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Electrolysis: Unwanted hair is a major concern for men and women of all ages and the idea of never having to wax, thread, shave, epilate, bleach or pluck certain body parts ever again is extremely enticing. For those who seek complete and permanent hair removal on any part of the body, regardless of skin tone or hair colour, there remains only one method that is approved by the British Medical Association – electrolysis- the only treatment to achieve permanent and complete eradication of unwanted hair.

Electrolysis is a skill which requires many dedicated hours of practice to develop the confidence and dexterity to become a competent electrologist. The British Institute and Association of Electrolysis (BIAE) members generally undertake an additional 200 hours training above the national NVQ or VRQ electrolysis training hours.

An experienced competent electrologist would spend the majority of their working week treating clients who suffer from excess face and body hair, due to a variety of causes including, hormonal ( puberty, pregnancy & menopause)  topical stimulation (shaving, plucking, threading, waxing) , medication( steroid) and a range of medical conditions e.g. polycystic ovaries etc. There are also some highly experienced electrologist’s who treat transgender clients and others who work in hospitals.

Many people suffer in silence for years trying a whole range of hair removal treatments before seeking professional help from an experienced electrologist who is able to offer them a permanent solution to this unwanted hair problem.
 

An electrologist will have within their tool box a wide range of different types of sterile prepacked disposable needles in a range of sizes for different skin and hair type’s e.g. steel, insulated steel & gold needles available in 002 to 006 sizes.

Gold needles are excellent for dry, sensitive & diabetic skins as they reduce swelling and redness within the skin and are a good conductor of electricity.  An experienced electrologist will change needle sizes as the client’s course of treatment progresses and the hairs become finer and weaker. They will also change needle type from steel to gold when a client may be more sensitive at the time of the month or if they are taking antibiotics.
 

Generally they will have available both methods of electrolysis- short wave diathermy and the blend method of epilation which will enable them to offer the best possible treatment for the hair and follicle type presented by the client .For example a client with coarse, distorted follicles will often respond better to the blend method of epilation which produces a warmed chemical reaction which affects the entire length and width of the lower follicle helping to destroy the germinative cells more effectively in a distorted follicle.
 

To find out more about electrolysis contact www.electrolysis.co.uk.

Author: Angela Wheat  MBIAE , Cert Ed  www.gemini-beauty.co.uk
Angela has 34 years experience of working in the Beauty Industy as a skilled practitioner, and College lecturer , Head of Beauty in a Further Education College,  published  author and examiner for City and Guilds.
Angela also is Vice chair of the British Institute Association of Electrolysis and the Kent trainer for Sterex International .