All About Electrolysis Hair Removal | RealSelf (2024)

Written byJulie RicevutoUpdated on February 20, 2024

Electrolysis is a hair removal treatment that uses heat or chemical energy to safely and permanently destroy the growth cells of the hair follicle. Electrolysis devices send a short wave of electric current through a very fine needle probe inserted into the follicle in order to damage and disable it.

The treatment can remove unwanted hair almost anywhere on the body, though popular sites include the eyebrows, chin, upper lip, bikini line, underarms, and back.

Pros

• The treatment slows or stops hair growth, reducing the need to shave, wax, or use depilatories. This also helps eliminate the annoyances of razor burn and ingrown hairs.
• Results are permanent, unlike with other hair removal methods.
• It’s more affordable than laser hair removal.
• Electrolysis works on all skin tones and hair colors.

Cons

• It can take more than a dozen treatments to achieve your goals, since all follicles can’t be treated at once.
• In electrolysis reviews, some RealSelf members say that it’s very uncomfortable.
• There are quicker (though temporary) solutions for hair removal when under time constraints.
• Those with extensive amounts of hair may not be suited for the treatment.

• Average Cost:
• $400

• Range:
• $47 - $600

Your cost will depend on the amount of hair that needs to be removed, the size of the treatment area, your provider’s experience level, and their practice location.

Your provider may offer a discounted rate on a package of multiple sessions, if you pay up front.

Unless your excess hair is the result of a medical condition, treatments are unlikely to be covered by your insurance plan.

See our complete guide to electrolysis costs

The electrolysis photos in our gallery have been shared by the provider who performed the procedure, with the patient's consent.

“Both men and women are good candidates for this procedure, particularly if they want to treat small areas,” says New York City dermatologist Dr. Nelson Lee Novick.

Electrolysis can be especially beneficial for people whose skin tone and hair color are similar enough that the pigmentation between the skin and hair can’t be differentiated, which makes lasers ineffective or even risky.

Related: The Complete Guide to Every Method of Hair Removal for All Skin Tones

There are three types of electrolysis hair removal: galvanic, thermolysis, and blend, which combines the prior two. Both galvanic and thermolysis treatments use electrical currents, but each uses a different conductor to create a different reaction within the follicle.

Galvanic electrolysisuses chemicals as a conductor. In this traditional method, the electric charge reacts with the natural saline in your follicle to produce sodium hydroxide. When the sodium hydroxide heats up, it destroys the follicle and the cells around it. It’s considered highly effective.

Thermolysisuses water and delivers radiofrequency rather than electric current. The needle transmits the waves at such a high frequency that it causes the follicle to vibrate, which triggers the surrounding water molecules. The motion produces heat energy, which then destroys the follicle. “Thermolysis, which uses a microwave type of technology to generate heat, is less effective for treating curly or distorted hairs but has the advantage of being far, far faster,” says Dr. Novick. While this method is quicker, it’s typically not as effective as galvanic. It’s also best suited to finer strands.

“Both are permanent hair removal methods and very operator-dependent, which means that the training, experience, and expertise of the person who performs the procedure are extremely important in determining success,” says Dr. Novick. Your particular provider may favor one method or have the equipment for only one of the two. Discuss which is best for you during your consultation.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved both electrolysis and laser hair removal devices for removing hair safely. When it comes to choosing between the two, it’s your skin tone and hair color that make the difference.

Electrolysis works on all types of hair texture and color, since it targets the follicle. “This is one of the benefits of choosing electrolysis over laser hair removal, which targets hair based on pigment and doesn’t work well for people with blonde, red, gray, or white hair,” Dr. Novick says. “It’s my preferred recommended method for permanent hair removal, since it is, in fact, permanent—whereas laser hair removal can be marketed only for permanent reduction.”

That being said, lasers are typically more efficient and better tolerated, especially for larger areas of the body. It’s the much more popular option, despite being only available to those with relative contrast between light skin and dark hair.

“However, for localized growth, recurrent growth after laser treatments, or when treating around areas sensitive to laser light, such as the eyes, electrolysis makes more sense,” says Dr. Carlo Rob Bernardino, an oculoplastic surgeon in Monterey, California.

Laser hair removal typically reduces unwanted hair by about 70%. If you’re not satisfied with the amount that remains after laser treatments, you can eliminate those hairs with electrolysis.

“It is possible that a higher energy or different pulse width of laser treatment may be more effective, but the risks of hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, and even scarring might increase,” says New York City dermatologic surgeon Dr. Ronald Shelton.

Though you’ll need multiple sessions, electrolysis has less risk than repeated laser treatments. It can also target lighter strands that the laser may miss.

A week prior to the treatment, stop using any products containing retinol, to avoid dryness and irritation. Also, it’s not recommended to tweeze or pluck for about two weeks before the treatment, since an existing hair shaft is necessary to guide the probe downward toward the follicle.

The surface area being covered and the amount of hair being removed will determine the length of your treatment. Sessions can range from 15 minutes to more than an hour, and you may need as many as 12 sessions to see optimal results.

“At your provider’s office, the electrologist will adjust the strength of the setting on the machine for the appropriate hair density and location and then will slide the needle down the shaft, initiating a short burst of electricity,” says Dr. Novick. A tiny metal probe will reach into every follicle and zap itwith heat, electricity, or chemical energy, to destroy the growth cells. Then the electrologist will use tweezers to remove the strand.

Avoid any type of activity that could irritate follicles—such as excessive sweating, tanning, prolonged sun exposure, and makeup/lotion application—for the first 24 hours. Otherwise, you can go about your day as usual.

Most people see some results right away, because less hair will grow, but the number of treatments needed to see full results varies. You may be satisfied with as few as 6 treatments or need as many as 12.

Hairs in any location go through a cycle of growing, resting, and shedding. Because they will be at different stages in that cycle at any given time, you’ll need multiple sessions in order to zap all of them. Additionally, the amount of hair, genetics, hormones, nutrition, and individual health all play a role in how many treatments are needed. If you have coarse-textured hair or want to remove thick strands, you’ll need more treatments.

The good news is that results are permanent. Once the follicle is damaged, hair won’t regrow.

However, be warned: That also means any undesirable results are permanent too. If your eyebrows end up too thin or misshapen, for instance, you won’t be able to regrow them—even with follicle-stimulating treatments, like Rogaine or Latisse.

RealSelf Tip: One added benefit is no more “strawberry legs”—when red dots, caused by follicles trapping oil, skin cells, and bacteria, appear on light skin after shaving or waxing.

There’s very little risk of complication or serious skin irritation, when the treatment is performed by a licensed provider.“In general, there are few side effects other than a little irritation,” says Dr. Novick. You may have slight redness or tenderness, but that should disappear within a couple of hours after treatment.

For dark skin tones, that irritation may translate to brown or black spots of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. As skin heals, melanin production increases and excess pigment gets trapped. These spots should resolve on their own with time.

Rarely, electrolysis leaves pitted scars or an “orange peel” texture in the skin. This is caused by overtreatment of an area or by a too-strong electrical current. An experienced provider should know how to best treat your skin to avoid any damage, but in those rare instances, punch grafting, laser resurfacing, chemical peels, and medical-grade skin-care products can help improve the appearance of scars.

RealSelf Tip: Leave electrolysis to the professionals. The FDA tests and approves in-office electrolysis devices as medical devices, and providers undergo specialized training. Home electrolysis kits lack both effectiveness and safety.

Related: The Best Ways to Remove Your Unwanted Facial Hair at Home

Laser hair removal—a popular option—uses a laser to target the roots beneath the surface of the skin. While results are typically long-lasting, they may not be permanent.

Temporary removal methods, such as waxing, threading, tweezing, dermaplaning, removal creams (depilatories),and epilators, require more consistent upkeep. If you’re seeking a truly permanent option that’s effective for all hair and skin types and areas, electrolysis is your best bet.

Görgü, Metin, et al. “Comparison of Alexandrite Laser and Electrolysis for Hair Removal.” Dermatologic Surgery, vol. 26, no. 1, Jan. 2000.

Pickens, J. “Permanent Removal of Unwanted Hair.” Aesthetic Surgery Journal, vol. 24, no. 5, Sept. 2004.

“Removing Hair Safely.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, 30 June 2010.