Hi Y’all,
Some women still swear by razors and shaving cream while others spend hours in close quarters with their tweezers. I guess those can be a quick fix in a bind… Unless you’ve tried laser hair removal and you’re permanently hair free.
But one method of hair removal that I thought was dead and gone is electrolysis.
My mother did some electrolysis in the 1970s and lived to tell the tale, but I remember her complaining about the expense, the pain and the amount of time it took to do a single session. I was actually surprised to find out that electrolysis is still being done… This truly is a method of torture designed for women who think you have to suffer to be beautiful. That’s so 1970.
So here’s the lowdown, electrolysis involves a ‘hair-thin’ metal probe that is slid into each hair follicle, one at a time. Once the probe is inserted, electricity is delivered to the follicle, which causes damage to the area that generates hair. (You don’t have to take my word for it, I got that hair-raising information from www.hairfacts.com) This sounds incredibly painful and totally impractical for large areas like legs, and sensitive areas like bikini and underarms. Laser hair removal is much faster for large areas of the body, which makes it less time consuming, and as a result, less expensive than electrolysis.
There is a tiny silver lining for electrolysis. It seems that it’s somewhat more effective at removing very light and fine red or blonde hairs. But let’s be real here, no one’s running to remove their downy blond hairs or peach fuzz.
Take a look at the hairs beneath this model's lower lip. Electrolysis would be better than laser hair removal at removing these fine blonde hairs.
We need laser so that we never have to shave our legs and under arms again… We need laser so that we don’t get a five o’clock shadow on our upper lip.
Sorry electrolysis… Seems like another one bites the dust!
xxx Laser Gal
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
A note on electrolysis versus laser hair removal: At the bare minimum, if electrolysis is carried out improperly you will probably have partial or full hair regrowth. Badly performed electrolysis causes prolonged skin harm and can additionally spread infections. Be sure your electrologist correctly sterilizes their own equipment. Most unwanted side effects of electrolysis are minor but can include inflammation, swelling, blisters, scabs, dry skin, and ingrown hairs. Redness and swelling may dissipate a few days later. Do not forget – electrolysis hair removing is essentially an invasive process designed to obliterate strands of hair. That’s why most people prefer laser hair removal over electrolysis.
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I think electrolysis has its benefits. Like you said, its good for people with very light or fine hairs or very small areas. I would recommend that people give a laser a try for the first few treatments (since it will likely be cheaper and faster) and then use electrolysis for treatments that aren’t appropriate for laser.
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I had lidocaine shots to deaden/numb my leg/groin and the electrologist worked on my bikini line for two hours at a time. I had thick dark hair that was out of control. Nearly 3 years later, I still have great results. No pain, no scarring, and permanent hair removal. Worked well for me.
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Hey Happy, I heard that a common side effect of electrolysis is the reddening of the skin after treatment, and that sometimes people get, blisters, dryness, scabs, and ingrown hairs. It sounds like none of this happened to you. Is that right?
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There’s something about that lips picture. I can’t stop staring at it.
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