Electrolysis, also called needle epilation, removes each hair individually with a fine probe. In this video, Magdalena Brügger, founder of CP Praxis, explains how the method was developed, how it works in the skin and when we recommend it instead of laser hair removal.
Key moments in the video
- 0:00 Introduction
- 0:06 What is electrolysis?
- 0:14 The history of electrolysis
- 0:54 Who is it suitable for?
- 1:10 How does the treatment work?
- 1:57 Which areas can be treated?
- 2:13 Electrolysis or laser?
What you will learn
- Each hair is treated individually with a fine single-use probe.
- There are three methods: galvanic current, thermolysis and the combination of both, the blend method.
- The hair root is cut off from its blood supply and can no longer regenerate. The skin itself stays intact.
- The method also works on light, grey and white hair without pigment.
- For skin with a lot of pigmentation or many freckles, we recommend electrolysis instead of laser.
Video transcript
Electrolysis. What does electrolysis mean? Electrolysis is the removal of individual hairs with a probe.
The first electrolysis treatment was developed in 1875 by an ophthalmologist in the USA to remove ingrown eyelashes. At the time, galvanic current was used. Later came thermolysis, which works with high-frequency heating. In 1938, the two methods were combined, and this is how the blend method was created. This is one of the most effective methods of hair removal.
We can use electrolysis on very different skin and hair types, including hairs that no longer have any pigment.
What happens during the treatment? A fine single-use needle is inserted into each hair follicle. Either the galvanic current creates a chemical reaction in the skin, or thermolysis cauterises the hair root. But it is not only about cauterising the hair root. What matters is that the hair root is cut off from the blood supply of the small capillaries. A tiny scar forms there, and the hair root can no longer regenerate. So it is not the skin that dies, only the hair root. This makes it a very effective method of hair removal.
In principle, it can be done anywhere on the body and face. Today, however, we recommend electrolysis mainly for smaller areas, for hair that is already grey or has lost its pigment, or for skin with a lot of pigmentation, for example where there are many freckles. In these cases, we recommend electrolysis instead of laser hair removal.
Electrolysis at CP Praxis Basel and Bottmingen
We work with the Apilus xCell system. Every treatment is tailored to your hair and skin.
More videos
- Laser hair removal explained → https://cp-praxis.ch/en/laser-hair-removal-video/
- Chemical peels explained → https://cp-praxis.ch/en/chemical-peeling-video/
- JetPeel explained → https://cp-praxis.ch/en/jetpeel-basel-guide/
- Microneedling explained →
https://cp-praxis.ch/en/microneedling-video/ - Hydrafacial explained →
https://cp-praxis.ch/en/microneedling-video/