Electrolysis and skin damage

Ilovecheese

I have been having electrolysis for many years and have no adverse reaction or any extra lines.

Ah that's amazing to hear! Do you mind me asking what areas you get treated and the method? Do you hold a bar at all? Have you found it to be effective for hair removal? Sorry for all the questions!

SynchroSwimmer

Consider perhaps the most basic version of Philips Lumea - Intense pulsed light (IPL)?
Although costly, it’s still more convenient for me than booking appointments, driving to a salon regularly and taking up my time - I can treat at home, at my own convenience as many times as I want. Quite happy with the result too.

Ooo I've heard good things about the lumea! I have a secret skin IPL which I've found to be good for my legs but hasn't really touched my face. Have you used the lumea on your face at all? I did a comparison and it definitely looks more powerful than the one I have!

M0nica

I have very strong dark facial hair and have been having electrolysis off and on for 40 years.

Fine hair can be killed by one application of electrolysis but stronger hairs grow back, but more weakly until they too are killed off. However we have thousands of fine hairs on our faces and these can get longer and courser as we get older.

When I started electrolysis at 40, I was having 10 minutes treatment a week for the first two years, mainly to clear my upperlife and chin and mouth area. Then gradually as more hairs were destroyed I needed to go less and less frequently and for the last 15 years it has been only 2 or 3 times a year and it is for hairs across the lower half of my face from ear to ear. My moustache has been gone for decades.

As far as scarring, I have none. Neither have I got any wrinkling or premature aging/damage to my skin. I am fortunate to be aging well, and all the electrolysis I have had has had no effect on my face at all, apart from stopping me from becoming one of those old ladies you used to see with beards.

Thanks so much for sharing this, it's really encouraging! I am the same in terms of being very dark haired and pale so always been a bit of an issue. I've always had a bit of side burn going on and a moustache that I just bleach but it's gotten darker and thicker at the sides for sure and now some dark chin hairs have made an appearance!

Would you mind me asking a bit about your electrolysis experience? Did you hold a bar at all for your treatments? So amazing to hear how well this worked for you too! How does your skin react after the sessions do you get much redness? Would actually me a dream to be moustache free, fairly sure I've been bleaching since I was a teen! Thanks so much for sharing this

I have had laser treatment on my upper lip and it has worked really well, except I wish I had started earlier as it doesn’t remove white hairs. But I only have a few so its OK.

I had electrolysis as a teenager (many years ago) and the results didn’t seem to last long at all.
I use my epilator now, a bit ouchy sometimes but takes seconds.

Did you hold a bar at all when you were treated I am not sure what you mean by this. I just lie on a couch and the beautician uses a small needle she inserts in each hair.

As you may imagine, over 40 years I have been treated by a number of diferent beautician and the procedure has always been the same. It can be a bit painful, which is why I have only ever have 10 minute sessions.

I sometimes have a slight redness after treatment if the beautician has been working intensively in one area, but nowadays she is mainly treating dark hairs scattered across my lower face and throat from ear to ear, so there is little or no redness as the hairs are so scattered

When I started treatment I was working and would have my treatment in my lunch hour, then it was intensive treatment of my moustache, but the beatician always put a cooling lotion on my face afterwards and by the time I got back to work 10-15 minutes after the treatment was finished, any redness was not noticeable, although the intensive area of treatment might feel a bit sore for the rest of the day.

People's experience will vary depending on how much of a problem they have. I am definitely up at the extreme end and would have been a bearded lady without electrolysis.

Debbie77n

DiscoDancer1975

My mum had this done over 40 years ago. I think hers was chin and upper lip. She seemed pleased enough with the results.

When I was seventeen, I had a few sessions of electrolysis, but the beauticians suggested waxing was better, as it was such a large area. It was thought at the time, the hair would eventually stop growing, and in the meantime, I had rid of all of them for around two months. They did stop growing mostly, when I was late twenties or so.

Then I bought an epilator which works the same as waxing, but for odd bits of growth here and there. I used to get the odd hair on my face, but the epilator saw them off.

My daughters now have laser removal kits at home, and are very pleased with the results.

I never reacted to any form of hair removal. Maybe on the day, but soon went. One of my daughters has to be careful, as her skin is more sensitive. Certainly no wrinkles.

Hope that helps.

Ah that's interesting about your mum, was her skin ok with it too?
That's really good yours stopped growing! I think mine is going the other way tbh. I've always had a bit of a moustache as I'm dark haired but now there are some dark chin hairs joining the club!
Do your daughter's use any particular lasers? I got a secret skin IPL which has worked well for my legs but doesn't seem to have any effect on my face annoyingly.
That's super helpful to hear about your skin reactions too - thanks for sharing!

Sorry for late response.

Yes...my mum’s skin was fine with it.

Not sure what my daughters use. I think they’ve only just started to get DIY laser kits to use at home. I’ll ask them.

Hope you find something.

I bought a no no from the television. Big mistake completely useless and unable to get refund

I tried it, but gave up and went over to waxing which over the years has weakened the growth and they have also become much finer

I’ve been doing electrolysis for 40 years now and am unaware that I scarred anyone.
I am presuming that you all know what electrolysis does so I won’t bore you with the details but it isn’t a quick fix and the electrologist shouldn’t give you the impression that it is.
If you have no underlying conditions,eg poly cystic ovaries, then it can be very effective but you do have to have a regular course of treatment.
There are some factors that are relevant to success . Is the hair at the right stage of growth?- this is why you should have a regular slot.
Is the current high enough?- Some people are more sensitive to than others.
Does the needle reach the root?- hopefully. The practitioner can judge by looking a the root if it has been extracted effectively.
If all is perfect then the hair root is exposed to maximum damage and may not be seen again.

For larger areas, on pigmented hair, then laser or IPL will be more efficient. This treatment does have quite a few contraindications, I was amazed, when we started offering IPL in my salon just how many women were on anti depressants.
If you opt for either of the last two options then also factor in that sunbathing will be best avoided.

When I learnt this skill we weren’t allowed to practice on real people, we had to use each other! I think many very old therapists have patchy legs. I had IPL on one leg so I could demonstrate the difference. Why didn’t I have the other one done before I sold the salon?

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.