Electrolysis vs Laser / IPL

[helsinki (imported)]

Dear all

I am intending to have removal of facial hair. Some people (mainly electrologists ) say that electrolysis is the best option, while others (mainly laser practitioners ) say that laser is a better choice. A third option is to have several laser sessions, and then have electrolysis to clear up remaining hair.

Also, if I did choose electrolysis, should I go to a clinic where the entire face is cleared in a few days, by doing several hours of electrolysis each day, or does this carry the risk of skin damage?

I would welcome any advice or comments.

Helsinki

[devi (imported)]

--Just not sure whether laser or eloctrolysis is more effective. I do have black hairs on Mediteranean skin myself which is supposed to be the best combination for laser. But I don't know whether even that is as effective as eloctolysis. Since I normally tweeze all my hairs out for an hour every Saturday morning I myself have been thinking about either one of those solutions. My major problems is with seeing the hairs on my cheeks and under my chin with a mirror while I'm lying half asleep in bed. Although those hairs are much sparser than my upper lip I would target those area first and continue to tweeze my chin and upper lip for a while maybe. It's actually laser removal which carries the risk of sun damage. In fact in the old days I guess people (Indians and Hispanics) did actually use the sun for a few hours with some type of preparation from goat's horns applied to their skin. I have no idea on how to do it that way other than I have heard about it a few times is all.

[Dana Lane (imported)]

I heard that it is cheaper to get laser first then follow up with electrolysis and get what the laser couldn't get. In the US I was quoted about $7000 for the laser alone (just for beard) and since I have gray hairs There would be additional costs.

I decided to take matters into my own hands and try to save some money. I bought a Vector Electrolysis home kit (electric tweezers) and also bought a Tria Beauty home laser kit. It costs about 900 bucks and the tweezers cost me about 250. A test run with the laser hurt like hell on highest setting so I think it is working but need to wait a couple of weeks. I also tested this on a tattoo today and hurt like hell and showed the normal swelling you see in photos so maybe I got lucky. The tweezers are incredibly painful because you have to endure pain while the electricity is zapping the follicle.

Just got these kits recently so can't give any real feedback on them yet but if they work (at least to get most of my hair gone and maybe a tattoo) it will be so worth it.

[devi (imported)]

Xenon light bulbs are said to best mimic sunlight in case you might plan to use sunlight (old-fashioned laser). What people would do is be sure to put patches over the eyes, possibly use some type of mild depillatory???, use plenty of salve (wish I knew what type) and then have a mirror positioned for underneath the chin. But I suppose paying the money for the laser would be the best way to go. There is nothing worse in this world than a sunburn. I'll never forget the first time I burned (in my thirties after my skin complexion lightened). --Hurt like HELL!!!

[twaddler (imported)]

Check out: http://www.electrology2000.com/e3000.html

I would love to go for some of this.

[ramses (imported)]

Check out: http://www.electrology2000.com/e3000.html

I would love to go for some of this.

Wow, that place is pretty close to my house...

[strassenbahn (imported)]

An affordable, 100% effective permanent depilation process would be a great boon to the world. Unfortunately laser is both very expensive and doesn't work on grey hairs. I can't tell you how much I wish every single hair below the bottom of my sideburns were gone, but no such luck, and I just limit myself to shaving my public region daily.

[twaddler (imported)]

Wow, that place is pretty close to my house...

Lucky you!

[billiejean789 (imported)]

Above the lip laser would cost about $500-$700 per my doctor. The lasewr isn't permanent. You need to have it redone every 2-3 years. My electrolysis wasn't permanernt either. Figure 1 buck a minute for electrolysis with each session lasting 30 minutes or so. I went every week for several months. My tramsgenered friend had her entire body done except her hair--it took a long time and cost over $6,ooo u s dollars. But she really looks great.

[devi (imported)]

Some tweezers work better than others. Maybe with the price of laser/eloctrolysis it might be well worth it to spend some time in the sun afterall and "burn" those hair roots. Or else to go ahead and purchase your own hair removal system. Perhaps you could trade among each other too. The one with the electrolysis would trade with the one with the laser and the one with neither would just help out with a lot of the prep and post work or something. You know I'd even be interested myself.