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Electrolysis

Here is a guide to electrolysis hair removal. The cost of electrolysis is discussed as well as the Galvanic, Thermolysis and Blend methods of electrolysis. You can learn if you are a good candidate to get your hair removed by electrolysis and learn a bit about what is required in the training of electrologists.

Electrolysis is a method of permanent hair removal which was invented over 100 years ago in the United States. During electrolysis, a needle is inserted into a hair follicle and an electrical pulse is sent through the needle. If this particular hair follicle is in the active growth stage at the time of treatment, it will probably not grow again.

There are three basic types of electrolysis hair removal:

Galvanic - An electro-chemical current produces a bit of lye.
Thermolysis - A heat current is produced by and a radio wave.
Blend - An electro-chemical reaction is produced more quickly by a combination of the above methods.

Hair can be removed from almost anywhere on the body except from the inside of the nose, ears, or often from a mole.

All electrologists have some training, but states vary widely as to whether electrologists actually need certification and if so, vary as to what is required to obtain electrolysis certification. It is probably a good idea to ask about the training and experience of your electrologist.

Some of the people who may not be good candidates for at least galvanic or blend include people who have pace makers, are pregnant or have IUD's. Your medical practitioner and your electrologist should make these decisions.

Common side effects of electrolysis include pain, redness, or swelling. It is possible for scabs to appear which may result in infection or scarring. It is also possible for darker skinned individuals to get dark or light spots around the treated areas which may or may not be permanent.

Electrolysis may be painful for some individuals depending on the coarseness of the hair being removed, the sensitivity of the area itself, and an individual's tolerance for discomfort. A topical anesthetic such as EMLA or ElaMax may reduce the pain. Since electrolysis takes quite a bit of time, it may be difficult for some people to endure the discomfort associated with electrolysis.

Electrolysis hair removal takes a commitment of money, time and energy. Most electrologists charge between $45 and $125 per hour. You can figure out how much electrolysis will cost by multiplying your electrologists hourly rate by the hours for a particular area. It is very difficult to estimate the cost of electrolysis since hair grows denser for some people versus others. While an upper lip may take as little as one hour to treat, a man's back hair removal treatment may take 150 hours or even more.

Although it is not easy to estimate the cost of hair removal or time it will take to remove an individual's hair, the chart below can be used as a general guide. It may make more sense to use laser hair removal as the method to remove hair from large areas such as backs or full legs because of the significant cost and time savings. It may also make sense to use laser for small areas if only to save significant amounts of time.

The FDA has only approved certain lasers for "permanent hair reduction" indicating that a certain percentage of hair will remain after a course of laser treatment. Some individuals choose to begin electrolysis after the series of laser treatments to remove the stragglers left behind by the laser.

Of course there is a group of people for which the laser hair removal won't work. This includes people with red, white, grey, or true blond hair in the area from hair is to be removed. This group of people may opt for electrolysis hair removal. Another option is an intense-pulsed-light hair removal machine, most of which are FDA approved for "long-term hair reduction."

Cost of Electrolysis

	Avg. No. of Treatments		Avg. Cost/Treatment		Avg. Total Cost
Area	Electrolysis	Laser	Electrolysis	Laser	Electrolysis	Laser
Upper lip	20-45 (15 min. each)	4-8 (5 min. each)	$15-$30	$50-$150	$450-$1035	$400-$800
Bikini line	20-45 (30 min. each)	4-8 (10-15 min. each)	$25-$65	$150-$350	$900-$2025	$1000-$2000
Full legs	100-225 (1 hour each)	4-8 (1-2 hours each)	$45-$125	$1000-$2000	$8500-$19125	$6000-$12000
Male back (full)	100-225 (1 hour each)	4-10 (1 hour each)	$45-$125	$750-$1100	$8500-$19125	$3700-$9250

Electrolysis is definitely a tried and true option for those opting for permanent hair removal. Although sometimes costly, painful and time consuming, it may be the best option for people with certain hair or skin types, or for those with only a small amount of hair to be removed.