of Electrolosis, I finally just gave up. I shave every morning and on some days, I can make it two days. I never shave anywhere else.
So this conductive jell thing has me interested as I would dearly love to not shave my face.
A note of caution about Laser. I used to have skin like a dragon; absolutely impervious to damage, and if it did get cut, mostly I could ignore it. Now, it is extremely soft, so soft that I can wear only the softest fabrics and any sort of rubbing on it causes a rash. It is way beyond the pale. An after effect of the Laser? I do not know. Fibro Myalgia? I don't know.
Gwendolyn
Yep laser can work well
The moderator for my support group did laser and I saw a before picture. Yikes. She has a clear face now. Electrolysis does work. Eventually. I had that typically kinda sparse but thick hairs that Asians has. I went through about a couple dozen clearings at least before it finally gave up the ghost. A half dozen is nothing. It is possible you may need a dozen more but will work eventually. It depends heavily on the electrologist (how precise he/she can place the needle) and electrolysis technique used and the intensity you can handle. My ex-partner went to a really ace electrologist. Most needle electrologists will pull out (or try to pull out) the hair they just zapped after they zap them one at a time. Zap. Pull. Rezap if not done. Pull. Zap. Pull. etc.
Not this gal. She would just zap every follicle she can get to in a session in one pass. Once she had done a large patch, all she did was use the back of her hand and brushed the hair that had been zapped out of the follicles. No second zapping. She went to this gal and got both her cheeks done, leaving her chin as the electrologist retired before she could finish my ex-partner. My ex then went to another electrologist and after clearing after clearing, her chin still needs shaving to this day. There are a lot of incompetent ones out there sadly.
As for skin, you skin may also be more sensitive due to hormonal changes which is known to change skin structure a bit.
Kim
I don't know much about IPL, but I do know that my home
laser machine called the "No-No" does work. Sometimes a hair or two grows back but another zap from the "No-No" takes care of it. If you would like to know more here is the url. www.trynono.com and only costs $259.99US plush shipping and handling. You can make installment payments. For phone orders you may call 1-800-948-8215 This little handheld machine that looks like a ladies electric shaver does actually work.
"With confidence and forbearance, we will have the strength to move forward."
Love & hugs,
Barbara
"If I have to be this girl in me, Then I have the right to be."
"With confidence and forbearance, we will have the strength to move forward."
Love & hugs,
Barbara
"If I have to be this girl in me, Then I have the right to be."
My IPL treatment was sucessful ...
A Nice ride around Manchester to finish off the Sparkle weekend.
I tried IPL on the dark thick hairs on my legs. It worked very well after about 6 treatments, the dark hairs had virtually disappeared. It was extremely expensive (£500 per session so £3000 for the whole deal but it did work on my legs!)
The only hairs remaining on my legs are white hairs and they don't show after shaving about once a month. The white hairs are finer now because of hormones and they don't feel rough. I have no trouble with even the finest denier tights or stockings.
As to body hair.
All my body hair is now white but again, the hormones have made it fine. Fortunately my back is now devoid of hair and that's a blessing cos shaving one's back is bloody difficult (I used to use a Wilkinson Quattrro wired tight to a coathanger arrangement so that I could direct it with two hands over my shoulders. It was bloody tricky to reach the hard bits between my shoulder blades etc. Now that's no longer necessary my back is clear thanks to mones.)
I still have hair on my breasts and that's intriguing. I amuses me that I have to shave my b/c cup breasts and I have to be careful around the nipples. I have to cup my boobs in my hands, (very sensuous) and gently squeeze them to make them firm enough to shave and not wobble. Fortunately the body hair is all pure white, (Including my pubic hair,) so when I shave it doesn't leave any shadow and that's a real blessing.
As for my arms there are still some dark hairs and I might one day have them lazered or IPL'd but for now, the hairs are not a problem. Waxing once every 4 moths works well or shaving in the shower is equally convenient but I have to shave close cos if I dont, the under-arm stubble on the insides of my upper arms, tickle my boobs. Wierd or what? usually I wax my arms cos it leaves no tickly stubble.
Because of my hormones, (Self prescribed,I don't trust psychiatrists,) my body hair is easily manageable.
Now to my beard.
My beard went pure white in my late thirties to early forties so I never had the chance to lazer it cos' lazers didn't exist for hair in those days. (I'm 65 now so do the maths.)
However, because my beard is pure white and quite sparces and fairly fine, I only have to shave about once every 2 to 3 days. I have absolutely no beard shadow and I don't even have to wear foundation cream or face powder except when really putting the slap on for one of my more disgraceful clubbing nights. I never have to use beard cover but up until now I have not found anything that is effective for removing my beard. Even electrolysis is painful, expensive and worst of all, SLOW!
I have heard ruomours that new lazers are being develped to affect white hair and if one comes along, I will be first in the queue.
I've also read recently about a new cream being developed that employs steroids or hormones or some agent to regress all the hair roots into the anatogen stage and thus stop hair growth where the cream is applied.
This sounds plausible and i am trying to find out more about it. If it's true, then once again, I shall be first in the queue.
Finally head hair.
I'm one of the luckiest TG girls around. I have a thick full head of longish pure white hair that every woman who sees it envies.
See the photo.
I'm currently growing it to my waist now that I have retired and am no longer required to keep it short as i was when I was a ship's captain at sea. That white crowning glory is one year's growth from a normal male hair style as from March 2010.
You will also notice I have virtually no visible beard (though you can now just feel the stubble,) after two and a half days without shaving.
Note legs and arms bare of hair, (Legs were IPL'd.)
This is my hair in normal mode.
Good luck with IPL.
It does work on dark hair with light skin.
Bev.
Beverly,
The cream you are referring to is called Vanquia. I believe it only works so long as you continue to us it, if you stop, so does its effects.
BTW: IPL works, but you have to go every 6 weeks for in excess of 10 sessions (in my case) on the face. 8 sessions pertty much seemed to complete other areas. It only works on dark hairs. ATM, there is no laser / IPL machine that can do pale, red, blonde or white hairs, you will just end up wasting your money if you have that hair type.
Hope this helps,
- Jayne xx
That which does not kill me only serves to delay the inevitable. My blog => http://jaynemorose.wordpress.com/ <= note new address
Hormones and hair removal
You gals going on hormones, please be patient and save your money, in many cases body hair will fall out on its own. This takes a few years. I have so little hair on my legs I only do a touch up at the beginning of the summer and rarely after that. The rest is peach fuzz.
Agreed
I am the same way though being Asian I only had leg and underarms to contend with even pre-hormones. OTOH on hormones I don't need to shaving of my legs and underarms either. Though hair still grows in a place or two that is not affected by hormones.
Kim
You could try a home version
You could try a home version for $399 (Silk'n BellaLite), that's less than 3 hours of salon time;
Silk'nBellaLite
Or I read good reviews of the NO! NO! at a similar price;
www.trynono.com
Good luck
D
I have a Silk'n I bought
I have a Silk'n I bought from a friend when she was finished with it(Successfully, I might add). I'm pretty close to the ideal type for IPL, mostly dark hairs on very pale skin.
So far the results have been quite good, although I don't have long term personal information yet, having only used it a few times. Summer put the brakes on that, even spf 110 won't stop me getting a tan no matter how much I try to stay out of the sun...
By November, I'll be back to a proper pallor and will see what happens.