I started looking into electrolysis when I was 17 or 18. I used to have very unruly eyebrows and was getting fed-up with constantly plucking them or going to the salon and paying money to have them waxed. It's literally paying for torture. The hair kept growing back and it was time consuming to maintain them. I also had a few lip hairs that were nothing major (I've seen a lot worse out there!), but they did bother me. Bleaching doesn't work because even the little tiny hairs above your lip that are invisible become brightened and become noticeable in sunlight.

I looked in the phonebook and only found one electrologist and setup an appointment and free consultation/session. I was extremely lucky because I had no one else to choose from in my area and she had over 15 years of experience. She also had more certificates than I've ever seen in even a medical office. I decided to continue getting treatments and am very happy with the results till this very day.

Today, my eyebrows are perfectly shaped and I no longer wax or pluck. I occasionally will get a literal single hair pop up every so often (maybe once a month), but I can deal with that!

I had electrolysis done for about a year or so. Each treatment cost me $35. It varies depending on the length of the treatment and your market area. I live in New England, but I'm sure it costs a lot more in Los Angeles, for example.

I spent an estimated $400-$500 over the course of a year for this permanent procedure. I used to spend $15 every 3-4 weeks getting my eyebrows waxed, so it was totally cost effective for me.

Depending on the area that needs to be done, your results could vary. You might only have to go for 6 months or I've heard of some people going for 3 years to get permanent results.

Yes! I have read on websites where people say that it doesn't hurt and that some fall asleep during the procedure. To me, that has got to be a farce! It does hurt, as little tiny probes are entering the hair follicle and burning the root of the hair. C'mon!

What does Electrolysis feel like? I would say that it feels exactly like having your cat stick his claws into your skin. Personally, I did think it was better than waxing and much better than plucking (not self-inflicted!) After every treatment, your skin basically feels sore for a few hours and is comparable to the same feeling that you get after a wax.

Ways to Cope During the Treatment: It's permanent, so that is a good way to help yourself cope with the pain. Your electrologist can also use some skin numbing gel, which usually helps really well. By the end of my treatments, I didn't even need the numbing gel anymore; I got used to it.

Anywhere on the body. Yes, even for your bikini line. Some electrologists do not do that area, but you can find someone that does.

And yes, even the gentlemen to the right could get electrolysis although I think he'd be going for many years to come.

Electrolysis is most commonly used for facial hair removal as it is very precise.

Again, I was lucky to find a qualified electrologist. Almost all electrologists will give free consultations and you should take advantage of them. If you have several to choose from in your area, set appointments with all of them to find the best fit for you. You'll be going to this person for anywhere for a year to several years, so you want to make sure that they're good at what they do.

Questions to Ask Before You Set-Up an Appointment

• Make sure that they are a certified electrologist.
  
• Ask about their certification and training. I can go on eBay right now and buy my own machine; scary thought! Great damage can be done to your skin if the person is not skilled and certified.
• Make sure that they use sterilized probes; most use disposable sterilized probe. I personally would only go to an electrologist who uses disposable probes.
  

What to Do On Your First Visit

• Make sure the office is clean.
• Asks any further questions that you may have.
• Fill out pertinent paper work on medical history.
• Discuss what your expectations are and what areas you need done.
  
• Experience the procedure.
  
• Relax - it can be quite painful (especially on your upper lip).
• Be attentive when your given care instructions. You'll probably get a hand-out. It's very basic stuff such as no sun exposure for 24 hours, no makeup on the area, keep clean with soap and water, but you should really pay attention as they're going over the instructions with you.
  
• Decide if you want to go back and set another appointment in 2 to 4 weeks.
• Realize that you might have redness for 24 hours after. My first treatment had redness for about a day, but the ones near the end of my treatment plan only had redness for about an hour or two. You can use ice and aloe vera gel to help the redness.
  

It's can sometimes be a difficult decision to choose electrolysis, whether you are worried about the pain or even the financial costs. Personally, I am completely happy with my results and love the fact that I no longer have to wax, pluck or bleach!

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