Comments:
+i am a pre op male to female transexual i have recently started taking female
+hormones what i would like to know is at what point should i start to feel
+that i am making progress toward my goal of becominng what i really want tobe
+a woman i made some progess as i have began to develop breasts i have gone
+from being flat chested to a size 38b i was tickled pink getting my first
+training braand i was like a giddy schoolgirl filling a larger size bra i
+just love and adore my soon to be 38c breeasts and my goal is to be a 38d cup
+i wont realy feel that i made progress until that ugly piece of meat betwen
+my legs is cutoffi have been telling friends and family that i can wait to
+get my hole put in i plan on having my sexchange operatiom overseas in europe
+also have been saying that i cant wait to go abroad and come back a broadi
+just simply love it that my breasts bounce swing and jiggle even when i am
+wearing a good support bra
+I got the idea and some tips from Bernadette (docfont@) on the
+unfortunately terminated since then TSDoItYourelfers mailing list,
+I devised even more DIYish :) details.
+Bernadette did it with "Inverness One Touch" device (about $30)
+which consists from 9V battery, variable resistor as current regulator
+and a buzzer (on a simple digital IC) just for convenient count of time.
+The main thing is that it's neither flash, thermolysis nor blend,
+but plain galvanic method, i.e. pure DC, a simple electrochemical process:
+part of water molecules in the body is dissociated to H+ ion (proton)
+and OH- ion, an electron from the needle joins with the H+ ion
+resulting in hydrogen atom, two hydrogen atoms join into hydrogen molecule,
+hydrogen gas bubbles out (too little of it to inflame), OH- ions (i.e. lye)
+remain near the needle (mostly where resistance in lower, i.e. along
+blood vessels), erode follicle and fuse the vessels. Unlike other
+methods of needle electrolysis, galvanic forgives small misses,
+less likely damages skin and gives much higher probability of
+successful killing the follicle on the first try, i.e. way less regrowth.
+Galvanic seems slower (almost a minute per follicle, though really
+it's not slower considering less regrowth) and low-tech, but the real
+reason why pure galvanic is almost never used by professional
+electrologists is that devices for it are too simple and therefore
+unprofitable for device makers and sellers, so they brainwash
+electrologists. Impatient customers add to that and as a result
+endure much more pain. Galvanic not just gives least regrowth and
+least risk of skin damage and equipment is cheapest, galvanic is
+also far less painful.
+Bernadette improved the device by increasing voltage of the battery
+(AC/DC adapter is absolutely not suitable! not just because of
+safety rules, but because AC power supplies not only 50 or 60 Hz,
+but also harmonics and receives radio-frequencies, they easily
+pass through transformers no matter how much electronics
+and cause unnecessary pain, skin irritation, twitches; they also
+smelt tissue during inserting driving the needle past the target),
+but used the same second electrode - a small metallic plate at a side
+of the needle holder touching it after inserting the needle,
+but the touching disturbs needle placement.
+No such devices here, so I devised another, more convenient way:
+no device at all. A 9V battery, a cheap ammeter (about $7 if new),
+three wires (two of them come with the ammeter), a needle in a DIY
+pen-like holder and a stainless steel spoon (or shovel for serving cake)
+as second electrode, that's all, no switch (important), no variable
+resistor, no electronics (though I do know how, my hobby was
+amateur electronics, my speciality in college was electronics,
+I worked as a computer technician etc.). In this case the simpler the better,
+resist the temptation to make improvements. If you haven't an ammeter
+able to measure current up to 1 mA (milliampere) then buy a cheap Chinese
+pocket-sized digital multimeter, for example on eBay (search for
+"pocket digital multimeter", in the search results choose "Sort by:" -
+"Price + Shipping: lowest first", about $7 with free shipping worldwide,
+looking about like this,
+if same then use the bottom two sockets, at the beginning of each session
+rotate the center switch clockwise for 4 clicks to the 2000 position - then
+current strength is shown as integer number in microAmperes;
+at the end of each session turn the switch back to the OFF position).
+Plus of the battery to the
+spoon, it's very important, else you'll give yourself permanent tattoo
+with rust. Minus of the battery to the ammeter, the probe at the end of
+another wire from the ammeter is good as a needle holder: put a 1 cm long
+piece of shrink-wrap plastic tube 3-4 mm in diameter onto the bare metal tip
+of the probe at the end of the wire, insert the thicker part of the needle
+into the same tube, heat the tube with hot air above a small flame,
+the tube tightens and holds the needle.
+
+Lena: If you are concerned only with breasts and
+genitals then you make a clown out of yourself. Until you complete
+facial electrolysis, most people will consider you a man in a dress regardless
+of any size breasts, what is between your legs, clothing and makeup.
+Only after you complete facial electrolysis (takes about 2 years), you'll make
+a real progress toward your goal.
+Despite deceptive advertising, laser and flash-lamp (IPL) hair removal removes
+hair for longer time than plucking but for no more than 1-24 months
+(usually 2-6 months) after last session, no matter how many sessions.
+The only really permanent method of facial hair removal is needle
+electrolysis. Professional electrolysis costs about $20K. You can do it
+by yourself for free. Several members of the
+Russian-language T* mailing list I run cleared their faces by Do-It-Yourself
+electrolysis at home. No device needed at all. How to:
+
As usual, facial hair must be grown
+for 3-5 mm above skin surface; before and after each session
+disinfect face, fingers and instruments with alcohol. Sit before a
+magnifying mirror (about 10 cm between face and mirror) with
+good lighting with a lamp directly to the face (it's essential),
+place a clock with seconds near the mirror, put the spoon down onto the floor.
+Pluck a couple hairs with tweezers in order to see how deep follicles are
+and remember how much force you have to apply.
+Slid/insert the needle along a hair until the needle reaches the follicle,
+don't pierce a new hole in the skin. Usually you feel resistance when needle
+reaches the follicle, it's enough deep. Needle can pierce follicle - it's
+admissible, but don't push needle more than 2-3 mm deeper than follicle.
+After insertion of the needle, hold it in place and then (not sooner!)
+step by a bare foot on the spoon completing the circuit.
+Unimportant visible effect: the lye reacts with skin oil making a little
+soap, the hydrogen gas makes foam from it, a little white foam bubbles up
+along the needle. Unlike if a switch is used (abrupt change of current),
+the surface of contact between the foot and the spoon increases
+gradually preventing painful jerk. Adjust current strength
+(by surface of the contact between foot and spoon and strength of
+pressing on the spoon) so that after 30-40 seconds of current
+the hair can be pulled out with tweezers effortlessly without resistance
+(unlike plucking), it's a sign that the follicle was killed.
+A hitch (like when plucking) means a miss or insufficient charge,
+the hair with regrow.
+Current strength in microAmperes multiplied to time of passing the current
+in seconds is called "charge" in microCoulombs. Quantity of lye produced
+with the current is directly proportional to charge.
+The charge per hair must be below 20 thousand microCoulombs,
+else skin is damaged (small scars and indentations forever).
+If 20 thousand microCoulombs = 20 milliCoulombs is not enough
+for easy sliding the hair out then that means that you miss the target,
+more precision is needed.
+
First 10-20 hours will be difficult, but you'll master hitting
+the invisible target, it's not rocket science, others managed.
+Suitable training place is front surface of the chin, but not in the
+pit at the center just below the bottom lip (a relatively painful place,
+as well as mustache, especially along the lip and just under the nose,
+but still bearable without anesthetic; other places are practically
+painless). Don't try to train on the body because hairs there
+are thinner and grow at an acute angle to skin surface, much more
+difficult to insert needle along. Next treated hair must be
+at least 3 mm from previous, don't treat every hair in succession,
+skip, else over-treated skin can be damaged. After first 20-30 hours
+(training), treat all mustache (skipping) at each session
+because hair there are most viable and numerous. Don't move needle
+when current is flowing because with current the needle easily
+melts skin through anywhere past the target. You'll bend needle,
+especially at first - don't throw it away, unbend with another
+pair of tweezers with the ends covered with soft plastic tubes.
+After many bendings-unbendings a needle breaks, then take another needle.
+Pain during inserting usually is a sign of a miss - the needle
+pierced pore surface and went past the target. With the galvanic method
+skin usually doesn't need special care except dis-infecting with
+alcohol before and after each session. Try to avoid water on
+treated areas for 3 days if you can. If you can't then
+don't wipe the skin, let it to dry by itself. In case of scabs
+(like after a scratch, just small and round) don't tear scabs off,
+let them to fall off by themselves in order to prevent scars.
+The second electrode (a spoon, shovel or a plate under a foot) must be
+stainless steel, not aluminium. Copper is less preferable because stains skin.
+Ready-made needles can be bought where electrologists buy them.
+For the beginning 0.004" (0.1 mm) diameter needles (sometimes called "size 4")
+seem optimal.
+Needle tip shape is important. A good (probably the best) manufacturer
+is Ballet, google search for:
+
+"Ballet needles" OR "Ballet electrolysis"
+Some other manufacturers are Sterex, WYC.
+As last resort an about 0.1 mm diameter wire made from stainless steel,
+tungsten or nichrome can be used instead of ready-made needle.
+Or wires from some dead incandescent lamps - not those conducting current
+to the spiral, but thinner wires welded into the glass rod at the center
+buttressing the spiral. Or from some small wire loops
+(often included into sewing needle sets) used for easy inserting
+a thread into a needle eye. Copper wire is unsuitable instead of a needle
+because too pliant. Ready-made needles are way better than a piece of wire.
+
+- Fri Oct 19 21:56:27 2007 (GMT)
+