Hey everyone, so electrolysis is definitely not my strong point, I’ve never done it. I’m on antibiotics for a month so I can’t do laser for at least a month after I stop them do to photosensitivity. I’m also going on vacation down south again in a month so I figure maybe now is a good time to try out electrolysis. There’s a few places I’ve found that I might try out here in Toronto but was just wondering what I need to be asking them. I know the basics from reading other threads here of course but wondering more about machine type, is that the main thing to ask? I know which ones seem to be good from reading these threads but is there any type of machine I should avoid (similar to avoiding IPL with laser etc?) I’m really the type to just do it, I don’t want to do a consultation I’d rather just go in and do 15 mins or 30 mins and tell them remove as much as they can in that time frame and we’ll see how it goes. I just don’t want to go somewhere with a bad machine!
Machine type doesn’t matter, electrologist skill does. However, if you want an electrologist who can get more work done, then someone with an epilator such as an Apilus. But again, it comes down to skill so it’s not a guarantee that the work will be good quality.
As you mentioned, the best (and only) way to really find out is to have sample treatment. I’d call ahead and discuss this. Any good electrologist knows the best way to convince the potential client is with some treatment, so they will be willing to do a short treatment.
For the rest of the consult, it’s all pretty straightforward. You want to ensure they are hygienic, aren’t saying anything about hair removal that sounds dubious. Perhaps see what sort of magnification is being used if you’re planning on having fine/short hairs removed.
Perfect thanks that’s a big help. I think I’ll try a few places and go in for consultations and have them remove a few hairs and just see how I react and how it feels etc. I was more concerned that machine type would be really important or something.
I think machine type is important, and I would take that into consideration. All epilators will assist in removing hair permanenetly, but some have advantages over others that please clients and electrologists alike. Above that, it is true that skill level is tops number one, no matter what the epilator. Mix things up and get as many consultations as you can, take notes and then decide.
Has not arrow wound taken place still, eh Edokid?
Do not worry, the small Cupid is on the verge of appearing in scene. 
If I was you, I would consider this:
What zone of my body do I want to prove?
If it is a question of a big area of the body as arms, legs or chest, I would look for a very rapid and very aggressive electrologist. Someone with an Apilus Platinum that can extract the whole performance to this extraordinary machine.
If on the contrary, it is a question of a small and delicate area, as the neck or the top lip, I would search someone very, very carefully, with any machine that allows to work a Blend, with low intensity of HF and slightly more DC.
The expert hands will be able to use the Apilus Platinum in any zone without risk for your skin.
But if you are in hands (without a lot of experience) a moderate blend will be surer for you.
Happy St Valentine’s Day!
Thanks everyone. Assume they’re good at it what can I expect after treatment? Will the area be red and how long does it take to heal? Going to Dominican a week or two after doing it but I’ll hold off if it’s going to look bad for awhile…
Again, depends on the area of your choice, Edokid.
Hi, I’ve been an Electrolysist for over 20 years now. I’ve always been very client sensitive and have discovered what makes treatments very successful.
My skill is the most important part. My accuracy needs to be spot on every time.
Machine is secondary but still needs to be tried and true over time.
I’d reccomend a consultation, which should be provided for your comfort and allows you to see if this if for you.
Everyone here offers sound advice.
I’m happy to answer any quesiton.
[email protected]
What areas are you looking to treat?
Generally, someone using thermolysis would be best as it’s fast (microflash or picoflash type of it is even faster). If you can find someone with an Apilus machine, even better.
However, on some curlier deeper hairs, I still needed blend instead of thermolysis (which is still possible to do on the machines offering thermolysis). So it’s be great if they’re willing to do both methods if necessary.
You should go in for a consultation with several electrologists. It usually includes a sample treatment. You should make sure that you don’t feel the hair being plucked - it should slide out without resistance.
Also, buy some witch hazel to use for aftercare during the day adn tea tree oil at night.
Great thanks. Sorry I’m doing pretty much chest area. I don’t have much hair there to begin with and I’ve done some laser there but it’s not worth it for me to continue with laser on that area. I have literally maybe 15-20 darker hairs in the middle of my pecs and then some lighter hairs around each nipple with a few on my collar bone line. From 3 feet away from me you pretty much couldn’t see them, so it’s just not worth doing a full laser session. I’m pretty confident with the number of hairs that I have that 30 minutes or so would remove it all.
So I have a consultation at a place on Tuesday will let everyone know how it goes. I bought a group buy thing was $19 for $45 of electrolysis at some other clinic. I called and emailed many times no answer, finally someone answers yesterday she didn’t even speak proper english I just hung up on her. TRying to get a refund!
Hey everyone! So I just had my consultation, excited now I’m not longer laser only haha. The place was really nice and the owner was super friendly, her wall had about 5 or 6 big certifications in frames. She does electrolysis and also laser with LightSheer, ick. She seemed very knowledgeable. She had all these charts and pictures of hair follicles on the wall and she basically gave me a presentation of how hair grows, and how electrolysis kills it. She said some hairs may have curved roots and after a few treatments they will straighten out. I didn’t get a chance to ask about what machine she used, but it looked older. It had 2 or 3 sets of cords coming out of it, a red and a black cord with 3 each and had I think red and green buttons. Def didn’t look like an Apilus or anything from checking images online.
Anyway I told her I wanted to start with my upper chest for now that the hair is more fine from doing laser and that I don’t have a lot there. She had me lie down and take a look at it and said it would take probably an hour to do the first clearance which is much less than I thought. She told me there’s 2 types they can do, that she would start with thermolysis because it’s the fastest and would be best for the first clearance, and then she’d switch to the galvanic current for each session after that which is around every 3 weeks. Does that sound right? She didn’t mention anything about blend for some reason but I don’t know what is best.
I’m going to Mexico in 10 days for a week so she told me not to do a session before going. She said if I want to be smooth then to wax now, and when I get back in basically 20 days from now, call her and go in for an appointment then, and she’ll remove all the hair that’s now in the active growth stage. Is there even enough visible hair 20-30 days after waxing to properly do electrolysis?
There should be no need for galvanic, which is veryyyyyy slow (1-2 hairs per minute) if she knows how to do thermolysis well.
You can do electrolysis as soon as the hair shows up. So it’s not technically necessary to wait until it’s all there. Hair is weakest when it first comes out too.
You should chat with desperate18 here on the forum. She says she’s tried most electrologists in Toronto. She has a post currently at the top of the page.
Perfect will do! Was already talking with her about places a few months ago so will see what she suggests. I’m not really sure why she said she would switch to galvanic. She was just like we can start with thermolysis and it would probably take an hour to clear all of that, and then we can switch to galvanic which is a chemical reaction to keep killing the hairs as they come back.
Would hair actually be visible enough for electrolysis 3-4 weeks after waxing though? It just seemed so soon to me!
Oh also just to add, she said it’s really nice to see someone that’s got such great results from laser as well! Haha.
All the electrologists I’ve seen have also been impressed with my laser results. Usually, by the end of the appt, I end up explaining how and why I got them and how to advise their clients on laser 
If she thought the hair was deep and curly, then blend would still have that chemical reaction and would be faster than galvanic.
She didn’t say anything about my hair being deep and curly or anything. Desperate18 said she told her something similar so we’ll see. She’s close to me so may go for first clearance there just to see.
It was hard not to tell her “it’s because I use an alexandrite that actually works” when she has certification of training in LightSheer up on the wall haha. She said she’s seen great results in her clients with it as well. She can say what she wants though I’m pretty stuck in my ways, Apogee or GentleLASE or nothing thank you!
LightSheer does work well in good hands. It’s just harder to use. If she uses it well and on the right people, it’s all good.
Hey guys is electrolysis the same as laser in terms of how hair cycles work? I assume so? What I mean is, I know that electrolysis can be done sooner since the hair doesn’t have to be dark and coarse, like every 3 weeks. But is it the same idea in that lets say I do a full clearance, then I go back in 3 weeks and do another treatment, then 3 weeks later do another etc. Would that be similar to 3 laser treatments? The way we say 6-8 treatments are needed with laser to be mostly hair free, is electrolysis the same?
I waxed a few days ago then going on vacation Friday, then doing electrolysis sometime when I get back. So excited! I love laser but it’s so exciting to know that now all the hairs will be properly treated vs with laser hoping the hair is coarse enough to get it!
Hmm, I don’t think so.
I think it’s more like, if you have a full clearance then wait the same as you would for laser (8-16 weeks depending on body area), then have another clearance - this would be the same as 2 laser treatments in terms of hair cycles.
If you go back every three weeks (or even every week), as the hairs are coming back, all you are doing is eliminating the hairs that would have done at the second clearance but earlier.
Laser takes about a year overall, so does electrolysis.