Electrolysis is an effective, permanent hair removal method that works on any color of unwanted hairs, no matter their location or depth of growth. The method works by injecting heat and electric current directly into a follicle in order to destroy its cells that support it, so it cannot return again.
Limoges recommends moisturizing the area regularly to ease any side effects such as redness. If redness should arise in an area treated, a thick cream may help alleviate its discomfort.
How to Prepare
Electrolysis is widely recognized as being the only effective long-term hair removal option. An electric current zaps individual roots to ensure they won’t ever come back again – however it may be more costly than temporary methods but will deliver lasting results.
Finding an electrologist to perform your electrolysis sessions can be daunting, so getting recommendations from friends and family is invaluable in making the right choice. Most practitioners offer free consultations; take this time to ask any questions and check whether workers wear gloves during this visit.
A typical session usually lasts around an hour and most practitioners focus on treating one small area at a time. There may be exceptions; for instance if there’s an ingrown hair or cystic pimple that needs to be addressed it could require longer sessions.
Electrolysis is considered safe; however, there may be potential risks such as infection from using unsterile needles and scarring; however, these risks are very low if you follow all procedures correctly and visit an accredited electrologist.
Electrolysis treatments often cause reddening and swelling to the treated area. To minimize these side effects, make sure to apply thick moisturizing cream after each session as well as to avoid exposure of this area to direct sunlight afterward.
Cool the area treated by electrolysis with a wet towel or an ice pack to reduce redness and swelling after your appointment, moisturize regularly afterward, and take an over-the-counter painkiller if pain or burning sensations become an issue.
Preparing the Area
Before scheduling an electrolysis white hair removal appointment, always consult with your practitioner and establish any guidelines you must abide by. Elise recommends trimming body and facial hair to at least 1/4-inch before their appointment so the needle can be more easily used; she also asks them to refrain from drinking caffeine for at least two hours beforehand as caffeine can create stress and make hair follicles more sensitive.
As part of your preparations for electrolysis treatments, drink lots of water in the weeks and days leading up to them. Hydrated skin will feel more comfortable, as well as be better at conducting electrical currents used during treatments. In order to get maximum benefit out of electrolysis sessions, avoid stimulants like caffeine and alcohol that dehydrate skin such as coffee.
One common side effect of electrolysis treatment is redness in the treated area that lasts 1-2 days after service. Limoges suggests applying thick cream containing Neosporin or hydrocortisone directly to the area for soothing purposes; additionally, patients should moisturize regularly, and continue doing so even weeks post service; additionally ice packs can be applied intermittently throughout the day for maximum effects.
Electrolysis is an effective and safe method of hair removal for all skin tones, including those with darker tones. Furthermore, unlike laser hair removal which only delays further growth or partially destroys it.
An electrologist begins this treatment by inserting a fine needle into each individual hair follicle and administering a small electric current through it, using heat from electricity to coagulate blood vessels supplying each hair follicle, stopping its continued growth of new hair strands. When blood supplies are cut off, hair follicles die off, no longer producing new follicles that could produce new hairs – although since multiple factors influence hair growth patterns, patients will require multiple electrolysis sessions in order to fully eliminate unwanted hair growth.
Getting Started
Do-it-yourself devices can provide an affordable option for people who don’t want to make the trip or spend the time going to an electrologist, with results lasting for months if used regularly. They are small enough for use on facial areas like eyebrows and are specifically designed to target thin hairs like eyebrows. These devices work by sending a needle into each hair follicle and firing an electric current through it; killing each hair follicle takes 20 seconds per individual follicle!
Electrolysis is an effective, long-term hair removal option suitable for all skin tones. While electrolysis takes more time and costs more than temporary methods, electrolysis offers long-term hair loss for those looking for long-term solutions to unwanted hair removal.
Before booking an appointment with any provider, it is wise to conduct some preliminary research on them. Get recommendations from friends and family as well as healthcare providers; inspect the practice carefully for cleanliness and hygiene; make sure the practitioner uses needle electrolysis rather than photoepilators which don’t work as effectively;
Before scheduling your initial treatment session with electrolysis, check with the practitioner to understand any special guidelines they require of you. For instance, some practitioners suggest waiting a certain period before shaving or tweezing prior to an electrolysis appointment; hair must be at least 1/4-inch long for electrolysis to work; as such it might be beneficial to trim body or facial hair using scissors or bikini trimmers prior to your appointment.
Be ready for an hour-plus appointment when you come for your session of IPL hair removal. Although not as fast as laser, this treatment does work to remove each individual follicle at its source and stop future growth.
Once a treatment has been administered, it’s wise to avoid direct sunlight or tanning beds for at least several days after. You may experience some redness or swelling after your session; this should diminish quickly with time. Applying cold compresses or moisturizing cream can provide temporary relief if any discomfort occurs.
Post-Treatment Care
Professional electrolysis is the only permanent method of hair removal, making it more effective than temporary techniques such as waxing, tweezing or shaving. But due to being labor intensive and time consuming, electrolysis may also be costly. Therefore it is wise to seek recommendations from friends or family before beginning treatments at one of many places that offer free consultations – take advantage of it and ask as many questions as necessary regarding sterilization procedures and ensure each time an electrologist uses a fresh pre-sterilized probe!
After treatment, it is common for a small scab to form at the opening of your hair follicles. This does not indicate that it did not work; rather it indicates your body protecting its healing process. Do not pick or scratch at it; rather keep the area clean and apply a triple antibiotic ointment designed specifically for use on skin (available at most drugstores).
Your scab may fall off on its own in one or two days; if not, gently peel it away using your fingernail – being careful not to pull too hard as this could break blood vessels that surround it and break off! If the scab still remains, covering it with gauze should help. Make sure that after electrolysis the skin remains protected from UV radiation exposure to avoid hyper-pigmentation (darker pigment spots on skin).
Once treatment is over, aside from minor discomfort, you should be able to resume normal activities immediately following it. However, the area will likely swell the first night and possibly for multiple nights after. To reduce swelling use a cold compress; for more extreme cases consider taking ibuprofen.
As hair grows in cycles, and requires time for each follicle to reach its optimal growth stage before becoming visible again, eradicating unwanted hair may take multiple treatments over a period of months or years in any given area.
