ELECTROLYSIS VS LASER HAIR REMOVAL FOR MEN
ELECTROLYSIS VERSUS LASER HAIR REMOVAL FOR MEN
It used to be hair removal was strictly a female thing, well unless you were a body builder, cyclist, swimmer or even a male stripper/dancer, then chances were your body hairs remained intact.
NOT SO ANYMORE!!
Now I know in general most men don’t necessarily want it all removed but they do want it at least thinned out on their backs and chest. So electrolysis versus laser hair removal, which is better?? Well I have to say these are the two BEST methods for permanently getting rid of hair, or at least reducing the amount.
Below I have listed advantages and disadvantages regarding both methods and depending on your needs, wishes and concerns you can decide which method is best suited for you.
IF YOU WANT PERMANENT HAIR REMOVAL
Firstly, electrolysis is the only FDA recognized method for permanent hair removal, as opposed to laser/IPL treatment which offers you permanent hair reduction up to 80%.
So if you are looking to eliminate unwanted hairs, electrolysis is for you, the only downside is that I would say it is only feasible for small areas or single hairs as electrolysis involves treating each hair individually making it very time consuming.
So for those males wishing to treat your back and chest or other large areas of dense hairs I would encourage you to consider laser/IPL as electrolysis would be impractical and hugely expensive.
WHEN YOUR SKIN OR HAIR COLOUR IS NOT SUITABLE
Electrolysis is colour blind, I say this as its suitable for all hair and skin types, whereas with laser/IPL they work best for those clients with light skin and dark coarse hair as the light is attracted to the pigment and uses the pigment to travel the energy to the hair follicle.
Therefore if you are a client with light blonde, red, white or grey hair you would be best to consider electrolysis for your choice of treatment, to enable your treatment to be effective.
The same applies for those males with dark or tanned skins, the laser/IPL treatment could not be carried out due to the risk of light energy being absorbed into the skin and causing severe burns.
IF YOU NEED TO TARGET HAIRS ACCURATELY
Electrolysis is the option to take when you are looking to treat hairs individually as with electrolysis you are using a probe with a very fine sterile needle and inserting that probe into each individual hair follicle.
Due to the way Electrolysis is performed it is therefore ideal for those individual or stray hairs. A great example would be an Eyebrow hair removal as for this part of the body it requires detailed precision, electrolysis would offer you that whereas laser/IPL would not have the necessary precision and wouldn’t be recommended to treat hairs individually.
HAIRS FROM MOLES
Electrolysis is a safe and approved method for the removal of hairs growing from healthy moles as long as the therapist has a letter from your Dr/GP or Dermatologist stating that the mole is a healthy.
Whereas laser/IPL methods are not currently suitable for use on hairs growing from moles due to the pigment from the mole itself and could lead to a high risk of burns.
WHEN YOU HAVE A TATTOO ON THE TREATMENT AREA
How fashionable are tattoos today?? With the celebrities of high regards and icons like David Beckham most men are sporting one or two.
If you have a tattoo on the area that you want treated then laser/IPL is certainly not the method for you due to the dark pigment within a tattoo will only absorb the laser light energy and can lead to quite a serious burn.
In this case your option would be limited to electrolysis.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If you have dark skin or light hair you can not rely on the laser/IPL as your choice of hair removal for either safety reasons (dark skin could create burns) or optimal results (light hair no colour = no pigment for the energy to travel). As electrolysis is colour blind this method would be best suited for you.
Yet if you have light skin and dark hair then you can choose between either options.
Laser is the generally less expensive of the two in retrospect of treating a larger area like the back or chest , it also requires less time and treatments as it covers large areas quickly whereas electrolysis treats each follicle at a time.
If your main concern is facial hair or the hair is something that you want permanently removed then I would recommend electrolysis as it is the ONLY permanent method available to date.
Laser might be a better choice if you would be happy with most of the hair removed or for the hair being finer and lighter.
DISCOMFORT/PAIN
LASER – The laser will produce a slight burning sensation that is said to feel like the snap of a rubber band against the skin.
ELECTROLYSIS – there is some slight discomfort with electrolysis more like a stingy heat sensation.
For any males that are interested in a more permanent hair removal method and have any further questions regarding electrolysis or laser please don’t hesitate to contact the team at Beauty Haven who would be more than willing to advise.
02890 666628