Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

Electrolysis stories

79 replies

Dolly3656 · 15/12/2021 07:52

Hey everyone! I've recently gained a lot of dark coarse hairs on my upper lip and chin. I hear electrolysis can work for this but I'm worried about skin damage and if it is actually a permanent solution. Would love to hear from anyone who has had it done previously who could share their experience (how long ago they had it, what method and how their skin is since). Thanks so much! :)

OP posts:

Chocaholic9 · 15/12/2021 07:58

I'm in the process of having it done. Had it once every 2 weeks since April this year. The hairs are still growing back but they definitely aren't as spiky and coarse (or annoying) as they were. Apparently I need to keep doing it until they don't grow back.

Charlieiscool · 15/12/2021 07:59

If your skin is paler than the hair then go for laser instead. Electrolysis doesn’t work and leaves nasty spots in my experience.

user1471518119 · 15/12/2021 08:19

I wouldn't recommend. Had a course of ten treatments, every time my skin was left very red and irritated and I got spots and I could see very little difference by the end. I probably needed more sessions but I wasn't happy with the impact on my skin so didn't continue. Also quite painful! I chose electrolysis as I'm a redhead, wish laser was an option for me!

BradleyCooperwillbemine · 15/12/2021 08:55

It is a long term treatment, but it is the only method of hair removal that is permanent, despite what the laser hair removal people will tell you.
It will leave you a bit red and bumpy, but this calms down after about a day, in my experience, and I have very, very sensitive skin.

YoureBreakingMyHeartCecilia · 15/12/2021 09:07

It was SO PAINFUL I had to stop (and I have a pretty high pain threshold, never used to be very bothered by Brazilian wax, for example)

In addition it didn’t seem to be doing much for me.

Sorry!!!

Medievalist · 15/12/2021 09:09

I had electrolysis on my top lip as a teenager. The skin would be a bit red and perhaps a little bumpy for a short time afterwards, but soon faded.
I can vouch for its permanency as this was over 40 years ago! No scars either.

Medievalist · 15/12/2021 09:11

It worked very well in my case. And it made a huge difference to me as I had been so very self conscious of the dark hair on my top lip.

BrainFoggerty · 15/12/2021 09:15

I'm borderline pcos so pretty hairy with fair skin. I had my top lip done 20 years ago it takes time & skin was irritated for a few days but so long as you take care of it (ie don't pick!) then there were no issues with any scarring.
It didn't get rid of all of the hairs so now I'm in need of a redo as peri hormones have caused remaining ones to go really dark & coarse - never mind the zillions of chin hairs now growing.

Original poster

Dolly3656 · 15/12/2021 22:56

Ah that's great you're seeing results!! Do you know what mode they are using? How does your skin handle it afterwards? Thanks so much for sharing!!

OP posts:

Original poster

Dolly3656 · 15/12/2021 22:59

@Charlieiscool ah thanks for the info, I'm dark haired but very pale but the hairs are kind of like a grey colour? So not black enough that I think laser would work unfortunately!

OP posts:

Original poster

Dolly3656 · 15/12/2021 23:02

@user1471518119 oh no I'm really sorry to hear this! Was your skin ok after you stopped the treatment? Is a shame it didn't have any effect, do you know what type of electrolysis it was? Thank you for sharing your experience :)

OP posts:

Original poster

Dolly3656 · 15/12/2021 23:05

@BradleyCooperwillbemine Thank you for sharing your experience! Was your skin ok after the redness settled down or does it leave lasting marks? I was wondering did you find permanent results after having it done? And if so how long did it take to get to that point? Thanks again!

OP posts:

Original poster

Dolly3656 · 15/12/2021 23:06

@YoureBreakingMyHeartCecilia Ah that's such a shame it didn't work and also sounds extremely painful! Do you know what type of electrolysis it was? I was reading there are a few different types just wondering if any hurt more than others! Sorry it didn't turn out as hoped but really appreciate you sharing your experience :)

OP posts:

Original poster

Dolly3656 · 15/12/2021 23:09

@Medievalist Ah that's amazing to hear! So pleased it worked so well for you! If you don't mind me asking do you know what type you had done? Like did you hold a metal bar whilst having it (think this is blend and galvanic). Did it take long for it to be finished? This is so encouraging as it's the exact same area I'm very conscious of, also dark haired and pale skin so feel like it shows up so much more! Thanks again for sharing! :)

OP posts:

Original poster

Dolly3656 · 15/12/2021 23:11

@BrainFoggerty Ah that's great to hear that it worked so well and without any scarring too! I'm looking to do the same area so this is really helpful to hear! Do you mind if I ask what type you had? Do you remember holding a metal bar at all? I think this blend and galvanic? I'm just trying to figure out the most effective method but that would result in least potential for damage to the skin! Did it take long for you to see results? Hope you are getting on ok with starting electrolysis again :) thank you again for sharing!!

OP posts:

Smallkeys · 15/12/2021 23:25

I think we may have spoken already I hold the metal bar and get a gold needle you should also enquire how up to date the machines are as the latest ones seem to work better and slightly less painful ... no scarring for me :-)

Medievalist · 15/12/2021 23:27

@Medievalist Ah that's amazing to hear! So pleased it worked so well for you! If you don't mind me asking do you know what type you had done? Like did you hold a metal bar whilst having it (think this is blend and galvanic). Did it take long for it to be finished? This is so encouraging as it's the exact same area I'm very conscious of, also dark haired and pale skin so feel like it shows up so much more! Thanks again for sharing! :)

Gosh it was so long ago I can hardly remember anything about it. Don't think I held anything. Think it was just a needle.

WhatDidISayAlan · 15/12/2021 23:40

I have been having it for four years - I have a full-on PCOS lady beard. I did try laser but it grew back really quickly - electrolysis is the only option for me.

I started off with twice weekly sessions for six months, then weekly, then monthly, and for the last year I’ve only had to go every eight weeks. For the first month I got acne, but now I just get temporary redness which goes in a couple of hours. It’s not pain free - it hurts more or less depending on where I am in my cycle for some reason. I take ibuprofen an hour before my session. It’s changed my life. I go to a salon in Ashton under Lyne. I don’t hold any kind of bar - never heard of that one. It’s not a quick fix - I had hairs from ear to ear and half way down my throat, and your therapist should explain all about the hair growing cycle, to illustrate that you need to be in it for the long haul.

It’s the best thing I ever did. I was so self conscious about it that I didn’t date for ten years. I would never stay at someone’s house or share a room on a holiday in case people saw me with my stubble. Wouldn’t go on any kind of camping or trekking our outdoorsy holiday in case I couldn’t get my razor out to deal with it. It’s been amazing.

abvgd · 15/12/2021 23:42

It is painful, lengthy, iterative - and very effective. I have PCOS and had a number of sessions over two years in my twenties on my legs, face, bikini area, and breast. It was more than twenty years ago and it is still pretty much the way had it after the treatment.

With age I have more down on my cheeks and a few stubborn hairs on the chin that I would like to get rid of. I tried laser and it was a joke, I rejoiced in how painless it was but then the hair grew back, with much more down hair.

I had my electrolysis done in another country in an "epilation centre": there were about 50-70 electrolysis specialists there and all they did was electrolysis. They were very experienced and had state of the art equipment. I am yet to find a similar centre or clinic on the uk. I have bern to two places and both offered electrolysis as one of the services on the menu on par with facials and lash tints. From this perspective I cannot whole-heartedly recommend it as all depends on the level of mastery and equipment of the professional who is doing it, and I have not found someone I could trust with it in London. But if done well it is worth it.

BradleyCooperwillbemine · 16/12/2021 03:46

After the redness dissipated I occasionally got a few tiny white spots. These disappeared very quickly. I have no scarring and my skin scars incredibly easily. I just had my upper lip done and it took quite a while,
at first I was going every week, then I would forget, so it might be every few weeks - I wasn't very disciplined with it. This was about 8 years or so ago - no regrowth.

Original poster

Dolly3656 · 17/12/2021 14:48

@Smallkeys Ooo I think we did! Thank you again for responding! I wound up looking at the hairtell site and scared myself but yours and these stories are reassuring me :)

OP posts:

Original poster

Dolly3656 · 17/12/2021 14:49

@Medievalist No worries! I was just trying to work out what type you had, bit scared of the none metal bar type because I think it's heat but it sounds like yours worked really well! Thanks again for sharing :)

OP posts:

Original poster

Dolly3656 · 17/12/2021 14:56

@WhatDidISayAlan Thank you so much for sharing this, so pleased to hear how well it's worked for you and the impact it's had that sounds so positive!! I think I'm actually not too far from you (near Stoke on Trent) so that's amazing to hear there could be somewhere nearish to me to try that you've had success with!
Thanks for the detail around how skin reacts too, I have quite bad acne so wondering if it might make it worse temporarily but definitely helpful to know! I think the bar is for galvanic or blend methods so it's less heat (my skin is super sensitive so was looking into different methods but I know very little!). Did you have any issues with the texture of your skin after the redness calmed? My skin is ridiculously sensitive so a bit anxious over scars. Thank you again!

OP posts:

Original poster

Dolly3656 · 17/12/2021 14:59

@BradleyCooperwillbemine Ah that sounds like a great result!! And amazing your skin has been ok with it too! If you don't mind me asking were the hairs coarse or just dark? I've always bleached and they were darker but fine but now there are some coarse ones that's grow very fast coming in hence needing to get them gone!

OP posts:

Original poster

Dolly3656 · 17/12/2021 15:06

@abvgd Ah I'm sorry to hear about your experience with laser, I have found whenever I have asked about hair removal for my face most suggest laser but the hair is more a dark grey than black so not suitable I don't think.

I didn't realize there were dedicated centres that sounds really reassuring! I've been looking around and can see local places then found the British institute of electrolysis so I've been trying to find someone with that qualification but very new to this. Is there anything you would suggest looking out for in a therapist, I know you mentioned not feeling comfortable with the ones in London? Thank you again for your insight, it's been really helpful! :)

OP posts:

Flip

1 2 3 4