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Original poster

Trivial - my laser hair removal experience

65 replies

CohensD · 15/10/2023 10:50

I'm a really hairy woman. Thick, dark, coarse body hair (legs, stomach, etc) which would be more common on the opposite sex than on my own. But this is just one way in which females can differ from the average for other females.

A couple of years ago (after years of wrestling with either painful waxing or trying to not mind not fitting the mold), I got some laser hair removal, because there were some areas I just couldn't learn to love this hair on. It cost me over a grand (on some quite limited areas).
In the waiting room, I met a transwoman who was getting the whole lot done on the NHS.

Obviously, this is very trivial. But it really fucked me off. Just wanted to share, and this seems an obvious place 😁

OP posts:
Original poster
CohensD · 15/10/2023 16:18

I'm sorry to hear about your son's health problems @quantumbutterfly, and I hope he's getting good treatment now.

Also sorry to hear about all the female-related health issues which are being routinely overlooked, and all the ways in which females are made to feel we don't match the physical ideal, while males get to spend thousands from the public purse mimicking females. Shite, innit?

OP posts:
CombatLingerie · 15/10/2023 16:28

I entirely agree with you @Alopeciabop and wish you speedy respite from the people who are upsetting you. Very galling for you OP you have every right to be fucked off.

Alopeciabop · 15/10/2023 16:33

CombatLingerie · 15/10/2023 16:28

I entirely agree with you @Alopeciabop and wish you speedy respite from the people who are upsetting you. Very galling for you OP you have every right to be fucked off.

Thank you. That was nice of you to say and cheered me up somewhat

Alopeciabop · 15/10/2023 16:36

MishyJDI · 15/10/2023 11:41

Dangerous game here. Should we rank treatment types that should be funded and not others? Quick path to a broken NHS.

Personally, I trust the clinicians at the NHS fund stuff that needs it.

And given it takes a trans person five+ years now a days to even get to see someone for help, then I dont begrudge a course of laser therapy that it probably took a decade to secure.

But as OP said we NEVER receive that laser therapy! NEVER. We could wait 5 years. We could wait 10 or 20 years. We would never. So you’re just adding fuel to the OP’s point even though you didn’t mean to.

Hepwo · 15/10/2023 16:42

MishyJDI · 15/10/2023 11:41

Dangerous game here. Should we rank treatment types that should be funded and not others? Quick path to a broken NHS.

Personally, I trust the clinicians at the NHS fund stuff that needs it.

And given it takes a trans person five+ years now a days to even get to see someone for help, then I dont begrudge a course of laser therapy that it probably took a decade to secure.

In what way is it a "treatment"?

agent765 · 15/10/2023 16:47

Womanofcustard · 15/10/2023 13:13

That is disgraceful. Many years ago I had to pay £100s for electrolysis and my daughter recently £1000s for laser treatment. We both have PCOS!

I had PCOS. I had coarse ingrown painful facial hair because of it.

I was given course after course of antibiotics to help the inflammation and infection and eventually referred for laser removal on the NHS.

Three sessions in with another three to go and finally starting to see a result with my mental health starting to improve, the funding was stopped for all women like me.

I'd like to know how breast implants are done for free for transitioners but not for women who have little breast tissue along with mental health issues due to it. Especially as the teasing in school causing the problems was all down to the boys.

The same goes for women with large, heavy breasts that cause back and shoulder pain, infections under them and a miserable time trying to get clothes to fit or comfortable enough to sleep. Not to mention the depression, the pain, coping with infections and anxiety - again caused by men who feel free to comment - that accompanies them.

WTAF is wrong with those in charge of the NHS that they see fit to pay for unnecessary medical procedures on people simply because they want it? I'd have loved all my medical issues sorted at the drop of a hat like this.

Waitwhat23 · 15/10/2023 16:59

MishyJDI · 15/10/2023 11:41

Dangerous game here. Should we rank treatment types that should be funded and not others? Quick path to a broken NHS.

Personally, I trust the clinicians at the NHS fund stuff that needs it.

And given it takes a trans person five+ years now a days to even get to see someone for help, then I dont begrudge a course of laser therapy that it probably took a decade to secure.

Women with PCOS don't get funded laser treatment for excess facial hair which occurs due to their endocrine condition.

And it takes years to get a diagnosis. I waited 5 years despite having absolutely classic PCOS.

Why males and not females?

(rhetorical question - we know why. Diagnosis for endometriosis is even worse)

quantumbutterfly · 15/10/2023 17:26

I didn't mean to change the direction of the thread @CohensD so thank you for your thoughts.

I hate having to take a slice of a pie that's too small for everyone. To a large extent I have been socialised to not ask and it's hard to break conditioning. It's easier to fight for my children than it is to fight for myself.

RufustheFactualReindeer · 15/10/2023 18:34

Your point was literally pointless mishy

RufustheFactualReindeer · 15/10/2023 18:35

And yes OP, its very irritating that men get treatment that women don’t

and im gob smacked at the detransition thing…fucking typical

Sexnotgender · 15/10/2023 18:40

Imicola · 15/10/2023 11:46

This is how the NHS already works... they don't just fund every single possible treatment in every situation. That truly would be a quick path to a bankrupt and broken service.

Edited
Show quote history

Exactly. I’ve got a really painful unsightly varicose vein that I’ve been told the NHS won’t remove as it’s deemed cosmetic.

Threadreplier · 15/10/2023 18:40

Off topic here- but try a ipl machine in the prime sale. Can't remember what I bought last year but I used about 5 times between prime day in nov/dec and falling pregnant. I'm now 9 months pregnant and havent been able to use it in pregnancy. I have had virtually no growth. I have shaved my armpits about once a month as I only treated that area 2/3 times before pregnancy. Life-changing and lovely not having to shave whilst heavily pregnant!

FictionalCharacter · 15/10/2023 18:54

Some TW have definitely been able to get facial hair removal on the NHS while women with PCOS are not eligible for it. It shows very clearly where the priorities lie.

ifIwerenotanandroid · 15/10/2023 19:03

RufustheFactualReindeer · 15/10/2023 18:35

And yes OP, its very irritating that men get treatment that women don’t

and im gob smacked at the detransition thing…fucking typical

I believe I've seen a detransitioner say that she can't just revoke or give up her GRC; she will have to go through the entire process again to change back to being legally a woman.

OctogenarianDecathlete · 15/10/2023 19:26

Isn't it sex discrimination?

Funding the same treatment for males but not females?

Seems just plain sexist to me. as medicine always has been

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 15/10/2023 19:40

Codlingmoths · 15/10/2023 13:54

Should we rank treatment types that should be funded and not others? Quick path to a broken NHS.
well, yes. That is EXACTLY how medical treatment subsidies work. They are assessed against others and deemed funded or not. Have you never had to use the nhs or are you just dim? Funding everything is the single speediest possible path to a broken nhs, except perhaps if they reidentified as a terrorist organisation and exhorted its staff en masse to bomb parliament. That might possibly be a faster route to failure.

Yes- lots of health authorities won't fund ivf now for this reason - it's not seen as essential or life saving

MusselTryHarder · 15/10/2023 19:46

I have PCOS and have ample body and facial hair. I used to spend my life going after it, and have spent 1000s on hair removal. Now I just don't. It's somewhat liberating, but going swimming can attract some funny stares. There are other options, but I definitely feel like I'm going against the tide.

ArabellaScott · 15/10/2023 20:23

MusselTryHarder · 15/10/2023 19:46

I have PCOS and have ample body and facial hair. I used to spend my life going after it, and have spent 1000s on hair removal. Now I just don't. It's somewhat liberating, but going swimming can attract some funny stares. There are other options, but I definitely feel like I'm going against the tide.

Good for you. Ridiculous that body hair should attract any attention at all.

MargotBamborough · 15/10/2023 20:23

IcakethereforeIam · 15/10/2023 11:51

I recall that they won't fund hair removal for detransitioners.

That's because they're only women.

Gagagardener · 15/10/2023 20:58

This really is about institutions reacting to 'sexed bodies' differently according to their sex AND gender, isn't it?

(The reasoning by clinicians enabling this is probably that their originally male-bodied patients need this treatment a) to bring them closer to the notion of female-bodied norms shared by patient and clinician; and b) to alleviate these m-b ppl's dislike of their own bodies. Hirsute ppl born female-bodied are unlikely to have any clinician particularly invested in their feelings.)

I wonder if Jo Phoenix knows anyone who would like to research this aspect of discrimination.

agent765 · 15/10/2023 21:21

Sexnotgender · 15/10/2023 18:40

Exactly. I’ve got a really painful unsightly varicose vein that I’ve been told the NHS won’t remove as it’s deemed cosmetic.

Show quote history

We would remove varicose veins from MEN in our NHS clinic but not women.

We were told that women wanted them removed only for cosmetic reasons as they wear skirts (I don't!) and that men had a 'real' reason for removal.

JenniferBooth · 15/10/2023 21:25

They do realise that women locked down as well right?

quantumbutterfly · 15/10/2023 21:32

agent765 · 15/10/2023 21:21

We would remove varicose veins from MEN in our NHS clinic but not women.

We were told that women wanted them removed only for cosmetic reasons as they wear skirts (I don't!) and that men had a 'real' reason for removal.

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? What counts as a real reason ?

AlphaTransWoman · 15/10/2023 21:36

Cant speak for other trans women, but I paid for my own laser hair removal. I'm sympathetic to the idea of people on low incomes getting help with the NHS for it but personally I feel anyone, trans or otherwise, who can afford to pay for it themselves should do so.

Sexnotgender · 15/10/2023 22:02

agent765 · 15/10/2023 21:21

We would remove varicose veins from MEN in our NHS clinic but not women.

We were told that women wanted them removed only for cosmetic reasons as they wear skirts (I don't!) and that men had a 'real' reason for removal.

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WTF!!! That’s awful. I don’t wear skirts really, once in a blue moon. It’s fucking itchy and painful 😕

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