Electrolysis

There are many hair removal methods, both temporary and permanent, readily available for men and women looking to remove unwanted hair, but only one can claim to remove 100 percent of hair, for a smooth, hair free look that lasts: Electrolysis.

Removing unwanted hair once and for all can be both a blessing and a relief, but how are you to know which type of hair removal is best for you? At Cheryl’s Hair Removal and Cellulite Reduction center, a division of Buffalo Laser Spa, Inc., we have the knowledge and expertise to help you choose the best method for your particular needs. At Cheryl’s, we offer two different types of permanent hair reduction: laser hair removal and electrolysis. Each have their benefits and each have their downfalls, but only one can get you permanent results—guaranteed.

Electrolysis, like many other hair removal procedures, works to effectively rid your body of unwanted hair, however, the electrolysis treatment differs slightly from all other temporary and permanent reduction techniques. This procedure is the only treatment that can truthfully claim to result in 100 percent permanent hair removal. Using only non-surgical, non-invasive technology, electrolysis removes the hairs by killing them at the root. Other forms of hair removal, including laser hair removal, may be faster and easier, but only electrolysis can result in permanent hair removal results.

Hair removal by electrolysis is accomplished by using an ‘Epilator’. The Epilator is a tiny surgical probe that treats each individual hair by being inserted into the hair follicle and directing an impulse of energy down to the root of the hair. The energy impulse causes localized damage to the area surrounding each hair, rendering the follicle inactive. If inserted correctly the probe will not puncture the skin, instead it will slide directly into the follicle. This is a very slow and exact hair removal process, but the time and care taken ensures permanent results.

Electrolysis cannot be completed in just one treatment, it’s a continuous weakening process. Each treatment causes the hairs directly treated to ‘die’, but the energy impulse stimulates new hair growth around the previously damaged area. The new hairs will always grow in finer and thinner, so it will be less noticeable. Each additional treatment will treat these new hairs until hair growth is stopped completely.

One of the downfalls of electrolysis is the time that patients will invest in the treatment. Because hairs need to be treated individually, treatments can take hours to complete. While small areas like the upper lip may only take 15-30 minutes to clear the area one time, a large area like the full legs or full back can take 10 hours or more to clear the area one time. After an area is cleared once the patient will need to have 15 to 30 treatments for regrowth on scheduled intervals. That’s a lot of time and money to invest. Laser hair removal can clear an area fast usually in 2 minutes (for small areas) to 60 minutes (for large areas).

Cost Comparison: Laser Hair Removal vs. Electrolysis
Area  Treated  Average 15-60 Minute Electrolysis Cost   Number of Electrolysis Treatments Electrolysis
Cost		 Laser Cost Per Treatment Number of Laser   Treatments
Upper Lip $35 per 15 Minute Treatment 15-40
over 1 – 2 years		 $525 – $1400 $50-$175  Treatment Time
1 -4 Minutes		 5 – 8
Bikini Line $70 per 30 Minute Treatment 25 – 40
over 1 – 2 years		 $1,750 – $3,000 $150 -$395 Treatment Time
10 – 15 Minutes		 5 – 8
Underarms $70 per 30 Minute Treatment 25 – 40
over 1 – 2 years		 $1,750 – $3,000 $150 -$350 Treatment Time
4 – 10 Minutes		 5 – 8
Man’s Back $120 per 1 Hour Treatment 250 – 350 Hours
over 2 – 3 years		 $30,000 – $42,000 $500 -$895 Treatment Time
20 mins. – 45 minutes		 5 – 8
Legs

(ankle to bikini)

 $120 per 1 Hour Treatment 250 – 450 Hours
over 2 – 3 years		 $30,000 – $54,000 $700 – $1200 Treatment Time 1.25 Hours 5 – 8

** All of the above are only examples. You could multiply what your electrologist charges you times (X’s) the number (#) of treatments to get a better idea of your cost. Your cost could be lower or higher depending on what your electrologist charges, also waxed and tweezed hairs may need more treatments than hair that has not been previously tampered with. **

In addition, depending on the area you are having treated, electrolysis treatments can take as many as two to four years to successfully complete. While this time span is longer than any other hair removal option, it is the only one that can be considered 100 percent permanent.

Unlike laser hair removal, which can only treat certain hair colors, electrolysis can treat patients with any skin tone and any hair color. This makes it the only permanent method of hair removal for those patients that are not proper laser candidates.

We offer laser hair removal only currently. We have retired from electrolysis. We currently are not recommending any electrolysis clinics at this time as it takes years to get very good at electrolysis. If you have an electrolysis treatment at a clinic and you feel a tug or pull on the hair after the electrolysis probe releases its energy you are getting those hairs tweezed. We spent over 30 years in the electrolysis business and learned our trade well with on the job training which lasted for years. There are currently no hands on electrolysis training centers that offer this type of of on the job training.

If your are interested in laser hair removal we are here to help you remove your hair. If you need electrolysis we would suggest trying several different clinics in your area until you find a technician that knows what they are doing. We do not recommend any electrolysis clinics.