Skin care after electrolysis: what to apply, how to remove stains

The concept and principle of operation of electrolysis

The procedure for removing unwanted hair from the human body using electric current is called electrolysis.

The specialist works with a needle-electrode on each hair separately.

An electric discharge is applied to the hair follicle with a special needle-electrode, which is used by a qualified cosmetologist. The current causes a thermal reaction; as a result of overheating, the follicle dies, as well as the capillary system that supplies it with blood.

The method is point-based, that is, a current pulse is applied to each hair in the active stage, and the surrounding skin can be damaged: it can heat up or get burned. In general, the procedure is safe for the human body .

Technique and types of procedure

Depending on the area of the body being treated, electrolysis is carried out with a current of greater or lesser power. The most popular procedures for hair removal by electric current are in the back, chest, face, armpits, legs and bikini areas.

But vegetation in the nose, ears or near the eyes can be removed with electric current only if absolutely necessary.

Depending on the parameters of the electric current, the procedure is divided into types:

electrolysis. This method is the oldest of all other types of electrolysis. Its essence lies in a chemical reaction when the hair root dies from alkali - sodium hydroxide. The electric current is low voltage, so treatment of each follicle takes up to two minutes. Modern devices have several needles and process up to 16 hairs per pulse. But nevertheless, this is not enough, and the electrolysis procedure takes a lot of time, which reduces its popularity. But this method copes well with deep-set and coarse hairs;
thermolysis. In this case, the current has a high frequency, as a result of which the follicle dies from overheating. The method has been used for a long time - since the 20s of the twentieth century. Devices for such electrolysis have a similar operating principle to radio devices. With local heating, the hair root and its circulatory system die within 1–2 seconds. Protection of the surrounding epidermis from burns is provided by a special spraying of the needle-electrode. Thermolysis showed the greatest effect on thin and shallowly rooted hair. If the hair canal has a curvature, then the procedure may be ineffective;
Flash technique. A type of thermolysis, but with an electric current of a higher frequency. Due to this, instantaneous death of the follicle is ensured, since a microelectric shock lasting a fraction of a second is enough. This method requires certain skills and abilities from a specialist, because it is easy to overestimate the current power and burn the skin . If everything goes correctly, the procedure will be short-lived and almost painless;
Bland technique. This fairly new type of hair removal combines electrolysis and thermolysis, using their advantages. First, the needle-electrode delivers an impulse to the hair follicle, then the alkali formed penetrates deep into the root, which leads to its final death. Blend hair removal takes more time than thermolysis, but the pain is lower and even curved roots are removed. The device for blend hair removal is equipped with a built-in microprocessor that controls the required power level, so the risks of complications are minimal;
Scan method. In this case, the follicle dies from the effects of a special gel composition, which is injected through electric current. The effect will be enhanced if, after scanning hair removal, mechanical hair removal is performed: wax, sugar or tweezers.

Important: each of the described methods has its pros and cons, as well as different pricing policies. Before you decide to undergo electrolysis, you should learn as much as possible about it.

Duration of effect and required number of sessions

The armpits are a part of the body where unwanted hair bothers both women and men. Therefore, the issue of obtaining clean and smooth skin in this area forever or for a long time is relevant for everyone.

To remove armpit hair, one session will not be enough - for an ideal result you will need 5-7 sessions

Officially, electrolysis is recognized as the only way to get rid of unwanted hair forever. But only after a full course of procedures. The thing is that this method only kills hair that is growing at a given time. But on the human body, up to 80% of follicles can be dormant. Therefore, after the first session, you need to wait two to three weeks until the “dormant” hairs are activated, and repeat the procedure. And so several times, and each subsequent one will take less time. You need to be prepared for the fact that coarse and thick hair grows in the armpit area, which takes longer to remove. The total number of sessions for ideal smoothness in this area will be from five to seven.

After this, you will forget about the vegetation, but after 3-6 years, correction may be required. But it will go away quickly and will take 1-2 electrolysis sessions.

Advantages and disadvantages

Among the advantages of electrolysis, the following factors can be noted:

with its help, hair of any structure and color can be removed (this is important, since most other methods have a narrow specialization and are used separately to eliminate dark and light hair);
Electrolysis completely destroys hair follicles, without the possibility of their regeneration.

At the same time, many visitors to cosmetology clinics may be frightened by such disadvantages of the technique, which should also be discussed:

electrolysis may be accompanied by severe pain;
during the procedures, there are risks of infection in the epidermis;
achieving the required results may take a long time and a large number of sessions;
the method is one of the most expensive in its segment.

It is worth noting that many experts are against electrolysis of the armpits, as evidenced by reviews on the Internet. Its use can harm the patient’s health, especially if the cosmetologist involved in the procedures is poorly qualified. At the same time, most cosmetology centers advertise this method and offer it to their clients without any qualms. In fact, the likelihood that an experienced doctor will damage your lymph nodes in the armpit area during sessions is almost zero. But, you must admit that determining in advance the degree of qualification of a particular specialist is sometimes not only difficult, but impossible. Here, each person must decide for himself: is it worth the risk or is it better to give preference to safer methods.

Presence of contraindications and side effects

Since electric hair removal is performed using a needle and is an invasive method, it has a number of limitations.

The procedure is contraindicated:

if there is an acute disease of the skin of the armpits;
expectant mothers and nursing women;
teenagers under eighteen years of age;
for oncological tumors and diabetes mellitus;
pacemaker wearers;
if you are allergic to electric current;
if purulent pimples and warts have appeared in the armpit area;
for psychoneurological diseases, for example, epilepsy;
carriers of hepatitis, HIV infection;
people susceptible to coronary heart disease or hypertension.

In some cases, after electrolysis of the armpits, there may be consequences that are unpleasant for a person. There may be several reasons for this: from the individual characteristics of the body to the low qualifications of the specialist.

The most common consequences:

pigmentation of treated skin areas;
formation of scars and scars due to damage to the epidermis;
feeling of irritation and itching;
inflammation of the skin pores after an accidental infection.

For pregnant women, electrolysis may carry the risk of miscarriage in the early stages, premature birth and disturbances in fetal development in the later stages. This is due to local thermal effects, which can lead to a chain reaction of the nervous or hormonal systems. There are many nerve endings and lymph nodes concentrated in the armpit area, so you need to be extremely careful with it .

For women during lactation, electric hair removal of the armpits may result in a change in the composition or amount of milk produced.

In adolescents under 18 years of age, active hormonal changes occur in the body, so the body’s reaction can be completely unpredictable. And after an electrolysis session, purulent pimples may appear, getting rid of which will take much longer than the entire course of hair removal.

Contraindications

Due to its risk of injury, electrolysis has a number of contraindications for use. You can't resort to it:

in the presence of skin diseases, especially in acute form;
if the patient suffers from diabetes or cancer;
in the presence of hypertension and ischemic disease;
in case of epilepsy and mental disorder;
with damaged epidermis, presence of moles, tattoos;
if a woman has varicose veins;
with an implanted pacemaker;
if there is increased skin sensitivity;
during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

If there are the above restrictions, this method of removing unwanted vegetation should be abandoned, since there is a high risk of harming your health.

How to prepare the skin of your armpits before the procedure

The good thing about electrolysis is that no special preparation is required. You can do a gentle exfoliation of your armpits in a couple of days to open the pores and remove rough cells. Avoid mechanical hair removal, that is, waxing, sugaring, a month before the session.

Also, if possible, take a warm shower or bath immediately before the electrolysis session.

How to reduce pain during electrolysis

The feeling of pain during electric hair removal depends on the power of the pulse applied, the thickness of the hair and the electrode needle. The first session is always more painful than all subsequent ones. This is due to the fact that after each epilation the hair becomes thinner and grows more slowly.

But still, in all salons, before the procedure, a painkiller is applied to the skin of the armpits. This can be a spray or cream, for example, Emla. To make the product last longer, you need to apply a cellophane film over the composition on the skin.

Before electrolysis of the armpits, Emla anesthetic cream is applied to the treated area.

Also, modern devices are often equipped with special cooling devices, which, when applied to the skin, emit a cooling gas.

Required hair length for removal with a needle-electrode

To make it easier for a specialist to determine the direction of hair growth and insert the electroepilator needle, they should be 2–4 mm long.

To make it easier for a specialist to determine the direction of hair growth and insert a needle, its length should be 2–4 mm

Therefore, it is important to shave a few days before the procedure with a regular razor. Plucking is excluded, as this damages the follicle. Each person's hair grows at a certain rate, so you need to independently calculate when to start preparing.

How to care for your skin after electrolysis?

Skin restoration after all manipulations takes about a week. Of course, I would like to immediately have smooth skin, like after sugaring. In the case of electrolysis, you need to be patient and follow all the doctor’s recommendations in order to enjoy clear skin without unwanted hair after a while.

Following these simple rules will help you quickly recover after electrolysis: • The treated area of skin should not come into contact with water for the first 24 hours. • For the first three days, refrain from taking a hot bath, as well as from using any creams and perfumes (if hair removal was done on the face, then refrain from using decorative cosmetics). • For 4-5 days, you should regularly treat the skin with an antiseptic prescribed by your doctor to avoid infection. • It is forbidden to sunbathe in the first week to prevent age spots from appearing. • Refrain from physical activity. Excessive sweating will cause you to take longer to recover. • Do not under any circumstances peel off the crusts that have appeared after removal. Otherwise, scars may appear in their place. • Do not touch the skin with dirty hands to avoid infection in the wounds. • Do not use the swimming pool or sauna. • Make sure that clothing and underwear do not rub the treated parts of the body. Wear loose-fitting clothes. To avoid unpleasant consequences, you should definitely follow these recommendations for the first week after the procedure. If you are thinking about whether to decide to remove hair in this way or not, then read reviews about the effectiveness of electrolysis:

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Tags: foot care, hair removal, hair removal, self-care, body care, electrolysis

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Pros and cons of electrolysis of the armpit area

Like any cosmetic procedure, armpit electrolysis has its advantages and disadvantages.

The technique has a number of disadvantages:

quite a long procedure. Compared to modern hardware hair removal, for example, photo and laser, electrolysis takes the longest time. This is due to the fact that the cosmetologist must treat each hair separately, insert a needle into the follicle, and wait until the device supplies the current. Modern devices work much faster, but still the average armpit treatment session lasts about an hour;
high sensitivity is due to a large accumulation of nerve endings, thin skin of the armpit area, as well as pinpoint pain from current pulses. You can use a lower frequency current, but it will be less effective on thicker hair. This disadvantage of electrolysis can be easily corrected with anesthesia;
the risk of complications in the form of damage to the epidermis, residual red spots, scars is quite high;
the possibility of infection entering through micropunctures from the needle-electrode. Of course, modern cosmetology strictly adheres to the rules of hygiene, but you need to be as careful as possible;
Greater dependence of the final performance on the skills and dexterity of the specialist. The effectiveness of destroying the hair follicle depends on the correctly inserted needle with a precisely selected diameter into the right place.

Despite the disadvantages, the procedure has clear advantages, which is why its popularity has not declined for a long time.

Advantages of electric hair removal:

this is the only officially recognized method known that removes hair permanently;
the current destroys hair regardless of the melanin pigment, that is, any color for all shades of the skin;
Hair hormone dependence does not affect hair removal. The action of hormones sometimes leads to the degeneration of vellus hair into terminal hair, that is, hard and dark;
sessions are carried out on areas of the body where vellus and coarse hair grow together;
the ability to remove hair in areas with benign moles that are carefully avoided;
The risk of trouble in the form of ingrown hairs is practically absent.

Compliance with safety measures

The electrolysis procedure requires compliance with safety measures by the cosmetologist.

Safety precautions for electrical hair removal are as follows:

electroepilator needles must be sterile, since through them accidental contact with blood can occur with all the attendant risks, for example, hepatitis infection;
the cosmetologist must always use disposable medical gloves;
before and after the procedure, the skin must be thoroughly disinfected;
the medical salon must have the appropriate license allowing the provision of such services.

Methods of performing needle electrolysis

The technique described above can be used in various modes, differing from each other in the frequency and intensity of the supplied electrical pulses. Today, there are five ways to remove hair from the armpit area using electrolysis, each of which should be considered separately.

1) Galvanic electrolysis. A constant (galvanic) current is supplied through the needle to the base of the follicle, which promotes the formation of sodium-based alkali around the hair follicle. As soon as characteristic hydrogen bubbles begin to appear on the surface of the skin, the doctor removes the electrode and removes the dead follicle. This process is not accompanied by severe pain, but its duration is increased compared to other methods.

2) Thermolysis. Unlike the previous method, it involves the use of high frequency alternating current and low voltage. It is not recommended to use thermolysis to remove hair from the axillary area, as it is one of the most painful and traumatic methods of electrolysis. If the procedure is approached incorrectly, an unqualified specialist can damage the patient’s skin, causing thermal burns, and even harm the lymph nodes. In order to reduce the pain from thermolysis, anesthetic sprays and local anesthesia are used.

3) Bland method. It includes the features of the previous two methods, and the impact on the follicles with its use is both direct and alternating current. Modern blend epilators allow you to adjust the frequency and voltage of the electric current in real time, depending on the characteristics of the patients.

4) Sequential blend. One of the varieties of the blend method, which is characterized by a reduction in pain from the procedure. This is achieved by reducing the current amplitude pulse. At the same time, reducing the intensity of the impact naturally requires increasing its duration.

5) Flash method. To some extent, it relates to the thermolysis method, but, unlike it, it does not cause such severe pain. It involves the use of high frequency electric current (up to 2000 kilohertz) and almost never leads to injury to the epidermis.

6) Sequential flash. It is nothing more than an improved flash method. With its help, you can remove hair of different thicknesses without changing the equipment settings, which distinguishes it from other methods of electrolysis. The method involves the use of sinusoidal high-frequency alternating current, which increases the speed and efficiency of procedures using it.

Skin care after the session

In order for the results to last longer, as well as to minimize side effects, you need to ensure proper skin care.

Important: immediately after the procedure, you need to apply a special protective cosmetic composition.

On average, the rehabilitation period takes from one to two weeks, during which redness, pinpoint burns and skin irritations disappear. At this time, it is imperative to treat this area with Panthenol or Bepanten two to three times a day. Panthenol spray is more convenient to use.

Restrictions before and after electric hair removal

It must be remembered that there are a number of prohibitions before and after electrolysis of the armpits.

To carry out the procedure more effectively, there are the following “don’ts”:

During the first 24 hours it is forbidden to wet the armpits; during the first hours it is better not to touch the delicate area of the armpits at all;
a week before and three weeks after, you should not visit a solarium, bathhouse, sauna or sunbathe, as heat and ultraviolet exposure can lead to burns of the epidermis or pigmentation;
two weeks after hair removal, you should not swim in the pool or open water to avoid infection;
It is forbidden to wear clothes that are tight around the armpits;
visiting the gym is prohibited for two weeks after electric hair removal, as sweat will cause unnecessary irritation and inflammation of the skin pores;
do not use antiperspirants and deodorants for a week after the procedure;
Do not pull out emerging hair with tweezers or perform other types of hair removal. To remove all hair permanently, you need to wait until your next electrolysis session;
It is forbidden to peel off the scabs on your own; they must be regularly lubricated with healing agents, after which they should come off on their own.

Efficiency of the method

Electrolysis (the client must inform the doctor about contraindications to the procedure before the session) allows you to permanently get rid of excess hair on the face and body of both women and men.

The treatment procedure for the 1st zone takes 30 minutes. up to 10 hours and requires alternate work with each hair. For the convenience of the client, each session can be divided into several parts, allowing each centimeter of the body to be treated in turn.

It is possible to completely remove excess hair only after 4-10 sessions, since only 10-15% of the hair in the active growth phase is removed in one procedure. After 2-3 weeks, electrolysis on the treated area is repeated, destroying new, awakened follicles.

Required number of sessions:

Zone	Number of sessions
Brows	2-3
Cheeks	3-5
Chin	4-6
Dark hair located above the upper lip	4-5
Armpits	5-8
Legs, hips	8-10
Back and lower back	8-9
Bikini	7-20

Men need a longer time to get rid of excess hair, since the hair on their body is more dense.

Reviews from doctors

Lucinda Nersisyan: Approximately how much time and money will it take for the armpit area and bikini area completely?
Natalya Sergeeva: Lucy, on average it takes 2 hours for each armpit. In order for hair to stop growing there completely, you need from 3 to 5 procedures. But, of course, the amount of hair also plays a role. That is, it may turn out to be less, or maybe a little more. For now the price is 15 rubles/min. Next will be the average for St. Petersburg -20 rubles/min. Natalya Sergeeva https://vk.com/topic-74364263_30685373?post=36

Electrolysis is effective during a course of sessions.
If you have a low pain threshold, I do not recommend this method of hardware hair removal. Svetlana Sergeeva, cosmetologist https://ladyspecial.ru/krasota/uxod-za-liczom-i-telom/kosmetologiya/elektroepilyatsiya-protivopokazaniya-i-posledstviya

Types of electrolysis by electrode type

Electrolysis is divided into several types according to the type of current used; in addition, there are differences in the type of electrode. Based on them, the procedure is divided into two methods:

Needle. This is a classic method of electrolysis; the electrode is made in the form of a very thin needle through which an electric current passes. The damaged hair is removed using tweezers.
Tweezers. This method is used quite rarely, mainly in the armpits or face, as it is characterized by a long duration. The electrode is made in the form of tweezers, and in this case the skin is not damaged. The hair is captured by the electrode, the root is destroyed remotely, after which the hair is easily removed.

There are also differences in the metal from which the electrode is made. There are three options:

Medical alloy needles are most often used. They are suitable for healthy skin that can easily withstand the effects of electric current.
Teflon-coated needles are used in cases where the client has a low pain threshold.
Gold-plated needles are used quite rarely; most often they are used if the client is allergic to base metals.

Video: how to perform electrolysis of the armpit area

Electrolysis of the armpits, despite the pain and duration of implementation, remains a popular procedure for more than a hundred years. It has both positive and negative sides. By following a few simple care rules and not performing prohibited actions, you can get a lasting effect in removing hair from the armpit area. You need to forget about laziness and take care of your skin regularly.

Author: Olga Tolstikova
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Precautions and features of the procedure during pregnancy

Electrolysis is considered a relatively safe procedure that allows you to permanently get rid of excess hair on the face and body.

Despite the desire of a young mother to always remain attractive, cosmetology clinics in the Russian Federation refuse to perform it, since Russian gynecologists consider pregnancy one of the main contraindications to the use of a skincare procedure.

Gynecologists in foreign countries and Russia have different attitudes to the problem of using the procedure by a woman while she is expecting a child. European and American obstetricians, based on sociological research, state that thermolysis is considered absolutely safe for pregnant women, and electrolysis is not advisable for depilation of the bikini area from the 3rd semester.

Electrical waves can negatively affect fetal development. Unpleasant sensations from the procedure can provoke increased uterine tone.

Russian practices are less liberal in this matter, prohibiting the use of electrolysis in the fight against excess hair during the entire period of waiting for the baby and further, during breastfeeding. This is motivated by the fact that during pregnancy a woman’s hormonal levels change and any, even previously habitual, influence can cause an unusual reaction.

Preparation

Preparation for electrolysis does not begin with moral reassurance, but with certain actions that will help the device burn out the bulb (and not part of the skin), avoid complications and prevent any skin problems in the future.

Do I need to grow my hair before epilation?

Let's start with the length of hair that is required for electrolysis.
The fact is that you can come with very long hair, but it will be difficult for a specialist to hit the right point, and the procedure will not be without mistakes, which will result in skin burns and severe pain. If you come with smoothly shaved skin, then the cosmetologist will have to pick up a magnifying glass to see the location of each hair (in reality, they simply will not be able to perform the procedure on you).

Therefore, the hair length should be medium to make it comfortable to work .
By the time of the procedure, the hair length (on the face, limbs, stomach, back or bikini area) should be from 3 to 7 mm. Important ! The duration and effectiveness of electrolysis directly depends on the length of the hair, so these recommendations must be followed .

Is it possible to remove hair before the procedure?

We said above that electrolysis requires a certain length of hair.
So, you will need to shave the hair on a certain area of the skin, after considering how long it will take for it to grow to the desired length. If the length of the hair does not exceed the permitted limits (in the case of facial or belly hair), then there is no need to shave it off. Important!
Before performing electrolysis, it is prohibited to use any devices that violate the integrity of the skin or damage the bulb.

You need to shave long hair with a regular razor. Try to do everything so that there are no wounds, scratches or irritation on the skin in the following days.

Is it possible to sunbathe

Continuing the topic of how to prepare for electrolysis, let's talk about tanning before the procedure.

There is no strict ban on visiting a solarium or sunbathing before electrolysis (as is the case with the laser method), but you should understand that if your skin gets sunburned, and then burns from hair removal are added to this, then the rehabilitation will be longer and more painful .
We recommend avoiding tanning 2 days before the procedure to reduce stress on the skin and protect the recovery process. Important!
If you have received sun or ultraviolet burns in a solarium, then a visit to a cosmetologist should be postponed until the skin is completely restored
.

Progress of the procedure

The electrolysis procedure includes the following steps:

Before the procedure, the cosmetologist talks with the client again to make sure there are no contraindications.
After this, an antiseptic treatment is carried out to help prevent infection and other undesirable consequences of electrolysis.
Next, the master applies anesthesia. Since the skin in the intimate area is highly sensitive and receptive, most experts advise using anesthesia that requires subcutaneous administration. Numbing creams and sprays are not as strong as injections, so they are usually used on less sensitive areas.
After the anesthesia takes effect, the master begins treatment. A special needle-electrode is inserted into each bulb, after which the hair along with the follicle is pulled out with tweezers. Because the session takes several hours, repeated administration of anesthesia may be necessary.
When the procedure is completed, the master will once again treat the skin with an antiseptic and apply a soothing cream. After this, the client can go home.

Before leaving the office, you need to ask your cosmetologist how to care for your skin after electrolysis. The specialist will tell you which cream is best to use after electrolysis in a particular case, and what rules need to be followed to prevent complications.

Possible complications

Serious complications after treatment occur extremely rarely, and more often they are the result of the inexperience of the specialist or ignoring care recommendations during rehabilitation. In this case, a woman may encounter the following manifestations:

burns after electrolysis. They appear only if the technician configures the equipment incorrectly or the client has very sensitive skin. Unlike other types of hardware hair removal, after electrolysis only pinpoint burns are possible, which go away on their own and do not leave scars. If a woman wants to restore tissue faster, it is recommended to use Bepanten or Solcoseryl;
itching _ This reaction of the epidermis is absolutely natural and, as a rule, goes away on its own after a couple of days;
red dots after electrolysis. Appear due to mechanical stress and tissue injury. To quickly get rid of this complication, it is recommended to use regenerating ointments;
inflammation. The most rare and dangerous complication that occurs when microbes enter unhealed wounds. Only a dermatologist should treat inflammation.

The undoubted advantage of this treatment is that scars will not appear after electrolysis in any case. Due to the fact that the needle acts on the skin pointwise, the wounds will be very small and can heal even without the use of medications.