Let's talk about something icky. Yes, let's face it: As beautiful as the process is, a lot of aspects of MtF transition are pretty gross. Let's talk hair removal!
There are many methods of doing this, but I'll focus on three: pulling, laser, and electrolysis.
Yanking!
The simplest and most direct method of removing hair is yanking it directly out of your skin. This can itself be done many ways.
But how I do love my epilator. It has a spinning cylindrical head with tiny built-in tweezers. I use it on my arms, hands, beard, and legs. It does an incredible job for an US$80 initial investment, though not quite as good as a wax. Starting off in most areas is pure hell, even with the slower "starter" head mine came with. After the painful, awful first run, the skin adjusts, the hairs get finer, and there's less of them to deal with at once, so it becomes somewhat of an addiction.
Laser!
While I've not yet even been zapped with the spot test, I gather it's an excellent way to cut way down on dark, coarse beard. Being both quite pale and naturally black-haired, I'm an ideal candidate. Short little pulses of laser light penetrate the skin and strike the darker hairs, which then seriously sizzle the follicles.
Like I explained to Connie (much to her amusement), hair follicles are like little zombies. You have to completely destroy them to get rid of them. If you just hurt them, they come right back to life!
This will be sooo worth it in the end, though. Plucking is the bane of my existence, because right now I can't afford...
Electrolysis!
Electro is the mother of hair removal methods, one that I suffered for about five months last year just before going full time. It remains even today the only method that guarantees complete and permanent hair removal.
Follicles are very, very persistent little bastards.
This method fries them but good using the electrochemical reaction known as electrolysis. A chemical coating is applied to the area, a tiny disposable needle connected to a machine via cable is inserted in each follicle with a hair, and it's audibly zapped, then plucked. Each hair comes back a couple times before finally dying due to growth cycles. (I don't completely understand that bit.) Thicker hair is usually done first.
It's an expensive, time-consuming, dreadfully painful process, but it's pretty much the only reasonable thing that will do the deed completely and finally. A typical transsexual beard will take one or two years of weekly two-hour sessions, and about five to ten big ones altogether.
I'm planning on someday clearing much of my beard via laser, and then following up on the rest (light hairs) with electro when I can afford to.
For much more in-depth and objective info on hair removal, check out Andrea James' HairFacts.com.
Ooh, and don't forget shaving! I've been told that it's the best way to keep the hair managed between laser treatments (apparently it doesn't stimulate the follicle to grow stronger hair, or something like that).
I see you've focused on the beard, but I'm guessing that other areas of the body also remain hirsute? Or do the hormones take care of the chest, etc?
I've focused on the beard partly because it presents perhaps the biggest problem of all for dark haired girls. (See this at six months. I'm wearing makeup, even.)
But yeah, HRT gradually reduces most hair to around hormonally balanced female levels. It can take one or more years, depending on the area and person. The beard (of all things) isn't much affected, though, which is why all the fuss over it.
I'm lucky to have had very, very little hair on my torso to begin with. Maybe that comes from a lifetime of avoiding foods that "put hair on your chest." =)
Is electrolysis really more effective than laser? I'm a cisgendered girl but I'm a bit fuzzy in some places, so I was considering laser, but I'd rather not make the investment for something that isn't going to be really permanent.
Well, the easy answer is "yes." Electro will, in the end, get all the hair, whereas laser probably won't. Electro is definitely permanent, while laser may not be.
To quote the FDA, "Permanent hair reduction does not necessarily imply the elimination of all hairs in the treatment area."
To quote Andrea James, "Some consumers have experienced permanent hair reduction, but there is limited data on how long hair reduction usually lasts, how much hair reduction is typical, and how often permanent hair reduction occurs."
Hope that helps!
[Edit: My bad, electro is *not* necessarily permanent. Maybe only if done right?]
Hair Today... - 08/17/06 08:52 AM
Let's talk about something icky. Yes, let's face it: As beautiful as the process is, a lot of aspects of MtF transition are pretty gross. Let's talk hair removal!
There are many methods of doing this, but I'll focus on three: pulling, laser, and electrolysis.
Yanking!
The simplest and most direct method of removing hair is yanking it directly out of your skin. This can itself be done many ways.
But how I do love my epilator. It has a spinning cylindrical head with tiny built-in tweezers. I use it on my arms, hands, beard, and legs. It does an incredible job for an US$80 initial investment, though not quite as good as a wax. Starting off in most areas is pure hell, even with the slower "starter" head mine came with. After the painful, awful first run, the skin adjusts, the hairs get finer, and there's less of them to deal with at once, so it becomes somewhat of an addiction.
Laser!
While I've not yet even been zapped with the spot test, I gather it's an excellent way to cut way down on dark, coarse beard. Being both quite pale and naturally black-haired, I'm an ideal candidate. Short little pulses of laser light penetrate the skin and strike the darker hairs, which then seriously sizzle the follicles.
Like I explained to Connie (much to her amusement), hair follicles are like little zombies. You have to completely destroy them to get rid of them. If you just hurt them, they come right back to life!
This will be sooo worth it in the end, though. Plucking is the bane of my existence, because right now I can't afford...
Electrolysis!
Electro is the mother of hair removal methods, one that I suffered for about five months last year just before going full time. It remains even today the only method that guarantees complete and permanent hair removal.
Follicles are very, very persistent little bastards.
This method fries them but good using the electrochemical reaction known as electrolysis. A chemical coating is applied to the area, a tiny disposable needle connected to a machine via cable is inserted in each follicle with a hair, and it's audibly zapped, then plucked. Each hair comes back a couple times before finally dying due to growth cycles. (I don't completely understand that bit.) Thicker hair is usually done first.
It's an expensive, time-consuming, dreadfully painful process, but it's pretty much the only reasonable thing that will do the deed completely and finally. A typical transsexual beard will take one or two years of weekly two-hour sessions, and about five to ten big ones altogether.
I'm planning on someday clearing much of my beard via laser, and then following up on the rest (light hairs) with electro when I can afford to.
For much more in-depth and objective info on hair removal, check out Andrea James' HairFacts.com.
Posted in epilation by Milla | Comments (4)
Ooh, and don't forget shaving! I've been told that it's the best way to keep the hair managed between laser treatments (apparently it doesn't stimulate the follicle to grow stronger hair, or something like that).
I see you've focused on the beard, but I'm guessing that other areas of the body also remain hirsute? Or do the hormones take care of the chest, etc?
Posted by patita at August 22, 2006 02:10 PM
I've focused on the beard partly because it presents perhaps the biggest problem of all for dark haired girls. (See this at six months. I'm wearing makeup, even.)
But yeah, HRT gradually reduces most hair to around hormonally balanced female levels. It can take one or more years, depending on the area and person. The beard (of all things) isn't much affected, though, which is why all the fuss over it.
I'm lucky to have had very, very little hair on my torso to begin with. Maybe that comes from a lifetime of avoiding foods that "put hair on your chest." =)
Posted by Milla at August 22, 2006 04:24 PM
Is electrolysis really more effective than laser? I'm a cisgendered girl but I'm a bit fuzzy in some places, so I was considering laser, but I'd rather not make the investment for something that isn't going to be really permanent.
Posted by Meredith at August 23, 2006 11:21 AM
Well, the easy answer is "yes." Electro will, in the end, get all the hair, whereas laser probably won't. Electro is definitely permanent, while laser may not be.
To quote the FDA, "Permanent hair reduction does not necessarily imply the elimination of all hairs in the treatment area."
To quote Andrea James, "Some consumers have experienced permanent hair reduction, but there is limited data on how long hair reduction usually lasts, how much hair reduction is typical, and how often permanent hair reduction occurs."
Hope that helps!
[Edit: My bad, electro is *not* necessarily permanent. Maybe only if done right?]
Posted by Milla at August 23, 2006 11:45 AM