I’d often toyed with the idea of electrolysis. But I had been hesitant to try it because of the time and expense required, and because of the possibilities that the hair would grow back and the procedure would leave scars. My biggest fear was that it would hurt. Because electrolysis requires a series of treatments, I wanted to find a local electrologist. Electrologists use several variations on two main types of electrolysis (permanent removal of hair at least partly using electricity). The older type is galvanic, suing electricity to convert body salts to lye to kill a hair root. The other main type, thermolysis, kills the hair roots by converting electricity into heat. The hair also goes through three phases: the first is active growth. In the second, the resting phase, the hair stays in the follicle as it dies. In the third phase, the hair follicle becomes dormant and the dead hair falls out.
Electrolysis is effective only on hairs in the growing phase. Dormant follicles need to be zapped again, because when the dead hair falls out a new hair will take its place. If the discomfort of treatment is closer to pain, or there is re growth, switch to another electrologist. If a bump persists, have it checked by a dermatologist to be sure it is not scarring. Pain, re growth, and scarring should be things of the past.