In chemistry, “electrolysis” is when an electric current is passed through a chemically bonded compound; separating it into its component elements. One example is the way through which hydrogen fuel is created with the electrolysis of water (water is a chemical compound of hydrogen and oxygen); separating the hydrogen molecules from the oxygen molecules so that the hydrogen molecules can be harvested.

If you aren’t a scientist or into fuel cell technology though, this kind of electrolysis probably wasn’t the kind you were thinking about when you typed “what is electrolysis” on your search bar. The permanent hair removal method referred to as electrolysis might be the answer to your query.

Be careful of too-good-to-be-true claims though. Home electrolysis, for example, claims to be an easy and relatively painless way to get rid of hair “forever!”

What is Electrolysis, Anyway?

Electrolysis, the kind that gets rid of hair so that it doesn’t grow back, involves applying an electrical current to the follicles of every individual hair, so that the hair’s roots are destroyed. An electrode shaped like a very fine needle, is placed on the hair follicle for about a minute, allowing the electrical current passing through the electrode to do its work.

What’s so Special About Electrolysis?

Electrolysis is the only hair removal method that the FDA defines as permanent. Treatments like laser hair removal can sometimes get rid of hair permanently too, but out of all the permanent hair removal methods out there, electrolysis is the most reliable.

Does it Work?

Most of the time, yes. It can sting around as much as tweezing or waxing, but if it’s done correctly, most people don’t have to worry about having to deal with that discomfort anymore. It doesn’t work on everyone though.

Even though electrolysis does get rid of hair, and even if the treatment is administered correctly, some people might still see hair growing back. Often, the hair will be finer and there will be fewer strands, which indicates how much the hair follicle has been damaged.

In those cases, all that might be needed is a touch-up session.
There isn’t any way to absolutely guarantee one hundred percent permanent hair removal, but out of all the different methods out there, electrolysis has the best track record. On top of that, unlike laser hair removal, which focuses on the pigment of the hair and can sometimes give you an uneven skin tone, electrolysis goes for the hair itself, which means that most skin and hair types can be good candidates for electrolysis.

How Long does it Take?

Since each individual hair follicle has to be subjected to a minute’s worth of electricity, electrolysis can take a really, really, really long time, especially if you’re trying to cover a large area like your legs or back. To clean up unwanted facial hair over a person’s entire face, for example, it can take up to four years to do.

Most of the time, people will have to come back for multiple sessions, not just because a few hours’ worth of treatment might not be enough to cover the whole area, but because hair has a “resting” stage where it may not grow for a while, and hair in the body can be in different stages of growth at any one point in time.

To permanently get rid of hair over one area then, even if it might look like you’ve finally zapped all of those hairs after one session, you’ll have to come back once the hair that had been in its resting stage at the time gets to its growth stage and comes out.

How Much Does it Cost?

What is electrolysis going to cost? On average, a half-hour session can cost about sixty US Dollars. Given the fact that a session can sometimes last longer than thirty minutes and that you’ll most likely have to come back for multiple sessions, the cost of electrolysis can be pretty steep. Considering the fact that it’s the most reliable way to permanently get rid of hair though, it’s well worth it.

How About Home Electrolysis? What is the Difference Between Electrolysis and Home Electrolysis?

Electrolysis actually requires a lot of training, and in the United States, in order for a person to administer electrolysis treatments, they need a license. This is because sticking an electronically charged electrolysis probe against an individual hair follicle takes a lot of precision, and if you get it wrong, the hair removal might not take, and skin could get infected or discolored.

Home electrolysis, on the other hand, doesn’t involve having to get to the hair follicle, doesn’t hurt as much, and requires much less precision. Instead of using a needle-like probe to get to your hair though, home electrolysis uses a pair of electric tweezers on individual hairs, which sends a current of electricity down the hair shaft and supposedly destroys the root from there; supposedly offering the same kind of results as electrolysis, without the inconvenience and discomfort, and at a fraction of the cost.

Sounds too good to be true? Well, keep in mind that there hasn’t been any clinical or scientific proof to the claims to permanent hair removal that most home electrolysis kits –often also referred to as electric tweezers- make. Some websites that answer the question of what is electrolysis, will even go as far as to warn consumers to stay well away from these products. They do have a point; home electrolysis claims are dubious, and the kits can cost a lot of money.

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