Electrolysis Hair Removal Tips and Tricks: Pre and Post-Care for Best Results

Electrolysis is one of the most attractive hair removal options for women who are too tired of unwanted body and facial hair to bear them anymore. It allows women and even men to remove every strand of hair they find despicable for their whole life.

In contrast to laser and IPL, it is the only method that ensures long-lasting results as explained in IPL vs. Electrolysis vs. Laser hair removal. However, the procedure is not as common as that of the other hair removal methods because of the so-called scary technique of Electrolysis.

But do not worry as it is a safe procedure and you can achieve the best results without any compromise of your skin health if you follow pre and post-treatment care. We are going to help you prepare for electrolysis hair removal and set realistic expectations about its results in this article.

So, without further ado, let us get started as we have a lot to talk about.

Table of Contents:

What is Electrolysis Hair Removal?

Electrolysis hair removal is the one and only method of long-lasting hair removal that has been cleared by the FDA as explained in an informative article by Cleveland Clinic [1].

Origin of Electrolysis

Electrolysis originated more than a century ago as a minimally invasive surgical technique used in the treatment of trichiasis.

It is a condition with multiple lines of eyelash hair that grow inwards and irritate the cornea resulting in severe damage to the eye. An ultra-fine needle is used in this condition as determined in a comparative study by PubMed [2].

How Does it Work?

Inspired by this, dermatologists and scientists started applying this technique to remove unwanted hair and they have been successful. In electrolysis hair removal, a fine needle is carefully passed in the hair follicles by invading the skin. The needle is connected to an electricity source.

Then a mild current is applied and this current burns the hair follicle and prevents it from regenerating ever again. This treatment can be done for eyebrows, upper lips, bikini lines, legs, stomach, back, arms, and armpits.

How to Choose a Qualified Electrologist and a Reliable Electrolysis Clinic?

Finding a reliable electrologist is important because you can not just hand over the most delicate organ of your body, the skin, to any random person, right? So, here are some tips to find a good electrolysis clinic.

Ask a Friend

If any of your friends, family members, or colleagues have tried electrolysis, ask them for a recommendation and how their experience went.

Check Reviews

Browse the internet and look for the top electrolysis clinics in your area. Most of the high-performance clinics have a review option on their website. Check what the customers have to say about their experience with the particular clinic.

Visit the Clinic Offering Free First Consultations

If you cannot decide which clinic to go to after reading reviews, make a list of them, and select the ones offering free consultation. You can visit these and talk to the doctor, look at the condition of the clinic, and decide if you would like it.

Look at the Qualifications and Experience of the Electrologist

An important thing to know is if your electrologist is really qualified or just pretending to be after learning some technique. So, see the portfolio of the electrologist that shows his education, license, and experience in the field.

Check the Hygienic Condition of the Clinic and the Instruments

Pay attention to the environment of the clinic as you visit it. See if the instruments are being cleaned after every client and how well-cleaned the surroundings are. It will help you estimate the risk of infection.

Tips and Tricks for Electrolysis Hair Removal

Here are some tips and tricks you can try for electrolysis hair removal to ensure that you get the best out of the price you are paying for such an expensive treatment. Also, check the total cost of electrolysis hair removal at Electrolysis hair removal cost.

Pre-Treatment Care for Best Results

Below are the pre-treatment care tips you should follow.

Hydrate and moisturize the area to be treated at least twice daily to improve its health and strengthen the barrier making it ready to take electrolysis
Drink an adequate amount of water every day, especially before that treatment to hydrate the body and skin from the inside out
Exfoliate the skin 1 to 2 times every week and a few days before your treatment sessions
Shave or trim the hair to be treated so that the process of passing the wire into follicles becomes easier
Wear a good amount of sunscreen with reapplication each day
Take a shower and cleanse your face well before the treatment
Do not wear any makeup or other products as it might clog the pores
Avoid taking alcohol and coffee as it dries the skin out making electrolysis more painful
Do not bleach the skin or wax/epilate hair as it makes the route of hair difficult to see
Avoid using harsh products on the skin for a week before treatment
Take a good breakfast before leaving for your treatment
Take a pain-killer 30 minutes before the commencement of your electrolysis session and ask your doctor about topical anesthesia if your pain tolerance is low
Always discuss your expectations and skin conditions honestly before booking your session

Plan During the Treatment

There is not much to do for you during the treatment as your doctor is going to take care of it all. However, if you want, you can listen to some music to relax and distract your attention from the procedure that looks scarier than it actually is.

Moreover, trust your doctor and do not be doubtful once your treatment has started. The expert knows better than you and will try his best to be gentle.

Post-Treatment Care for Best Results

After the treatment, skincare is important to prevent side effects and accentuate the results of the treatment. So, below are some post-treatment care tips for the best results.

Talk to your doctor beforehand and get a cataphoresis treatment after electrolysis. This is a galvanic current-based technique that is used to reduce redness, irritation, and edema, decrease the risk of infection, calm the skin, and promote healing
After that, book your next appointment so that you do not have to visit the clinic again
Cleanse your skin well right after going home to get rid of the treatment residues and prepare it for skincare
Apply skin-soothing products like moisturizers, hydrating toners, aloe vera gel, and more
Apply an ice/cold compress if your skin swelling has not settled by the time to reach home
Apply Neosporin or any topical antibiotic cream to prevent infection in the area of treatment
Wear sunscreen regularly
Use gentle makeup products that you bought recently if you must
Do not touch the treated area
Do not wax, epilate, or tweeze the hair that grows back. Rather, shave them
Avoid harsh skincare products for a week
Do not take hot baths for 2 days after treatment
If you develop scabs after the treatment, let them fall on their own instead of scratching
Use astringent agents to keep the skin clean

Expectations for Electrolysis Hair Removal

Below is what to expect from electrolysis hair removal.

What to Consider Before the Treatment

Before the treatment, you should keep the following points in mind.

The cause of your hirsutism and if it is treatable by electrolysis
Your health condition and if it is contraindicated in electrolysis
The treatment area, your budget, and package electrolysis clinic is offering
Number of treatments you need for your condition
How long each treatment is going to take

What to Expect During the Treatment

Electrolysis is not as painful as it looks. So, let us see what you can expect during the treatment.

1 session of electrolysis takes about 20 minutes. However, you can take longer sessions if your pain tolerance is high
It is painful if no anesthetic agent is used
If you take pain-killers and use anesthetic gel, the treatment feels nothing more than a tingling sensation on the skin
Depending upon the treatment area, the doctor might ask you to change positions frequently

What to Expect After the Treatment

Below are some side effects you can experience after treatment. But they resolve within a day or two after proper care. So, you do not need to be worried about it.

Redness, pain, irritation, and discomfort in the skin
Skin bumps and edema
Bruises and scab formation
Secretions from the hair follicles

Alternative to Electrolysis Hair Removal

Electrolysis can prove to be an expensive and hectic treatment even when it gives you the pleasure of forever-lasting silky smooth hairless skin. Hair growth is also possible during electrolysis sessions until your treatment is complete. Moreover, if you do not feel like going for electrolysis, we have another solution for you.

IPL hair removal is an alternative method of hair removal that is more pocket-friendly, convenient, skin-friendly, and nearly painless as compared to electrolysis. Moreover, you do not need to visit several clinics to find a reliable one when you can simply search for a high-quality IPL device on the internet.

One of the devices we found to be effective and worth its price is the Ulike Sapphire Air3 IPL hair removal handset. This elegant device allows you to treat your face, body, and intimate areas hair while sitting comfortably on your couch.

You can do the initial treatments as you like, take it anywhere with you, and do follow-ups when necessary. Moreover, its pre and post-care is not as extensive as that of electrolysis as explained in IPL hair removal tips: pre and post-care.

Conclusion

Electrolysis meaning “the breakdown of hair cells” breaks that hair in a way that they can never regrow again. With such amazing results, you need to make some effort is make your skin healthy enough to accept the current passing through hair follicles. So, we mentioned the tips to prepare your skin for electrolysis.

Additionally, the skin needs to be repaired after the passage of the fine needles through it. So, we talked about the tips and tricks to speed up the natural healing process of your skin in this article.