[GoneGirl]

It's been two weeks since I had all my face and neck hair removed for the first time via flash thermolysis. My skin has healed up nicely, although there is still a very slight sense of numbness to the skin. New hair is starting to grow again. It's softer, thinner hair that grows very slowly. I can easily skip a couple of days shaving and still not notice my beard. Probably because these new hairs are white or colorless.

My electrologist calls these new hairs 'baby hairs'. They are shallow rooted and tender. When I go back next month to have my face and neck cleared again, these immature hairs are more likely to be killed off permanently than the old, tough gray hairs that I used to have. Most people see about a 50% permanent reduction in their beard after two clearings. The second clearing will take less time and produce less swelling. Recovery time will be just a few days.

It's wonderful having a taste of what it's going to be like having a smooth face all the time and not having to shave. Very few men who are comfortable with their assigned gender have facial hair removed for the convenience of not having to shave. I have always hated facial hair, but never considered having it removed until I decided to transition. It must be for the same reason a man will avoid other things that hint of femininity. We are constrained by the binary gender model that's been imprinted on our minds since birth.

Clara