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Not So FAQs
- A Blurb about Hormones and Hair
I have noted recently that there has been quite a bit of discussion
about hormones and hair.
The following are some ideas of what has been going around:
| 1: You must
be on hormones for electrolysis to be effective. |
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It is NOT necessary for you to be on hormones
or even be seriously contemplating taking them for electrolysis
to be effective. More than once or twice, I have cleared the
faces of clients who have yet to start hormones. In each case,
I have noted that regrowth is not in any way different than
that of clients who have been on hormones for some time. So
while I have been reading so much about the necessity of hormones
while undertaking electrolysis, I have several cases in which
hormones have not been a factor in the speed of the removal
of hair. I have observed clients who have been some 6 months
on Premarin without noticing a single symptom and yet the
electrolysis was working very well. Here's Why:
A hair originates from within what is called a philosebaceous
unit consisting of the pore, sebaceous glands and the dermal
sheath encasing the hair and the dermal papilla at the base.
Electrolysis, when administered in sufficient amounts, destroys
the ability of the unit to continue producing hair. For new
hair to emerge there must be a new site to begin the long
process of originating a new hair.
Confer: Hinkle, Lind;
Electrolysis, Thermolysis and The blend
pages. 30-43
However, the total number of pores in the facial area typically
number approximately 3200 per square inch.
Confer: Montagna, Ellis;
Biology of Hair Growth
pages. 8
In some clients a great part of this potential for 3200 hair
follicles is active. Such is the case with the client mentioned
above. If the elctrolysis is effective, the regrowth on her
is going to be minimal and easily dealt with, as we begin
running out of potential growth sites,regardless of her hormonal
situation.
Personally, I would still recommend hormones, but they are
NOT *essential* to the process per se. If facial hair is already
deep-rooted (terminal) hormones are not going to have a significant
effect in reducing the hair.
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Hair that has been treated by laser electrolysis tends to
grow back brittle and with no appreciable tensile strength left
to it. If I attempt to remove this hair, it snaps off and I
must try again to remove it. Once again, I grasp the hair with
the tweezers and again, it snaps off. This occurs 5-7 times
until, finally, the root and what little hair is still embedded
are now broken off below the skin surface. In working on clients
who have done laser electrolysis, I have found that this is
nothing to me but a case of Repetitive Stress Injury waiting
to happen. Therefore, I have made policy that all work following
laser electrolysis is done at premium prices. And yes, the howling
has begun. You are reading it here and it is also written about
extensively in other websites, such as www.hairfacts.com. Be
advised, a quick removal of the initial shadow may only be the
beginning of a long, expensive, and arduous horror tale.
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| 2: Hormones
will make the process of removing hair easier |
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Only to the extent that hormones will decelerate the potential
for the formation of new hair, in hair-sites where no hair has
yet developed. Existing hair will still be difficult to remove
and regrowth is still possible due to stimulation, both topically
on the skin by the process of electrolysis itself, or the presence
of androgenic hormones.
Confer: Hinkle, Lind; Electrolysis
Thermolysis and the Blend
page 47.
Of course, I have also noticed several clients who have lost
nearly all of their arm and body hair due to the impact of
hormones. This can be a lengthy process and some of my cllients
would rather have chest work done than wait for the eventual
loss of hair, if in fact, it will happen at all.
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| 3: Hormones
will make the process more painful |
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I don't know if I should take credit for starting this "rumor"
or not. It has been my observation that after approximately
2 years of hormone use, the intensity of pain is about double
for any given setting on my machine. I have no scientific basis
for this but it is quite noticeable in many (but not all) cases.
Well, for one thing, it is a safe bet to say that once the breast
area has begun development, poking the nipple area with a needle
and applying electrical current can bring a whole new meaning
to the word "sensitivity"......... So....yes hormones
do make nipple-work more painful for quite the obvious reasons.
This one is difficult to sort out. As the transition progresses,
the work of electrolysis begins to diminish and becomes more
sporadic in treatment sessions. Whether it is from hormones,
which I doubt, or simply from lack of intense work, it is plainly
obvious that sensitivity increases toward the end of electrolysis
treatment sessions.
In short, it appears that hormone use will have the greatest
effect on body, but not facial hair. The effect of hormones
on facial hair lies in a reduction of coarse deep hair originating
from "peach fuzz" or sebaceous hair that exists
on nearly all women naturally. However, once the hair has
become coarse and deep, no amount of hormones will reverse
the process. I am currently seeing a client who is post-op
by 4 years and steadily on hormones through this time. Her
facial hair is much the same today as it was when I first
saw it nearly 6 years ago.
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