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Intensive facial hair removal

Intensive facial hair removal

Table of contents:

For almost every trans woman, beard removal is the biggest electrolysis project. Facial hair is one of the more visible secondary sexual characteristics, and it’s often a nightmare for trans women to get rid of. It’s painful, it’s expensive, it’s embarrassing, and it seems to take forever.

At 2pass Clinic we have developed an intensive program that removes all your facial hair during a marathon session.

Advantages of intensive electrolysis compared to the classic program

  • Less time needed from start to finish. It will speed up the process considerably. There is no faster way in the whole world.
  • Another advantage of the intensive program is that you only need to grow your facial hair once per session instead of once a week for a normal 1-2 hour session.
  • Local anesthesia makes the treatment bearable.
  • The electrologists are trained and experienced in destroying beard hairs of trans women. At 2pass Clinic we are obsessed with 2 things: not causing scars, but a high percentage of destroyed hairs.

In the video below we will go into more detail about the benefits. Please note: the period of 6 months is for the average beard shade. The total treatment time is longer.

Here you will find an infographic about the different treatment programs. 

Note

  • As you begin your transition, it is important to remember that nothing happens overnight. Permanently removing facial hair is a time-consuming process, but the results are worth it. You will need patience and perseverance to achieve the results you desire.
  • You should remember that electrolysis requires a significant financial investment. Make sure you can afford the entire process, or at least be aware of it, to avoid disappointment. 
  • Enduring a marathon session is no joke. It is an intense ride, both physically and emotionally.

When should I start facial electrolysis?

Anyone planning to transition full-time as a woman is strongly advised to begin hair removal as early in their transition as possible. For some trans women, this is the most time-consuming and expensive part of the entire process. Learn more about when to start electrolysis.

Do I need to take hormones to start electrolysis?

No. Beard growth is driven by a genetic response of the hair follicles to the hormone 'androgen'. This response of the hair follicles is genetic and unfortunately we cannot (yet?) change the genetics of your hair. From our experience, unless puberty is early inhibited or someone has little natural beard growth, extensive facial electrolysis is usually necessary for trans women.

How long does it take to remove my facial hair? How many sessions do I need?

  • This is probably the most frequently asked question, and one that we unfortunately cannot answer with certainty. There are many factors that influence the number of sessions needed to remove hair from an area, and some of them are still unknown to us.
  • It can take anywhere from 8 months to in some cases 2 years to completely and permanently remove your facial hair. The number of sessions required varies from 8 to 15. The number of hours required varies from 90 to 300.
  • But can you give me an estimate based on the average person? On average, if we do a complete removal of facial hair every session, it will take about 8 to 10 sessions to completely clear the face in 100-150 hours. If they stick to a 6 week interval, the average person will be free of facial hair in about a year.
  • But please note:
    • These are averages, we cannot guarantee that this will also apply to you.
    • This average is based on the average density of the beard and upper lip hair and the average response to treatment.
  • We have experienced that there are patients where the treatment is less effective, with a greater regrowth of stubborn hairs. It really varies greatly from person to person.
  • Unfortunately, we cannot give any guarantees at this time, except: in the end, we always win. We are working hard to analyze our results and investigate what causes the difference in effectiveness and what can be done about it.
  • If after the first session we notice that we have not achieved the desired result, we will try different programs on different areas of the face. Some of these programs, such as the blend programs, take at least 6 times as long. During this second session, you run the risk of not being able to complete the treatment, which is very annoying since you want to get rid of your facial hair as soon as possible. We fully realize this, but we must still insist: in the end, once we have found the right program, you will reach your final goal sooner.

Procedure

We do a complete (partly non-permanent) removal of the average beard and lip hair every 6-8 weeks (ideal for getting as many hairs as possible in the growth phase).

  • Approximately 60% of your hair follicles are active during the first session. Although all hair is removed during the session, approximately 25-50% of the treated hairs will grow back, along with the 40% of inactive hairs, and you will get the impression that between 75% and 90% grow back after the first session. 
  • Your first sessions will take the longest of all treatments. Each subsequent treatment will take less time as there are fewer hairs to treat.
  • We use local anesthesia which makes the session less painful. Local anesthesia can be injected if necessary, making the treatment painless.
  • It is important to plan the interval of 6-8 weeks between treatments to have as many hairs as possible in the visible stage.
  • Most (but not all) patients will have lost their beard shadow for good after the 4th session, as long as they adhere to the 6-8 week interval.

How many days of intensive electrolysis should I book?

If you no longer have a full beard due to laser, electrolysis sessions or hormonal effects, it is not necessary to book 4 days as a first session. The illustrations below give you an indication of the number of days you need, depending on the density of your facial hair.

So book carefully, because you pay for the time you book. 

Program of an intensive day

  • 9am-9:30am—Only on the first day of the session: discussion of the treatment plan or discussion of the previous treatment with a comparison of before and after photos (rest of the days the treatment starts at 9am).
  • 9:30am-13pm—Treatment
  • 13:13-30:XNUMX PM—Lunch: We offer soup and bread for lunch in our guesthouse (free of charge).
  • 13:30 PM - 16:45 PM—Treatment
  • 16:45-17:XNUMX PM—Last day of the session: rebooking of a new appointment if necessary (deposit at the clinic).
  • BREAKS—There is a five-minute break every hour of treatment so that you and the electrologist can stretch your legs, use the restroom, get a drink, etc. Your electrologist needs the breaks to continue performing efficient insertions. 
  • Important to read for the genital area! The electrologist will be replaced after 4 hours during a full day of intensive treatment of the genital area. This is because this area is very demanding for the electrologist in terms of body position during treatment. Longer breaks of 10 minutes are also regularly necessary to maintain focus.

How do I prepare for my electrolysis clearing session?

The most important preparation is to stop shaving 5 days before the treatment. The length of the hair should be at least 3 mm to be able to grab the hair with tweezers. More information about the preparing for your session.

Aftercare

You can expect redness and swelling, which are normal reactions of the healing skin. Learn more about what to expect after electrolysis and what good aftercare entails.