My Electrolysis Story
The most common questions clients ask is how I got into electrolysis. My entrepreneurial spirit guided my decision to practice the art and science of electrolysis. So did the fact is that I too have stood in your shoes. I experienced the disappointment of failed laser and electrolysis treatments that set me on the path to my current profession.
Lies, lies, more lies
As a child I hated my hairy legs and arms. As soon as I hit 14 years of age I started waxing my legs. Naturally the esthetician fed me the line that if I kept regular appointments I would soon see all the stages of my hair growth synchronized. Only then would my results last for longer than a week. My esthetician told me waxing would eventually kill the roots of all the hair in about 10 or 15 years.
What a mean trick to play on a kid because I really believed her!
I was envious of girls with no visible hair when I was a teenager. They were so lucky and they didn’t even know it. Smooth, poreless skin was an impossible dream because ingrowns, bumps and pimples plagued me. How I longed to wear shorts as a teenager.
My teens were spent getting waxed, getting (bad) electrolysis and even using a torture contraption found in a secondhand shop (the Epilady – OUCH). By the time I blossomed into adulthood I resigned myself to long pants throughout the summer.
The Emergence of Laser
Around age 16 I found a hair growing out of a beauty spot on my face. One single hair.
I plucked it.
It came back so I plucked it again.
Within a couple of years I had a little crop of hair around this spot. In addition, I struggled with my legs at the same time. My legs always look as though they had 5 o’clock shadow even if I waxed them 5 minutes ago. I was self-conscious and I felt dirty which is, of course, ridiculous.
I discovered laser hair removal when I sought treatment for a pigmentation problem at a local skin care clinic. It seemed like the solution to all my problems. I bought a package of 6 treatments and I was excited to banish this hair forever! All I recall about the treatments is that I convinced myself it was working until I realized it wasn’t. My hair returned fully within one year.
That failure didn’t stop me from trying another round of laser hair treatments from a cosmetic surgery clinic. It was this round that resulted in increased hair growth on my legs. They looked worse than ever. And for some strange reason fuelled by desperation I also had electrolysis done at this same clinic.
Intro to Electrolysis
I emerged from the first electrolysis treatment with marks on my skin and spots of blood in a few places. It was clear evidence that the person missed the mark completely. One of the ladies eventually poached me as a client. She had an office in her home and I started weekly treatments with her. Apparently my hair released beautifully and weekly appointments were essential. No time limit was given. I went for about 2 years and there was absolutely no reduction in the growth of my hair. Oftentime, a dog barked loudly under the treatment table. I must have been DESPERATE to tolerate this, and to PAY for it too!
I hear the same story from clients. They sought treatment from a fancy spa or cosmetic surgery clinic and ended up with one of the employees quietly telling them they’ll do treatments for half the price at their place. One woman I know paid $120/hr in a spa for electrolysis (by untrained staff by the sounds of it). She then paid the same employee $60/hr for the same bad treatment in her home over the next 4 years.
The Turning Point
Luckily the lady with the barking dog went on an extended holiday. By this point I had more hair caused by bad electrolysis treatment. She tweezed my hair and tweezing facial hair stimulates growth. I looked up electrolysis in the yellow pages (it was 2001). There was an ad for the electrologist who ended up being a great inspiration to me. Not only were her treatments effective but she was straightforward and no nonsense which I appreciated after so many false promises.
At the time I was still studying at university and my previous college program in esthetics (which included an electrology component) didn’t seem at all related to the type of business this woman engaged in. This was not a beauty business. Sarah Shrigley ran her business like a medical practice. She wore a mask, gloves and gave me strict instructions not to touch my freshly treated skin. Add to that the fact that her work day started at noon and she didn’t answer to anyone and I was sold.
I am thankful this woman delivered me to the point where I could be more confident in my own skin. The smooth, hair-free skin I dreamed about became a reality…finally. I was even more thankful that she said to me, “you know you can do this yourself”.
And so I do.