Hair Removal
Although HRT can reduce the thickness and growth of hair, you will want to consider how to remove male hair growth - beard/facial hair, body areas such as the chest and back, and areas such as the bikini and legs. You can start today to begin feeling feminine!
Although keeping our bodies hair free is our desired state, accepting that some days we will wear pants or leggings instead of doing a clean shave is something every female has to contend with!
Make sure you are comfortable with the technician. Bad technicians can be painful, lead to poor removal, or both! Try to get client references or look at nonbiased reviews and testimonials
See Makeup for information on eyebrow shaping
Temporary Solutions - Shaving, Epilating, Waxing
The most common methods for hair removal are temporary but are available to nearly everyone.
Avoid products such as Nair, particularly for the face. There is a high risk of irritation as well as chemical burn, for a product with minimal upside compared to a good wax.
Shaving is a method of hair removal that involves using a razor or electric shaver to cut the hair at the surface of the skin. It is a quick and easy method, but the results are not long-lasting. Whether you choose an electric razor or facial razors, know that the hair follicles will still be visible without a good cover. A good close shave can feel just as smooth as any other method, particularly on body areas such as the legs. Exfoliate, clean, open up pores and then carefully shave the area. Cutting yourself by going too quickly is not fun, and doesn’t look that great either.
Epilation is a method of hair removal that involves using tweezers or an electric epilator to pull the hair out at the root. This method can be painful, but the results can last up to several weeks.
Basically, you’re quickly tweezing large areas of your skin at once. It’s most definitely as painful as it sounds. Make sure to open up your pores by taking a hot shower, and exfoliating with a rough cloth before even trying this. Every bit of dead skin that’s in the way of your hairs is just going to make this thing more and more painful. The advantage, however is that, like tweezers, your hair is going to take a few days longer to show itself again, unlike shaving which can often leave you prickly after just a few hours.
Epilation - A Transfemme Field Guide
Waxing is a method of hair removal that involves using warm wax to remove the hair from the root. This method can be painful, but the results can last up to several weeks. Waxing can also be used to shape and contour the hair.
All three methods have their pros and cons, but the main difference is that shaving is the quickest and least painful option, while epilation and waxing are more time-consuming and painful, but the results last longer.
Semi-permanent Solutions - Hair Reduction
Be sure to look for package deals in mailer ads or on online sites such as Groupon. And before you purchase a groupon call up the salon to see if they have specials that might even beat the Groupon offer!
Laser Hair Removal is a medical procedure that uses a laser to target and remove unwanted hair. The laser emits a beam of highly concentrated light that is absorbed by the pigment in the hair follicle. The light energy is then converted to heat, which destroys the hair follicle and prevents future hair growth.
Laser hair removal is a permanent hair reduction treatment. It does not guarantee complete removal of all hair, but it does significantly reduce the amount of hair in the treated area.
The cost of laser hair removal for facial hair removal can vary greatly depending on the size of the area being treated and the number of treatments required. On average, most laser hair removal treatments cost between $50 and $150 per session.
For methods such as laser that could be painful or stinging, think about using a lidocaine topical cream - Check with your technician prior to your appointment if this is acceptable for the type of procedure
Getting laser in certain areas, such as pesky hairs near the rear/genital region also allows for the skin to undergo a lightening process. You can get some bleaching done as a 2-for-1!
IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) Hair Removal is a non-invasive procedure that uses a broad spectrum of light to target and remove unwanted hair. The light is absorbed by the pigment in the hair follicle, which then destroys the hair follicle and prevents future hair growth. Unlike laser hair removal, IPL is not as concentrated and is more effective on lighter-colored hair. You might see decent results in body areas but most people would pass and get laser or electrolysis instead.
Popular at-home IPL devices are available at Amazon for less than $500USD.
These methods tend to be most effective on larger body areas, with IPL as a cost effective method at reducing body hair on areas such as the legs early in transition. Both methods usually require a shave beforehand in the treatment areas, as well as avoiding unnecessary sun exposure.
Permanent Solutions - Hair Removal
Electrolysis permanent hair removal is a method of removing unwanted hair from the body using a small electric current. A fine needle is inserted into the hair follicle and an electric current is applied, which destroys the hair’s growth cells. This process can be repeated until the hair follicle is completely destroyed, resulting in permanent hair removal. Electrolysis is often used on areas such as the face, legs, bikini line, and underarms. The procedure is relatively painless and can be done in a doctor’s office or salon.
The cost of electrolysis can vary widely depending on the area of the body being treated and the number of treatments needed. Generally, the cost of electrolysis for face and leg hair removal can range from $50 to $200 per session, with multiple sessions needed for full results. To fully complete electrolysis for fully permanent area hair removal it may take several years of sessions.
Laser therapy and electrolysis both produce longer-lasting effects compared to shaving. But electrolysis seems to work the best. The results are more permanent. Electrolysis also carries fewer risks and side effects, and you don’t need the maintenance treatments required for laser hair removal.
The downside is that electrolysis must be spread out over more sessions. It can’t cover large areas at once like laser hair removal can. Your choice may depend on how quickly you want to achieve short-term hair removal.
Electrolysis can be done after laser therapy, but at the minimum you will need 1-2 weeks of healing time to prevent skin tissue damage.