laser vs electrolysis?

[ChelNY]

just looking for opinions or experiences. seems to me that the last time i looked into this, i read that electrolysis has longer lasting (if not permanent) hair removal effect, but laser is not permanent? i'm going to look into the prices in this area, too. i haven't done that yet. i saw a commercial on tv for a laser place that touted a 2-year guarantee. anyone have recurring hair after 2 years?
thanks.

[joyblack]

just looking for opinions or experiences. seems to me that the last time i looked into this, i read that electrolysis has longer lasting (if not permanent) hair removal effect, but laser is not permanent? i'm going to look into the prices in this area, too. i haven't done that yet. i saw a commercial on tv for a laser place that touted a 2-year guarantee. anyone have recurring hair after 2 years?
thanks.

With any hair removal method, the first thing to get under control, if you're expecting the removal to be long lasting, is your hormones. If you don't get them to within the normal female range -- and that means getting your free testosterone levels down to what is considered normal for a female, you may well find it extremely difficult to get rid of male-type growth and especially beard growth, which can be the most embarrassing of the lot, especially as it's in such an obvious area.

Beard growth is usually the first area most women tackle with expensive hair removal processes like laser or electrolysis.

Remember that whatever you use to get rid of hair is also liable to damage your skin -- hair and skin are very similar in composition and it's very difficult to target the destructive effort so that it destroys the hair follicle but doesn't do excessive damage to the surrounding skin. It's unrealistic to expect no damage at all to the skin if the hair destruction is going to be effective and more or less permanent. There's a trade-off involved between effectively destroying the hair and damaging the skin.

Laser is relatively quick and relatively non-invasive. It relies on the difference in color -- and therefore absorption of heat -- between hair (darker and therefore absorbing more heat) and skin (lighter and therefore absorbing less heat). The idea is that the hair should absorb so much heat that the follicle will be destroyed and incapable of growing again. Laser can't really work where the hair is lighter than the surrounding skin and works less efficiently when the hair is not much darker than the surrounding skin.

Electrolysis is much more targeted. Each hair is tackled individually. It can tackle hair of any color. The root of each hair is damaged or destroyed by an electric current. It's a slow job, but can be pretty-well permanent if your hormones are completely in the normal female range. It may take years to reach that stage, though.

Both these methods of hair removal remove hair. But don't expect miracles from them. The real success stories are from women who have got their hormones into the normal female range. Remember, however, that many PCOS women have levels of free testosterone in the male range and have coarse, male-type beard growth. That sort of beard growth is extremely difficult to remove without leaving any trace of its previous existence.

Get your hormone levels sorted out first, before considering either, though. For myself, my testosterone levels are well into the male range, so either method would be a waste of time and money. For me, shaving's a more realistic option and, once one accepts the idea, not really a problem at all. It's not the hair growth that's the problem -- it's the whole idea of accepting as a woman that one has beard growth the same as a man. And that's what makes the potential for laser and electrolysis so attractive, if one could actually get to the state of having no beard at all.

[KatCarney]

i saw a commercial on tv for a laser place that touted a 2-year guarantee. anyone have recurring hair after 2 years?
thanks.

As the pp said, there are no guarantees, especially if you aren't actively treating your excess androgens. You don't necessarily need to bring them down on your own, but you do need to address them. (ie a women getting laser, while on flutamide, might do ok - if you can have laser while on that antiandrogen.)

Typically the 're-growth' hairs aren't the 'old' hairs...they are new hairs that have turned from 'vellus' to 'terminal'. Also, with laser, it's only effective on terminal hairs in the 'anagen' phase'.

Vellus hair is short, fine, "peach fuzz" body hair. It is a very soft and short hair that grows in most places on the human body in both sexes, such as the face and back. It is usually less than 2 mm long and the follicles are not connected to sebaceous glands. It is most easily observed in women and children, as they have less terminal hair to obscure it. It is also found in pre-adolescents (i.e., Tanner stage I), as well as in male pattern baldness. It should not be confused with lanugo, a much thicker type of hair developed by fetuses and the bodies of anorexics in an attempt to retain bodily heat.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vellus_hair

Terminal hair is developed hair, which is generally longer, coarser, thicker and darker than the shorter and finer vellus hair. Phases of growth in it are more apparent than in vellus hair; it generally has a longer anagen phase. It has associated sebaceous glands, whereas a vellus hair may not. Under certain conditions, such as puberty, some vellus hair may become androgenic hair. Under other conditions, such as male pattern baldness, it may revert to a vellus-like state.

In humans, terminal hair is generally more abundant on males than females. However, variations exist within populations with some women appearing more hairy than some males.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_hair

[peadledoo]

I think electrolysis is better long term. It is the only one that can guarantee permanent results (although still not 100%) For me it was not an option for laser as my hair is blond. Electroloysis takes FOREVER Though. over a year so far for me!

[ljlarsen]

I have read too that electrolisis is the most effective treatment in the long run. Lazer hair removal works for some women, but if you are very fair, like me with fair skin, and fair hair, its probably not the best option. I acutally had a lazer removal appointment and they wouldn't do it, said I was not a good candidate and recommended electrolisis.

And as soon as I learn to spell it, I'm going!!

[Nicky5282]

I personally started with laser and am now doing electrolysis for those hairs that the laser didn't get. I am so glad that I decided to invest in laser... best thing ever.

[suncatcher]

I tried electrolysis for about a year and didn't see much of an improvement. It was painful and my appointments were two to three times a week for an hour.
I started laser treatments about a year ago going every three weeks. Now I need to go only every 10 weeks or so. My laser treatments are fewer with better results than electrolysis. As for lasting results I don't think laser will be a permanent solution for me but it seems to be a wonderful solution for maintenance. It's cost effective, quick and gives me good results.

[rutter]

the hospital where i am told me they have stopped electrolysis as it doesnt work, and that all these private clinics that offer electrolysis are being looked into as they charge ridiculous amounts for it. I had electrolysis which was hugely painful and had no difference in the area they did it. was a waste of time, laser is quicker and easier but not available for free. I had IPL but only 2 sessions of it as it was expensive and i noticed a difference.

[Natalie'smom06]

I had electrolysis for years, until I moved and went to a new clinic. They said I was a great candidate for laser. So I tried it. Quickest results, most costly per session, but only have to come every 6-8 weeks at first. When I was doing electrolysis I came once a week. I did 5 sessions laser, every 6 weeks, and mine is only sparingly there. I didn't have to go back after that for about a year, and now I just go when I happen to have some growth.

[MrsSpooky]

Laser has worked wonders for me and has been less expensive, less time-consuming and less painful than electrolysis. However, I had a couple of kinds of laser treatments before I found the one that worked. I forget which kind of laser machine my tech uses, but it blows a quick "puff" of frigid air before the lasering blast. I have a mix of haircolors. My tech tells me that I am the only person she has ever known to have every single kind of color that facial/body hair can be naturally! Consequently, there ARE blond hairs leftover that are very coarse and that will grow long. However, electrolysis made my skin a MESS, while laser leaves me a mild sunburn color for about 15 minutes. A good tech makes all the difference in the world!

[julia_sometimes]

I've gone the electrolysis route because it's permanent and because of personal concern with damage/discoloration with laser treatment. It is time consuming and hurts a bit but is worth it because of the results! I decided to do this once I knew my hormones were under control thanks to weight loss. If you go with electrolysis try to find a provider that you don't mind talking to...you'll be spending a lot of time with them!

[Mallow816]

My electrolygist (sp?) told me that I was not a good candidate for laser because my hair is too light, she said the best candidate is "Snow White" black hair white skin