About Electrolysis

Unwanted hair can be a major problem for some people.  It can undermine self-confidence and make one unsure about their appearance.  At a bare minimum, removing unwanted hair on your own can be time consuming and expensive.  The worst part – it keeps growing back.  With electrolysis, you have a permanent solution.  Electrolysis is the only proven choice for permanent hair removal.

History It was developed in 1875 by Dr. Charles Michel, an ophthalmologist who was experimenting with ways to avoid painful ingrown eyelashes.  He experimented by placing a fine wire which was attached to a battery into the hair follicle and releasing an electrical charge.  The result was that the current destroyed the follicle and prevented hair from growing back.  With this discovery, electrolysis was born.

How It Works An electrolysis treatment involves the insertion of a sterile probe (about the same size as a hair) into the hair follicle opening down to the dermal papilla.  The dermal papilla is the part of the follicle that contains blood and nerves and feeds the growing hair.  If the papilla and the regenerative cells surrounding it are destroyed, the hair follicle will die.  When the probe is in place, a low-level electrical current is applied that will destroy the papilla and surrounding cells and loosen the hair in the follicle.  The hair is then removed.

Many hairs will be eliminated with only one treatment, but some will need two or more treatments to achieve permanence.  Electrolysis involves a series of treatments over a period of time.  The length of time depends on the amount of hair, its coarseness, the cause of the excess hair and many other factors, but once the dermal papilla has been eliminated, the hair is dead and will not regrow.

Causes of Unwanted Hair Many factors can contribute to the growth of unwanted hair:
  • Heredity
  • Normal physiological changes
  • Malfunction of the endocrine system
  • Medication
  • Topical influences
  • Stress

Hair Removal Electrolysis can be used to remove hair from almost any part of the body for women or men.  Some common areas for women include the hairline, eyebrows, top of the nose, cheeks, sideburn area, upper and lower lip, chin throat, neck, shoulders, back, chest, breasts, abdomen, arms, legs, bikini line, hands, feet, toes and fingers. 
Men often have hair removed from the hairline, beard line, shoulders, back, neck, chest, ears and nose.  Electrolysis is very helpful for treating ingrown hairs which frequently cause irritation in the beard area.