What is electrolysis hair removal and how does it work?
Electrolysis is a hair removal method that treats one hair at a time. A thin probe slides into the opening of the hair follicle, with no cutting, and a small current destroys the growth centre at its base, so the hair loosens and lifts out. It works on the root and not on pigment, so hair colour and skin tone make no difference. It is slower than laser, which is why it suits small areas such as the chin and upper lip.
Electrolysis benefits
- Any hair colour: grey, white, blonde, red and black hairs can all be treated.
- Any skin tone: it doesn’t rely on contrast between hair and skin, so it suits brown skin.
- Long-term results: a root that has been destroyed cannot grow that hair again.
- Precise: only the hairs you choose are treated, ideal for a few stray hairs.
- Back to your day: you can return to normal activities straight after your session.
Electrolysis for facial hair: chin, upper lip and PCOS
Electrolysis is at its best on small facial areas with a limited number of hairs, such as the chin and upper lip, where plucking and threading only ever give a few days’ relief. If your facial hair comes from PCOS or another hormone condition, new hairs can keep appearing. The Endocrine Society suggests that most women with bothersome hormonal hair start with medicine and add hair removal for extra benefit, so your doctor looks at the cause too.
Electrolysis before and after: what to expect
Treated hairs come out in the session, so you see those hairs gone the same day. Hairs that were resting then come through over the following weeks, which is why progress is gradual, with fewer hairs to treat at each visit. Not every treated hair stops the first time: a common estimate is that about 25% of treated hairs don’t regrow, so some follicles need treating again. A steady course is what gets you to the result.
Electrolysis hair removal cost in Pakistan
Electrolysis for the face costs Rs 8,000 a session, at the same price in every city where we offer it.
Electrolysis: face
About 20 minutes
Rs 8,000 per session
Any current offer is explained at the clinic.
Who shouldn’t have electrolysis?
Electrolysis must not be used if you have a pacemaker, because the current can disturb it. Treatment also waits if the skin is sunburnt, broken or infected. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, get cold sores, which treatment can bring back, or have had raised keloid scars.
Your electrolysis session, step by step
- Free consultation: your doctor checks your hair and skin, and tells you whether electrolysis or laser suits you better.
- Prepare: don’t pluck or wax for a few days, so the hairs can be seen. Numbing cream can be applied if you need it.
- Treat: the probe goes into each follicle, a brief current is applied, and the loosened hair lifts out.
- Soothe: the skin is cleaned and calmed; a session on the face takes about 20 minutes.
- Repeat: visits are usually every week or two, to catch each hair at the right point in its growth cycle.
Results and recovery
You can go back to your normal routine straight after a session. Slight redness around the treated hairs is common and can last up to a few days, and brown skin can get small dark spots that fade by themselves, so don’t use bleaching cream on them. Scarring is rare when electrolysis is done correctly. Treatment can run for several months, and up to about 18 months in some cases, depending on the area and how coarse the hair is.
Aftercare
- No make-up on the area for 24 hours
- Skip the gym, sauna and anything that makes you sweat for 24 hours
- Don’t pick at the area or bleach any dark spots
- No tanning or direct sun for 24 hours, then SPF 30 or higher every day
Why choose Cutera Aesthetics
- Doctor-led: your electrolysis is assessed and planned by our doctors.
- Laser and electrolysis under one roof: we offer both, so you get the one that suits your hair.
- Female doctors at every clinic: a comfortable choice for facial hair.
- Free consultation: an honest assessment and a clear plan before you commit to anything.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic. Electrolysis. Medically reviewed 2021.
- Martin KA, Anderson RR, Chang RJ, et al. Evaluation and treatment of hirsutism in premenopausal women: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2018; 103(4): 1233–57.
- DermNet. Electrolysis.
- Görgü M, Aslan G, Aköz T, Erdoğan B. Comparison of alexandrite laser and electrolysis for hair removal. Dermatologic Surgery, 2000; 26(1): 37–41.
