Unwanted hair can be embarrassing and hard to remove. Tweezing and waxing can be painful and are only temporary measures. Some parts of your body are not suited to razors or may be places you do not want to be waxed. There are permanent hair removal methods today that can remove unwanted hair for good. Electrolysis and laser hair removal reduce the amount of hair that grows back and with repeated treatments you can expect to have permanent hair removal in most cases.

Electrolysis
Electrolysis uses electricity delivered to the hair follicle to kill the hair root. There are two types of electrolysis used today. The first method uses a thin sterile needle inserted into the hair follicle near the hair and delivers a small electric charge. This method was developed in 1875 by Dr. Charles E. Michel. Another method of electrolysis uses tweezers applied to the unwanted hair and an electrical current is passed through the tweezers into the hair. Both methods kill the hair damaging the dermal papilla that contains the hair bulb that produces new hairs. The dermal papilla are located in the deep layer of skin known as the dermis.

Pain can be diminished and sometimes completely blocked by use of a pain relieving gel applied about 30 to 60 minutes before the treatment. Tweezers are used to remove the hair from the follicles after the treatment and electrolysis has a high success rate. Repeated treatments are needed since not all hairs are in the growing stage. You will need to go back for treatments approximately every six weeks until the unwanted hairs are gone. Electrolysis is the most effective form of permanent hair removal available today. Before you receive electrolysis ask to see the technician’s credentials. It is important that he or she has received the training needed to perform this treatment safely.

Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal has gained popularity because it is non-invasive and a larger area can be treated in a session. Laser hair removal also takes fewer sessions than electrolysis and once you have the all of your unwanted hair removed you will typically only have to go back for a treatment every six months. While this type of hair removal is quicker it can also be more expensive compared to electrolysis, but it is less painful and is usually just as effective. If the hair does grow back it is usually finer. There are different lasers used for hair removal and each works in a different way.

In 1964 the Nd:YAG laser was developed by Bell Laboratories. Since then it has been adapted for cosmetic use by the ThermoLase Coproation. This laser works by damaging the carbon in hair follicles. First your skin is waxed and then a light absorbing carbon based lotion is applied to the skin. The laser is then used to destroy the remaining carbon in the hair follicles without damaging the surrounding skin. This action prevents hair from growing in the follicles that have been treated.

New lasers use pulsed light to heat the hair follicle to get rid of unwanted hair and keep it from growing back. The types of lasers that use this type of action include lasers that use Alexandrite or Diodes, and IPL lasers. IPL lasers may take more treatments to see the desired results but all of these lasers get rid of hair without damaging the surrounding skin. Before your treatment your skin is cleaned and the unwanted hair is trimmed. You do not need to be waxed for these types of lasers and after your treatment the area is covered and you are instructed to use a solution at home in order to prevent infection. Treatments can take from one to three hours and you will have to come back in six weeks to treat any hairs that were not in the growing phase when you received your first treatment.

After you receive electrolysis or laser hair removal treatments you should avoid the sun until your skin completely heals. Before you receive either types of treatment you should be sure that your technician has received the proper training. While the danger of damage is much less for laser treatments, the person administrating them should have the proper training to avoid any risk of injury. Electrolysis and laser hair removal both have excellent track records for permanent hair removal. Before you decide on which method is best for you research the availability of the treatments in your area and the cost of each method.