Today, there are a huge number of different methods and technologies for removing unwanted hair on the body and face: electro-, photo-, laser, elos hair removal, as well as shugaring, waxing and more.
They differ not only in method and materials, but also in how long the result lasts. What is better - photoepilation, laser hair removal or its other form, for each person is determined by the individual characteristics of the body, hair structure and the presence of diseases.
The idea of hair removal, designed to remove hair permanently, is to destroy the hair follicle, which is responsible for the growth, quantity and quality of hair. After all, for example, with regular shaving, it only develops and produces more hair. And when removed, for example by elementary plucking, the follicle is injured, and over time, the hair becomes less and less.
It is by the principle of a destructive effect on the follicle that electro-epilation or laser hair removal acts. Which is better, consider further.
How does electrolysis work?
Electrolysis has been around for more than a hundred years. Improving thanks to new technologies, he, however, did not change the essence. With it, you can destroy any kind of hair, including hard, thin, gray or light. During this procedure, small discharges are sent to the lower part of the follicle, and under the influence of high temperature the hair melts.
By the way, the reason why you need several sessions of any hair removal is explained by the peculiarity of hair growth on the body. At the same time, only about 80% of the follicles are active and are in the growth stage, therefore, after the first procedure, the remaining reserve hairs may appear.
Next, we will describe in detail what is electrolysis - types, methods, consequences of this procedure.
How is the procedure of electrolysis
The procedure of electrolysis is not the most pleasant, and can be painful. By the way, often this also plays against her when choosing whether laser hair removal or electrolysis - which is better. During it, a needle is inserted into the hair follicle, which conducts a small discharge of current. You can do this on almost any part of the face and body, except for the armpit area, since there is a danger of damaging the lymph node.
An area of 10X10 cm is exposed to processing within an hour, so you need to consider that in one session you can’t process, for example, two legs.
In order for electrolysis to be most effective, the hair length should be about 4-6 mm. It is also worth taking care of cleansing the skin from ingrown hairs in advance, otherwise they will have to be missed.
Types of electrolysis
Electrolysis is divided into types, depending on the electrodes used:
- Needle . Electrodes in the form of needles are used. They come in different materials, such as nickel or gold, and in various shapes, such as curved. Their thickness is usually about 0.1 mm. Which needle is used depends on the skin or individual characteristics of the person. So, in the presence of allergies or a low pain threshold, gold-coated needles are used.
- Tweezers . Its meaning is that the electrode in the form of tweezers captures the hair and transfers current through it. The removal procedure in this way is quite lengthy - each hair requires several minutes. Therefore, the forceps method is more suitable for hair removal on the face or in areas with a small amount of vegetation.
Electrolysis methods also differ. They depend on the type of current and its application:
- Galvanic method. DC is used. Less painful, but takes a lot of time.
- Thermolysis High frequency alternating current is used. A very painful way that can also cause a burn.
- Flash method. An updated version of thermolysis, with relatively low soreness.
- Blend method, or mixed. Both types of current are used.
Possible effects of electrolysis
The procedure of electrolysis can be carried out only in salons and clinics, where there are professionals who specialize in such it. However, sometimes, despite the availability of modern equipment and the professionalism of a cosmetologist, unpleasant consequences can arise:
- red spots;
- scarring;
- severe itching;
- inflammation;
- burn.
Advantages and disadvantages of electrolysis
The main advantage of electrolysis is that in its process the hair follicle is destroyed, and hair stops growing. So, reflecting on the topic "electrolysis or laser - what to choose?", You can focus on the obvious pluses - the durability of the result.
But this procedure has a number of drawbacks, for example, soreness, which is exacerbated by the length of the process, as well as a high risk of burns and scars. In addition, individual intolerance can manifest itself only in the process of hair removal.
Laser Hair Removal Procedure
Laser hair removal is also aimed at getting rid of body hair once and for all. But due to the fact that not all hair grows simultaneously, as we mentioned earlier, it will take several sessions to remove all the vegetation.
The laser beam is exposed to local areas of the skin for some time. For example, the area above the lip or the bikini area will take about 15 minutes.
The laser beam acts on the hair follicle, heating it and destroying it. The skin also heats up a bit under the influence of a laser, but cools quickly. For effective hair removal, the hairs should be about 3-5 mm.
This procedure is not hazardous to health and can be performed on almost all skin areas. Laser hair removal is painless, however, if the patient has a low pain threshold, then the site of exposure can be treated with lidocaine.
In addition, modern laser systems are equipped with nozzles with which the skin is cooled during the manipulation, which reduces its sensitivity. It is important to know that during the procedure, special glasses should be put on the eyes to protect against laser exposure.
We hope that the information you received will help you understand what laser hair removal and electrolysis are. What to choose from them, everyone decides independently.
Types of laser for hair removal
The main acting force of laser hair removal is the laser wave. Its length determines what the result of the procedure will be. It is by this characteristic that the named hair removal is divided into several types:
- Diode laser. It is universal and is used for hair of any type. It also helps to treat excess hair growth.
- Neodymium laser. The longest wave. It is used for especially hard and dark hair on dark skin. It also helps to get rid of scars.
- Alexandrite laser. Used for fair hair and sensitive skin. With it, tattoos are also removed.
- Ruby laser. The shortest wave designed for hair removal on fair skin of dark hair.
Advantages and disadvantages of laser hair removal
Before removing hair, you need to study all the details of this procedure and contraindications to decide whether laser hair removal or electrolysis - which is best for you. So, the main disadvantage of the first of them is the requirement for the presence of natural dark hair. Since the laser acts on the melanin contained in the hair, if the color of the hair and skin fuses, the procedure will be ineffective. However, modern technology can circumvent this drawback due to the presence of different types of exposure.
Comparing, electrolysis or laser hair removal - which is better, you can find several advantages in favor of the laser.
- The procedure is not accompanied by severe pain in comparison with electrolysis.
- There is little chance of burns and scars after the procedure.
- If the hair is dark and strongly contrasts with the skin, then the effect of hair removal will be very good and forever, for less dark hair the effect can last about 6 years.
- Not a long time procedure.
The effects of laser hair removal depend on the individual characteristics of the body and the susceptibility of the skin. For example, with an allergy to the skin, redness may appear, which will disappear in a few days.
Contraindications for electrical or laser hair removal
The desire to remove body hair is forever strong in many people, but not everyone is ready to go to serious painful procedures for this. After all, both electrolysis and laser hair removal can be harmful. Therefore, it is important to follow the rules and study their details and possible consequences in advance.
Exposure to a body by current or laser is a serious intervention. Electrolysis or laser hair removal - what to choose from these procedures depends on the degree of danger to the health of each of them. There are a number of contraindications and limitations:
- inflammatory processes in the skin, including viral;
- pregnancy and lactation period;
- the presence of tumors;
- intolerance or allergy to certain metals;
- epilepsy;
- heart diseases.
One of the most important contraindications is the recent tan. Since the skin has already been exposed to ultraviolet radiation, laser exposure can cause burns.
Tips after hair removal
In order to avoid the unpleasant consequences of hair removal, after the procedure you need:
- Treat the epilated areas with alcohol or chlorhexidine solution to avoid infectious inflammation.
- For some time do not take a shower.
- Do not apply any products to the skin for several days, including creams and deodorant.
- Do not go to the pool or sauna for about a week.
- The first time is not to sunbathe.
In other words, any exposure to the skin that could result in injury, inflammation, etc., should be avoided.
Reviews
According to the reviews of people who regularly remove body hair, it’s quite easy to make a choice - electrolysis or laser hair removal. What to choose, for some, depends more on the level of the pain threshold, since some simply cannot tolerate pain from the effects of current.
Someone, reflecting: laser hair removal or electrolysis - which is better, relies on the proven effectiveness of the procedure. After all, electrolysis is more reliable, which has been verified by many years of practice.
findings
So, laser hair removal or electrolysis - which is better? If you ask this question to a specialist, you are unlikely to get a clear answer. The procedures are very different, despite the fact that the desired result is the same. Electrolysis is best for light and soft hair.
And if, for example, photoepilation or laser hair removal are compared, which is better of them - more obvious. These procedures are similar due to the action of the laser beam. However, photoepilation is recognized as a more universal and effective way.
As you can see, the question of which is better - laser, photo- or electrolysis, there is no definite answer. The choice depends on the place, quality and quantity of hair, customer wishes and other individual characteristics.