Electrolysis Hair Removal FAQs

Electrolysis is the only hair removal method recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for permanent hair removal.

During treatment, I insert a very fine probe into the natural opening of the hair follicle and apply a controlled electrical current to destroy the cells responsible for hair growth.

Electrolysis treats each hair individually and doesn't depend on hair color or skin tone, making it suitable for a wide range of hair removal needs.

At Every Body, a consultation is required for every new electrolysis client, even if you've previously had electrolysis elsewhere.

During our appointment, I'll assess your skin and hair, review the relevant medical history, and perform a short test treatment of up to 5 minutes, provided it's appropriate for you.

Together, we'll create a personalized treatment plan, deciding on the most suitable method, session duration, and frequency based on your needs, schedule, and budget.

I'll also explain how to prepare for your appointments and how to care for your skin after treatment.

Every hair grows independently, which means not all hairs are visible on the skin's surface at the same time.

The hair growth cycle has three main stages: anagen (growth), catagen (transition), and telogen (resting).

This is one of the reasons electrolysis requires multiple sessions. As different hairs become visible and available for treatment, we gradually work towards clearing the area.

Successfully destroyed follicles don't produce hair again, although hormonal changes may stimulate other follicles to grow new hair in the future.

Hormonal changes during pregnancy can sometimes cause increased or unwanted hair growth.

Whether electrolysis is appropriate during pregnancy depends on several factors, including the stage of pregnancy, treatment area, and electrolysis method.

At Every Body, I always require written approval from your treating doctor. Even with approval, I'll assess whether postponing treatment until after delivery would be the better option.

Good preparation helps make your treatment as comfortable and safe as possible.

Please allow your hair to grow to approximately 3 mm, so I can easily grasp and remove each treated hair with tweezers. If you usually shave, I'll let you know how long to stop shaving before your appointment.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Avoid tweezing, threading, and waxing the treatment area.
• Stay normally hydrated. There's no need to drink excessive amounts of water before treatment.
• Keep your skin comfortably moisturized in the days leading up to your appointment.
• Arrive with clean skin, without makeup, deodorant, or other products that may interfere with preparation.
• Tell me about any medications, active skincare ingredients, recent skin treatments, or irritation.
• Try to avoid caffeine on the day of treatment. Please also steer clear of sodas or other stimulants. Your nervous system will be calmer and your hair follicles will respond better to treatment.

If you're unsure about anything, feel free to contact me before your appointment.

Temporary skin reactions are common after electrolysis. You may experience mild redness, tenderness, or slight swelling around the treated follicles.

Small scabs may occasionally form during healing. If they do, it's important to leave them alone and avoid picking or scratching.

Less common but possible complications include pigmentation changes, infection, and scarring.

At Every Body, I follow appropriate hygiene procedures and tailor each treatment to your skin's needs to help minimize these risks.

If you experience severe or worsening redness, increasing pain, pus, or any other unusual symptoms, please contact me.

Yes! Having used tweezers or threading for years doesn't mean electrolysis can't provide permanent results.

Repeatedly removing hair from the root may affect the condition of the follicles and the way hairs appear, which I'll assess during your consultation.

However, there's no reliable formula for predicting treatment time based on how many minutes you've spent tweezing or threading.

We'll create a schedule based on your actual hair growth and adjust it as your treatment progresses.

The number of sessions varies considerably from person to person.

It depends on factors such as the amount, thickness, and density of your hair, the treatment area, hair growth cycles, skin sensitivity, and possible hormonal influences.

We often begin with more regular sessions, gradually reducing their duration or frequency as hair growth decreases.

During our consultation, I'll give you an initial estimate of the treatment schedule and expected cost, without promising a fixed number of sessions that can't be guaranteed.

You can also explore session durations and prices on my electrolysis service page.

our skin needs gentle care while it heals following electrolysis.

For the first 24–48 hours, avoid touching, rubbing, or scratching the treated area. You'll also need to temporarily avoid excessive heat, heavy sweating, makeup on the treated skin, and potentially irritating skincare products.

Protect your skin from the sun and use broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher when the area is exposed.

At the end of every session, I'll provide detailed verbal and written aftercare instructions.

You can also read my complete electrolysis aftercare guide.

As treatment progresses, you'll usually find that you need less temporary hair removal.

In the meantime, you can carefully trim the hairs or shave the area.

Avoid tweezing, threading, and waxing the areas we're treating, as these methods remove hair from the root and make it harder to plan your electrolysis sessions.

If you're also having laser hair removal, please let me know so we can coordinate treatments appropriately.

Before each electrolysis appointment, allow the hairs to grow long enough for me to grasp them easily, usually around 3 mm.

Electrolysis is suitable for many people, but certain health conditions, medications, and skin concerns may mean treatment needs to be avoided, postponed, or assessed by a medical professional first.

I don't proceed with treatment for clients with a pacemaker or cochlear implant, in accordance with the studio's safety policy, or on areas affected by active infection, open wounds, sunburn, significant irritation, or other conditions that prevent safe treatment.

Further assessment and, where required, written medical approval may be necessary if you have:

• Blood-thinning medication, bleeding disorders, or a history of keloid scarring.
• Diabetes, epilepsy, heart conditions, significant circulatory problems, or reduced skin sensation.
• Skin conditions, active rosacea, dermatographism, or pigmentation disorders.
• Immunosuppression, certain medications, a history of cancer, or other significant medical concerns.
• Pregnancy, a mole in the treatment area, or certain metal or electronic implants.
• Recent cosmetic or dermatological procedures, including dermabrasion, laser, or IPL.

If any of these apply to you, please let me know before booking. We'll assess whether treatment can proceed safely or should be postponed.