I am an electrolyst by training (student) and was wondering if it is really possible to remove the finer hairs and vellus (dense) hairs permanently with electrolysis, after researching on this platform I also notice that opinions are divided. So are there some electrolysts here who can share their (success) stories? If so, what exact settings (method and needle) do you use for this to perform it properly, as the upper lip is very sensitive.
I personally work with the sterex Epilator SX-B Blend. In terms of method, I was told that only diathermy is not good for these finer hairs. So either blend or galvanic only. The finest needle from sterex and most suitable seems the stainless two-piece probe with size 2. I was also told to start at a low intensity, so example: thermolysis 3, timer 3-5 seconds and 0.15 - 0.30 mA (galvanic). If only galvanic: timer 10-20 seconds and 0.20 - 0.50 mA. Finally, I think you should approximately insert the needle only about 2 mm?
Asking for more information from experienced electrolysts, because I am still learning it!
It’s definitely possible to treat vellus hair. The reality is that very few clients request it, and I try my best to convince any who do that it’s not necessary. It’s a big investment in both time and money from the client, and sourcing F1 needles can be annoying in some countries. After all is said and done, I think in most cases the client would be just as happy shaving the vellus hair, so the results are usually not worthwhile. The upper lip is maybe the exception given that the area is so small and a “problem area” that a lot of women fixate on.
I completely disagree with the instruction you’ve been given on treating these hairs. Any method is “good” in the sense that it will work to permanently remove the hair.
One other consideration is time and speed, and when you have to treat thousands of barely visible hairs, galvanic and blend are poor choices in my opinion. Vellus hairs are not deeply rooted in the follicle. They have a smaller blood supply and can therefore be treated with less energy and less time per hair. Blend and galvanic both seem like an overly aggressive approach, and the settings you mentioned may be too much for vellus hair.
With an SX-B, I would start at a thermolysis setting of 10 and a treatment time of <1. Increase until you find the point at which you can treat the hair in <1 second and not damage the skin. I really can’t imagine you’d need to go as high as 20. An insertion of around 2mm sounds instinctively correct. I’ve never measured it, but you do stay very high in the follicle for vellus hairs.
Now I also did wonder, although I think it is less common on the upper lip / chin, to only use galvanic if you can take more your time and if there are slightly thicker hairs. I was taught that this method gives less risk of pigmentation, in which case the upper lip is sensitive to. Is it an option to set only galvanic at 0.1 - 0.2 (ma) with 10 secs, and apply treat & leave, for example. Or do you think that would not be effective as these hairs are more on the surface?
Galvanic is usually performed by multi-needle operators. There are very few electrologists who use single needle galvanic. It works perfectly fine, but most electrologists and clients find it to be too slow and providing almost no benefit over faster methods.
All methods of electrolysis carry risk of pigmentation because it’s a normal skin reaction to skin trauma. Every method is causing trauma, but it’s our job to limit that to only the necessary amount to permanently remove hair. The key factors in making pigmentation more likely and more noticeable are the genetics of the client and the skill of the electrologist.
Find a less visible treatment area to get a feel for the galvanic settings required to treat vellus hair. Once you find the working point, it’ll be as effective as any other method. The key issue for me is time and value, and I just don’t think blend or galvanic provide any benefit beyond thermolysis when treating vellus hairs specifically.