Permanent Hair Removal by Electrolysis

Of all the methods of permanent hair removal, electrolysis is the oldest and most widely available. In essence, what happens when you use electrolysis is a slow, steady one by one destruction of your hair folicles. Sound painful? It can be, and it can also be a very effective form of permanent hair removal.

A hair being removed from the jawline of a patient by electrolysis

An electrolysist will clean your skin and then, using a magnifying glass, will insert a small needle into a hair folicle. Electricity is then sent down the needle into the root of the hair, zapping it to prevent further growth. The hair folicle itself is killed so there is no regrowth. The hair is then removed and the electrolysist moves to then next folicle.

Naturally, removing your hairs one by one has certain disadvantages when compared to Intense Pulsed Light or IPL Hair Removal or laser hair removal:

• Each hair is treated individually which means that an hour of treatment still covers only a relatively small area

• Having had a hair folicle treated is not a guarantee of permanent removal of the hair. It will need to be caught in a growth phase for the treatment to be effective and the needle needs to be skillfully placed at the right depth for the electric charge to hit the hair root. That said, both laser and IPL hair removal also need the hair to be in a growth phase.

• Electrolysis is moderately painful as you are receiving a shot of electricity into your skin and certain areas, like the moustache, are especially sensitive and eye watering. Compared to laser or IPL hair removal, you're going to have to want to be silky smooth a lot more to go through with this hair removal treatment.

• There is a risk of scarring if an area is treated too aggressively and you may get small cuts if the needle is inserted improperly or too deeply.

On the flip side of that, there are some clear advantages to chosing electrolysis as your method of permanent hair removal:

• Of all the permanent methods of hair removal, electrolysis has the longest track record and is considered very safe

• All permanent hair removal methods are prone to some level of regrowth and electrolysis is said to have one of the lowest rates of this, particularly when compared to Laser Hair Removal

• Electrolysis sessions are relatively cheap compared to other hair removal treatments and some places will also give transexuals discounts since you'll most likely be needing a lot of it! If your budget can spare £30 to £40 a month you can get started. While IPL and Laser typically cover a larger area per treatment, they also require a larger purchase, so Electrolysis can be an affordable way of "getting on your way"

• Electrolysis is good for removing hairs which have become curved or distorted - this sometimes happens to hairs that have previously been plucked or removed and makes it very difficult for treatments that follow the hair to deliver an effective treatment to the follicular tissue. Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) have often plucked before their growth becomes too deep and so this may be of particular use to them

• Electrolysis can also treat all colours of hair and skin type so if you were too dark skinned to get IPL or laser hair removal or clinics turned you away because your white, grey, ginger, blonde or red hair wasn't suitable for treatment, electrolysis is for you!

There are several different ways of getting electrolysis and the cheapest and without a doubt the least useful for transexuals is the home electrolysis kit. I first started with one of these electrolysis kits many years ago only to realise that they are really designed for removing the "peach fuzz" type of hair genetic women have. The higher levels of testosterone in a transexual's body, combined with the very low charge these kits deliver make them, in my opinion, about as useful as an underwater hair dryer.

I'd therefore say the same to any guys who have an odd hair or two somewhere they don't want, like on the shoulders. Get it treated in a salon or clinic; you'll be glad you put aside any embarrassment you may have as they've seen it all before many times and a professional hair removal treatement will be much more effective in solving your problem than a low powered home kit.

Salons provide one of several forms of electrolysis:

• Normal or galvanic electrolysis, which is the slowest form of electrolysis, yet one the most effective on all types of hair

• Slow thermolysis, which is quite rare and cauterises the hair folicle rather than by what is known as "electrodessication". To those like me who aren't university educated in electrolysis, electrodessication is also known as zapping it!

• Flash themolysis which is a very fast method

• Blend electrolysis which is the latest and most comfortable, and gets it's name from being a combination of electrolysis and thermolysis technology

When you first book an electrolysis session, many electrolysis salons will openly tell you that treatment is going to take a long time, especially if you are a transexual client. Quite rightly so. It's true. Unless you are taking anti-androgens or can regulate your diet to inhibit your testosterone levels, male pattern hair is notoriously difficult to kill off and to remove a beard fully will require commitment. It can take between 2 and 4 years of treatment to completely remove it permanently, though the hair gets softer and sparser throughout treatment and later in to your electrolysis you will not need to attend at the same frequency.

A further gripe with electrolysis is that estetician standards do vary widely in Europe and North America, the very homelands of standardisation. In the US for example, only just over half of the States have standards relating to training. When chosing an electrolysist, do shop around and ask about their background. Many will have experience of dealing with trangendered patients and take it as no big deal. Speak with other transexuals or to local support groups too. They'll almost certainly know which salons or beauticians are transgernder friendly and have a good reputation for results.

The best thing about electrolysis without a doubt is that it is permanent, even though it is slow. I have heard stories from people who've had laser hair removal that after 3 or 4 years it started to grow back; whether or not that's true is a hotly debated subject with many salons claiming that this was new hair growth. With electrolysis you can expect regrowth rate to be very low, only about 7-10% of patients complain of it. Electrolysis also allows you to accurately treat areas where pinpoint precision is needed such as the T-zone and eyebrows.

On a slightly more tender note, some Sexual Reassignment Surgery (SRS) doctors ask for the skin of the scrotum to be hairless, especially in less well endowed girls so that they have enough skin to work with to construct the vagina. If this is the case, electrolysis may be the best option no matter how much you hate those balls...

OK, those of you not intending to transition fully can stop crying now!

If you are planning to transition, start as early as you possibly can as it can take several years. Yes, it hurts and yes, you will be red and blotchy after, but being hair free is the single biggest factor in gaining passability and with it's long history electrolysis compares favourably with newer hair removal techniques in that it definately does work for those people who persist. It's a well known fact that going full time before having cleared at least your face can adversely affect your work, social life and mental well being. Personally I see it as ground work that anyone who wants to live as woman or spend long periods in drag will be well advised to address first. Concentrate your budget on this initially to get it sorted and worry about the rest later. Clearing your face can take you 2 to 5 years. An average time needed is 200 to 300 hours, some people take more, a few less. Do the math as to how much it'll cost you since an hour will be in the range of £40 to £50.

That's right, it may easily add up to cost you more than ten grand to clear your face. Money well spent, if I do say so myself. Now you know why I say start early as it may take you many years to complete your electrolysis.

You can also read till your eyes go square about electrolysis for transexuals on TSRoadmap, an American website aimed at helping those who want to transition. Whether you do or you just want to find out more about electrolysis, there's no doubt that it is very comprehensive.

Electrolysis is a great way to tidy up certain areas and it's so cheap that anyone can afford to get started on an appointment or two a month which will make you feel like you are on your way to achieving the look you want. It is the only hair removal technique that will definately work for all as other hair removal techniques are better suited to certain skin and hair types.

Related Links

Transexual and transvestite friendly electrolysis salons Home IPL hair removal Transexual friendly hair removal clinics Other permanent hair removal techniques