The patients who would benefit the most are:
- Patients who have unwanted natural blonde or red facial / body hair – electrolysis is the only solution available for permanent hair removal. Both laser and intense pulsed light (IPL) methods rely on the dark pigmentation within the hair root to transmit sufficient energy to damage and kill the hair regrowth cells.
- Patients who have natural brown, dark or black hair but have now developed some white, grey or silver hairs – these can only be removed permanently by electrolysis. As we age we lose pigmentation in our hair. Traditionally, people have tried to eliminate these hairs by waxing, plucking or shaving. These maintenance procedures actually simulate the regrowth of the bleached hairs which grow back stronger and faster than the original ones.
- Transgender patients – either laser hair removal or electrolysis can treat facial hair; however, for those who are considering gender reassignment surgery, electrolysis is the preferred treatment because it gives the best opportunity for permanent hair removal without any follow-up maintenance treatments.
Electrolysis is medically approved for permanent hair removal of both facial and body hair as the electric current destroys the hair regrowth cells that house the hair root.
The disadvantage of electrolysis is that it can be more painful for patients, depending on the area being treated, although pain relief can be provided if required.
At Skin Medical we are regulated and inspected by the Care Quality Commission, who also inspect NHS hospitals to ensure quality standards are met. We treat hairs using single-use needles and sterilised tweezers to remove individually treated hair to minimise the risk of infection.
At consultation a care plan that records your medical history and current medication will be filled out, the procedure will be fully explained and patients are provided with treatment and aftercare instructions. A treatment plan will be discussed, and patients will be advised how often they will need to come in for treatment and how long the overall course of treatment will be to remove hair from the desired areas.
