Electrolysis - Session 2...

Two weeks ago I had my first electrolysis appointment as I talked about HERE.  Looking back at what I wrote about that session, well I probably didn't do that session justice.  It was among the worst pain I've ever felt.  I cried during the session and pretty much the whole drive home.  It was physically painful and mentally stressful.  Part of that I brought on myself.  I chose to go in for that session without any Lidocaine - my Doctor had prescribed some for the laser on my pelvic region, but I hadn't used it for that since that really doesn't hurt much so I have two tubes sitting here.  I felt beforehand that I wanted to have a frame of reference as to what it felt like without taking anything - I had done the same with my first facial (and pelvic) laser sessions and survived those.  I also believe my face wasn't in great shape.  I had switched to a different CC cream a week prior to my session and in hindsight I think my face had a reaction to it.  I didn't think about that at the time, I just thought it was irritated from shaving a few days prior but when it happened again last week I came to the conclusion that perhaps I needed to find a different CC cream.

As I said in that first post, my second session was to be two weeks later (yesterday) as I had a facial laser scheduled last week and since that needs a clean face and the electrolysis needs some growth the only way I could have pulled that off was to either drive in there twice a few days apart which I didn't want to do as it's 40 minutes each way so with that and the session time it would necessitate a half day off of work twice in the same week.  *OR* I could have done both the same day (the electrolysis first) and I didn't think that was really feasible from a logistical or pain standpoint.  So I scheduled the second appointment for yesterday, late morning.  I had a previously scheduled therapist appointment for that morning.  I visit with my therapist every 3-4 months to keep in touch for the day when/if I pursue surgery and need a letter - plus I find the occasional visit to be good for me.

I had the therapist appointment set for 9am as I can normally get in there for that and be home by 10:30am or so and not have to take time off work (I skip lunch and work a touch late to offset the missed time).  Well in this case I simply decided to take the day off of work and set the Electrolysis appointment for later in the morning which happened to be 11:30am.  So I went to my therapist which did stress me out a bit as I had to go with a couple of days of facial hair so I wasn't dressed as I'd normally be.  That's one of the places I tend to "dress up" as I won't be "out of place" in heels and a dress for example, and considering I had the facial hair and didn't want to wear a wig because of that and the fact that the hair simply gets in way for these kinds of things I was in that awkward look of dressed like a girl, with more or less a man's face.  Not that I don't go out like that on occasion, but those times are fewer and fewer and to lose an outing where I'd be able to doll up a bit frustrated me, but the end justified the means to me so I sucked it up and went.

The therapist session was fine as always.  Really it's not so much of a session anymore, it's more of a chit-chat but I still find it helpful.  When I left there I realized that in my rush to leave the house I had forgotten to bring some plastic wrap to put over the cream so I had to run and get some of that.  By the time I had done that (and grabbed a late breakfast) and headed over to where the electrolysis was it was nearly 11am.  I quickly applied the cream and the plastic wrap and then spent 10 minutes handling a work issue despite being "on vacation".  I went ahead and sat in the car until about 20 after 11 and then took off the plastic wrap and headed in.  I stopped at a restroom and clean up my face and headed down to get started..

Once I arrived, my tech took me back almost immediately, I really do appreciate the fact that both times I've been there that she's been ready for me right on time.  We got started immediately and she noted that the laser had done a good job the prior week.  I then mentioned that she must have done a good job too as the laser on my upper lip last week was far more pleasant than normal so she had obviously wiped out a good chunk of what was previously there.  She spent a few minutes on my upper lip cleaning things up and then the balance of the session on my chin.  The only real issue I ran into was that a good portion of the dark hairs there had apparently been taken care of by the laser the prior week but hadn't come out yet.  So rather than potentially waste time on those she focused on the white hairs and we'd come back to the darker ones at my next appointment.

The pain this time was far more bearable.  I still had a few tears but it was more like eyes watering than crying this time and for good stretches I was able to be completely still as she worked rather than fidgeting so much.  I can't say it didn't hurt as it did at times, but it wasn't anything like the first session was.  Obviously 10 minutes on the upper lip versus 40+ made a difference, I'm sure the cream did too, and I'd guess my face not being irritated helped as well; but it was definitely something I could easily handle.  And just as with the first visit, she was incredibly nice and compassionate and again she seemed very efficient.  I easily made the whole hour and probably could have handled a second hour, perhaps in the future I might see about scheduling two hours, even if it's not consecutive; but that's a concern for another day.  I did elect to schedule my next session for next week, though later in the day so I can avoid taking time off work for it.  Hopefully it'll go as well as this one did.

-M