How do you measure the depth of hair?

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

This might be a very silly question LOL

How do you measure the depth of hair? Is it simply the length of hair BELOW the skin? Is hair always perpendicular to the skin? If not, does that affect depth?

How deep are upper lip and chin hairs(on average)?

#2

Depth is measured by length below the skin.
We get a release and line up that hair against our probe to see how deep to insert nearby hairs.

Although text books tell us how deep/shallow hairs are on different parts of our body, these hairs are moving targets as they transition in stages of growth.

I prefer working in the earlier stage of growth when hairs are deepest in the dermis. Once hairs have reached their maximum length, and this is when the hairs appear longest at the surface, they are more shallow under the skin. This means I have to work more shallow and I prefer working deeper.

#3

Hi Arlene! Since you prefer working in the earlier stage of growth when hairs are deepest in the dermis, do you advice your clients to shave several days before treatment?

#4

Yep, the depth of the hair varies between people, body areas within the same person, and phases of growth within the same body area, and nothing is synchronized or guaranteed. You need to readjust your insertions based on what you observe with the hair that you take out.

#5

I wonder is it possible somehow to feel the bottom of the hair?
James says that he can feel it! I wonder how many electrologists really can feel the bottom of the follicle?

#6

Can someone please tell me what the range of depth of upper lip and chin hair (in anagen phase) is? Eg: 3-5mm.

#7

I think that it depends from person to person.

#8

GENERALLY The upper lip hairs are usually shallow; 1 - 2.5 mm
GENERALLY The chin hair are usually 2 - 4 mm

Sometimes I am not sure who is a DIY, who the clients are - wanting info. to interact with their electrologists more productively or who the electrologists are.

If you are a DIY looking for those notes that will indicate what to do, keep in mind that there are too many variables to consider which is why one set of decisions can change when the same client returns at their next appointment even when the same area is being treated.

I do not want to assist untrained anonymous people. Regulations to administer electrolysis differ from state to state.

#9

I’m not a DIY. I was asking those questions for altogether different reasons.

I’ve often read that upper lip and chin area are less responsive to laser because they tend to be deep.

I’m having laser hair removal on face and when I see the hair shed, I don’t find the upper lip and chin area to be any more deeper(longer). They are all 2 to 3.5 mm long.

I guess I should have posted this question in the laser forum.

Thanks for the numbers BTW. Really appreciated! :slight_smile:

#10

Yes, you can feel it, but you don’t want to fish for that resistance with every insertion, because you end up poking the person, unwittingly puncturing through the bottom of the follicle, and slowing yourself down.

Did you know that laser can cause more growth on your face, in areas which never grew hair before?