Laser hair removal or electrolysis: pros and cons of procedures

Brief information about electrolysis

In order to understand why this method is attractive, let’s take a brief look at what electrolysis is, reviews of which are increasingly appearing on the Internet.

What is electrolysis?

According to Wikipedia, the word " electrolysis"

consists of two bases: from the Latin “pilus” - hair and the ancient Greek “electrolysis” - destruction by electrolysis.
That is, electrolysis is the destruction of the hair follicle by electric current.

How does this happen?

A thin needle is inserted directly under the hair follicle. It is connected to a drug that delivers a current of the required frequency in order to destroy the follicle. A needle is inserted under each hair, so electrolysis, reviews often talk about this, the method is effective, but gradual, quite painful and lengthy

by time.

On what areas can electrolysis be performed?

This procedure for killing the hair root, which results in the hair not growing back, is suitable for almost everyone who wants to get rid of the problem forever.

Using this procedure, hair is removed from almost any area where you wish:

• electrolysis of the armpits and electrolysis of the bikini area
  - reviews show that these are the parts of the body where women would like to remove hair most often;
• electrolysis on the face
  , reviews indicate that women resort to hair removal services by electrolysis above the upper lip (mustache), on the chin, and cheeks.
• less popular, compared to bikini, armpit and facial hair removal, is electrolysis on the legs, buttocks, thighs, abdomen and chest.

In fact, you can get rid of hair on any part of the body using a method such as electrolysis: reviews often say that this procedure has no contraindications

by skin color and type, hair structure. But this method still has its limitations.

Advantages and disadvantages

The technique has the following advantages:

• the use of several types of lasers of different powers allows you to effectively treat the required area of ​​skin;
• safety for health and skin in case of professionalism of a specialist and high-quality equipment;
• minimum pain;
• longer lasting results than with photo hair removal;
• absence of ingrown hairs and skin redness;
• affordable price.

Disadvantages include:

• limited options regarding hair color;
• Often, in order to reduce the cost of the procedure, low-quality Chinese-made equipment is installed in salons, which can harm the patient’s health;
• the need to grow hairs of a certain length;
• does not involve permanent hair removal;
• the need to repeat hair removal to maintain the effect;
• insufficient knowledge of the method;
• risk of burns if the procedure is not performed correctly.

Electrolysis

Contraindications for carrying out

Very often you can find information that in this way you can permanently get rid of increased hairiness in women caused by hormonal changes in the body, we talked about this earlier on the site. This is not entirely true.

You can partially solve this problem, but you still won’t be able to completely remove the hair:

New bulbs will appear, and hair will grow from them.

They may not be as thick as before removal, but in order to eliminate them completely, you need to normalize hormonal levels

, which caused their appearance.

“I am a brunette and suffer from increased hairiness caused by excess testosterone. Electrolysis on the face - reviews say that you can get rid of this problem using this method - seemed to me the most suitable option. But the salon I went to said that we wouldn’t get 100% results.

, since electrolysis does not solve hormonal medical problems and is indicated primarily as a cosmetic procedure. Christina".

In addition to the fact that electrolysis will not completely solve the problem of excess hair caused by hormonal imbalances, it is recommended to avoid it:

• people whose skin is prone to the appearance of keloid and hypertrophic scars and scars;
• those who have acute skin diseases;
• women during pregnancy and lactation;
• those who have malignant tumors, as well as people with certain stages of diabetes;
• if the client has hypertension and ischemic disease, including the presence of pacemakers;
• patients with varicose veins, if doing electrolysis of the legs;
• dental pins and orthopedic endoprostheses - that is, all those items that contain metal;
• an intrauterine device is a contraindication for electrolysis of a deep bikini, etc.

In case of increased sensitivity of human skin to current,

he may experience undesirable results from hair removal using a method such as electrolysis, reviews from those who have negative side effects include:

“I had a side effect called pigmentation. The spots did not appear immediately, but after 3 sessions and have not gone away for several months. I am prone to age spots, and exposing my skin to electric current only worsened a long-standing problem. Natalia"

In addition to the appearance of dyschromia (color changes in certain areas of the skin), electrolysis can cause skin diseases: hair begins to grow inward

, as well as in case of violation of sanitary standards (unsterile needles, work without gloves, etc.), a serious infection may occur.

Precautionary measures

Laser hair removal 10-15 years ago often led to irritation and minor burns due to the lack of cryo-effect on the depilation area and the instability of the laser beam. Now these problems have been solved - during the session, patients do not feel even the slightest pain thanks to the special cooling effect. There may be minor discomfort in the treated area, manifested by a slight tingling sensation. Cosmetologists suggest the use of local anesthetics for people with low pain levels.

Urologists do not recommend laser hair removal in the scrotum area - due to pain stress, fertility and sperm production decrease for 2-3 weeks ().

Electrolysis: reviews - what should you pay attention to?

Let's figure out what electrolysis on the body is; reviews of those who have done it will help us with this.

“I want to share with you how I learned and tested for myself what electrolysis is - my friend’s reviews advised me to go to the salon to remove my hair forever. Today I am already going through the 7th procedure. I feel bad about quitting, but the amount of hair is not decreasing! I hate to continue. Do you know why? Because I see what the master is doing wrong. She pokes the needle at me not directly under the bulb, but next to it. Then the hair is simply pulled out by the roots. Even I understand that he will grow over time. I talked to her, but, as they say, you can’t jump over your head. Thus, part of the bulbs is destroyed - sometimes it gets caught, and the needle ends up right under the bulb, and part is simply pulled out. So my first and most important advice is to look for a good master!

Tatiana".

It was not for nothing that we started the reviews about electrolysis with a negative one, because Tatyana correctly noted that the result of the procedure largely depends on the experience of the specialist, his ability to accurately insert a needle under the bulb and deliver a current discharge at the right moment. Reviews from those who have done electrolysis on the body say that a lot depends on the sensitivity of the pain threshold, on the specialist, on pain relief

and on some other factors, which we will discuss below:

Master

The master must work with gloves and master the technology: quickly move the needle under the skin and shock it directly into the hair, and not next to it.

How will you notice this? The needle enters next to the hair, and when a current passes through it, it seems to jump, the master must grab it with tweezers and remove it. If you see him tearing it out, it’s better to refuse the service, so as not to write something like this in your reviews:

“I found out what electrolysis of antennae is, the reviews that were on the clinic’s website inspired me. Let me tell you straight away - this is complete nonsense.

. The hair just pulls out and then grows back as before. Olga Petrovna."

To choose a specialist, read reviews on local forums, ask friends, and do not blindly trust information about electrolysis on websites. As a rule, they are written to order.

Disposable needles for electrolysis

“My master immediately warned that one needle, as they promise in some salons, will never be enough for the whole body.

And the fact that they wipe with alcohol and this is enough for safety is complete nonsense. For each session I bought a disposable needle, it costs about 100 rubles. Make sure that the sterile packaging is opened in front of you. Sveta".

Anesthesia

The master must calculate the amount of painkiller,

based on your weight. The calculation is as follows: 1 ampoule per 15 kg of weight. If the dose is exceeded, the consequences include weakness and dizziness, as well as possible scars at the site of electrolysis.

• “After electrolysis, hair appeared 3 days later than after waxing. I believe that the pain I had to endure is not worth the money or time. Dasha R."
• “Since I have a very low pain threshold,
  I myself asked to be injected with a large dose. I didn't feel anything. Wonderful! - many will say. But it turned out the other way around. The current strength was high (it was around 5.5), first red spots appeared, then a crust, and then scars. It's hard to get rid of them. Maria".

From the review it follows that, no matter how much you would like to, you will have to endure it (after all, the body is penetrated by a discharge of current), and in no case rush to administer the largest dose.

The master must see what current strength is enough to carry out electrolysis; reviews say that some do without pain relief at all, but in such sensitive areas as the
bikini area, armpits, face,
lidocaine or another drug is still used.

General operating principle

In general terms, electrolysis of the bikini area can be characterized as the complete destruction of vegetation on the pubis, labia and perineum using electric current for a long period of time or on a permanent basis. This technique has a large number of directions, each of which is characterized by certain features. Moreover, almost all of them have common qualities:

• The effect of electric current directly on the follicles and its destruction by increasing the local temperature.
• Possibility of influencing hair of any type and color.
• The need for a course of manipulations to achieve a 100 percent result.
• Electrical treatment is carried out when the hair length reaches about 2.5-5 mm.

Electrolysis of the bikini area: reviews

Electrolysis of the bikini area, reviews of which can be found, both positive and negative, are divided into the following types:

Electrolysis along the edges of panties

(simple bikini) - tiny panties are put on and hair is removed from them.

Deep bikini

– complete electrolysis of the entire groin and pubic area.

• “Electrolysis of the deep bikini area, reviews of which can most often be found on forums, has personally lasted for more than 2 years for me.
  Now I go once every 3 months. The very first time it took me two sessions of 3 hours each, now it’s 20 – 30 minutes. The master says that I have about six months left to get rid of hair in such an intimate area. By the way, a minute of work when I started cost about 19 rubles, now it’s 15. Kralya.”
• “ The duration of the session depends on the amount of hair.
  Well, definitely not 1 or 2. Each time there are fewer and fewer of them, so the time is reduced, and therefore the cost for the service is also reduced.
  I was very hurt. Lidocaine works for about 20 minutes. At first I went to the office once every month and a half, then less and less. And this continues for 2 years. But it's worth it!!! By the way, it is important that if you decide to get rid of hair by electrolysis, then it is not recommended to use anything else (neither creams, nor razors, nor epilators)!
  That's the trouble. But, if it just grows back, you can immediately go and remove it. Polly".
• “I did legs and a deep bikini for several years. It took so long because my hair is thick and my roots are deep.
  I’ll say three words: everything was expensive, long and painful for me. But the result!!! I've been walking around as happy as an elephant for several years now. I forgot about wax, machines and other items. If you have a good master and the means, don’t hesitate. It's worth it. Kate".

The electrolysis hair removal procedure, reviews of which you will find, is the longest time-consuming of all existing hair removal methods.

Why can’t you get rid of hair in one procedure?

Rehabilitation period

Despite the high level of pain, the time required for skin recovery is almost minimal. To consolidate the results obtained and reduce side effects, you should refrain from:

• taking hormonal medications;
• sunbathing (both natural and artificial);
• swimming in a pool or open water;
• mechanical impact on the treated area;
• any water treatments (the first day after treatment);
• active physical activity.

On average, the duration of the rehabilitation period is approximately 7 – 10 days. During the specified period of time, it will be necessary to treat the skin with antiseptic compounds (about 5 times per day). In addition, the problem area should be treated with a wound healing agent several times a day.

How long does it take?

All hair on our body has different growth phases. In order not to aggravate the anatomy, let's say figuratively: hair can be in the growth stage - anagenesis

and in the resting stage -
telogenesis.
So, removing and destroying the hair follicle - and this is precisely what the process of electrolysis consists of - is possible only at the stage of its active growth.

Therefore, during electrolysis it is simply impossible to destroy all the bulbs, since some of them are dormant, and some are actively growing.

Hairs need to be removed systematically

to get into the right phase. The total time it takes to completely get rid of hair will depend on several factors:

• The size of the body area from which hair needs to be removed;
• Hair growth cycle;
• Hair structure (density, texture, existence of curved hair follicles);
• Systematicity;
• Experience of the master;
• Age;
• The reason for the appearance of excess hair.

If you find a good master, then a noticeable improvement occurs after the first procedures. Next, a lot depends on your patience: the main thing is to realize that this procedure lasts not a month or two, but several years. you will get rid of hair

“It all depends on the area of ​​the area and the amount of hair. The first session on one armpit took me 1.5 hours. Now, almost a year later, it takes 15 minutes for both. I do it once every month and a half. The master also said that a lot depends on how you removed your hair before. The longer you shaved them, tugged

etc., the longer electrolysis will continue. Verochka."

As you can see, this is a very long and quite painful procedure - electrolysis; reviews from some women say that they have been achieving their goal for 6 years!

It all starts from the armpit or bikini area, and gradually other areas are affected: there comes a natural desire to completely get rid of hair on all areas of the skin where it is undesirable.

Electrolysis on the face: reviews

The face area is a very sensitive area for electrolysis - reviews advise being careful with this area. It cannot be anesthetized with lidocaine.

But Emla ointment is suitable for this.

It is often sold by the craftsmen themselves. You can buy it and take it with you every time you go to your next session.

Although, if you believe the reviews, the ointment is not suitable for everyone, so many, given that electrolysis in the facial area is carried out with minimal current, decide to undergo the procedure without pain relief.

• “I remove mustaches with electrolysis. I apply Emla ointment to the area, the technician covers everything on top with a special film (like cling film). After 20 minutes it’s already working. I stand it for about 30 – 40 minutes. Hair is removed at a minimum current frequency to avoid scarring. After the procedure there are small red dots. Ella".
• “My sister is a dentist. I'm lucky that her office and the cosmetologist's office are in the same building. She injects lidocaine into my upper lip. They were taught how to do it so as not to hurt the nerve, and my antennae are removed with almost no pain. I'm pleased with the result. I’m getting ready to have electrolysis of my armpits, my sister’s reviews are inspiring. Marina".

Electrolysis: reviews of the consequences

Electrolysis is one of the safest types of hair removal, but it has its own consequences.

Red dots

The very first of them is red dots on the body. First, after the procedure, redness appears, then the area becomes covered with a crust, after which there are red marks. They go away after 2 weeks, and white dots form in their place. They last a long time, but disappear over time, if electrolysis is carried out correctly, reviews of the consequences can be found as follows:

• “After electrolysis, there was a slight redness in the bikini area.
  “It doesn’t happen without this,” my master told me. After all, a current was introduced there. Immediately after the session, panthenol is applied to the skin, and in some salons, boric alcohol and baby powder are applied. You can’t wet it with water for 3 days, and then the dots are scabbed over. The main thing is not to rip them off, otherwise the scars will remain for life. Princess".
• “They did my armpits. There were never any stains. Katerina."
• “I’m getting irritated with the powder. But the simplest ointment “Rescuer”
  perfectly relieved the redness. Helen."
• “When I hear that after electrolysis there should be no spots left, it makes me laugh. Current means they give you little, and you can remove hair this way for the rest of your life. By the way, after anesthesia with lidocaine (subcutaneously), I don’t feel the needle being inserted at all, but I hear the electric shock. Or maybe I’m just tuning in to hear it after the device clicks. My spots go away in 2, maximum 3 weeks.
  Now my legs are smooth, no scars or scars. And at the last session they spent only 7 minutes on me to remove the residue. Maryana."

Scarring

If the specialist incorrectly calculated the current strength, or your skin is prone to scarring, or you do not care for it well after electrolysis (for example, you rip off spots), then scars may appear.

Let us remind you once again that it is better not to perform complete anesthesia; you should feel the strength of the current. Otherwise, there is a big risk that the master will not calculate and will give more tension than you should.

Also, you should not apply minimal tension in the bikini area, armpits, or legs. The current should still “kill” and not injure the bulb. Most often, when electrolysis is performed, reviews confirm this, the pointer on the device is at 4 - 4.5,

and when facial electrolysis is performed, reviews say that the current strength is generally minimal, but you still feel the shock.

Itching

After the first sessions of electrolysis, when a significant part of the hair is removed, the body itches.

Everything is explained by the fact that there are many wounds, and they heal. If you scratch them, it will take a long time to heal. It is possible that scars will remain again. So hold back.

Side effects

Bikini hair removal using electric current quite often provokes certain complications that begin to appear almost immediately, even during the procedure. They persist for approximately 3–4 days, then gradually disappear. Most often, such side effects occur in:

• redness or severe pallor of the skin;
• swelling;
• pain and itching;
• inflammation;
• formation of crusts on the skin;
• disruption of pigmentation processes;
• burns;
• hemorrhages.