Electrolysis is a permanent method for hair removal that works by dissolving the growth center of a follicle and is approved by the Food and Drug Administration as such.
Discover a certified and reputable electrologist – many practices offer free consultations so you can pose any queries you have directly to them.
Be sure to drink plenty of water prior, during, and after your appointment; this helps hydrate follicles making treatment simpler.
1. It’s normal
Electrolysis works without penetrating the skin by inserting a fine probe into a hair follicle and passing small current through its tip to shut off blood supply, thus killing off germ cells that could result in unwanted hair growth in future cycles.
Electrolysis treatments depend on various factors to work effectively, with coarse hair being more difficult to treat due to needing more energy to destroy its follicle completely. Furthermore, how long a follicle has been growing will also have an effect on results.
Do not be alarmed if you notice some regrowth after electrolysis; hair regrowth occurs because your body continues to stimulate the destroyed follicle after it has been destroyed by electrolysis. Because this process occurs gradually over time, it’s essential not to shave, pluck, or wax in between your appointments as this sends blood flow directly into the area for healing purposes and stimulates further hair growth from existing follicles.
As part of your treatments, it’s also crucial that you locate an experienced electrologist. Seek advice from friends and family and check their practices for cleanliness before beginning treatments. Furthermore, many places provide free consultations so you can ask any questions that arise prior to commencing any program; take full advantage of them by gathering all the information needed so you feel at ease about your decision during consultations.
Once you find an excellent electrologist, it is essential that regular sessions be scheduled in order to permanently rid yourself of unwanted hair. Depending on your individual needs and goals, eight to twelve sessions may be enough for permanent hair removal through electrolysis – each session destroys 35% of hair follicles in your treatment area!
At different points of the year, hair production increases significantly and you must return for electrolysis sessions on an ongoing basis to target hair follicles in either their growing or resting stages of their cycle.
2. It’s not permanent
If you are considering electrolysis as a permanent hair removal solution, it is imperative that you select an experienced practitioner. Make sure they use needle electrolysis rather than photoepilators or other devices. Inquire about their experience and qualifications. Visit their clinic and observe their working practices – if anything feels off, don’t proceed with services rendered there.
Electrolysis is the only FDA-approved permanent hair removal method. To use it, insert a fine, pre-sterilized probe into each follicle opening and apply an electrical current that destroys dermal papilla – thus stopping it from growing back – then apply another small current pulse that destroys them all at once.
Electrolysis doesn’t target every hair follicle at once due to their varied growth cycles; up to 40% may remain dormant (telogen) at any given time and won’t be affected by electric current. Achieve significant and lasting results may require eight-12 sessions.
Scheduling electrolysis treatments on a regular basis is key to keeping new hair from sprouting up, and treating any signs of regrowth as soon as they appear – otherwise the thickened and hard-to-remove hair could require additional electrolysis sessions or hair removal cream.
Hair growth can be caused by many different factors: genetics, hormones and medications. Hirsutism often runs in families; it may also be an adverse side effect of birth control pills or certain medications used for contraception; additionally it may worsen due to hormonal imbalances like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Hair growth can be curbed, and electrolysis is one method approved by the FDA that is proven safe and effective at doing just that. Visit our Electrolysis Page for more information about this non-invasive permanent solution to unwanted hair.
3. It’s not painful
Electrolysis offers permanent hair removal alternatives to temporary methods like chemical depilatories or home waxing kits, by inserting a fine needle into each follicle to break off blood supply to hair growth follicles and destroy their blood supply, ultimately stopping its further growth. While electrolysis may be somewhat painful depending on your tolerance and pain threshold, its safety makes it far less damaging and damaging than alternative approaches; to maximize effectiveness it’s wise to find a licensed practitioner with experience performing electrolysis, request a consultation prior to beginning treatment sessions.
Elise recommends applying thick, soothing cream to the treatment area and continuing to moisturize it for at least seven days after an appointment, in addition to refraining from exercise after your session and using an antibacterial cleanser beforehand and after each treatment session. Scrubbing or exfoliating could irritate skin further and allow bacteria to enter open hair follicles leading to infection of open hair follicles causing more redness in the treatment area.
Electrolysis may also result in pinprick scabs of various colors forming near the treatment site, typically caused by ingrown hair or distorted follicles. If these appear, it is wise to contact your practitioner and seek their advice; otherwise they should simply fall off over time.
Remain faithful to your treatment plan to get maximum results as quickly as possible. While individual needs vary, such as hair growth cycles, hormone activity levels, normal physiological changes, medications and stress can all impact how many treatments may be necessary.
Be sure to follow your provider’s recommendations, and remember that multiple treatments will likely be required for each hair follicle. Skipping appointments could result in incomplete and distorted destruction of follicles as well as increased chances of future hair regrowth.
4. It’s not harmful
Electrolysis is an effective, permanent hair removal procedure suitable for all types and colors of hair. Electrolysis works by inserting tiny needles into each hair follicle and administering a small current that destroys growth cells – while some people report feeling pain similar to getting tattooed during treatment, it has been used for over 130 years without evidence that long-term damage was done to skin or any lasting adverse affects from using electrolysis on themselves.
Though some hair follicles will continue to regrow following treatment, their number should gradually diminish over time as more sessions take place. Therefore, for optimal results it’s crucial to adhere to a consistent treatment schedule in order to achieve long-term success.
During the procedure, you will be asked to lie down while the technician inserts needles one-by-one into each of your hair follicles one at a time. Depending on the area being treated, this could take anywhere from minutes to hours; with smaller areas like eyebrows or upper lips taking only minutes while larger regions such as bikini line or legs could take an hour or more for complete treatment.
As with any procedure, electrolysis treatment may result in adverse side effects; one potential consequence being folliculitis – an inflammation of the follicle which may lead to clusters of pimples in the area of treatment. If this happens to you, pause your electrolysis sessions immediately and visit a dermatologist immediately in order to pinpoint its source and treat accordingly.
To reduce side effects such as this, it’s best to find an electrologist with adequate licensing and experience. When making your consultation appointment, ask about their training, education and certification status before beginning treatment. Likewise, make sure the practice is clean and sanitary before proceeding with electrolysis treatments.
As an essential step towards successful electrolysis sessions, it is also crucial that between treatments, no trimming, waxing, shaving or depilatory cream use is performed as this may prevent hair follicles from being destroyed and new hairs from growing back in. Instead, opt for using an aloe gel that has no fragrance and menthol added to soothe skin post treatment sessions.
