Electrolysis
FAQ's

During the consultation, we’ll briefly describe the electrolysis procedure to you, we’ll go over some paperwork together, you can ask any questions or address any concerns you may have, and we’ll speak about what you wish to achieve from electrolysis and what is a reasonable objective.

We’ll talk about the aftercare instructions after I treat a small test patch. Therefore, if you’re feeling a little uneasy or nervous about electrolysis, your appointment is a fantastic opportunity to talk things through, and having a tiny test area treated will give you a sense of what to expect from your sessions!

Electrolysis is the science of permanent hair removal utilizing a probe device. A fine, sterile probe is inserted into the hair follicle. Then a small amount of current or heat, depending on the modality used, is discharged. This destroys the hair follicle and prevents it from producing another hair.

Modern Electrology began in 1875 through the efforts of Ophthalmologist Dr. Charles Michel. He accidentally discovered electrolysis while removing an ingrown eyelash from one of his patients. Through his initial efforts and continued research, permanent hair removal through Electrolysis is a reliable and safe method for halting excess hair. For the last 100+ years, the medical community has recognised the three electrolysis methods as the only process for permanent hair removal. They are Galvanic, Thermolysis and Blend.

A. GALVANIC: A DC (direct) current passes through the needle. It charges the moisture (H2O) and salt (NaCl) naturally found in the follicle, causing a chemical reaction. Sodium hydroxide (lye) is produced. The lye destroys the hair follicle by chemical decomposition. This method precedes Thermolysis and is generally somewhat less effective and more uncomfortable for patients, requiring higher voltages.

B. THERMOLYSIS: An AC (alternating) current passing through the needle causes vibration in the water molecules surrounding the hair follicle, which produces heat. The heat damages the hair follicle. This is the quickest method, but areas must be covered more times than with Galvanic or Blend.

C. BLEND: This method combines the benefits of galvanic and thermolysis. It passes a DC current through the needle, producing lye, which is then heated up by the AC. The heat spreads the lye around the follicle, ensuring proper damage to the hair follicle tissue. This is faster than Galvanic alone but still more time-consuming than Thermolysis. 

We use the proven Thermolysis method. After analysing the skin, texture, moisture gradient (dry or moist), hair type, and client sensitivity, our electrologists will determine the appropriate current for the client. Thus, your electrolysis treatment can be customised for maximum comfort, swiftness, and, most importantly, permanency.

According to current medical science, excessive hair growth is primarily caused by Normal Systemic Changes, Heredity and Glandular Disturbances.

1. Normal Systemic Changes can be caused by puberty, pregnancy, menopause and hysterectomy. Puberty stimulates change in both the body and hair-growth patterns. Common pattern changes include increased hair follicle activity and hair growth darkening/thickening of the hair shaft. The diminished hormonal levels in a woman’s body following menopause and a hysterectomy can promote new hair growth on the face and body.
2. Glandular Disturbances originate in the endocrine system responsible for our physical development. Certain medications, such as male hormones, birth control pills, and pregnancy, can disrupt the delicate endocrine balance and produce unwanted hair.
3. Hereditary Hirsutism, excessive and abnormal hair growth, is found in all nationalities, some more than others. Electrolysis can permanently solve this problem regardless of ethnicity or the amount of hair. However, many cases of “excessive” hair growth are typical of the physiological changes the client may be going through, just as it is normal for many men to go bald. Most instances of baldness are caused by heredity and are considered normal.

It is worth noting that emotional and physical stress can stimulate the adrenal glands to initiate a hormonal reaction that can cause finer hairs to become more coarse and noticeable. Increased blood supply can also stimulate hair to grow thicker and darker. Waxing and tweezing can cause an increase in blood supply in many clients, while others experience a reduction in hair growth.

The number of electrolysis treatments required for permanent hair removal varies with each client. Those who adhere to the recommended treatment schedule usually accomplish their goal between 12-18 months. Some improvement should be observed within several months after initiating treatment, provided the client adheres to the recommended schedule.

Many factors mayregular influence the treatment program. Hair growth cycles, the quantity and structure of the hair presented, previous uses of temporary hair removal methods, heredity, hormone function, normal physiologic changes, certain medications and stress. Hairs that have been tweezed, waxed or are very curly often have a good chance of returning as finer hair. It can then be epilated for good. This is due to the follicle distortion, which means it is not growing straight under the skin’s surface. Since the probe is straight, with a bent root, only part of the hair (and germinative cells) is treated on the first treatment.

Deep, coarse hairs cannot permanently be eliminated with one treatment; breaking down the hair germ cells may require additional treatments. Due to the cyclical nature of hair growth, new hair and hairs emerging from a dormant phase will be treated. They may be visible at the same time as finer regrowth hairs. We can work with you on a treatment plan to make the follicles inert. Together, we can remove unwanted hair entirely and permanently!

You may be concerned about the possible side effects of electrolysis and how to prevent or minimise them. Immediately following treatment, slight redness and swelling may occur, which usually disappears within a few hours. Occasionally, small whiteheads or tiny scabs may occur. Whiteheads are generally indicative of bacteria entering the follicle after treatment. Remember to keep the area as clean as possible for the 24 hours immediately following treatment. Scabs are part of the normal healing process and will not cause permanent damage if not picked off. Trauma to the underlying tissue will sometimes cause lymph fluid to seep from the follicle. The lymph fluid seeps to the top of the skin and, in a dry environment, will harden, forming a scab. Applying anti-bacterial ointment on the treated area often deters the scabs from forming. When electrolysis is correctly administered, there should be no permanent skin damage. That’s why we recommend going to an experienced professional.

This is also very dependent on the individual and their general tolerance for pain. It has been described as not much worse than plucking the hairs and may have a stinging or prickling sensation. We also use a local anaesthetic to help reduce pain.

You can do several things before your appointment at Electrolysis by Stella. These will help achieve optimal results and keep you comfortable:

• Drink lots of water the day before and the day of the electrolysis session. Stay hydrated, and do not drink caffeine the day of the electrolysis session. The better, more hydrated and supple your skin, the better the treatment will work.

• Eat a meal before the electrolysis session – Do not come hungry.

• Apply numbing cream (Dr Numb, TKTX, lidocaine, procaine, or EMLA) onto the treatment area 45 minutes to an hour before the electrolysis session. Apply a thick layer and do not rub it in; apply cellophane or plastic wrap to the treatment area. This assists the electrolysis treatment.

• Do not work out, go to the gym, or exercise within two hours of your appointment at Electrolysis by Stella. Excess sweat can interfere with the treatment. It is best if the skin is not coated in anything, including deodorants, antiperspirants, or sweat.

• Any skin treatments, including facials, microdermabrasion, skin rejuvenation treatments, or peels, should not be performed within one week of the electrolysis session.

• Do not use Retin-A or acne cream 3-5 days before the electrolysis session.

• Do not wear make-up, foundation, or sunblock to the electrolysis session.

• Skin should be cleansed on the day of the electrolysis session. Loofah or lightly scrub the skin a few days before the electrolysis session.

• Do not pick at your skin before your treatment.

To maintain comfort and promote the best results, here are some aftercare recommendations:

• Ice the treated for two minutes or less each time for as many times as you can within 12 hours after the electrolysis treatment.
• Lightly apply Neosporin, Savlon or Germolene if you have dry or combination skin. Acne-prone or oily skin should not use Neosporin or Germolene. Another option is aloe vera directly from the plant or organic, all natural aloe vera gel. Bacitracin and hydrocortizone can be applied if you know you’re are not allergic to its contents.
• Drinks lots of water to stay hydrated.
• Eat within one hour after the electrolysis. This will keep you grounded and the nervous system will balance itself automatically.

Following your treatment, there is a possibility of redness in the treated area. This is both normal and temporary and is part of the electrolysis process. Different body and face hairs have different frequency levels. Redness will depend on your skin type and on the areas of your body that have higher or lower frequency to remove the hairs. You can ice the area and apply aloe vera gel or Neosporin for relief.

Irritating, sometimes painful, ingrown hairs can occur after waxing, laser treatments, or shaving.  Ingrown hairs can occur in the bikini area, inner thigh, upper leg (front or back), knee, lower leg, chin, and neck. An ingrown hair can cause tiny, swollen bumps on the skin that may hurt. Ingrown hair occurs when hair that’s been removed starts to grow back and curves into the skin.

An occasional ingrown hair isn’t cause for alarm. However, if you want to get rid of ingrown hairs, electrolysis is the way to go. Electrolysis for ingrown hair is safe and effective for all hair and skin types. During the treatments, electrolysis restricts the follicle from growing another unwanted hair.

Electrolysis can eliminate ingrown hairs, and the skin returns to a healthier look without all the irritation from temporary hair removal methods. It is effective for anyone regardless of skin and hair types and colours.

Yes, electrolysis works on tattooed skin. Professional electrologists are very unlikely to have any unwanted effects on tattoos, as, unlike laser tattoo removal, electrolysis does not affect the layer of skin in which the ink of a tattoo is found. It penetrates to a deeper layer and turns off the growth cells at the base of the hair follicle. This is a much more precise and predictable approach than bathing a section of skin in laser light.

Yes, electrolysis does indeed work on any color hair or skin.

• Electrolysis targets the hair follicle specifically, while laser hair removal targets melanin. Melanin is what gives your skin, eyes, and hair its colour or pigment. The laser used in laser hair removal seeks out the dark pigment in your hair and uses heat to damage the follicle. Melanin does not produce as much pigment in lighter hair (blonde, white, grey) and therefore is not as effective in those cases. The laser also cannot differentiate between the dark pigment in your hair and the dark pigment in your skin, so it is not ideal for patients with tan or darker skin as the treatment may burn the skin. The ideal candidate for laser hair removal is someone with dark hair and light skin.

• Electrolysis removes one hair at a time, while laser hair removal simultaneously treats a small area of hair. However, laser hair removal does not remove all of the hair in the area treated. Because of this, under the FDA, many of the laser hair removal equipment on the market can only be marketed and labelled as “permanent reduction” of hair as opposed to “permanent removal” as electrolysis can be described.

• Any area of the body can have electrolysis for removal of hairs. Even the sensitive areas like around eyes, ears, eye lids, bikini area, arm pits.

  Common areas for women: are facial areas, (top lip, chin, neck, cheeks, eyebrows) breasts, abdomen, underarms, bikini line, dip bikini, legs, fingers and toes.

  Common areas for men: are the upper arms, around the ears, top of the nose, eyebrows, top of the back, cheeks above the line of the beard, and around the edges of the beard.

Gently exfoliating your skin before your treatment opens up the follicles and lets the unwanted hair slide out more easily.

For a more comfortable treatment, avoid caffeine for a few hours before your appointment.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drinking plenty of water helps unwanted hair slide right out.

It’s okay to ‘lightly’ shave or cut hairs between treatments, but never, ever tweeze!

Once your initial appointment has been performed taking paracetamol 30 minutes before your future appointments can be very beneficial for those with a lower pain threshold.

Did you know… The hair you see is not all the hair you have. Hair grows in cycles. That’s why it takes more than one appointment to permanently clear an area.