Electrolysis hair removal - o2 Clinic Antwerp

Hair removal

Electrolysis hair removal

Unwanted facial hair can sometimes be stigmatizing and embarrassing. Electrolysis is the most reliable option offered today to permanently remove unwanted hair. Laser can be a good or even better alternative in some cases, but is usually not sufficient to permanently remove all hair.

Intensive program

At o2 Clinic we have developed an intensive program for removing unwanted facial and body hair. This can speed up the process tremendously and solve the problem for people who live far from a suitable electrologist. You only need to travel to Belgium a few times (4 to 10 times, depending on your response to the treatment and your willingness to return rather than finish the treatment closer to home). The reason we can offer this intensive treatment is that we use local anesthesia to control the pain.

What is electrolysis?

It is a proven method invented over 100 years ago to remove annoying, ingrown eyelash hairs.
It is a method of removing individual hairs from the face or body.
It destroys the growth center of the hair with chemical energy or heat.
During the treatment, a thin probe is inserted into the hair follicle. The follicle is the natural opening of the skin. The skin is not punctured, so this insertion is painless.

Pro

The only method for permanent hair removal approved by the 'FDA'.
Works on all hair colors, skin types and body parts.
More than 125 years of clinically proven safety and effectiveness. The results have proven for a long time that this is the best method.

Contrary to

If the face is being treated, you must stop shaving 5 days in advance and 10 days in advance for the genital area.

Time-consuming process because each hair must be treated individually.
Painful process, which is why you need local anesthesia for longer sessions.
Expensive, because it takes many hours.
If done incorrectly it can lead to partial to complete regrowth, permanent skin damage and/or infection.
Regrowth rates have not been accurately determined and cannot yet be predicted due to a large number of variables.

A small electric current is sent through the probe, which destroys the hair follicle. This part is painful for many people.
Finally, the hair and hair follicle are removed with tweezers. This is painless.
Electrolysis is effective as long as one condition is met: destroying the stem cells responsible for hair growth. These are located in an area called the 'bulge', in the upper part of the follicle. Even after a hair follicle at the base is surgically removed, an entire hair follicle can grow back.

Two types of electrolysis

There are two basic types of electrolysis that are still practiced today: thermolysis and blend. Based on our experience, we have found that thermolysis works faster and easier. That is why we only offer thermolysis.

Below you will find more information about the difference between thermolysis and blend electrolysis, as well as a video showing the effect of both methods on a hair follicle.

Gender of the hair

At birth, there are approximately 5 million hair follicles spread throughout the body.
After birth, no additional follicles are formed. The size of some follicles and hairs will change over time, mainly under the influence of androgens.
The precise spacing and distribution of the follicles is determined by the genes. These determine before birth how the follicles will form and what the distribution of the hair will be.
The formation of a beard is genetically determined and this capacity is already present at birth. Therefore, men's and women's hair is genetically different.
During puberty, male vellus hair (short, thin, light-colored) will change under the influence of androgens into what we call 'terminal hair'.

What is the difference between electrolysis and laser?

Electrolysis is the only permanent hair removal method recognized and approved by the FDA (The US Food and Drug Administration). The FDA is a US government agency that regulates a wide range of goods, services, and medications to ensure not only product effectiveness but also consumer safety. The FDA carefully examined the electrolysis technique and concluded that it is safe and can remove hair permanently.
Laser hair removal, on the other hand, cannot be offered as permanent hair removal because the effects are often temporary. And while laser hair removal can permanently reduce hair growth, it cannot permanently stop future hair growth, as electrolysis can. With laser the number of hairs can be reduced by 40 to 80%, according to the latest scientific studies.
Laser is less effective than electrolysis because it targets the pigment of the hair which is only in the 'bulb', not in the 'bulge' where the growth cells are located. The damage to the hair is only significant enough to slow the growth cycle for a few months before the hair reappears. The other advantage of electrolysis is that it is suitable for almost all skin and hair colors, unlike laser hair removal.

Video explaining the difference between laser and electrolysis:

Treatment time

Why do I need more than one session to permanently remove hair from an area?

Electrolysis is considered a permanent hair removal method because it destroys the stem cells of the hair follicle. But it requires a series of sessions over a period of time. Why is this the case?
- The hair follicle is one of the few organs that cyclically degenerates and regenerates from stem cells. Each hair follicle continuously goes through 3 stages: growth (anagen), involution (catagen) and rest (telogen).
Knowledge of the hair cycle - and in particular the length of the rest period - is essential for understanding and interpreting the results of electrolysis.
We ask you to stop shaving approximately 5 days in advance if you are having your face treated. If it is your body, you must stop shaving 10 days in advance.
Only the hairs in the growth phase will be visible above the surface of the skin at the time of treatment. The resting hairs are not visible at the time of treatment because they do not grow after shaving. On the face, growing hairs account for only 60% of all facial hair. This means that at least 40 percent of the hair is not visible at the time of the first treatment.

The growth cycle helps explain:

That permanent results from electrolysis hair removal can only be achieved over a significant period of time.
That only hair in the growth phase can be removed during the electrolysis session.
The beautician cannot change the growth cycle, so the treatments must be repeated for the hairs that were not in the correct growth phase. As the sessions progress, the treatments will take less and less time.
You must distinguish between apparent “false” regrowth and actual “real” regrowth. False regrowth is the appearance of hairs that have never been treated with electrolysis, but grow in the same area where hairs have already been permanently removed. True regrowth happens when the hair is not completely destroyed during treatment, which can happen.

The video further explains this concept, which is quite complex:

How much time is needed to have hair removed from a specific area? How much regrowth after hair removal is normal?

This is probably the most frequently asked question from our patients. Our honest answer is: we don't know in advance. We know the averages, but we see a large variation between patients. We don't know why one hair responds better to treatment than another.

The endless controversy over electrolysis regrowth is largely due to the fact that you can't tell if it is true regrowth, or if it is a growing hair that was previously dormant. You can't look at a hair and be sure, because "new growth" hairs and true "regrowth" hairs look the same.
All or nothing—There are electrologists who believe that a hair must be treated several times before it is permanently destroyed. While there may be some truth to the “demolition” concept, we don't believe in it. We believe that you either destroy the follicle or you don't. If the follicle is not destroyed, regrowth will eventually reach its original size.
There will always be some degree of regrowth after the initial electrolysis treatments, even when performed by a skilled electrologist. If the electrolysis is done perfectly, then theoretically there should be no real regrowth. Due to various factors this is never the case. Even in the best hands we estimate there will be a 25-50% regrowth factor. Although opinions vary as to what an acceptable percentage is, most experienced electrologists estimate that for a treatment to be considered effective, at least 40-50 percent of the treated hairs must be permanently removed with each treatment. Experts cannot give a definitive figure because so many variables influence the results. The electrologist's skill in working with these variables determines the percentage of permanently removed hair per individual treatment. Don't get discouraged, just keep coming to your appointments regularly. This ensures that you get the best results.
Completion of facial electrolysis is likely to take between less than 100 hours to more than 200. This is unfortunately a long time period as some patients respond better than others due to factors still unknown to us.

How many treatments do I need?

The total number of sessions required to permanently remove hair from a given area varies from person to person. But the unwanted hair that has been removed will be gone forever.
In general, you will probably need treatments for at least 12 months.
It can take 8 months to 2 years in some cases.
We realize that this seems like a very broad time frame, but it is simply impossible to be more specific due to wide variation in response to treatment.
We still do not know all the factors that influence the difference in the total treatment time.
If after your first session we notice that we have a poor ratio of hairs destroyed, we will switch to another method or adjust our settings.

How long should I wait between sessions?

You can choose between a fast track of 6 weeks between sessions (but there will be fewer treated hairs per session).
We recommend a course with 6 weeks between each treatment for the best balance between total time and cost efficiency.
The maximum time between sessions is 16 weeks.

Am I a good candidate for hair removal?

Anyone with unwanted facial or body hair is a good candidate for electrolysis. Electrolysis is truly for everyone.

Electrolysis (as opposed to laser hair removal) works for:

any skin type;
any hair color;
every part of the body.

The only people who are advised not to have electrolysis are people with active skin inflammation.

Is hair removal painful?

The short answer for most people is "Yes."
Unfortunately, the hair follicle is the part of the skin that contains the most nerves.
Although many clients can tolerate electrolysis without pain relief, we cannot promise that this treatment will be completely or largely painless.
The biggest limiting factor for the duration of a session for most electrologists is the patient’s pain tolerance. That’s why at o2 Clinic, given the availability of medical staff, we have created a solution so that the patient can tolerate longer sessions (up to 8 hours per day), for several consecutive days. We use local anesthesia (similar to the anesthetic used by dentists) to make you more comfortable during the treatment, as it makes the pain bearable. So you won’t feel anything at all.

Specialists in permanent hair removal

At o2 Clinic, electrolysis is performed by 5 different talented beauticians who are passionate about their job.

How to prepare

Before the first session of the hair removal treatment, you should be aware of the following:

No epilation or waxing may have taken place in the past three months.
Stop shaving in time for your treatment:
- For the face: stop 5 days in advance
- For the genital area: stop 10 days in advance

This ensures that your facial or body hair is long enough to achieve optimal results. Also make sure you wear comfortable clothes.

What happens during my session?

During your first session we will look at your skin and hair growth. We will then explain everything you need to know and draw up a treatment plan.
The beautician uses two instruments: a computer-controlled epilator and tweezers.
During the treatment, the patient lies down while the probe is repeatedly inserted into the hair follicle and the hair is removed.
The epilator probe is inserted through the hair shaft. The skin is not damaged because the probe slides through a natural opening. Inserting the probe is virtually painless.
The probe then emits an electrical current for several seconds. This can be painful.
Finally, the hair is removed from the skin with tweezers. This is painless.
We usually take a short 5 minute break every hour, and of course there are toilet breaks as and when they are needed.

Aftercare

After your hair removal session, be sure to remember the following:

Apply the aftercare lotion for a quick and effective recovery.
Do not use make-up, sunscreen, alcohol-containing products or scrubs for the first three days after the treatment.
Avoid intense sun exposure for three to five days.
Take an ice pack or wet compress from the refrigerator and apply it to the swelling: 15 minutes at a time, with 10-minute breaks in between.

What skin reaction can I expect after my treatment?

On the day of your treatment, the skin may become red and you may experience a burning sensation. This varies from person to person and is temporary. Scabs may also temporarily appear on the skin. It is important to leave these alone to prevent infection and scarring. There may also be a temporary slight swelling of the skin.

The risks

There are generally no permanent side effects.
The risk of hair removal via electrolysis is epidermal damage and damage to the epidermal melanin. Epidermal injury can lead to scarring. Damage to the epidermal melanin can result in hypopigmentation. If the damage to the subcutaneous tissue is too extensive, pits can also form.
Finding an electrologist with extensive experience is key to lowering the risk of side effects.

Painless electrolysis

Electrolysis hair removal can be quite a painful procedure. Everyone has their own tolerance for pain. Descriptions of the discomfort range from “no worse than a mosquito bite” to “like a rubber band snapping against my bare skin.” Electrolysis can be a stinging and tingling sensation, and you have to go through it with every hair.

The degree of pain is related to the area of treatment. Certain areas, such as the upper lip, are known to be more sensitive than areas such as the eyebrows. In our clinic we work with local anesthesia, which reduces the pain to zero.

Local anaesthesia

How does it work?

One injection of local anesthetic will numb an area of skin about the size of a coin. When starting your treatment, we will make several small injections to start working on the specific area. For example, if you are working on the chin, it will take about 4 small injections to numb half of the chin area.
Meanwhile, each time the numbed area is completely cleared of hair, you will receive more injections to numb a new area, which will then be worked on.

What pain medication is used?

The medication we use is called Xylocaine 1% with adrenaline.

Side effects

Local anesthetics are generally safe and usually do not cause side effects other than some tingling as it wears off.

Cons

The injections can be unpleasant. Patients who have difficulty with needles and/or injections should prepare themselves mentally. Pulling away during an injection can be dangerous because you don't know where the needle will end up. You have to go through it.
Some areas are more sensitive than others (the upper lip is very sensitive, for example). The injections may hurt more in those areas.

Practical information

With local anesthesia, most people can tolerate electrolysis sessions for up to 8 hours per day.
Make sure you have a good breakfast in the morning.