ELECTROLYSIS FAQs

Electrolysis Toronto FAQs

Electrolysis FAQs #1: What is electrolysis?
Electrolysis is a simple procedure that is highly effective in permanently removing unwanted hair on the face and body. I target each hair individually with an electrical current delivered through a probe that is inserted into the hair follicle. Once enough energy is delivered into the follicle I remove the hair. Timing and intensity of the current varies based on hair and skin type. There is no hair that is resistant to electrolysis. I treat all hair and skin types and everyone will see results.

Electrolysis FAQs #2: Is Electrolysis Painful?
Electrolysis on the face does not hurt very much. The odd hair might cause you to wince, but overall I find that my clients are relaxed throughout the treatment. The one exception is the area right under the nose, the skin is thin there and you might tear up or even sneeze. It is not unbearable for most people though, just uncomfortable.

Electrolysis FAQs #3: Will Electrolysis Scar My Skin?
This question always surprises me because scarring is so unlikely. The one area where you must proceed with caution is the upper lip. Other than that, I think a misunderstanding of electrolysis is behind the fear of scarring. The skin is not broken when the electrolysis probe slides into the hair follicle so the surface of the skin is not punctured. Electrolysis current is delivered under the skin, not at the surface. Swelling and redness are fairly common side effects but any skin reaction subsides within a few hours to, in the worst case, a few days. I’ve written an essay about it here. It’s also important to note post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is a common side effect on the body, but you should not mistake that for scarring. PIH is temporary.

Electrolysis FAQs #4 How Long Does Electrolysis Take?
In my experience many people dramatically underestimate the amount of time it takes to clear an area of hair. This is because it is very difficult for you to know how much hair is actually present on your face or body unless you have an understanding of hair growth cycles. The hair that you see is not all the hair that grows in a given area. For every hair you see now you can probably count 3 or 4 that you can’t see because they will not reach the surface of your skin for months. This is especially true on the face where there is a much higher density of hair growth than on the body.
Electrolysis treatment needs 6 to 18 months of regular treatment in any given area. Results are noticeable around the 2-4 month period provided you’ve kept up with your appointments and have not done any temporary hair removal on the treated area. The length of treatment time can’t be reduced simply because it takes this amount of time for most of the hair to reach the surface of the skin. Some hair follicles can lay dormant for months or even a year or two and then up pops a hair you didn’t even know you had! After this 12-18 month period the bulk of the hair will be gone and you might come in every few months to treat the few strays that appear.

Electrolysis FAQs #5: What Hygiene Practices Do You Follow?
Every client receives a sterile probe at every treatment – probes are never reused. Tweezers and scissors are cleaned with an ultrasonic cleaner and sterilized in a medical grade autoclave after each use. Both the probe and tweezers are hermetically sealed until we start the treatment.  Hospital grade disinfectant is used to sterilize all touch surfaces between clients.

Electrolysis FAQs #6: How Can I Prepare For Electrolysis?
For best results, cease all tweezing, waxing and threading immediately. You can shave or trim the hair (but it’s better if you don’t) until 1 week before your appointment. Dry, flaky skin can make insertions more difficult and having to remove too many ingrowns can slow things down so please exfoliate your skin prior to your appointment. Please read my article on electrolysis aftercare.

Electrolysis FAQs #7: Can I Receive Electrolysis Treatment While Pregnant?
Years ago I personally asked OG Toronto midwife Mary Sharpe whether electrolysis can be done while pregnant. She replied, “I don’t see why not.” I’ve also treated the tummy and areola of a practicing midwife in her 39th week of pregnancy. An understanding of the science of electrolysis, as well as the biology of pregnancy, can help you make the decision of whether to continue electrolysis during pregnancy for yourself.

Electrolysis FAQs #8: Does Electrolysis Work On Brown And Black Skin?
Electrolysis suitable for all hair and skin types. I’ve written about electrolysis and black skin and electrolysis and brown skin here and here, here and here.
For the duration of your electrolysis treatments it’s important to protect your skin from the sun (the sun exacerbates hyperpigmentation). I recommend sunblock for everyone regardless of skin tone while undergoing electrolysis treatment.

Electrolysis FAQs #9: What Method And Machine Do You Use?
I don’t discuss technique or tools with potential clients. The machine doesn’t kill hair, I do, and I’ve developed my own technique to do it. The reason there is so much ineffective electrolysis out there is because the training is inadequate and most people teaching and performing electrolysis don’t really understand the science behind it. If you’ve had ineffective electrolysis it wasn’t fault of the machine, it was the fault of the person who performed it.

Electrolysis FAQs #10: Are You Currently Accepting Clients?
Since my work is permanent I am constantly shedding clients so, yes, my client list is always open. I have a wait for appointments and a non-refundable deposit is required before I give you an appointment date. I work only with people who respect my work and my cancellation and lateness policy. This policy applies to everyone all the time. I prioritize the quality of my work over anything else so I work best with people who equally prioritize ridding themselves of their unwanted hair. I prioritize clients who respond to my messages within a reasonable time frame, who consistently arrive on time, who don’t frequently cancel appointments. If you take days to respond to messages, frequently arrive late and cancel more than 2 appointments in a row, we are not a good fit. I’m much more personable than I seem here but, as I’ve written, I am motivated to get down to work so we can both see the results of your treatment quickly!