One of the most frequently-asked questions I get is about do-it-yourself electrolysis.

Home electrolysis tips

This method is easiest on just a few hairs in an area you can see directly or in a mirror. If you can't see them, you can't treat them, so sideburns and back can be difficult to treat.

Take care,
Andrea

Nice to find this site! I was surfing a site that sold all kinds of equipment, globally. I was about to plunk down some money and then I found this site. I think I will do more research.

Anyway, about 20 years ago :-( I bought a probe type hair remover from I believe Inverness. I tried it on a 2" round spot on the inside if my calf.

It made the hair pores red and itch for a day or two, but was not uncomfortable. But it did work. To this day there are only 4 hairs in that spot.

To make a long story short, I did not have someone to help me continue at that time and then the little unit got lost. Now I have someone that wants to help (They have a steady hand and good eyes)finish the job at home.

Do they still make that equipment or does somebody make something equivalent?

Hey Puff--

Good to have you here! Sounds like you almost bought from those scummy Global Electrolysis Supply people! Glad I spared you the trouble!

The One Touch is still made. Below are some links about it:

Hairfacts: home electrolysis puchasing information

Hairfacts: home electrolysis tips

Thank you....and yes you did spare me and my money.

That is it...the One Touch. I know that it wasn't very sophisticated (SP?) but it did work. What is your opinion of it. The time it will take to use it is of little consiquence now.

Infact, my man will enjoy the together time and I will enjoy the pampering.

What else have you seen on the market that works and wont break the bank (over $300.00)?

Does Texas Elecrolysis Supply have a good reputation?

Yes, they do, Puff! They have a good selection of pro epilators and pain reducing creams and topicals.

Texas Electrolysis Supply website

(note: this is not an endorsement. no claim is made as to the quality of their services. I have not received any negative feedback, just positive feedback to date.)

Hello,
I have been researching the home electrolysis units available, and I was very happy to find this site. I have read all the info at Hairfacts and was thinking of purchasing the Emjoi Beauty Forever Hair Remover, but after reviewing this site I see that you recommend the One Touch product. What is the difference between these two products? My intention is to attempt to permanently remove the hair on my legs. I understand this may take me "years" to complete. but if I get started then it will be done sometime and I can hopefully give up the dreaded razor. I plan to start on the lower portion and work my way up. I would eventually like to do the bikini area as well. Any additional advice and recommendations are greatly appreciated. Thanks

Welcome, npetty!

The Emjoi Beauty Forever is an electric tweezer scam. Electric tweezers like this have been shown to be temporary in clinical studies. FDA has stated "there is no statistically significant scientific data available at this time to support promotional claims of permanent or long-term removal of hair through use of the device."

For more on electric tweezers, see:

Hairfacts: electric tweezers

For more on legitimate methods of home electrolysis where a probe is inserted into the follicle, please see:

Hairfacts: home electrolysis

Thank you so much for replying so quickly.

I will purchase the one touch today. I have found a site that has it for less than any other (not incl. purchasing from e-bay). It is $27.99 at ULTA.com. They do not sell the extra stylet tips but I found those at Folica for $5.95. I have not searched everywhere for the stylet tips though.

Do you recommend that I go ahead and purchase the additional tips to have on hand before I start my "project"? What is the life of these?

What other products do you recommend that I have to get started, besides the tweezerman slant tip tweezers and the basic cleaning (alcohol)
Is there any other products that would be helpful to prepare the skin/hair follicles?
And for afterwards, should I use a special lotion?

What do you think of the "new" shave minimizing lotions?

I am very anxious to get started, but really want to be prepared.

Thanks

The tips can get bent easily, so some people prefer to have a few extra on hand. If you're careful, they'll last a while.

I explain the equipment you might want here:

Hairfacts: home electrolysis tips

I discuss the shave minimizing lotion under
the Shaving forum. Bottom line: they can make hair appear finer, but they have no effect on hair growth.

Check out the home electrolysis tips for plenty of info from those who had success. I personally don't recommend it because the failure rate is pretty high, but some consumers have been very pleased with their results.

npetty....looks like we are on the same path. Want to race and see who get done quicker

With a name like "Petty" Hmmmmmm....sorry I just had to say it.

Good luck. I am going to try to pick up a On Touch locally next week. If I can't find one then I will order one. I also believe I will try some ELA-Max 5.

Hi.
First i would like to thank Hairfacts for saving me a lot of cash .i was seriously thinking of buying a unit from "global e supply" until i read about them, enough said about that.
I'm a trans person m2f, i've had quite a lot of electrolysis but still have my top lip and under my chin to do, i'm looking for a good machine to finish the job, can anybody recommend a company or website where i could purchase a good machine that uses blend or just galvanic, i would prefer it to be in the uk.
Thanks
Ros..

BTW, i can recommend "One Touch" i used one a few years ago, it was slow but did the job..

Ros.

You might check out this site, which has a device for about US$200-something:

Amanda's electrolysis device (Australian)

There are a couple of caveats, though-- I don't know what the regulatory status of this device is in the US-- it might be stopped at customs if they are not registered with FDA.

I do not know anyone who has purchased this device or used it. The manufacturer wrote to me, and *appears* to be honest and ethical, as well as an engineer.

I have not inspected the device personally, and I have no way of knowing about the manufacturers business practices at this time.

(note: this is not an endorsement, but a suggestion for further research. No claim is made as to the quality of this device or the service from this company)

Thanks Andrea.
It looks ok but i would prefere somewhere nearer England, i have to find a machine because my usual electrologist is moving in a few weeks. Ros.

You might ask your electrologist if he or she has any used equipment they will be selling when they move.

i have already asked, unfortunatly no go, she is moving equipment and all.
Well i'll keep trying.

I'm interested in buying a home unit for personal use. I'm patient and will take my time, but I honestly have no clue which brand/model I should be going for.

If there are any that are under $50 and work well, I'd appreciate if someone would let me know a good brand and model that they've had good experiences with. I see a few different ones on various webpages but I'd rather ask before just randomly picking one out. Thanks!

Welcome, natalie!

For under US$50, your best bet is the One Touch, You can buy it at many drugstore chains and at beauty supply stores.

You can also buy it online, which I discuss on my site:

Hairfacts: home electrolysis purchasing info

Thanks, I'll plan on purchasing one of those probably.

I'm a very patient and very precise person (with steady hands, too, I may add!) and am good at following directions. I know home electrolysis is recommended against but... if I follow directions, take my time, and use the tool properly, should I see lasting results? (permenant is what I'm going for)

Thanks for your advice!

natalie, as long as you do it according to instructions and make proper insertions, you should see permanent results. This does take skill and practice, but those who are truly determined are sometimes able to have success. I advise against it because I think the likelihood of skin damage is a considerable risk if done improperly.

Hi,

I just purchased a BaByliss Paris Epiliss. Apparently it is a new product. I have not used it yet and after reading the above, I wonder if I should return it. Does anyone have any info on the efficacy of this product? There are no needles only pads. A contact pad and a treatment pad. Any info or advice anyone could give me at this point would be appreciated. I live in France and have never seen the One Touch for sale here. I am not sure that the one Touch would be a good one for me anyway as I don't think I have the patience to work on one hair at a time. The Babyliss says "A low voltage current is carried to the base of the hair follicle. The treatment must be repeated once or twice a week during at least 4 weeks before having reached all hairs of a specific area in their anagen stage. After 4 to 5 weeks of treatment, the cells which nourish the hair are destroyed, the hair does not grow back"
Thanks is advance.

wendyw, claims made by the transcutaneous patch devices are not backed up with published data. They may cause hair to fall out, but there is no proof the energy is strong enough to cause the permanent hair tremoval they usually claim.

Hairfacts: transcutaneous hair removal (WARNING!)

I'd return it if I were you.

I'm looking to purchase a home electrolysis espeacially the One Touch Home Electrolysis. What are the main drugstores that sell it. I live in Canada and will be in the US in 2 weeks, so any names of main drugstores that would be in most reasonably sized cities would be appreaciated. Also is there anything you can buy ( ie:creams, etc) to lessen the damages and effects on the skin?
Thanks

Many drugstore chains have this. You might even ask some in your area.

A few bigger US chains to check out:

Walgreens
Rite Aid
Global Drugs
CVS Pharmacy
Drug Emporium
Genovese
Leader
Longs
Osco
Eckerd
Hooks
Duane Reade

I have a few questions about home treatment, specifically with the One Touch unit. In the instructions it says that the only area of the skin you should not treat is the nipple. I wanted to know if they specifically meant the nipple only, so the perimeter of the areola is okay to treat? Also, this implies that everything in the "bikini" area is safe to treat for female and male anatomy, is this correct?

Thank you for any information you can provide.

I have been searching the FAQ and other areas for information on how to gain access to the "mature topics area" since it appears it may have some applicable information, However I can't find anything on the subject. It also seems that users cannot PM the moderator, so I am asking here, how do I gain access to that area?

[ June 16, 2002, 02:46 AM: Message edited by: sosb ]

The skin around the nipple that is a different color and texture than your other skin may have an adverse reaction to treatment. For these reasons, the manufacturers recommend not treating these hairs to protect themselves legally.

The little bumps most people have around the edges of their nipples have slightly modified glands that can secrete a slightly sebaceous substance. Because some body areas that are more sensitive to hormones may also be more susceptible to mutations caused by energy, it's important to understand the risks.

I am not aware of any studies connecting electrolysis and laser to subsequent problems with nipples and breast tissue, but it does constitute an unknown risk.

Many people I know (myself included) have had hair removed from these areas via electrolysis without problems, but that doesn't mean it's 100% safe. If you plan to do this and have concerns, you should speak with a doctor to assess the possible risks before removing hair from your nipples.

Same is true for men planning to remove hair from private areas. If you'd like to discuss this aspect, please continue this on the adult forum. I have emailed you the adult forum password. To others who wish to join the adult list, please send me an email stating you are over 18 to: adult@hairtell.com

Where can i get the ''one touch'' kit for the uk? most websites deliver to the US only.

Has anyone used the Forever Free system? If so, did it work?

welcome naenae!

Forever Free is an electric tweezer scam. You can find out more In the electric tweezer forum:

HairTell: Electric tweezers

HairTell: Forever Free info

thank you so much.......guess I'll try the One Touch.

happy to help, naenae!

allowit, in case you missed it in the other forum, Folica.com ships overseas. Be sure to get the One Touch and not the Emjoi scam device they sell on the same page as the One Touch.

There is a product named the Vector Hair Removal System that claims to be new and signicantly more effective than cheaper removers like the E-pen... it cost $200. Any body have any experience with the Vector?

welcome dde!

Vector is a scam:

Hairfacts: Vector (WARNING!)

So is E-Pen

Hairfacts: E-Pen (WARNING!)

You must use a device where a metal probe is inserted into the follicle if you want permanent hair removal.

I am new to this site but there is a wealth of useful info here. I did purchase a One Touch system on Ebay and am curious about the ability of a person to use the unit without help. Is it possible? Or is having someone help you almost a must? Looking at the system, I can't imagine being able to see well enough to do much on your own.

junesman, you can treat pretty much anywhere you can touch and see at the same time. For face, you can use a mirror. For other tips on equipment and how to use it on yourself, please see;

Hairfacts: home electrolysis tips

Hi,

Thanks for all the great information. I've been looking to do some electolysis. I've got dark, coarse and have done all my life. I'm perfectly happy shaving with a razor, but I'm discovering as I get older that there are some particularly coarse hairs that have a tendency to become ingrown. It's causing scarring, so electrolysis seemed like a good option. Professional electrolysis for a dozen problem hairs seems unnecessary. Your site has been a great resource in helping me find out what I need to know about home electrolysis!

Many thanks,
sweetie

I'm very glad it's been helpful, sweeite! We have terrific readers here, don't we?

Hello I am new here. I have the one touch and mine seems to beep right when I touch the skin..is this normal. I actually have 2 and they both do it. Also is it really normal and common for women to have hair on their breast/nipple area. I have this problem, and lately seems to be getting worse. could birth control affect it to get worse. Thanks

Yes, it's very common for women to have hair on their breast/nipple!!
I don't have many, and just whisk them off when I shave my legs.
But if they bother you, you can always visit an electrolysist, and get them removed for good! (Don't be embarrassed - you won't be the first woman she's treated, and you won't be the last!)

As soon as you touch the skin, you will complete the circuit. To avoid this, do not place your finger on the metal band until AFTER you have inserted the probe to the root of the hair. My unit included no beep mechanism, so I don't know if the beep is supposed to indicate the beginning or the conclusion of an individual treatment. For other options, see www.NoHair.info

Does plucking cause hair to grow back thicker or darker/basically worse than it was? Is it safe to get the unibrow electrolysiced (is that a word- but you understand). Also does anyone know if birthcontrol pills can affect growth of body hair?

No hards facts, I'm affraid...

My own personal belief is that plucking can weaken the hair such that it grows back finer or not at all.

My reason for thinking this is that I read once that you should never over-pluck your eyebrows. Sometimes people have plucked them thin but regretted it later in life when the fashion changed and they found their hair wouldn't grow back.

I've also heard tales of guys who've had their legs waxed for charity, and it never grew back! (In my book, waxing is just macro-plucking!)

... but having said that, I've also heard that plucking can stimulte the blood supply to the hair, making the hair grow stronger.

And my own thoughts are that birth control pills won't cause more hair growth. Body and facial hair is stimulated by testosterone. Unless you're on a progesterone only pill, the estrogen in the pill will help to counteract any effects of testosterone - so you might notice a small reduction in your hair, or a reduction in its strength and thickness.

Both of those are my own conclusion, though, from what I've been told about how it all works.
I'm more than happy to be put right!!

In electrolysis school we are taught that in most places on the body plucking will cause thicker hairs to grow in the future because at least that follicle will be supercharged by the increased blood supply that it gets to heal itself after the plucking. Blood is to hair what fertilizer is to your garden, or your lawn grass.

Since this increased blood supply may last a while, and repeated plucking may give an area a constant elevated blood supply, nearby follicles can become activated into terminal hair growth due to plucking of nearby hairs.

Some people however, have places on the body that have structures that are more likely to have plucking lead to permanent removal however. In these persons places like the eyebrows are so thin skinned that plucking or shaving may actually have the whole hair structure come out in the removal process, and therefore leave the area bare, and in the case of legs, the growth pattern for legs is not as tenacious as the face to begin with, and some people have very shallow leg hair.

In general, for the average person plucking/waxing/tweezing/sugaring etc... will never lead to a permanent hair free state.

OK, thanks James - that makes sense!!

It kind of ties up the two ends of the argument as well, so I'm happy!!