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How Electrolysis Works
The practice of using electrolysis for hair removal started in the 19th century, which was more traumatic and resembled torture by electricity at that time. But over the years, the procedure has been modernized and is now less painful and more effective. Today, electrolysis is the only method that provides permanent hair removal, but multiple sessions are required.
There are three types of electrolysis: Galvanic, Thermal (also known as Thermolysis), and Blend.
Galvanic electrolysis is the oldest method, where a needle is inserted into the hair follicle and a constant electric current creates an alkaline environment that destroys the cells. This chemical reaction takes 15 seconds to 3 minutes per hair and the needle must remain in the follicle the entire time. Although it’s more effective in removing hair, the severe discomfort and potential for burns from the caustic that forms during the reaction make it rarely used.
Thermal electrolysis, also known as Thermolysis, uses high-frequency alternating current to destroy the hair follicle. A needle is inserted into the hair follicle, which is then destroyed due to the strong heating of the tissues. Modern machines use flash thermolysis that destroys the hair bulb in just one second using a needle with a shell that doesn’t allow heat to dissipate, making it only come out at the tip. This method requires more sessions but is less traumatic, so cosmetologists often use it.
Blend combines electrolysis and thermolysis by heating the caustic formed during electrolysis, which then destroys the follicle. This method is the most convenient as it’s as fast as thermolysis and not as painful as electrolysis.
When Electrolysis is Contraindicated
During electrolysis, the effect is directly on the hair follicle, so skin tone and hair color don’t matter, unlike laser hair removal, where dark hair reacts better to the impact.
This procedure can be used for hair removal on most areas of the face and body, including eyebrows, chin, upper and lower lip, chest, armpits, stomach, bikini line, feet, legs, and back.”
Electroepilation is contraindicated for:
- Skin diseases or damage in the area of epilation.
- Severe diabetes.
- Severe varicose disease.
- Heart diseases and presence of a pacemaker.
- Malignant tumors – requires prior consultation with an oncologist.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding.
For electroepilation using galvanic electrolysis and blend methods, an additional contraindication is an intrauterine spiral, IUD.
Parts of IUDs contain metals, usually copper and gold, which conduct electricity. This may cause discomfort in the pelvic area and the bikini area during the procedure, similar to menstrual cramps. In this case, some clinics may offer thermolysis or refuse the procedure altogether.
A reaction after the first session can also be a contraindication: inflammation or skin irritation in the area of impact, poor healing, and the appearance of scars.
How to choose a salon and master for electrolysis
Find a salon. Electrolysis is a cosmetic procedure that can only be performed at institutions with a license for medical activities.
Pay attention to what the clinic means by “electrolysis.” You may see “electrolysis” advertised, but in reality, hair will be removed using an electric tweezer or photoepilator.
These methods do not remove hair completely: the photoepilator acts on the pigment inside the hair, while the electric tweezer only acts on the part of the hair that is on the surface. The hair follicle is preserved, and hair grows from it again.
In the US, clinics that use electric tweezers are prohibited from claiming in advertisements that this method removes hair permanently. The salon that provides electrolysis services must have a machine with needle electrodes for professional use.
Before the procedure, ask the master or administrator how the needles are sterilized if disposable ones are not used in the facility.
There are no confirmed cases of infection with viral hepatitis or HIV after electrolysis. But the procedure is accompanied by skin damage, so the risk of infection is still present. Therefore, all reusable instruments that come into contact with the skin should be sterilized – depending on the material. Simply wiping them with alcohol is not enough.
Sometimes the master may say that sterilization occurs during the procedure through heating, but this is not the case: only the tip of the needle is heated, and only briefly, which does not meet sterilization standards.
How to prepare for an electrolysis session
Four to five days before the procedure, it is best to shave the area to be treated. It is not recommended to remove hair by other means before the procedure.
The reason for this is that each hair follicle goes through a cycle consisting of three phases. First, the hair grows – this is the anagen phase, then there is an intermediate phase. The third phase is telogen, when hair growth stops temporarily. After that, the cycle repeats.
Research shows that hairs in the telogen phase are more resistant to damage. Therefore, electrolysis is best done on hairs in the anagen phase.
If you shave the hair four to five days before the procedure, there is a greater chance that the hair visible to the master is in the anagen phase. Then electroepilation will be more effective.
Also, electroepilation can lead to an exacerbation of herpes infection in the treatment area. If you are going to remove hair where herpes occasionally occurs, consult a dermatologist and find out if any prevention measures are necessary in your case.
Three days before the procedure, it is necessary to avoid any actions that damage the skin. For example, aggressive cosmetic procedures such as chemical peels should not be done. These can cause irritation on the skin after electrolysis.
On the day of the procedure, take a shower or bath. You can use a mild scrub or a soft brush. After that, do not apply deodorant, perfume, cream or oil to the area to be treated with electrolysis.
Choose comfortable clothing or, if the weather allows, keep the skin exposed so that the hair is in a vertical position. This will make it easier to remove. Additionally, electrolysis dehydrates the skin, so it is important to drink more water than usual on the day of the procedure.
Approximately an hour before the procedure, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever that usually helps you. The master can also numb the area of the skin with a local anesthetic in the office. This will temporarily reduce sensitivity and relax.
The steps involved in the electrolysis process are:
In the clinic, the master will take you to the electrolysis room. There, you will need to bare the area of skin where you want to remove hair.
If you are coming for the procedure for the first time, the master will offer several options for pain relief: using cream or injections of local anesthetics. After this, you will need to wait for the anesthesia to take effect.
When it takes effect, the master will set the necessary parameters on the machine, treat the skin with an alcohol-based antiseptic or a two percent solution of salicylic acid and put on magnifying glasses to see the hair follicle. Then, he will insert a needle and press the pedal. During this, you may feel warmth and a stinging sensation.
The duration of time that the needle stays in the hair follicle depends on the machine and can range from several seconds to three minutes. After this, the master removes the needle and plucks the hair out with tweezers. During the hair removal, you will not feel anything.
The entire electrolysis session can last from ten minutes to several hours, depending on the amount of hair on the treated area. After the procedure, the master will wipe the skin again with a water-based antiseptic.
Which anesthesia to choose for electrolysis
There are two types of anesthesia that can be used before electrolysis: topical, by using a cream, or injectable, using an anesthetic such as articaine. The choice of method depends on the amount of hair and the person’s sensitivity. When it’s the first procedure in the bikini and armpit area, I recommend injectable anesthesia. Later, when there is little hair, there is no point in using anesthesia. But if the pain threshold is low, you can apply topical anesthesia. Also, creams with anesthetics are preferable when epilating large areas of skin, such as legs. Then I recommend my clients apply the cream one to two hours before the procedure at home and wrap it with food wrap. In the office, I remove it myself and immediately start electrolysis. Before using the cream the day before the procedure, it is advisable to try it on a small area of skin and not wash it off for at least four hours to check for any adverse reactions.
Recommendation from expert
The recovery process after electrolysis
After the electrolysis procedure, redness may appear immediately and after the anesthesia wears off – soreness. These usually pass within a few hours.
After the procedure, until the skin recovers, doctors recommend:
- Avoiding physical activity that causes sweating, as sweat will further irritate the skin.
- Not visiting the pool, bathhouse, or sauna.
- Not sunbathing or going to the tanning salon.
- Not applying makeup if electrolysis was done on the face.
How to take care of the skin after electrolysis
Essentially, electrolysis is a burn, so most people will develop scabs after the procedure, and this is normal as it helps the burn heal. Burn wounds do not like moisture, so for the first week, I do not recommend taking a bath, going to a swimming pool or sauna. For skin care, I prescribe products that have a drying effect for at least 3-7 days. The duration of care depends on how many procedures have been done: the longest rehabilitation is after the first two to three procedures. When the scabs dry out and fall off, white spots remain in their place. At this time, I recommend using creams for dry skin to help the wound heal faster. It is also not recommended to sunbathe because the spots may darken and pigmentation may appear, which is difficult to get rid of. In general, I do not recommend starting electrolysis in the summer, the best option is in the fall: less likely to get pigmentation and the skin will be able to recover faster.
Recommendation from expert
How effective is electrolysis?
The number of procedures depends only on the type of growing hair, and the speed of one procedure – on the area and number of hairs on the epilated area. If it is necessary to remove hair from a large area, where coarse hair grows, for example on the shins, then one session will last longer than an hour. It is possible that the master will suggest dividing the zone into two sessions, if the duration of one exceeds three hours.
The master can recommend performing the first procedures with an interval of 30-45 days, so that the skin has time to recover. If the zone is divided into several parts, the interval can be a week. During this time, usually unpleasant sensations from the previous procedure pass. Then hair removal on the next area will be less uncomfortable than the next day, because the master can accidentally touch a painful area.
Then the intervals between sessions can be lengthened. In general, complete hair removal can take up to a year and a half if the procedures are done regularly every month and a half. But in the end, the hair will stop growing altogether.
For most people who have undergone electrolysis within six months, the amount of hair decreases by 75-85%.
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