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2. Getting To A Surgery Date

Hair Removal

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TL;DR

  • START EARLY. Adequate hair removal takes at least 6 to 9 months (very often longer)

  • We will write you a letter of medical necessity to help you obtain insurance coverage after your consultation

  • Laser may suffice if your hair is receptive to it. Otherwise, electrolysis will need to be performed. Talk to a hair removal specialist about your options.  

Why?

The skin graft taken from the area of hair removal lines a portion of the vaginal canal. If the skin is hair bearing, hair may grow within the canal. This may lead to hygiene issues. Because hair within the canal is inaccessible to the technician, hair can only be removed before surgery.  

Though we perform follicle scraping during surgery, this is an unreliable method of permanent hair removal.  

When?

It is never too early to get started. Because of the science behind hair growth, hair removal is a process that cannot be accelerated. It will take at least 6 to 9 months, but it often takes much longer for full clearance.  

Your last session should be at least 2 weeks before surgery so that any inflammation has time to settle.  

What?

Electrolysis (recommended): This method involves inserting a fine needle into each hair follicle and delivering an electric current to destroy the hair root. Though it is often more expensive and painful than laser, it is generally considered the more effective method of hair removal.  

Laser Hair Removal: This method uses a laser to destroy hair follicles. It is generally less expensive and better tolerated. However, its effectiveness can vary based on hair color with better results for individuals with dark hair. 

Patients often employ a combination to achieve optimal clearance. Talk to you technician to determine the best path for you.

Where?

  • The scrotum 

  • The perineum (the area in between the scrotum and the anus) 

  • Laterally to the groin crease 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Absence of thick hairs (terminal hairs), whereas what is commonly referred to as ‘peach fuzz’ is OK to have. 

  • Our surgical team can perform a surgical scrape of a few stray hairs, but this should not be relied upon for patches of hair or large swathes of un-removed hairs.

    While vellus hair is ok to have, it is out of the scope of this practice to 'know' a one size fits all answer due to different people's many different hair types etc. You and your hair removal technician are a team tasked to do a thorough job eliminating ALL terminal hairs, and any thicker/longer vellus hairs such as they may be, to create an area as smooth as possible. But it would be impossible for us to definitively say for every patient what that multifactorial process may be.

  • For the purposes of surgery, just focus on the templated areas, for surgical readiness. Any other hairs can be removed after, for your preferred aesthetic outcome. 

  • Laser is NOT FDA approved for PERMANENT hair removal, and therefore may come back, potentially years later. Electrolysis IS FDA approved for PERMANENT hair removal (when done correctly) 

    Link: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/21757-laser-hair-removal 

    Link: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/8306-electrolysis 

  • Talk to your hair removal technician and your insurance. After a consultation, we will provide you a referral letter that you can take to a hair removal place of your choice