Electrolysis uses a needle finer than hair to penetrate each unwanted hair growth and administer an electric current that destroys it permanently. Although effective, this permanent hair removal solution may be painful.
Electrotherapy treatments may cause side effects like redness, scabs, welts and pustules; to minimize them you should choose an experienced electrologist.
Pain
Electrolysis hair removal is an invasive procedure that involves inserting a fine probe into each unwanted follicle and applying an electric current to destroy it hair-by-hair. Although this treatment can be uncomfortable if you have low pain tolerance, electrolysis remains one of the only permanent ways of eliminating unwanted body hair on both the face and body.
As part of your treatment session, you’ll experience short pinches and heat sensations as well as burning, tingling or prickling sensations on your skin. These sensations aim to damage hair follicles in order to halt new hair growth – so finding an experienced practitioner who specializes in this field is essential for its success.
Redness in the treatment area is a common side effect. Elise recommends applying thick and soothing cream after appointments for at least seven days post-treatment to keep the area healthy. If any redness persists beyond six weeks, contact your dermatologist so he or she can determine its source.
Brusing can occur during an electrolysis session due to pressure from the needle or electric current running through it, however this bruising should only last a few days if applied witch hazel topically or taken over-the-counter pain relievers like Ibuprofen 60 minutes prior. For maximum effectiveness, avoid rubbing any affected areas.
Redness
Redness may result from electrical current passing through needle or probe into areas where hair grows (hair follicles). Once destroyed, these follicles cannot repopulate themselves and you will eventually become hair free.
Red skin should improve within 20 to 48 hours after treatment with an electrologist, although if your area is particularly sensitive they may suggest using a topical desensitizing cream instead.
Pitting can also occur as a side effect of electrolysis for some individuals, when dead space left by destroyed hair follicles are filled with scar tissue (wounded collagen), which contracts and forms bumpy patches on their skin surface – this typically takes one year before gradually subsiding into smooth skin.
After an electrolysis treatment, facial skin tends to swell more than other areas. You can minimize this effect by applying a cold pack for 15 minutes followed by 10 minute breaks; alternatively you could take an anti-inflammatory such as Ibuprofen to ease swelling and discomfort.
Select a licensed and certified electrologist when seeking electrolysis treatments. Be sure they adhere to proper sterilization techniques on their equipment to help avoid infections during the procedure, and avoid tweezing any part of your body, which could contribute to ingrown hairs forming.
Swelling
Swelling is a side effect of electrolysis hair removal treatments on the face (eyebrows, eyebrows, chin and jaw line). This swelling occurs as an inflammatory response by your body against such an invasive procedure which destroys growth cells responsible for hair production.
Swollen skin typically subsides within 20 minutes to several hours, depending on an individual’s pain threshold. If this doesn’t happen on its own, cold packs and/or ibuprofen can help reduce swelling.
Find an electrologist that employs needle electrolysis over other non-permanent hair removal methods like photoepilators or electronic tweezers (non-permanent means). Request a consultation prior to beginning treatment at their facility, and take note of any medical conditions or medications taken; in case any modifications need to be made in order to prevent complications.
If the treatment is administered incorrectly, scarring and permanent skin damage could occur. Pitting of the skin is also possible if hair follicles are not completely destroyed during treatment due to wound collagen filling up dead space in pores with scar tissue; this gives skin a pitted look. Usually scar tissue takes one year or so to develop into smooth tissue which removes this appearance; during this timeframe the skin should remain moisturized and protected from sunlight.
Pustules
Only a small number of people experience electrolysis-related pitting reactions; these occur when dead space created by electrodes is filled by scar tissue that contracts and pulls at the skin, creating bumpy-lumpy spots. While this reaction is normal and will eventually settle down into smooth skin over time, thick emollients may help alleviate its side effects and facilitate their transformation into healthy skin.
Pitting is less common than redness and swelling and usually appears only on the neck or face, being most noticeable among dark-skinned individuals.
Bruising can also be an unfortunate side effect, caused by pressure applied by the probe or from leaky capillaries in the treatment area. While this is completely normal and should be managed accordingly by using witch hazel immediately following each session, immediate relief can be achieved with its use immediately post-session.
Electrolysis is both safe and permanent; however, results require time and patience in order to see success from this procedure. Most people need weekly or bi-weekly sessions until all hairs have been removed, with follow up visits required after removal to make sure no new growth appears. Therefore, if patience is an issue then electrolysis might not be the right fit for you – beware if hiring an inexperienced electrologist who could permanently harm your skin!
Leakage of Blood Serum
Electrolysis is a tried and tested way of permanently eliminating hair growth. To use it effectively, one inserts a small needle or thin metal probe into each of your follicles – small sacs underneath your skin where hair grows – where a low level electrical current flows. Once this occurs, each hair follicle’s growth center is destroyed with each session of electrolysis; eventually all hair in that location cannot return after treatment sessions are over.
As with any medical procedure, electrolysis may cause discomfort due to its needle puncturing the skin. Individual tolerance levels vary; when visiting for your first electrolysis appointment it would be wise to ask your electrologist for some topical lidocaine cream for pre-numbing before beginning treatments.
Before your electrolysis treatment appointment, it is also advisable to refrain from tweezing or plucking hairs in the area where you will receive electrolysis for at least several weeks prior. Tweezing can cause ingrown hairs that lead to chin acne; additionally, most electrologists advise against it altogether as root sheath remnants left behind can irritate skin inflammation leading to more chin acne outbreaks.
To ensure optimal electrolysis treatments, select an electrologist who is licensed and experienced. When selecting an electrologist, seek recommendations from friends and family as well as use common sense to judge whether you feel comfortable with them. When visiting their practice for consultation purposes, check if everything looks tidy including employees wearing gloves or disposable equipment.
Scabs
While electrolysis may occasionally result in temporary scabs, they should only occur rarely and usually temporarily as the needle punctures small blood vessels. Should this happen, witch hazel or another topical skin treatment can help minimize its appearance to help minimize its appearance and minimise discomfort.
Electrolysis often causes temporary reddening of the skin during and immediately following treatment, due to a small amount of blood leaking out from hair follicles after electric current has been applied.
Bruising is uncommon but can still occur among those with darker skin tones due to needle pressure on blood vessels and when entering hair follicles with probe. Although not painful, the bruised spots do make themselves known on your skin.
Electrolysis may cause permanent side effects in some individuals if performed by inexperienced technicians and using unsterilized needles, so it’s crucial that electrologists employ medical sterilization practices and disposable needles for each of their clients.
Some individuals may develop folliculitis, an infection in which small clusters of pimples form on their skin. It’s best to refrain from picking and tweezing until it heals completely; your electrologist should be able to recommend an effective product to combat the infection, and ensure you use high-quality numbing cream or apply ice when receiving electrolysis treatments.
