Electrolysis vs. Laser Hair Removal

Choosing Between Electrolysis & Laser Hair Removal in San Diego

If you are considering hair removal, there are two options you will have to compare. You can choose to undergo laser hair removal or electrolysis to get rid of unwanted facial hair or to at least reduce the amount of hair.

Hair is difficult to get rid of and cannot be hidden under items of clothing. Excess hair can be embarrassing and cause you to be constantly worried about your appearance. Plucking or shaving the hair is not enough since hair might start growing back before the day is over and these methods can irritate the skin.

Are Both Methods Efficient?

Laser hair removal works best to eliminate dark hair on light skin. If you have a darker skin tone, you might not get ideal results and the laser might actually burn your skin. Laser hair removal works by targeting darker pigments, which makes this method more efficient if you have dark hair and light skin. More advanced methods allow laser technicians to use radio frequencies to target the hair more efficiently.

Electrolysis targets the hair follicle instead of the pigment. This is an efficient method regardless of your skin tone or of the color of your hair.

How Long Does It Take To Get Rid of Facial Hair

A laser hair removal session should be fairly short since the laser technician will have to target a fairly small area on your face. A session to reduce the amount of hair in the eyebrows should not take longer than fifteen minutes. Most patients need between four and six sessions to get the results they wanted and usually need to wait a month between each session.

With electrolysis, the technician has to target each hair follicle individually. The amount of time required depends on the technology used. You will need between fifteen and thirty sessions depending on the results you want and each session will last between fifteen and thirty minutes depending on the amount of hair that needs to be eliminated.

Which Method Is More Affordable?

A laser hair removal session usually costs between $200 and $900. The cost varies in function of the size of the area you want to treat but facilities also have very different price structures. You should be able to find a clinic with affordable prices since removing facial hair means the area treated should be fairly small. An electrolysis session typically costs are affordable and can easily treat a small area such as eyebrows.

Which Method Is More Painful?

Patients describe laser hair removal as the sensation of being snapped with a rubber band. You might also feel the heat of the laser on your skin. Everyone reacts to pain and discomfort differently. If you have coarse and dark hair, you might feel the burn a little more intensely. A man who wants to get rid of facial hair on their cheeks or chin will experience more pain than a woman who wants to have her eyebrows treated.

Electrolysis feels like pricking or stinging. The pain may be more or less intense in function of your own tolerance to pain and discomfort. You will feel the pricking or stinging sensation for each hair that is being treated.

Are There Any Possible Side Effects?

Laser hair removal involves a few risks, especially if you want to treat your eyebrows since the laser could come in contact with your eyes. You will need to wear protection to prevent this from happening. Scarring is not a common side effect but it can occur. In some cases, laser has caused hidden facial hair to grow in women.

Electrolysis can cause skin to become discolored if the procedure is not done properly.

What Kind Of Results Can You Expect?

Laser hair removal has been approved by the FDA as a safe procedure for hair reduction. Mayo Clinic says that laser hair removal can be used to eliminate between 40% and 80% of hair. However, laser hair removal might not be ideal for facial hair since this hair is typically light and fine and might be difficult to target.

Electrolysis is currently the only permanent hair removal method approved by the FDA. This isn't a foolproof method but there is an excellent track record. It can for instance be difficult to target hair follicles that have been damaged from tweezing, shaving or waxing. Electrolysis is the most efficient way to get rid of unwanted facial hair since this method can target hair follicles regardless of their pigmentation.

Can You Do Hair Removal Treatments At Home?

There are two laser hair removal devices that have been approved by the FDA, including Tria Laser Hair Removal Precision and Silk'n SensEPil (IPL). You can use these devices to get rid of unwanted facial hair at home.

You can purchase an electrolysis device designed to be used at home. However, it is best to have a professional perform this treatment since you need to insert a needle into a hair follicle to target it.

Which Method Is Best For You?

Laser hair removal is not an ideal choice if you have light facial hair or a dark skin tone. Laser hair removal will not yield the kind of results you wanted and might not be safer. Relying on laser and radio frequencies is a good alternative but this treatment may or may not be offered where you live. Electrolysis is probably your best option.

If you have a light skin tone and dark facial hair, both options can work for you. Laser hair removal will probably end up being the most affordable option since you should be able to get the results you wanted with just a few treatments. Laser hair removal is your best choice if you want to have thinner and lighter hair or if you want most of the hair gone. If you want the hair to be gone permanently or if you have a lot of hair to remove, electrolysis might be the best option.