Hi. I am new here but have read several posts. I am a man with fair skin and blonde-very light brown hair. I am considering a permanent hair removal for back hair. It doesn’t sound like laser is the way to go with my hair color, and electrolisis would take quite some time. Was thinking about thermolysis. How long has this procedure been around. Any thoughts appriciated.
Thx…
A physician in France developed the the thermolysis method for the removal of hair in 1923-1924. He wrote an article about this new method that destroyed tissue by heat (high-frequency current) and it was very exciting because only galvanic (destruction by chemical) electrolysis was being used for hair removal,and the galvanic process was very, very slow. Thermolysis was much faster and it worked,too, but electrologists in North America were slow to accept this new method. It actually gained in popularity here in the 1940’s and is the method of choice for most electrologists today. So you might say thermolysis has been in actual use for 65-70 years in North America.
The equipment with the high frequency output back then was very crude and difficult to control. Thankfully, epilators have been constantly modified over the years and now we have at our disposal in 2005 the wonderful computerized, digital epilators that are precise, smooth and comfortable with that high frequency current, just perfect for someone like you with a lot of hair on your back that is the wrong color for laser treatment.
For a large area like your back, you’re thinking right. I would only consider thermolysis. Find an electrologist with a state of the art piece of equipment, excellent vision equipment and SKILL to insert and remove hair quickley, and you’ve got the best ticket for your hair removal journey.
Others can chime in on their personal experience with back hair removal,as I know you are anxious for feedback on that side of things. Keep in mind that it will take time, but the gain you get is worth the effort made.
Welcome to hairtell,nomo.
Dee
Thanks for the info…A couple more questions if I could. Is this treatment common the the area? Also, what type of time is needed per treatment? How much reduction should occur with each treatment?
Thanks again for any answers!
If you mean, is the back a common area to treat with electrolysis,I will have to answer, no, not for me. Other electrologists may have a different answer, so I hope they give their input.
The back is a very large area, made larger if all quadrants are covered with hair. Yes, it is possible to get it done with electrolysis. A speedy electrologist and a motivated client who comes for a couple weekly appointments can get permanent results in an 18-24 month time frame. The more you do up front, the faster you will see results and the faster you will look like you are finished. The trouble is, most men that I have seen are not patient and always want precise answers to the time to completion question. I can go pretty fast using thermolysis, but they expect instant gratification and that is not possible with electrolysis, treating hair by hair, inch by inch, with hair in all stages of growth.
Now, many will advise you to get lasered on such a large area and then finish it up with electrolysis if need be. If laser works in your favor, you will be left with a certain amount of hair that is reduced in size and in color. You may be pleased enough to stop there, but if you want total removal, you will eventually need electrolysis anyway. My point is, using the two modalities of laser and electrolysis for such a large area MAY speed the process up. Both will cost a lot of money for this area and there is nothing instant about either because of the unsynchronized hair growth cycles. Your situation is complicated with light hair, so you will probably be risking your money.
Read some of RCJ2001 posts. They pertain to your situation and he is truly a consumer expect who has experienced it all and explains his hair removal history with honesty and clarity.
Dee
Both Fino and I have done many backs. It requires an electrologist who has good speed, (Computerized machines with auto fire settings increase operator speed) a client who is determined enough to do long treatments close together in the beginning (newer computerized machines are more comfortable, making long and frequent appointments more tolerable), and follow an effective plan to clear it all out on schedule in the later clearances.
Backs cover a large area, there are many different angles of insertion, and there are many different zones of sensation. People are most sensitive in the spinal area, and the side rib cage.
When I can work at 500 to 700 hairs per hour, I can get first clearance on a hairy back in 12 hours or less. Fino works at 1200 hairs per hour, so he could do it in 6 or 7 hours. Once first clearance is achieved, all one has to do is keep the schedule to either reclear the area after it all grows in (where Fino would be clearing the second growth phase 3 months later in 3 to 5 hours) or, one can do shorter more frequent work to keep the look of being finished by removing the hairs as they come in, thus never having any significant noticeable hair once the first clearance is completed.
You need an electrologist who is not poking along at a rate of 100 hairs per minute if you hope to finish in the space of a year.