Epilation is often thought to be electrolysis when in fact it means hair removal, whether it actually be electrolysis, laser hair removal, waxing, sugaring or tweezing they all come under the banner of epilation.
Laser treatments and Electrolysis must ALWAYS be carried out by Therapists trained and qualified in these treatments. Details of qualifications should be displayed, if not, do not be afraid to ask for evidence of qualifications and experience, your therapist will not be offended as these are highly specialised skills and she will appreciate your concerns and be able to allay them.
Commonly thought to mean electrolysis, it actually means hair removal, of which there are many types, including electrolysis. Not only are there different types of hair removal but also different types of hair growth and many reasons for them.
Firstly, we all have a regular hair growth, but it's fashion which dictates what we do with it.
Then we have hypertrichosis which is the medical term for excessive hair growth, this is hair which grows in all the usual places we would expect hair to grow just a lot more than we would expect. There are several reasons for this, the most common being hereditary; also some drug therapies can be responsible.
Then there is the third, hirsutism, this is when a female is affected by a male hair growth pattern. This is most evident as a woman appears to have facial hair growth as in a man and this has far more causes than hypertrichosis, most commonly hormonal, over production of androgens, pregnancy, polycystic ovary syndrome, menopause and age also plays a part in this one. Drug therapies can also be held responsible as can a condition called Cushing’s disease which is a disease of the endocrine system. Where this type of hair growth occurs it is always wise to consult a medical practitioner.
Methods of hair removal can either permanent or temporary;
Temporary methods include-
Waxing; which is a great method of removing large areas of body hair, this is not painless however and the hair does need to be at least an eighth of an inch in length which could be a week or two of growth before it can be treated, this can be offset however against the benefits of up to six weeks of smooth skin. It is never wise to have a waxing treatment immediately before holidays or special event in case of reaction.
Sugaring; this method was originally used by Eastern women but has seen great popularity in this country. It is quite similar to waxing in effect but has slightly different application and it has been said that there is a higher incident of in growing hair with this method although some have reported that it is slightly less painful than waxing with less reaction.
Tweezing; really you would not want to use this method anywhere except on the eyebrows for although it does remove the hair it is a very slow time consuming method.
Shaving; probably the most popular method of hair removal but it is very on going and at times needs to be carried out on a daily basis, since all that it actually does is take the top off the hair leaving a blunt end which can prove very prickly as the hair re grows.
Depilatory creams; this is a very inexpensive method of hair removal if at times not terribly effective. There is also the risk of allergic reaction to the product.
Permanent methods include-
Electrical epilation; as mentioned earlier this is not to be confused with electrolysis. This is probably the most commonly used method of permanent hair removal and although permanent is not instant and several applications will be necessary. Although a needle is used the skin is NOT pierced the needle is directed down the follicle following the hair to its root where a small diathermy current is released to cauterize a section of the follicle and the hair is then removed using a tweezers. If at this point you feel the hair is being pulled tell your therapist and she will make the necessary adjustments to the equipment.
Electrolysis; this is the oldest method of permanent hair removal used to day and was originally devised by a doctor to remove an in growing eyelash. This method also uses a needle but once again there is no piercing of the skin when the needle reaches the root of the hair a galvanic current is released causing a chemical reaction within the papilla so drying it out and inhibiting further growth, the hair is then teased out of the follicle with a tweezers. This method is a little slower than electrical epilation.
Blend method; this is the latest method and combines both galvanic and diathermy currents to create a two fold treatment once again using a needle a very gentle diathermy current is released more to warm the moisture in the papilla than to cauterize and then the galvanic is released to create the chemical reaction which is more effective with the warmth which has been created, the hair is again removed with a tweezers. This method is said to be kinder on the skin and less painful.
Laser; this is the newest of hair removal treatments, and is reported to be far more successful on coarser darker hair than lighter because it works by interacting with the pigment in the hair. This method of hair removal is quick and can be used on any par of the body, is also suitable for large area. Laser treatments must always be carried out by or under the direct guidance of a medical practitioner.