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Permanent hair removal

Are you considering or reconsidering hair removal options? Many people are.Hair removal is one of the most commonly done cosmetic procedures in America. Why is that?Diversity. Perception of beauty and physical excellence is as diverse as each individual. All of the various cultures and social groups influence and differentiate the perception of self and others. Truly, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and equally so when looking into a mirror.Aging. It's inevitable, everyone ages, and aging can cause hormonal changes affecting hair growth. Over time, both androgenic and estrogenic activity can change enough to activate new hair growth.Diet and health. Everyone eats food, and diet is the most important controllable factor of hormonal changes affecting hair growth.Many natal females have unwanted hair along with diagnoses of hirsutism (excessive male-pattern facial and body hair), hyperandrogenism, or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)—which are known markers of "metabolic syndrome". Researchers estimate that 88% of adult Americans have at least one biomarker of a metabolic health problem.Progressive clinicians are confirming that certain diet interventions—correcting what and when to eat—can normalize hormones and, in many cases, reverse metabolic health diseases. On the other hand, conventional pharmaceutical-based treatments come with harmful side effects and do not resolve problems over the long term.Unfortunately, once terminal hair growth is activated, permanent hair removal is needed.

Waterdance Electrolysis is dedicated to helping others towards a better understanding of the diet and lifestyle influences on metabolic disorders affecting hair growth. The Waterdance Electrolysis Blog is updated regularly to be a current resource of relevant information on all matters affecting unwanted hair growth. Please visit and subscribe to the Waterdance Electrolysis Blog or @WaterdanceBlog.

Transgender. Other people needing permanent hair removal include non-natal females and males preparing for gender confirmation surgery, and non-natal females desiring a more feminine presentation.Professionals. Athletes, bodybuilders, actors, models, and performance artists wanting to present a clean or smooth image or to improve performance also consider permanent hair removal.

Expecting better results. Some people had hair removal done before and were expecting better results. They may have seen an emergence of hair that has been treated before, or have experienced a burn, or noticed a change in skin texture or pigment. Hopefully, the previously treated hair is not growing faster and thicker than before!No matter how you arrived here, please read on to learn about the best way to get the smooth beautiful look you desire, and tap here or on the calendar icon to open the Appointment view and make an appointment with Waterdance Electrolysis.

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Get it done the right way (the first time)

One time or another, we all have made the mistake of deciding on something we thought we could get done fast or inexpensively rather than wait a little longer and get it done right—once and for all.Before making our decision, we may have gone online to glean information from the advice of others. Unfortunately, especially about permanent hair removal, there is a lot of missing, misleading, and false information out there.Poor quality is the problem with rushed work.Poor quality in hair removal usually reveals itself as a never-ending or a worsening hair problem—wasting your time and money and increasing aggravation. More seriously, visible irreversible skin damage can occur when hair removal is rushed—occurring more often than it should!The right way of hair removal is permanent, done once and for all, and does not cause visible irreversible skin damage.So, what is safe and not safe? What is quality in hair removal?

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Electrolysis

When performed by a knowledgeable and skilled practitioner, electrolysis is the safest and most effective way of permanent hair removal.Waterdance Electrolysis specializes in permanent hair removal using electrolysis and a blend of electrolysis and low-intensity thermolysis called the blend method.

What is electrolysis?

In a nutshell, electrolysis is an electrochemical process for hair removal that is gentle to the skin. Electrolysis forms an alkali solution from water and salt in skin tissue in proximity to an inserted ionically-charged probe that destroys the hair stem cells. The body quickly responds to neutralize the solution and return the skin to its normal pH and moisture content.There is no discernible irreversible skin damage caused by electrolysis other than the cell destruction necessary for permanent hair removal—making electrolysis the safest way.

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Thermolysis is not electrolysis

Thermolysis is a popular way of hair removal as it purports to be fast and painless. The thermolysis process transmits electromagnetic energy from an inserted probe to heat water molecules in skin tissue. Like a microwave oven, thermolysis can cause temperatures high enough to cook, coagulate, and desiccate skin tissue.With thermolysis, the risk of overtreatment and visible irreversible skin damage increases with increasing intensity and with overlapping and multiple treatments.Repeated overtreatment by thermolysis worsens any previous skin damage—and what was not noticeable before becomes noticeable after.Acute overtreatment by thermolysis can occur when superheated water vapor forms and escapes out the outermost skin layer resulting in immediately visible and irreversible skin damage. It's similar to what happens when cooking a piece of fatty meat in the microwave: violent popping sounds from the steam escaping and a big mess afterward.Please be aware that many practitioners claim to offer electrolysis but what they’re providing is thermolysis. You must be holding or touching something with a wire connected back to the device to be getting electrolysis or the blend. Like a microwave oven, thermolysis transmits energy through the air to complete a circuit with the device. However, unknown to most electrologists, it is best practice to use a direct-wired insulated connection back to the device for both electrolysis and thermolysis.

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The blend method

The blend method of hair removal is the simultaneous use of electrolysis and low-intensity manual thermolysis combined with a progressive epilation technique. Proper application of the blend method improves epilation time without sacrificing safety and effectiveness.

High-intensity flash thermolysis disguised as the blend

Most devices in use today contain only the electronic modules for high-intensity flash thermolysis and are not suitable for the blend method.Waterdance Electrolysis utilizes the only device available today that contains separate electronic modules for electrolysis, low-intensity manual thermolysis, and high-intensity flash thermolysis, and is most suitable for the blend method.Please be aware that many practitioners offering the blend method are really providing high-intensity flash thermolysis. (A sign you are likely getting flash and not a true blend treatment is the practitioner stopping and cleaning skin tissue from the probe).

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Effectiveness and total time of treatment

Electrolysis is the most effective way of hair removal—meaning the percentage of hair removed permanently per total hair treated is greater than any other way. As an illustration of the relative differences, the effectiveness of electrolysis is from 60% to 90%, flash thermolysis is from 30% to 60%, and laser and intense pulse light (IPL) are from 0% to 30%, assuming other factors being equal.The FDA recognizes the high effectiveness and permanency of electrolysis and allows devices to be marketed for permanent hair removal. In practice, with each subsequent treatment of a hair follicle by electrolysis, if even necessary, the effectiveness will likely increase.The FDA does not allow the same classification for laser and IPL devices—rather, they may be marketed as devices for permanent hair reduction. Treatment typically needs to be continued to keep up with the substantial hair regrowth—a clear sign that the regrowth is increasingly more difficult to treat. Further, there is mounting anecdotal evidence showing new hair growth is stimulated and regrowth is more coarse! Clearly, the effectiveness of laser and IPL devices is too low, decreases with subsequent treatment, and may have negative effectiveness (with new growth stimulation).Please be aware that hair is not actually removed when treated by laser or IPL—the hair is supposed to fall out by itself over time. Many of the hairs remain embedded and cause a visible dark shadow or "pepper spots"—defeating the entire hair removal process.The total time of treatment, or the time to permanently remove an amount of hair, is approximately the same for electrolysis and thermolysis, assuming other factors being equal. Electrolysis is more effective but takes more time to treat a single hair. Thermolysis is less effective but takes less time to treat a single hair.

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Electrolysis applications

Being both the safest and most effective way, electrolysis is the best choice for hair removal—especially for the most delicate and sensitive areas and difficult problems.Electrolysis is the best choice for all unwanted hair on the face, neck, eyebrows, ears, nose, hands, fingers, feet, and toes, and such sensitive areas as the lips, breasts, underarms, and mons pubis.Electrolysis is the best choice for difficult hair removal problems such as curly hair, ingrown hair, and thick and deep hair.Electrolysis can be used on hair in any phase of growth, and for skin of any age, color, thickness, and moisture content.Electrolysis is the best choice for hair removal from tattooed skin.

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The right way

In most cases, the knowledgeable and skilled practitioner will employ electrolysis or the blend method. In some cases, low-intensity manual thermolysis or high-intensity flash thermolysis may be utilized—but never as a panacea.The exceptions to the rule are those practitioners who have acquired over time the very high level of expertise necessary to operate thermolysis devices safely with consistency. Nevertheless, subjecting skin tissue to high temperatures more than once must be done with an awareness of the present and future effects, as underlying damage is cumulative.

Practitioner skill

The knowledgeable and skilled practitioner does not count the number of hairs treated in a session. Trying to do so leads to mistakes and inaccurate insertions, which can make a session unsafe and ineffective.For permanent hair removal, accurate probe insertions are very important—next in importance to the knowledge of the practitioner and their selection of equipment and modality. For accurate probe insertions, the keys are positioning, visibility, and hand-eye coordination.Positioning facilitates accessibility and visibility. To work on parts of the face and neck, a practitioner should position themselves behind the head with the head dropped down. A practitioner who works only from one side or who does not drop the head will not have good access or visibility.Visibility is a function of positioning, lighting, and magnification. To enhance visibility, practitioners today can use loupes or even a surgical microscope and dimmable and multi-spectral lighting.Hand-eye coordination is simply a talent of the practitioner.Knowledgeable and skilled practitioners use both hands and a progressive epilation technique. Two-handed epilation allows the practitioner to firm the skin surface to better see and enter the hair follicle opening for accurate insertions, to test whether the hair is ready for removal (i.e., progressive epilation), and to move more quickly to the next hair.

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Quality and safety

Quality and safety are compromised when getting hair removal done by laser, intense-pulse light (IPL), and high-intensity flash thermolysis. These thermal devices utilize high temperatures that cook, coagulate, and desiccate skin tissue. Many hairs can be treated, but treatment is neither as safe nor as effective as electrolysis. Considering the downsides, treatment by the thermal devices can be very expensive.

Effects of overtreatment by thermal devices

Sadly, when in the hands of the unknowing or unaware operator, the thermal devices can cause visible irreversible skin damage. Skin tissue temperatures can easily rise well above the boiling point and cause vaporization and burning. Severe side effects include pitting, scarring, wrinkling, collagen damage, orange peel, pepper spots, shadowing, and hypopigmentation. Hyperpigmentation change can be a side effect on darker skin tones but the effect usually subsides (over time ranging from several months to years). The other severe side effects remain permanently.Adding insult to injury, some operators try to pass off unsightly scabbing as expected and normal!Even after seemingly uneventful treatment by a thermal device, some people may experience new and accelerated hair growth—which is like throwing fuel on the fire!

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Questions?

Please find and tap on the calendar icon or tap here to open the Appointments view and schedule a consultation with Waterdance Electrolysis and ask any questions you may have about permanent hair removal. All new clients must book a consultation regardless of previous treatment.At your consultation session, you will complete the client intake form, and we will discuss all of your questions or concerns. The consultation also includes a sample treatment session. In addition, each consultation is followed by either a 15-minute treatment session or a 30-minute session, or longer.If you would like to complete the client intake form prior to your appointment and have more time for treatment, then either tap here and complete the online Waterdance Electrolysis Client Intake Form or tap here to view and print the PDF version.For current availability and rates, open the Appointments view by tapping here or on the calendar icon.Tap here to read about Jeffrey Stansberry, LE, the owner of Waterdance Electrolysis.Your health plan may cover medically necessary hair removal! Tap here to learn what you must do to get reimbursement from your insurance plan.Many topics on permanent hair removal are discussed on the Waterdance Electrolysis Blog and on Twitter @WaterdanceBlog.Tap here for articles on PCOS on the Waterdance Electrolysis blogGeneral information is available on the American Electrology Association website and the Electrologists' Association of California website.Tap here to read the privacy policy.Feel free to call, text, or send an email to leave a message and ask any questions you may have.

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© Waterdance Electrolysis. Images by Unsplash, CleanPNG, Pexels, Pixabay, and Getty images. Privacy policy.
Serving the East Bay of Northern California, including the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Joaquin.

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© Waterdance Electrolysis. Images by Unsplash, CleanPNG, Pexels, Pixabay, and Getty images. Privacy policy.
Serving the East Bay of Northern California, including the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Joaquin.