Hi, everyone!
I am a permanent makeup artist. I have been interested in electrology as a career enhancement for a long time. When I told this to the owner of the salon where I work, she said, “Don’t even bother. Nobody does that anymore. It’s all laser now.” What do you think? Is electrolysis still worth going into?
Thanks for your input!
cj
Keep in mind that I am considered a biased opinion, but electrolysis is here to stay. Since the 1860’s nothing has been able to do a better job at permanent hair removal. There are more ballyhooed things, there are more advertised things, but in the end, everyone needs an electrolysis practitioner to “finish the job.” Now with you already being in a salon, you have built in clients. Once you learn what you are doing, you can make a good amount on the additional billable hours you will add to your practice. Most part timers get about 40 billable hours a month, and if you look at that as $20 to $30 net profit on those hours, it is a nice addition to what you are doing now.
All you really have to do is get good education, and the best equipment you can manage (and update as you can) and learn to explain the difference between what people think permanent hair removal is, and the realities of what it really is all about.
Personally, i wouldnt even consider laser on any area of my body. But thats just me.
I have always been the type to answer, “Knowing what I know, I would not suggest that my mother get LASER performed on her.” I have had some sample treatments done on me, one of which turned out very bad, but I am the only one who notices the end result now.
I would say that the biggest problem with LASER is that even with a good practitoner and good equipment, it is a roll of the dice, and a spin of the wheel of fortune every time you have a treatment.
cj,
The salon owner is, sad to say, not as savvey as she should be for being in the type of business that deals with HAIR and such. But who can blame such ignorance. She is only parroting what the media and promoters promote heavily. That’s the impression these days about electrolysis and it will take a lot of time to change hearts so that LASER is not synonymous with permanent hair removal. Electrolysis use to be synonymous with permanent hair removal and it still should be. Laser delivers reduction under certain conditions, gives the impression that it delivers more than it can, but that’s the power of gloss and high tech, so we deal with it and patiently communicate and educate on a daily basis about the ultimate in permanent hair removal,which is good and proper electrolysis.
I love what I do because I am never in the position where I have to face a client, make excuses and say sorry it didn’t work, but thanks for all your time and money anyway. With electrolysis, I only see happy endings and feel lots of hugs and happiness toward the end. My intergrity stays intact because I can deliver permanent hair removal, just like I said I could when that client first walked through my office door.
Thanks very much for all of your replies. I appreciate it!
I do want to become an electrologist. Perhaps I will just move into my own space since I probably won’t get the support I need where I am located now.
I was amazed to learn that in NY State a laser technician only needs to take a 40-hour course to get a license (with no doctor supervision) but a massage therapist needs 1,000 hours of formal training!
This is a great forum. It would not be this way were it not for those who take the time to share their knowledge and experience!
All the best,
cj
As you probably know, I would have to disagree with the anti-laser comments above. As someone who knows quite a bit about both and having had results with both, I will say once again that both get results when performed properly with a proper machine and skill. And both have issues and lack of results when performed under less than perfect circumstances.
If you are located in upstate, I am sad to say you will have the same problem I have had: the only school left in NY is in Queens.
That same school, in fact, offers the NY state 40 hour laser course (the electro course runs 120+ hours, geesh)