HairFire: Electrolysis At It’s Hottest

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.