Differences between Laser and Electrolysis

The differences between electrolysis and laser treatments used to reduce hair are many, but most importantly: how energy is converted into the destruction of the lower follicle. With laser, light energy turns into heat energy when a dark hair (or dark skin) absorbs the light and produces heat. Think of two cats in the sun, one white and one black. When you touch them, which one feels hot? Of course, the black one. Laser light works in much the same way. It must pass through the skin and into the lower tissues beneath the epidermis, and is absorbed by melanin, the pigment of the skin and hair. if one is darker skinned or tan, the epidermis may absorb the light as well, creating heat on the surface of the skin.  This can lead to skin damage.

If the hair is exactly in the actively growing stage, full-depth in the follicle and dark, chances are that it will absorb the light and heat of the laser to adequately to produce destruction of the basal cells and thus, the hair.

Laser treatments can significantly reduce the amount of hair over a period of time, but since it targets melanin, the pigment of the hair and skin, hair that is light, hair that is in the resting stage and close to the surface of the skin ready to be shed, or those with dark skin are not as successfully treated with laser as are those with light skin and dark hair.

With electrolysis, the treatment is focused, targeting only the lower hair follicle with the hair of any color (Yes, even the white gnarly ones!) in any stage of growth, with any skin of any color.

Finally, the main difference between the two is what the FDA allows the methods to be labeled: Laser can only be called “Permanent Hair Reduction,” while Electrolysis is the ONLY method that is:

“Permanent Hair Removal.”