Introduction
Most home systems are not permanent. You must use a unit where you insert a probe into the follicle if you want permanent results.
I do not personally recommend do-it-yourself electrolysis. Most people, even those who had success, say that it’s easier and more convenient just to get it done professionally. However, if you decide you want to try it, these suggestions from consumers can improve your chances for success:
Equipment
Comfortable work area
Set up with a solid surface and a comfortable chair.
Mirror
You might want to invest in a high-quality lighted magnifying make-up mirror.
Tweezers
You may want to purchase better tweezers than the ones that come with the unit. Many consumers say this makes an enormous difference. Some have recommended Tweezerman’s website (www.tweezerman.com), which has a dealer list. I suggest getting slant-edged tweezers.
Pull your alcohol swab through the jaws often to make it easier to grasp hairs.
Don’t drop them. It’s the most common cause of problems. Work over a towel or carpeting in case you do drop them.
Make sure they stay well aligned. Some suggest sharpening them on occasion using fine sandpaper.
Lighting
Some find working in direct sunlight can make treatment easier. The more light you have, the better.
Batteries
If you have a lot of hair to remove, you may want to invest in rechargeable batteries and a charger. Some suggest a wall pack that has a 9v plug tail on it, but this is less safe than rechargeable batteries. An adapter can short and send wall current through you face.
Probes
The needle is actually blunt. It shouldn’t pierce the skin – it should just slide into the follicle along side the hair. The probe bends very easily because it’s so thin, so be careful not to brush it against anything.
One consumer suggested buying or making your own insulated probes to avoid burning the hair shaft pathway and get all the voltage to the root where it needs to be.
- Take and dip the tip, hair size part of the needle into a clear nail polish.
- After it dries place it back in the machine.
- Extend the tip and use a fingernail file or fine emery paper and sand the tip.
Salt for saline solution
You will need to keep your fingers moist with a saline solution to complete the current with the device. Ordinary table salt will do. Mix according to instructions.
Sterilization equipment
Work clean! You can get infections and skin damage from unsterile working conditions. If you are sharing a device with someone else or bought a used device (which I don’t recommend), you must sterilize it even more carefully. Always clean your tools thoroughly before and after each session.
Antibacterial soap for washing hands and face before treatment
Isopropyl alcohol for probes and tweezers
Fresh paper towel to put your tools on.
Experience tips
Epilate before you start
Pluck or wax all the hairs in the area to be treated before you start, and then treat hairs as they come back. Hairs are killed more easily when they are growing.
Moisturize
Skin moisture is really important for these devices to work right. Without it, you will have a harder time getting results, and it’s more likely you’ll injure your skin.
Use tons of moisturizer on the treated area every day, especially right after a shower or bath. You might even try treatment right after a shower.
You should also make sure youâre drinking plenty of water. If you live in a dry climate, you should get a humidifier to help keep your skin’s moisture content higher.
Learn
Some recommend purchasing a good book on electrolysis. I recommend Richards and Meharg’s textbook.
Some found a couple of professional galvanic treatments helpful, to see how it’s done and how it feels. Thermolysis is very different, so try to get a place with galvanic-only treatment available
Practice
Many users recommend practicing on an area other than your face. Others report it’s easier and less painful on the face than on the body, and that the differences in face and body hair make non-face practice unnecessary.
Help
Have a friend do hard-to-reach areas. That means you have to trust in your friend’s ability, too. Maybe you can do some for them in return. If using a machine with someone else, always disinfect and never use the same probe that another person uses. Most people recommend using a pro for this.
Moisture
The device works with water in your skin, so the more water, the better it works. Work in a moist room and keep skin moist. Keep fingers moist with the saline solution you mix up, “but not too moist,” according to one manufacturer. If you get it too moist, it will set off the tone before it should go off.
Don’t do too much at once
They recommend doing no more than a square inch at a time.
Take your time on fine hairs
Small hairs are difficult because expanding the tiny follicle to accommodate the extra bulk of the needle requires a much larger stretch of the tissue in terms of the total follicle size.
Dark background
Some find that having something dark behind you makes it easier to see fine hairs in a mirror.
Allow for recovery time
Plan work to give the swelling time to go down before anyone will see the treated area. Leave at least 2 days till you’re familiar with your own reaction to treatment.
Wait to complete the circuit
Some consumers like to keep their fingers off the metal band on the stylet until they’ve completed the insertion, because they don’t want it to start heating up until they’re all the way in the follicle.
Take treatment breaks
Take breaks from regular treatment after a few sessions so that you can see if the hairs were killed or just plucked.