Electrolysis

What is electrolysis?

Electrolysis is the use of heat to remove hair from the body by way of a thin metal probe charged by electricity. This procedure has been around since the early 1800’s, as it was first developed to remove ingrown hairs from an eyelash.

How does electrolysis work?

Electrolysis will use a thin metal rod and slide it into the follicle to permanently disable the follicle. The process does require a time commitment but does really work. It can be painful but topical anesthetics can be used to lessen any pain. The rod must hit each follicle that you want disabled otherwise it will not work effectively.

What are the benefits of electrolysis?

The main benefit of Electrolysis is that it is one of the few permanent ways to remove hair from your body. So when your treatment cycle is complete you will be hair free and will no longer have to worry about that unwanted hair.

What are the drawbacks of electrolysis?

The pain caused by electrolysis is probably the biggest drawback. The use of anesthetics can be used to lessen any pain. Another drawback to this procedure is the amount of time you need to commit to the procedure. Sessions last between 15 minutes and one hour but you may need over 100 sessions over a several year period. For example, an upper lip session only lasts 15 minutes but you will need 25-40 sessions while sessions for your legs will last one hour each and you will need between 100 and 250 sessions over a several year period.

What are some electrolysis methods and techniques?

Methods for electrolysis include galvanic, thermolysis and blend. While all methods for Electrolysis has comparable results. They do involve having a probe slid into your hair follicle. Your results are dependent upon a few factors. These factors include the electrologists experience, your pain tolerance level and the type of hair you have.

Galvanic Electrolysis – This procedure has been used since 1875. It works with a chemical reaction of salt and water that is changed into sodium hydroxide. As the sodium hydroxide builds up the hair follicles are destroyed.

Thermolysis Electrolysis – This procedure uses a special radio frequency. The radio frequency causes the water molecules that are near your hair shake which creates heat. As more heat is created the cells are destroyed.

Blend Electrolysis – This method offers a little of both the Galvanic and Thermolysis. The theory behind this method is that if one way does not work, the other one will.

What are the dangers or side effects of electrolysis?

There are some side effects you should be aware of such as redness, scabs, blisters, swelling, ingrown hair or dryness of the skin. Many of these will subside after a couple of days. Any scabs should be watched to make sure they don’t develop into some type of skin pigmentation as well as permanent scarring.

Not having a well-trained electrolysis technician can lead to many harmful and/or permanent results such as scarring and skin damage. Even the best equipment can work improperly when the technician is not fully trained and certified to use the electrolysis equipment.

What is the Cost of electrolysis?

The cost of Electrolysis will vary from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars depending on the size of the area and how much hair you want removed. If you decide that Electrolysis is the treatment for you then you should contact a few salons and do a cost comparison. Some may offer discounts on the number of treatments or may even offer discounts on certain areas.

The cost of having your upper lip treated can range from $300 to $800 per session lasting 15 minutes and you will need 25-40 of these sessions to become hair free. At the opposite extreme are your legs which will require one-hour sessions that will cost over $8,000 per session. You will need between 100 and 250 treatments to get rid of all your leg hair.