Electrolysis: A Permanent Choice for Hair Removal

By Tamra Cantar

Truths and Myths about Electrolysis

Both the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) and the AMA (American Medical Association) acknowledges electrolysis as the best permanent hair removal method.

Three myths about electrolysis are as frivolous as urban legends and must be mentioned:

1. Electrolysis causes no scarring

2. Electrolysis causes no infections

3. Electrolysis causes no lesions

This form of permanent hair-removal has been documented to be satisfactory 90-93 % of the time, as opposed to creams and lotions that are messy and time-consuming, secondly, bleaches containing chemicals that only disguise hair and can injure the skin, and lastly, hot-waxing that is acutely painful and leaves contusions probably leading to infections with permanent scarring on the surface of the delicate skin. Moreover the use of hot waxing is prohibited on the face.

Electrolysis needs to be done by skilful hands of a well-trained professional to achieve the most successful objective. However, a leading professional can guide and supervise the handling of the hi-tech probe. This delicate and dainty probe, thin as hair, is interjected to the individual hair follicle and an electrical charge is administered; the probe with the electrical charge incapacitates the hair follicle and prohibits growth. Hair will no longer grow.

However, there are extremely or unusually sensitive individuals that might experience pain with electrolysis. They need to take pain-medication to tolerate the discomfort and/or pain at the time of the insertion of the probe and the reaction to the electrical charge. To reiterate most people feel no discomfort and/or pain.

Monetary expenditure is an important consideration. Inexpensive electrologists with minimal training and skill can harm you more than it is worth the savings. Treatments to be administered to any part of your body must be by the most capable and best trained professionals. A single session of electrical hair removal may cost $150-175 albeit more advanced processes and a greater the area on the body could come to be approximately $2,000-20,000.

If you consider removing hair permanently from a large section of your body the procedure can be long and tedious; every individual hair follicle must be eradicated and it is a mathematical configuration as to the time-element and cost that is necessary to clear away thousands of roots of hair.

A Hlarge area of your body is extremely difficult from which to eradicate hair permanently; there are a great many variables. It is dependent on the personal characteristics of each follicle and the amount of depilation (hair removal) you want to be done. It is impossible to estimate accurately the rate of re-growth; though the large majority of costumers are satisfied with the results; published studies show that about 8-9% are not pleased. It is impossible to guarantee absolute success with no re-growth at all; anyone that claims 100% success is not to be trusted.

One of the most challenging feats is to find trustworthy and accomplished professionals; regulations vary state by state and so it is difficult to find any kind of true and tried health professional such as a dentist or doctor, or for that matter an electrologist. It is a matter of trial and error and/or asking friends and neighbours for advice and reference.

Without a long-term commitment you can test and try for the best result and then proceed to enter into a large project. You must trust and find the one elecrologist that is capable and professionally accomplished; alas, poor application can cause the hair partially and/or fully to re-grow after the investment of cost and hope and effort. Mistreatment can spread infection and precipitate lasting harm to your skin. However, applied with skill and experience electrolysis shouldn’t even puncture the skin

The “home electrolysis kits” that look like mechanical pencils with a 9-volt battery available to the public are almost never recommended; with such “kits” the chances of success are much less while all the risks are increased. The following scientific knowledge will facilitate your search for a registered, state-licensed hair removal professional.

There are three different types of energy used in electrolysis. Galvanic alters the salt and water in the skin around the probe to produce sodium hydroxide, or lye, which cause the damage to the hair follicles prohibiting re-growth. Thermolysis works by vibrating the water in your skin, and heating it until the cell is damaged. Blend is a kind of hybrid of these, which heats the lye to make it more caustic; this is probably the most effective method and it is most deserving of accomplishment by the right professional. Smart customers do not rush into bad situations without thorough search and do not end up with bad consequences. The following are the most trustworthy organizations for reference and advice:

AEA (American Electrology Association)

IGPE (International Guild of Professional Electrologists)

SCME (Society of Clinical and Medical Electrologists)

ESNE (Electrolysis Society of the Northeast)

IBE (International Board of Electrologists)

COPE (Canadian Organization of Professional Electrologists)

About the Author

Tamra Cantar is a freelance writer on topics of interest and has a website dedicated to providing the visitor with useful information and resources for hair removal. Visit GoHairRemoval.com for more information on waxing and other hair removal techniques.