Electrolysis Hair Removal For Long Lasting Results
Discover whether electrolysis hair removal is your best solution. For many people electrolysis gives peremanent hair removal benefit for face and body.
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Getting The Needle... Electrolysis Hair Removal
* How Does Electrolysis Work? Electrolysis hair removal is a procedure for permanent hair removal. It involves the use of a needle (epilator) that directs an electrical current to a single hair follicle at a time. The concept of inserting a needle into hair follicles shouldn't intimidate you. The "needle" is actually a very flexible instrument that never pierces the skin, indeed no tissue breaks or blood typically occurs.
* Professional Skills Required. The electrologist uses a sterilized, disposable probe (filament) to actually penetrate the hair follicle. After the electrical current is applied to the hair follicle, the hair shaft can be removed from the follicle. Hair does not grow back because the hair root (dermal papilla) is permanently destroyed. Patients with light skin or graying/blond hair, who are not good candidates for laser hair removal, may get better results with electrolysis.
* Typical Treatment Plan - Matching Your Hair Growth Cycle. Electrolysis can be time consuming and expensive. In order to achieve permanent hair removal from a forearm, it may take weekly sessions for about one year.
Since hair cycles between active and resting stages, hair from the forearm can be removed in about two months with 8 sessions of electrolysis. Thereafter, when the next wave of resting hairs becomes active, the new active hairs must be treated. The cost of electrolysis ranges between $25 to $150 per hour. At $50 per hour, it would cost approximately $2,500 to achieve permanent hair removal from a single forearm.
* What Will Electrolysis Hair Removal Feel Like? There can be some discomfort with electrolysis but the degree of discomfort is relative to the patient's individual tolerance. The level of electrical current can be adjusted to achieve a painless procedure. By reducing the electrical current, however, there are trade-offs in terms of the length of time to achieve permanent hair removal. The risk of electrical shock only occurs if the probe is improperly inserted into the hair follicle. Other risks include infection from an unsterile needle and scarring resulting from improper electrolysis procedures.
* State Mandated Professional License Required. A majority (31) of states in the US require electrologists to be licensed. There are no national standards for testing electrologists and no uniform standards governing the practice of electrology. There are two oversight organizations that certify electrologists: American Electrology Association and Society of Clinical and Medical Electrologists. Training requirements vary but can require up to 1,000 hours of training.
There are manufacturers, which sell electrolysis products for home use. Home systems work best on areas that are easily accessible. Working on removing facial hair can be tricky, unless a minimal number of hairs are involved.
If the probe is not properly inserted into the hair follicle, there will be no permanent hair removal. The risk of shock is not very high with home use systems because the current is not very high. According to the American Medical Association the success of home use of electrolysis is dependent on the reliability of the equipment used and the level of skill developed.
* Consider Laser Hair Removal Alternative. Laser hair removal is faster than electrolysis (one hour for an entire leg vs. 40 hours with electrolysis) but has not been certified by the FDA as "permanent" hair removal.
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