Tired of shaving all the time, I hear you either want laser or electrolysis. My area only has 2 electrolysis places and one isn’t accepting clients right now, the other looks like it is based out of a sketchy house. Do I commute an hour to another town or go to a mainstream laser location? What is better, what do I need to know?
If you have dark hair and pale skin, do laser first. You can get the stubborn hairs, grays, etc with electrolysis later. Laser is much quicker, less painful, and more cost effective. Some lasers claim to work on the tougher situations of dark skin, pale hair, or both, but I can’t vouch for those. Can’t hurt to go in for a consult.
less painful,
I actually found laser way, waaaay more painful – and that was with more than half my hairs turned white already. Electro was just a bunch of tiny pokes, while laser felt like someone repeatedly punching me in the face.
That said, I’d still choose laser over electro if I could have, since it’s just easier/less hassle. (Quicker results, fewer treatments, my skin seemed to heal from it faster, etc).
Assuming you have dark hair, I would commute out of town for the laser. Even allowing for the commute time, you’ll get more hairs done “per hour” than you will with electrolysis.
I drive a hour and a half for my laser place. Do your research to determine if the closer place is worth it.
An epilator will also help, but wont be perfect
I’m a hairy NB Queer, assigned male at birth, and if anyone knows a transmasc, I’d totally donate my facial hair. I hate shaving so much, and some days, don’t feel like it fits me.
I know, totally not in line with the OP post, but please… take my facial hair. I feel like a gd Viking half the time.
Maybe I need to look into laser myself :)
Electrolysis doesn’t need a ton of space, so it doesn’t surprise me that someone might have a place for it in their house. Can always try and talk with them online first to try and vet if you’d be comfortable there
IDK, if I am doing electrolysis the hour commute might make more sense, just based off the vibe and the one an hour away is a member of the state electrolysis association and not the house one. They might be perfectly fine but given the area I am in (some of the worst anit-trans laws in the country, aside from Florida) I want the most professional and safe feeling environment possible.
oh, yeah, not being part of the professional association does raise some flags about how good they are
It really depends on your hair color. I have red and blonde facial hair, so laser didn’t do much. I wasted a lot on laser so I suggest if you have light colored hair do electro. I’m currently doing electro and really wish I woulda just started with that.
As for the sketchy house, a lotta people do it from home. If they have good reviews that should work, but if it looks super sketchy I’d say just wait. Hopefully that helps!
If you’re suitable for laser (have dark hair) then do laser first, then electrolysis for cleanup. This will be cheaper and faster. Make sure you’re actually getting laser and at an appropriate fluence (energy per unit area), and watch out for IPL which is not laser and unlikely to do much on testosterone-influenced beard hair.
Otherwise, you’ll have to rely on electrolysis alone.