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What Is Electrolysis Hair Removal?

by Jennifer Kirby

Overview

What Is Electrolysis Hair Removal?

Electrolysis is a method of hair removal that works by destroying the hair follicle. It is safe and effective on most parts of the face and body, although depending on your hair type and the growth cycles of individual hairs, multiple treatments may be required. Electrolysis, unlike other techniques for eliminating unwanted hair, is permanent.
Technique

Electrolysis is commonly performed via a thin probe inserted into a hair follicle. An electrolysis device delivers a shortwave radio frequency through this probe into the hair follicle, killing the root of the hair. Another method uses a needle epilator to guide a wire under the skin and into the hair follicle. An electric current is sent through the wire into the follicle, destroying the root. After either method, the technician removes the dead hair with tweezers.

Variation

A variation of these techniques uses a tweezer epilator to attach to a hair close to the skin and apply electric current. Although some establishments refer to this as electrolysis, it shouldn't be confused with methods using needle epilators or medical electrolysis devices, as described above. Whereas the latter produce permanent results, "there is no body of significant information establishing the effectiveness of the tweezer epilator to permanently remove hair," according to the FDA.
Benefits

A primary draw of electrolysis over other hair-removal methods is its permanence. It can be applied to most areas with unwanted hair, from the eyebrows and upper lip to the underarms, bikini line, legs and back. If performed properly, electrolysis is considered a safe, tried-and-true technique; its use for hair removal was first documented in 1875, according to the American Electrology Association.
Risks and Side Effects

Immediately after electrolysis treatments, it's common for skin to be slightly red, which is a temporary effect, according to the American Electrology Association. More significant risks of electrolysis include infection from unsterilized needles and scarring from incorrect techniques, according to the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, which oversees electrolysis equipment and practices. You can reduce your risk of these negative effects by seeking out a certified professional electrologist, or CPE, who's met the American Electrology Association's standards for national board certification.
Other Considerations

Electrolysis can be uncomfortable or painful, depending on how coarse the hair is, how sensitive the area it's being removed from is, and your level of pain tolerance. (A topical anesthetic may be used to decrease discomfort.) Additionally, the length of time, number of treatments and corresponding expense required for hair loss to be permanent may be a turn-off to potential patients. For example, completing the process of removing hair from a forearm via electrolysis could involve weekly treatments over the course of a year, according to the Guide to Hair Removal.