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How Many Treatments Does It
Take?
Many hairs will be eliminated with only one treatment, but some will
need two or more treatments to achieve permanency. Electrolysis involves a
series of treatments over a period of 1-3 months. The overall length of
time depends on the amount of hair, its coarseness, the cause of the
excess hair, but once the dermal papilla has been eliminated, the hair is
dead and will not grow again.
Is Electrolysis Painful? Electrolysis rarely causes discomfort. If it
does, adjustments can be made to the machine which will totally eliminate
any sensation (although the length of the treatment will be increased
proportionately). The sensation is less than in tweezing. Most patients
are surprised as they expect to feel much more. Some patients even relax
enough to fall asleep.
Is it Hard or Painful to Insert the Needle? No, the insertion of the
electrolysis probe is much easier and far less intimidating than most
people believe. The "needle" is actually a blunt-ended, highly flexible
probe which never pierces the skin. There is no blood (or pain) involved.
It slides effortlessly down a pre-existing shaft, like a hand into a
glove.
To insert the probe, simply find the follicle opening with the tip of the
probe, match the angle of the hair growth, then slide it downward until it
stops (it will not push through the bottom of the follicle shaft).
Once the probe is correctly placed, depress the foot switch on your
electrolysis unit. A mild current of energy will exit the probe,
destroying the hair growth forever. Micro Probe Electrolysis is so
complete and thorough only one of ten hairs may return to require a second
application.
Can I Perform 'Self Electrolysis'?
Yes, the procedure is very safe and
easy. There are many home electrolysis systems on the market. Most of
which use an inefficient 9,000K µV (10V-6) current with a very large probe
(0.006-0.008 inch diameter). This low voltage makes for long treatment
times of 1 minute or more. The large diameter probe makes insertion
difficult and uncomfortable. The best advice for home treatments is to buy
a medium to high power system from 18,000K to 24,000K µV (10V-6) which has
a foot switch and a small diameter probe (0.003 maximum). The technical
expertise required to operate an electrolysis machine is very minimal.
What Causes Excess Hair?
Hirsutism is a condition in which there is
excessive growth of hair on the face or body. It can occur in both men and
women without discrimination and is caused by hair follicles that are
overly sensitive to male hormones (called androgens). It can also be
caused by abnormally high levels of these hormones.
Some medicines promote Hirsutism, such as birth control pills, hormones
and anabolic steroids. Women of Mediterranean ancestry, Hispanic women and
African American women tend to have more body hair than women of Native
American or Japanese ancestry. The condition seems to run in families and
your doctor may want to run some tests to find out what the underlying
cause may be.
Puberty, pregnancy, and menopause can also cause excess hair growth.
During the normal systemic changes in a woman's life, hormone production
varies. It is not uncommon for hormones during these times to be
unbalanced. Increased male hormones (androgens) can be present which may
result in unwanted hair growth.
Does Electrolysis Always Work? This question is usually asked when
patients see hair appearing in the treated area. Hair that appears in the
area is not necessarily hair growing from a treated follicle. Most, in
fact, will grow from untreated follicles. If the hair appears in six weeks
or less, you can be sure that it is from a follicle that was previously
dormant. Seven to eight weeks would be required for a hair to grow from
the treated follicle.
Can Electrology Be Harmful or Cause Scarring? Under normal conditions,
there are no harmful effects from electrology treatment. Most undesirable
after effects are caused by the patient. Scratching, picking, or using
heavy makeup, general uncleanliness can all cause problems.
Caution should be taken with diabetics and patients prone to keloids. To
avoid harming the patient, the electrologist should not treat areas inside
the nose or ears, or wherever there are skin irritations, until the
patient has been examined by a physician.
Can Hair Be Removed From a Mole?
The electrologist should check insurance
coverage and state regulations before treating a mole. A physician's
permission should also be obtained to protect the health of the patient.
These precautions are presently necessary because treating moles is still
controversial. There is no recorded damage due to treatment of a mole, and
many insurance companies now cover this treatment. In fact after treating
moles (in 90% of cases) color disappears in 2 to 4 months, leaving the
skin in perfect condition.
How Long Does Each Treatment Last?
The average treatment ranges from 15
minutes to one hour. The amount of time per treatment depends upon the
reaction of the skin to treatment, and the patient's sensitivity. Timing
also depends on what part of the body is being treated. The first
treatment should last no more than 15 minutes. Use this treatment as a
test. If all goes well, a patient may eventually receive three hours of
body treatment at one time. Facial treatments will always vary greatly
depending upon the area; from 15 minutes to one hour.
How Much Hair Can Be Removed in One Treatment?
The amount of hair that can
be removed in one treatment depends upon the sensitivity of the patient,
the skin, and the proficiency of the electrologist.
What Causes Ingrown Hairs?
Ingrown hairs grow through the side of the
follicle and lie just beneath the skin's surface. Ingrown hairs are
usually caused by tweezing or waxing, when the hair breaks at the weakest
point just below the surface of the skin. This can distort the hair,
especially if it is pulled against its direction of growth. The hair will
then grow under the surface of the skin rather than up and out of the hair
follicle.
A pimple like inflammation results that is uncomfortable to the patient,
especially when it occurs on the inner thigh, the neck, or the underarm.
Men with heavy beards can have this problem. When they shave close, the
hair pulls back into the hair follicle, and sometimes its direction of
growth is altered, causing ingrown hairs. Patients who are prone to
ingrown hairs should stop tweezing or waxing and receive electrology
treatments immediately.
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