Say bye bye to the bearded lady - Hair removal -  it hurts but it’s worth it

Androgen-driven hair, especially facial hair, is an almost universal problem for trans women. It is one of the most difficult problems to solve and getting rid of it will often be essential to gain confidence out in the world.

Body hair, or androgenic hair, is the terminal hair that develops on the human body during and after puberty. It is differentiated from the head hair and less visible vellus hair, which are much finer and lighter in colour. The growth of androgenic hair is related to the level of androgens (often referred to as male hormones; due to the production levels in males being higher on average, but it is actually present in both sexes, and therefore is a unisex hormone) in the individual.

From childhood onward, regardless of sex, vellus hair covers almost the entire area of the human body. Exceptions include the lips; the backs of the ears; the palms of hands; the soles of the feet; certain external genital areas; the navel; and scar tissue. The density of hair – i.e. the number of hair follicles per unit area of skin – varies from person to person. In many cases, areas on the human body that contain vellus hair will begin to produce darker and thicker body hair, such as the first growth of beard hair on a male and female adolescent's previously smooth chin; although it may appear thinner on the female.

Androgenic hair follows the same growth pattern as the hair that grows on the scalp, but with a shorter anagen phase and longer telogen phase. While the anagen phase for the hair on one's head lasts for years, the androgenic hair growing phase lasts a few months. The telogen phase for body hair lasts close to a year. This shortened growing period and extended dormant period explains why the hair on the head tends to be much longer than other hair found on the body. Differences in length seen in comparing the hair on the back of the hand and pubic hair, for example, can be explained by varied growth cycles in those two regions. The same goes for differences in body hair length seen in different people, especially when comparing men and women.

Electrolysis is the most reliable option available today that has been proven to remove trans facial hair permanently. Laser hair removal can be an acceptable or even preferable alternative in some cases, but laser is usually not enough by itself to remove all facial hair permanently.

Clearing

This method involves removing every hair from an area during a session. This has the advantage of leaving an area totally hair-free. Some electrologists feel that treating too many hairs near each other is hard on the skin and can cause excessive swelling and drying in the treated area.

Thinning

This is a more gradual process of clearing an area of visible hair over several sessions. It's easier on the skin and allows for quicker recovery. This method may not be ideal if you are already full-time, although it's possible for those full time to do it this way.

 

Pain management

  1. Because pain varies widely from person to person, you must experiment to find out what works best for you.
  2. Get as comfortable as possible during treatment
  3. Find the time of day that works best for you. Early or late, awake or tired, everyone is different.
  4. Eliminate as much stress as possible on the day of hair removal appointment.
  5. Those on hormones and those requiring a lot of treatment may find their pain threshold decreases over time.
  6. Your diet can affect your sensitivity. Avoid stimulants like caffeine, chocolate, or sugar the day of an appointment. Some find a meal just before treatment helps reduce discomfort.
  7. In your early sessions, save the most sensitive parts for the end of the session. Once you have found an effective pain management method, try doing the sensitive parts first to see which way makes a session go faster for you.
  8. You may find an antihistamine reduces mucus production and swelling while working under the nose.

Cost £

Unfortunately, hair removal done well doesn’t come cheap. Budget for it allow £X amount per month to be administered in sessions and save up in advance before you get started so that you may keep momentum going when your treatment begins.

Remember over the coming years the money you will no longer spend out on over priced razors will eventually pay back the money you spent out for your treatment

Then enjoy baby soft skin with no stubble and less need for makeup for the rest of your life x It is worth it x