Can Electrolysis be used on Large Areas of Hair?

One of the most high tech methods of hair removal currently available is electrolysis. The procedure – which involves inserting a needle into the skin to release an electrical current in the hair follicle, damaging it and thereby reducing further hair growth – requires a skilled technician and can be expensive but will typically result in a significant amount of hair loss. However, as with all hair removal options, this cannot be guaranteed as results vary from person to person.

While it has been suggested that modern methods of electrolysis have reduced the pain often reported with the treatment, many patients do still find the procedure to be quite sore and it is generally considered that laser hair removal is a significantly more comfortable method of long term hair removal. Furthermore, as the process of electrolysis requires each hair to be targeted individually and at the right stage in the growth cycle, multiple treatments are required (depending on the area this can be up to 30) and each of these can be quite long which can naturally increase the level of pain felt by the patient.


For people looking to have large areas treated then, laser hair removal may well be a better option. While numerous procedures are still required with laser hair removal in order to achieve best results, this procedure is designed to target more than one hair at a time meaning that each treatment is much less time consuming than electrolysis.  It must be stressed however, than most experts believe that electrolysis will provide a longer lasting result (even in many instances permanent) than laser hair removal as often customers who use the latter method are often required to return for annual top-ups. In addition, those with very light hair or with Black or Afro-Caribbean skin may find electrolysis to be a more suitable option. This is because laser hair removal targets melanin in the hair follicle. People with a darker complexion have more melanin in the skin and may therefore be at more risk of being burned by the laser whilst those with light hair may find that the procedure is not very effective. As laser hair removal technology becomes more advanced these issues are becoming less of a problem but it is something to consider, and discuss with a clinic, when looking at long term hair removal options.