FYI Cosmetics

When we hear about what procedures for hair removal work better than others, it is easy to overlook the cost aspect. One thing to remember when looking at cost is that Laser Hair Removal and electrolysis are the only two permanent sources for hair loss and will only need to be completed over the time frame laid out by the technicians. Electrolysis is not only more painful, but also takes more of your time and costs much more than any form of hair removal. If you wanted to compare waxing or shaving over a five year time period you would see that these would cost thousands of dollars. Over your lifetime as you would need to do these procedures for the rest of your life it would come close to a hundred thousand dollars.

To distinguish between the prices you should look at a comparison what each one does and how long it takes. Laser Hair Removal is noninvasive and has no side effects. Electrolysis in invasive as the metal prong is slid into each individual hair follicle, the electrically charged tip then burns the end of the follicle so it no longer produces hair. Lasers will cover at least a 9x9mm area of body and move quickly across the body and attack the follicles in the same way but with little or no pain involved. Since electrolysis has to touch individual follicles it takes much longer, meaning that a technician will need to work on that area a long time which in turn will increases the cost of doing business.

Electrolysis also has after effects like burns, blisters or welts. It takes a few days to heal from these too. Lasers will leave you with smoother, younger looking skin while taking away the hair permanently.

The hair on the face can be done with electrolysis and cost you over $650 a year. Since electrolysis can take up to four years, you will see that it will cost you about $2,700. The same procedure can be done with Laser Hair Removal and cost about half that and will be completed under six months. Unfortunately for electrolysis the price for other procedures on different parts of the body just gets higher and higher. The legs for example will cost about $3,200 for Laser Hair Removal, the same procedure with electrolysis costs about $16,000. The back is even worse for electrolysis. With lasers the back will cost about $4,000 but with electrolysis the price goes up to almost $19,000. There really is no good evidence to support using electrolysis when Laser Hair Removal can do the same job in less time at a fraction of the price. So isn’t it worth it to do a permanent procedure and never have to shave or wax again in that area for the rest of your life?

Electrolysis is a method of hair removal where a fine electric probe is injected into the hair follicle which is then damaged by the electric current passed through the probe. This results in the permanent destruction of the hair cell. The method is slow because each follicle has to be individually destroyed. The FDA and the AMA have certified the treatment as an effective permanent hair removal treatment.  Electrolysis must be done by a trained electrologist and each state regulates the process of electrolysis and the licensing of electrologists.

Electrolysis has the advantages of permanently getting rid of unwanted hair for men and women alike. Electrolysis can be done on all skin and all hair colors. The treatment can last anywhere from about 15 minutes to about 2 hours and depending on the amount of hair growth may require several visits to the electrologist. The main disadvantage of electrolysis is that many patients are skeptical of using this method because it can take years to fully complete. Electrolysis is painful and has to be treated follicle by follicle. While electrolysis is cheaper upfront than laser hair removal, the number of hours spent by the patient for completing electrolysis makes it a costlier option than laser hair removal.

Electrolysis has after effects of possible scarring and reddening of the skin and undergoing the treatment can be tedious. Further, if the procedure is not done by a competent electrologist the after effects could be extremely damaging to the skin.  Laser hair removal is fast replacing Electrolysis for the removal of unwanted hair. This is because lasers are painless and the skin around the hair follicle is not damaged because the laser wand at first sprays a cooling agent on the skin before the laser wand fires the light pulse. Laser hair removal sessions are shorter than electrolysis for the same amount of hair. For these reasons, those who elected electrolysis for hair removal in the past are now selecting laser hair removal.

Electrolysis is a method of hair removal where a fine electric probe is injected into the hair follicle which is then damaged by the electric current passed through the probe. This results in the permanent destruction of the hair cell. The method is slow because each follicle has to be individually destroyed. The FDA and the AMA have certified the treatment as an effective permanent hair removal treatment. Electrolysis must be done by a trained electrologist and each state regulates the process of electrolysis and the licensing of electrologists.

Electrolysis has the advantages of permanently getting rid of unwanted hair for men and women alike. Electrolysis can be done on all skin and all hair colors. The treatment can last anywhere from about 15 minutes to about 2 hours and depending on the amount of hair growth may require several visits to the electrologist. The main disadvantage of electrolysis is that many patients are skeptical of using this method because it can take years to fully complete. Electrolysis is painful and has to be treated follicle by follicle. While electrolysis is cheaper upfront than laser hair removal, the number of hours spent by the patient for completing electrolysis makes it a costlier option than laser hair removal.

Electrolysis has after effects of possible scarring and reddening of the skin and undergoing the treatment can be tedious. Further, if the procedure is not done by a competent electrologist the after effects could be extremely damaging to the skin. Laser hair removal is fast replacing Electrolysis for the removal of unwanted hair. This is because lasers are painless and the skin around the hair follicle is not damaged because the laser wand at first sprays a cooling agent on the skin before the laser wand fires the light pulse. Laser hair removal sessions are shorter than electrolysis for the same amount of hair. For these reasons, those who elected electrolysis for hair removal in the past are now selecting laser hair removal.

Hair Removal is an age old concept. Dating back to the cavemen, removing ones hair has always been a sign of civilization. The ancient Egyptians and Greeks were among the first to develop razors, but other historical groups each had their own ways of grooming their appearance. Modern day has brought about radical advancements in technology—these advancements have allowed for the creation of new and better methods for removing unwanted hair; advancements so revolutionary, now men and women even have a way to remove unwanted hair permanently.

Throughout the years many concepts for hair removal have been developed, some have worked, others have not. After significant trial and error, today there are 7 basic modalities available for the removal of unwanted hair:

Shaving: shaving is the oldest method of hair removal that is still in existence today. The first razors discovered date back over 3000 years. Technology has allowed for the development of newer and better razors that add comfort and protection to the process, but the end result has never changed. By passing the razor over the surface of your skin, shaving gives you smooth, soft hair free results.

Waxing: waxing differs to shaving in that shaving removes hair from the surface of the skin, but waxing removes hair from the root. Waxing consists of spreading a wax combination thinly over the skin. A cloth strip is then pressed on top of the wax, as it cools the cloth strip is quickly ripped away bringing unwanted hair with it. Waxing is a temporary method of hair removal but results last much longer than results from shaving.

Tweezing: tweezing is similar to waxing in that you remove the hair from the root, but it differs in that no wax is used. Instead, tweezers are used to pull or pluck each individual hair from the follicle. Length of results are similar to that of waxing, but the process takes much longer considering hairs are removed one by one.

Sugaring: sugaring is a very old method of hair removal that is still used by some today. Sugaring is very similar to waxing, though many say it is less painful because the sticky substance used for sugaring only sticks to the hair, not to the skin. Like waxing, sugaring involves a sticky substance (usually made out of all natural ingredients) being spread over the skin. A cloth strip is applied and the hair is quickly ripped from the follicles.

Depilatory Creams: depilatory creams such as Nair or Veet are commonly used to temporarily remove unwanted hair. Depilatory creams use a combination of chemicals to break the protein chains in the hair that give it its strength; essentially the creams disintegrate the hair. Results can last, but individuals must use caution because if the creams are used too frequently, they can cause adverse reactions on your skin.

Electrolysis: electrolysis is a method of hair removal that has been in existence for over 100 years and to date is the only true permanent method of hair removal available. Electrolysis involves a tiny surgical probe that is inserted into each individual hair follicle. The probe delivers an electrical impulse to the root of the hair which effectively destroys it. Once a hair is properly treated, it will never grow again. Electrolysis is permanent, but the process can be very long. Each hair follicle must be treated individually so patients may not see 100% results for years.

Laser Hair Removal: laser hair removal is the newest form of hair removal to become available to consumers. Developed in 1998, this process involves the use of laser light to effectively destroy actively growing hair follicles for permanent hair reduction. The laser is passed over the treatment area; the pulsed light is attracted to the pigment found in the hair follicles. Once the light reaches the follicle, the laser energy is transformed into heat which disables the follicle rendering it inactive. Multiple treatments are needed for effective results and patients can see up to 95% reduction of unwanted hair.

Consumers today have many choices when it comes to hair removal. Whether searching for temporary or permanent hair removal, the options available allow men and women to find the perfect solution to their unwanted hair removal needs.