HairFire: Electrolysis At It’s Hottest

One of the first questions people ask about electrolysis is, “How long will it take?”This is not an easy question to answer. It really is different for everyone.

Thanks to the American Electrology Association Convention in 2005, I was able to get a clearer answer to this question.

If 1) the area is cleared at least once a month, 2) your hormones are stable, and 3) you don’t tweeze or wax between appointments…It will take about 1-2 years.

Permanent hair removal begins on the very first treatment.

The length of time it takes to permanently remove hair depends on whether the hair is in the correct stage of the hair cycle. We (Electrologists) want to treat the hair when it is in the “growing” stage. This is the time when the capillaries meet up with the hair follicle. If we catch the hair then, the most damage will occur, and the hair will be permanently removed.

Hair follicles are damaged every time they are treated, but if the hair is in another stage (”resting” or “transition”) , the hair will typically go through a “breaking down process.”

Instead of being permanently removed the first time, the hair may actually come back, but will be thinner/lighter than the time before. It may take 2-3 months for this hair to return after it’s been treated with electrolysis. Over a period of time, the hair will not be able to grow again.

We never know how many hairs will actually be in the “growing” stage before we work on the hair. Most hairs are typically in the “resting” stage. Therefore, it takes time/patience to permanently treat every hair. It is worth it…don’t give up!

Does electrolysis hurt?I’m not going to lie, it isn’t pain-free. It is tolerable, though.

The pain you feel is the sensation of heat released inside the hair follicle for a short period of time, usually less than a second.

Some areas of the body are definitely more sensitive than others, when it comes to pain.

We were taught in school that the closer we (electrologists) worked toward the mid-line (center) of the body, the more uncomfortable electrolysis became. When I say “mid-line,” I mean the vertical imaginary line that runs down between your eyebrows and through your belly-button. For example, the upper lip, right under the nose, is a very sensitive area. Also, around the belly-button and bikini-line can be uncomfortable.

Areas close to bone are more sensitive than areas with more cushion. Fingers, toes, and shins can be more painful than calves and upper thighes.

The more sensitive areas of the body tend to be where more nerves reside. These areas typically have a greater number of pain receptors present in the skin. The pain receptors send signals to the brain informing it about pain. When your brain receives these messages more often, it causes the experience to be less pleasant.

Even though electrolysis is not pain-free, your experience does not have to be pain-full. Most electrologists try to do their best to help you feel comfortable during the appointment. We tend to play relaxing music in the background and/or keep conversation going, so thoughts of pain won’t arise as often.

If the pain is too much to bear, there are other options. Numbing creams can be applied prior to the appointment to help decrease the sensitivity of the pain receptors. I have heard of some people taking pain medication before the appointment. Getting adequate sleep, decreasing your caffiene intake, and reducing the amount of stress in your life can also help reduce the amount of pain you feel while undergoing electrolysis. I also have found that repeated electrolysis visits are more tolerable than the first exposures of electrolysis in most areas.

Hopefully this explanation doesn’t scare you off from experiencing electrolysis for yourself.

Electrolysis is really the only way to remove hair permanently. Sure, it may not be the most comfortable minutes of your day, but once you see results…it’s all worth it.

One of the greatest feelings is to know you don’t have to be concerned about unwanted hair ever again! Electrolysis has the potential to lead you to your more confident and happy self.

Just for your records…tweezing and waxing accomplish the same goal. You’ll end up with more of what you’re trying to get rid of–Hair!

Oh, and another thing. You tweeze hair and pluck feathers!

An easy way to remember this: Tweezers tweeze hair, not pluckers.

 Today, I thought I’d share an insight about the misconceptions of waxing and shaving.

One reason people believe waxing creates less hair is because when the hair finally grows in, it comes in thin and soft. After waxing it may look like you have less hair, but you really don’t.

If you remember, waxing creates an immune response causing more blood to come to the area and sustain more hairs. (Waxing = an increase in the number of course hairs)

Since the whole hair was ripped out with waxing, a new hair must begin to develop. When the hair eventually is exposed, the tip of the hair becomes visible. The tip of a new hair is thinner and softer than a hair that is cut at the surface of the skin. This is why we get confused about the process of waxing.

Please do not wax between electrolysis visits; It counteracts the work that has been done.

When you shave, your hair grows in looking thick and feeling scratchy. Some people believe this means shaving creates more hair. That is false.

The blood supply is not affected when you shave, so the same number of hair/hair follicles are present before and after each shave. (Shaving = no change in the number of hairs)

When you shave, you’re cutting through the shaft of the hair. Unfortunately, this part of the hair has the greatest diameter, so it looks like you are really hairy.

Shaving is the recommended method of temporary hair removal between electrolysis visits, if the need arises.

The greatest lesson I learned from beauty school was actually by the owner a few days before I graduated. I remember going to her office to have her explain to me the truth about waxing. The girls in aesthetics were telling me that waxing reduces the hair on your body, whereas the girls in electrolysis were saying the opposite.

This is what she had to say, and it made total sense.

Electrolysis is permanent hair removal, whereas waxing is temporary.

With electrolysis, the blood supply is cut off from the hair by cauterizing (burning) the follicle. The capillaries withdraw from the area, and there is no longer a surviving hair.

With waxing, the actual yanking/ripping of the hair out of the follicle creates an immune response. The body believes it is injured and sends capillaries to the area to heal itself. Having a surplus of blood is great for hair! More hairs are able to develop, grow, and become thick and strong thanks to the excess nutrients the blood releases to the area.

So there you have it…waxing creates more hair–not less.

There is one catch. Every body has areas known to be more masculine or feminine than others. For instance, the upper lip is an area known to be masculine for hair growth. A feminine area would be eyebrows. Over time, if you wax your upper lip (or masculine area) you will see an increase in thick, coarser hair. Whereas if you wax your eyebrows (a feminine area) for an extended period of time, hair may not grow back.

Since this is a blog about electrolysis, I should probably start out with answering the obvious question, “What is electrolysis?”

First of all, electrolysis is the only method of permanent hair removal. That’s right…permanent!

Here’s a basic explanation of the process:

One hair is treated at a time. A tiny probe is inserted into the hair follicle. Once it reaches the papilla, or base of the hair follicle, a current is applied to damage the follicle.

This damage blocks capillaries/blood from reaching the hair. Blood is important because it provides the necessary nutrients for each hair. Without this nourishment, the hair is unable to grow, become strong, and survive. After the damage has been done, the hair can easily slide out of the follicle.

Electrolysis not only damages the hair that was presently in the follicle, but it also stops the development of new hairs. Without blood, there is no growth.

Makes sense. Electrolysis is permanent hair removal.

This blog is written to inform the public about anything and everything there is to know about hair removal. I want this site to be your #1 source for answers to unanswered questions about the mysteries and secret life of electrolysis.

Not only am I a Licensed Electrologist and a member of the American Electrology Association, I also have degrees in Biology (the study of life) and Physiology (the study of how the body works).

My plan is to reveal embarrassing and private aspects of electrolysis to create a more enticing and comfortable experience for your first session, and your next. Along with interesting stories, I plan to educate the public about what electrolysis is…for real.

I want you to feel comfortable asking questions that you may have been too reserved to ask in the past. This is your chance to be open and to learn.

Discussing hair removal shouldn’t be an uncommon topic. Everyone has hair, and the majority of people in this society have unwanted hair. Why is this topic so secretive? Why does it have to continue to be secretive?