Is Laser Hair Removal Or Electrolysis Better

Is Laser Hair Removal Or Electrolysis Better

Which Is Better: Laser or Electrolysis for Hair Removal? There is a wide variety of opinion regarding which of these two therapies is best. Laser hair removal is preferred by some because it is less painful than waxing and electrolysis and can be done at home. Some may find that electrolysis is the best option because it permanently removes hair, unlike laser treatments.

Laser hair removal has gotten some bad press lately. With websites claiming that it may not work, or that the pain will be unbearable, you may want to ask yourself if laser hair removal is for you. But before you decide, let’s take a closer look at laser hair removal and see if this revolutionary technology can deliver the results you want. Read on to learn more on electrolysis hair removal and electrolysis hair removal side effects.

Is Laser Hair Removal Or Electrolysis Better

Laser hair removal uses mild radiation via high-heat lasers. The purpose is to damage hair follicles enough to significantly slow down hair growth. Although the effects last longer than home hair removal methods, such as shaving, laser therapy doesn’t create permanent results. You’ll have to receive multiple treatments for long-term hair removal.

Benefits

Laser hair removal may be done just about anywhere on the face and body, except your eye area. This makes the procedure versatile in its uses.

There is also little-to-no recovery time involved. You can resume your normal activities after each procedure.

Although new hairs may still grow, you’ll notice that they grow in finer and lighter in color than before. This means that when there is regrowth it won’t look as heavy as before.

This procedure tends to work best if you have both fair skin and dark hair.

Side effects and risks

Side effects of laser hair removal may include:

• blisters
• inflammation
• swelling
• irritation
• pigmentation changes (usually light patches on darker skin)
• redness
• swelling

Minor side effects like irritation and redness tend to go away within a few hours of the procedure. Any symptoms that last longer than that ought to be addressed with your doctor.

Scars and changes to skin texture are rare side effects.

You can minimize the risk of side effects and permanent skin damage by making sure you seek treatment from a board-certified dermatologist only. Salons and at-home laser removal aren’t recommended.

What to expect from electrolysis

Electrolysis is another type of hair removal technique that is done by a dermatologist. It also disrupts hair growth. The process works by inserting an epilator device into the skin. It uses shortwave radio frequencies in hair follicles to stop new hair from growing. This damages your hair follicles to prevent growth and causes existing hairs to fall out. However, you’ll still need multiple follow-up appointments for the best results.

Unlike laser hair removal, electrolysis is backed by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)Trusted Source as a permanent solution.

Benefits

In addition to producing more permanent results, electrolysis is extremely versatile. It can help inhibit new hair growth for all skin and hair types. Electrolysis may also be used anywhere on the body, including the eyebrows.

Side effects and risks

Minor side effects are common, but they tend to go away within a day. The most common symptom is slight redness from skin irritation. Pain and swelling are rare.

Possible severe side effects include infection from unsterile needles used during the procedure, as well as scars. Seeing a board-certified dermatologist can minimize the risks.

Which is best?

Laser therapy and electrolysis both produce longer-lasting effects compared to shaving. But electrolysis seems to work the best. The results are more permanent. Electrolysis also carries fewer risks and side effects, and you don’t need the maintenance treatments required for laser hair removal.

The downside is that electrolysis must be spread out over more sessions. It can’t cover large areas at once like laser hair removal can. Your choice may depend on how quickly you want to achieve short-term hair removal.

Also, doing one procedure and then the other isn’t a good idea. For example, getting electrolysis done after laser hair removal disrupts the effects of the first procedure. Do your homework ahead of time and talk to your dermatologist about the best option. If you decide to switch hair removal procedures, you may need to wait several months before beginning.

Electrolysis Hair Removal Side Effects

Most side effects of electrolysis are mild but may include redness, swelling, blisters, scabs, dryness, and ingrown hairs. The commonest complication of the electrolysis is the skin edema. After treatment, your skin may be red, swollen (inflamed), and tender. These are temporary side effects.

• Scabbing –  occasionally scabs may form as part of the healing process. This is slightly more likely on the body than the face but does apply to both. Check the scabs are not elongated in shape as this could indicate that the needle has been laid down across the skins surface. It is most important that the client understands that she must not remove the scabs that form, to do so would, impede healing and may result in hypo pigmentation (reduced colour) especially where treating an Afro Caribbean or Asian Skin.
• Blanching/ burning – is a complication of Thermolysis, Occurring immediately with the appearance of a white ring on the surface of the skin, it may be accompanied by a sizzling sound as the current is discharged. This should NOT occur and would indicate inaccurate probing, too shallow insertion or too high a current. Do not confuse blanching with the frothing that may occur when applying the Blend or Galvanic methods which is completely safe as there is no heat involved.
• Excessive erythema (redness of skin) – If the treated area is very red then it may indicate an allergic reaction, over treatment has occurred, a different method may be advisable, or that the skin is more sensitive than first thought. One should change the type of needle or reduce the current settings, treatment duration or space out ( spacing of insertions) the electrolysis area to reduce redness. 
• Excessive swelling – indicates possible over treatment.
• Scarring – Not immediately obvious scarring can take weeks or months to materialize. This is the most common side effect or complication of thermolysis. Scarring does not occur with galvanic technique as there is no heat involved to cause damage to skin leading to scar. Pit mark or ice pick scars will usually be the result of continuously applied poor techniques of thermolysis.
• Electrolysis can cause scarring, keloid scars, and changes in skin color of the treated skin in some people. (See contra-indications of Electrolysis)
• Poorly performed electrolysis hair removal can cause long-term skin damage and can also spread infections. (See Contra-indications of Electrolysis)

Other Disadvantages of Electrolysis

Electrolysis has some drawbacks and limitations which is inherent with the technique. some of the problems are

• Painful – Most people experience some degree of pain with electrolysis, as a fine needle or probe is inserted into each hair follicle to destroy it. The degree varies depending on individual skin sensitivity, area of body being treated, personal pain threshold, and hair quality in that body area. Some people feel a mild heat sensation, and some experience a plucking or tweezing-like pain. The pain at Reyuva Hair Electrolysis center is minimized by infiltration of local anaesthetic which makes the use of Electrolysis for hair removal comfortable.
• Time-Consuming and Tedious Method of Hair-Removal – Electrolysis is the most time consuming method of hair removal. Hair removal from large body areas may take even a couple of years to be completed. Therefore, electrolysis is considered best for removing hair from smaller areas like the face, bikini line, or where they are not so dense. The time required for removing hair varies, depending on several factors like size of the area, thickness of hair, hair density, current stage of growth cycle of the hair, previous hair-removal methods used for that body area and the responsiveness of your skin to treatment.  Electrolysis typically needs a number of sessions or sittings, each lasting from 45 minutes to an hour, even for hair to be removed from a small body area. You must be aware of this fact before choosing electrolysis, that it does not yield instant results. It will require considerable patience on your part to get the results you wish for. But, given the benefit of getting rid of the hassle of hair-removal forever, this may seem only a small amount of trouble, especially if your body hair is causing you much distress!
• Skin Reaction- Redness, Swelling, Scabs, Infection, Scarring – Hair removal by electrolysis does cause minor redness, swelling, dryness, blisters or even scab formation in the skin immediately after treatment, depending on the skin sensitivity, quality of equipment used, strength of current used (high currents have a higher chance of scabs and scarring) and coarseness of hair. The skin on the upper lip and bikini line are especially sensitive. Most of this subsides and resolves on its own within the next few days. It is advised not to scratch the scabs that form on the skin after electrolysis as these will fall off within few days without any visible mark, but if scratched it can lead to scarring. There is no documented evidence of the relation between electrolysis and ingrown hair.
• Cost of Electrolysis – Although, if compared with other hair-removal methods used over a lifetime, electrolysis is relatively less expensive, but, the affordability of the treatment may be a concern for many people due to its long duration and requirement of a number of costly sessions in continuation.
• Recurrence of hair after electrolysis – in some cases there is recurrence of hairs after electrolysis. More common after thermolysis. In some studies the efficacy of thermolysis technique is around 10% (that means 90% of the hairs removed are going to come back). There are various reasons for the recurrence after thermolysis, one being that the hair bulge (containing the stem cells responsible for hair regrowth) is not destroyed. The other reason being in-accurate insertions in thermolysis (which limitation is largely overcome in galvanic technique). That is why even if there is inaccurate insertions in galvanic technique, the lye (soda or NaOH) formed still destroys the hair follicle with it’s hair bulge (containing stem cells), that is why the galvanic technique has hair clearance rate of 90 to 100%. Below is the diagram of in-accurate insertions that can occur during electrolysis.

Before the procedure, your dermatologist may apply an analgesic ointment to minimize pain. If you still experience pain, talk to your doctor about taking over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. You doctor may also prescribe a steroid cream for severe pain.

Common symptoms, such as redness and swelling, may be relieved by applying ice or a cold compress to the affected area.

Laser hair removal disables hair growth — rather than removing hairs — so you’ll need follow-up treatments. Regular maintenance treatments will also extend the results.

You’ll also want to minimize your sun exposure after each laser hair removal, especially during peak daylight hours. Increased sun sensitivity from the procedure puts you at risk of sunburn. Make sure you wear sunscreen every day. The Mayo Clinic also recommends staying out of direct sunlight for six weeks before laser hair removal to prevent pigmentation disruptions on tanned skin.

Follow-up appointments are essential to this type of treatment. According to the Mayo Clinic, most people need a follow-up treatment every six weeks, up to six times. This helps to stop hair growth after the initial laser hair removal session. After this point, you’ll also need to see your dermatologist for a maintenance appointment. You could do this once or twice a year depending on your needs. And you can shave in between appointments.

Costs

Laser hair removal is considered an optional cosmetic procedure, so it isn’t covered by insurance. The overall cost varies based on how many sessions you need. You can also talk to your dermatologist about a payment plan.

Although at-home laser hair treatment might be appealing in terms of cost, it’s not proven to be safe or effective.

Electrolysis Hair Removal

What is electrolysis? Electrolysis is a hair removal treatment. A trained electrologist inserts a thin wire into the hair follicle under the surface of the skin. An electric current moves down the wire to the bottom of the follicle, destroying the hair root

The results of electrolysis are touted as being permanent because of hair follicle destruction. In theory, having damaged hair follicles means that no new hairs are able to grow.

Electrolysis has been around for more than 100 years. It was first invented to remove irritating ingrown eyelash hairs. Electrolysis is the only FDA-approved method for permanent hair removal.

Who needs electrolysis?

Hair growth is normal and often desirable. But sometimes people want electrolysis because they:

• Are unhappy about where hair grows (for example, between the eyebrows, on the upper lip or on the breasts).
• Have hirsutism, which is excessive hair growth.
• Are gender transitioning.

What parts of the body can electrolysis treat?

Electrolysis can treat most areas of the body, including the:

• Back.
• Bikini line, thighs and lower legs.
• Breasts and abdomen.
• Face, including lip, chin and eyebrows.
• Fingers and toes.
• Underarms.

What causes unwanted hair growth?

Causes of extra hair growth include:

• Heredity issues (genetics can influence whether you have a lot of body hair or not).
• Hormone levels, such as high levels of androgens (male hormones).
• Certain drugs, such as some steroids.
• Certain illnesses, such as polycystic ovary syndrome.

PROCEDURE DETAILS

What device is used during electrolysis?

Medical electrolysis devices are called epilators. They destroy the growth center of the hair using an electric current.

What happens during electrolysis?

Electrologists use a thin needle, which is often even finer than the hair. They insert the needle into the opening of the hair follicle. A small electrical current destroys the hair growth cells. The skin where the needle enters may feel temporarily hot or like a pinch.

How many electrolysis treatments will I need?

You will need several appointments. The number of sessions needed to achieve permanent hair removal differs from person to person. Typically, you need an appointment every week or every other week. The appointments can last for up to a year and a half.

Treatment length depends on several factors, including the body area and the type of hair growing there. If you’re treating a larger area, or an area with coarse hair, you’ll need more treatments.

Why do I need so many electrolysis treatments?

Hairs have different growth cycles. Your hair follicle produces hair and discards it through shedding. This hair production cycle is a process of growth, rest and replacement. Individual hairs are in different phases of this cycle. More than one treatment catches the hairs at the right point in the cycle to destroy them.

How long does electrolysis treatment last?

An electrolysis treatment lasts anywhere between 15 minutes and one hour.

What do I need to know after the procedure?

For the first 24 hours after your treatment, try to avoid activities that may irritate the hair follicles, including:

• Anything that causes sweating.
• Tanning.
• Staying out in the sun.
• Applying makeup.

What is the advantage of electrolysis?

Many people experience permanent hair removal after finishing electrolysis treatments. Also, electrolysis works with the widest range of skin and hair types. It’s good for sensitive areas of the body, like the face or bikini line. The main disadvantage to electrolysis is the length of time needed to achieve permanent hair removal.

Are there any risks or complications of electrolysis?

Electrolysis is very safe. Very slight risks of infection (from an unsterile needle) or scarring exist if the electrolysis is not done correctly. These risks are very low if you choose a certified, professional electrolysis practice.

You may have a slight reddening of the skin during or right after treatment. It’s very short-lived. People with darker skin may have temporary dark spots on their skin. The spots fade over time, so don’t use bleaching cream on them.