Electrolysis may be an ideal method of permanent hair removal for transgender individuals or those suffering from PCOS, as it’s the only technique which can effectively deactivate individual follicles.
Finding an experienced electrologist is vitally important. At your consultation, ask about their practice’s cleanliness as well as if they use needles or electronic tweezers.
Redness
Electrolysis treatments generally cause mild discomfort; however, most find them manageable. Everyone’s pain threshold varies and each area of skin reacts differently during electrolysis treatment; if you experience discomfort at a high intensity level or are worried about it at all, talk to your electrologist about numbing creams or other options available to them; otherwise check their training and licensing to make sure that only needle electrolysis (not patch devices, electric tweezers or laser) are used – ask about pre-sterilization options they use before booking your first appointment date so any questions about treatments offered as well as whether pre-sterilization and disposable needles.
Electrolysis sessions typically result in some redness and swelling; its intensity depends on several factors: your skin type, level of sensitivity, choice of electrologist, and compliance with their post-treatment recommendations. For permanent hair removal to occur successfully, multiple sessions lasting 15 to 60 minutes must take place to allow electrologist capture each hair at its optimum growth cycle and destroy them all effectively.
Before electrology treatments, it is vital that you avoid shaving or waxing as this will impede your electrologist from effectively seeing and treating each hair individually. If you must shave, use a razor with a dull blade as this will cause less skin damage than using a sharp one would. It is also highly advised to apply Melfol Calm Balm after each electrolysis treatment to any treated areas to reduce any possible post-treatment scabs that may form.
Swelling
Electrolysis treatments to permanently destroy hair follicles may lead to temporary swelling in the surrounding skin around a hair follicle, though this effect usually fades within half an hour to several hours for most individuals. This effect is caused by destruction of dermal papilla of follicle and should be seen as an entirely normal response from electrolysis treatments.
Swelling of treated areas may also be caused by oversensitivity of skin to heat and light provided by electrolysis probes used during treatment, which can be avoided by moisturizing before and after treatments as well as applying cooling gel to soothe any affected areas. Furthermore, avoiding direct sun exposure will help minimize post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation of skin.
Electrolysis may result in pustule formation; these small inflamed bumps typically appear on the skin and contain clear fluid or serum, often leading to redness and itching. However, regular participants of electrolysis generally don’t experience this side effect often.
At its core, working with an experienced electrologist is key to minimizing any negative side effects associated with electrolysis. When choosing your electrologist, make sure they meet all qualifications as well as collecting client testimonials and before/after pictures from previous clients. Also avoid shaving, plucking or waxing prior to an electrolysis appointment since your electrologist needs at least quarter inch long hair in order to zap effectively. Elise suggests drinking plenty of water prior, during, and post appointment in order to keep hair follices healthy and hydrated throughout their process – which should help keep follicles nourished despite any possible side effects associated with electrolysis sessions.
Ingrown Hairs
Electrolysis has long been considered an effective and permanent hair removal method, though it does have its own set of side effects. When carried out, an electric current passes through a needle or thin metal probe inserted into one or more openings in your skin where hair grows (hair follicles), producing sodium hydroxide or lye that destroys cells that generate new hair growth follicles and lightens, finens and sparsifies future regrowth follicles; when these return, their growth will be lighter, finer and sparser than before.
Electrolysis often results in ingrown hairs as one of the many side effects. These occur when an electrolyser does not completely destroy all hair follicles, leading to them growing back into the skin either in an incorrect direction or trapping them beneath its surface.
Hair that becomes entangled creates an unsightly bump that may be uncomfortable or painful to remove, potentially leading to infection which causes redness, swelling and puss.
To avoid ingrown hairs after electrolysis, proper shaving techniques such as exfoliating and using a razor with a sharp blade should be implemented. In addition, visiting an electrologist that uses exam gloves and medical-grade sterilization of their needles and probes will reduce infection risks, speeding healing times of ingrown hairs faster. Should an ingrown hair arise anyway, refraining from scrubbing or scratching can hasten recovery while taking antibiotic cream or oral medication may also prove helpful if it becomes infected.
Bruising
Electrolysis treatments may lead to some bruising. This is usually determined by factors like location and tolerance for pain. Furthermore, clients can develop folliculitis (an inflammation of hair follicles), leading to small clustered pimples in the treatment area; when this happens a dermatologist may recommend pausing electrolysis sessions until your folliculitis subsides.
Electrolysis typically does not cause much discomfort, with modern methods of electrology having greatly decreased discomfort to a mild tingling that most can bear. A topical anesthetic cream can also be applied topically for additional relief. For optimal results, patients should avoid smoking or sweating heavily prior to and post electrolysis treatment sessions.
After electrolysis, it’s normal for a small scab to appear in the area where hair was extracted from a follicle. This blemish will go away within 24-48 hours of treatment and should disappear completely over time. If it occurs on your face, be sure to inform your electrologist so they can assist in helping it heal properly.
Regrowth will typically take several weeks or months and will consist of thinner and lighter colored hair than before. Most areas require eight-12 electrolysis treatments in order to permanently rid themselves of unwanted hair; the more densely the area’s hair growth is, the more frequent treatments will be necessary in order to eliminate all unwanted follicles at their optimal growth cycles. It is therefore crucial that regular appointments be maintained so each follicle can be targeted as quickly as possible during its optimum growth cycles.
Scarring
Electrolysis of hairs when performed by an experienced electrologist is generally safe; however, some adverse skin reactions may arise, including reddening, dryness, scab formation or scarring in certain cases. This will depend on various factors including skin sensitivity, quality of equipment used, intensity and duration of current flow as well as coarseness of hairs; darker-skinned individuals may also experience hyper pigmentation due to damage done to their epidermis during electrolysis treatment; this usually subsides over time.
Electrolysis involves inserting a needle or probe into an area where hair grows (small sacs beneath the skin known as hair follicles) to use low-level electrical current to destroy hair follicles so new hair cannot grow back in their place. Multiple sessions may be required in order to eradicate all hair follicles completely.
While electrolysis typically isn’t painful for most, pain threshold varies widely among individuals. If yours is sensitive, talk to your electrologist about numbing cream before your appointment.
An electrolysis treatment schedule should be maintained regularly to achieve results more quickly and permanently, and reduce any chances of re-growth of hair in areas previously treated by electrolysis. With regular appointments, hair follicles are in their telogen phase so new growth doesn’t emerge from empty follicles; keeping on schedule prevents thick, deep-rooted hairs from being too dense for electrolysis to work effectively on them.
