This is a general guideline. Your electrologist may provide other instructions for specific concerns. Your skin’s moisture & hydration is essential for electrolysis to work properly, and plays a role in pain/discomfort.
Click Here to view the full PDF version of our Pre Treatment Care For Electrolysis.
• stop waxing, plucking, epilating, threading your hair immediately
• shaving or trimming is allowed
• hair should be 1/8th to 1/4th inch long for treatment
• refrain from depilatory products (e.g. Nair) or bleaching for atleast 2 weeks
• If you’ve used any pain relievers or numbing products that day
• Any changes to your skincare routine
• Any change to your medicine, supplements, or health history
• If you’ve been exposed to or developed signs of contagious infection or illness
• If you have any concerns about how your skin responded after your previous treatment
• Give yourself plenty of time to travel to our studio for your appointment. The “adrenaline rush” of “running late” is counter-productive for managing pain/discomfort.
• Don’t apply moisturizer the day of appointment, unless advised by electrologist
• Avoid sun exposure for 48 hrs prior to appointment
• Avoid irritating or drying skincare products. The timeframe for abstaining varies between products.
• Try your best to arrive with skin free of creams, deodorant, makeup
• Reduce stressors
• Plenty of sleep
• Be well hydrated
• Avoid caffeine, chocolate, alcohol 24 hrs prior
• Some clients report reduced pain/discomfort if they eat a meal or snack beforehand.
• Some clients report an increase in pain/discomfort during certain points of their menstrual cycle. These clients try to avoid scheduling during this time.
• You may take your favorite pain reliever (e.g. NSAID or Tylenol) before your appointment. Ask a pharmacist or doctor if you have questions. It’s always recommended to talk with your doctor before starting a new OTC medication or supplement.
• A variety of numbing creams are available. Such as NumbSkin (10.56% lidocaine), which is available without prescription. Or generic EMLA cream (2.5% lidocaine, 2.5% prilocaine) which does require prescription. Generally speaking, for some numbing creams it’s recommended to apply 45-60 minutes before your appointment & cover with saran wrap or occlusive dressing; Always make sure to follow manufacturer’s directions on dosage, application, etc for any product.
• If using a numbing cream, it’s recommended to apply the saran wrap or dressing in separate pieces, so your electrologist only has to remove 1 section at a time during treatment. This helps to avoid the numbing effect wearing off as your electrologist makes their way across the treatment area.
All modalities of electrolysis rely on our skin’s moisture to work properly. Thermolysis works by heating up the moisture in our tissue. Galvanic works by inducing a chemical reaction between water & sodium in our tissue, to create sodium hydroxide (lye). The Blend Method is a combination of Thermolysis & Galvanic.
Hydration is just one factor, along with moisturizing skincare products. Everyone’s needs are different in this area.
We recommend avoiding moisturizer the day of your appointment since ideally, we prefer a dry epidermis (top layer of skin). Electrolysis generally targets the deeper layers of skin, the lower 2/3rds of the hair follicle. Some people have a naturally moist epidermis, and we adjust our technique accordingly. This is one of the reasons we ask you to inform us of any changes in your skincare routine.
You may have heard that you should drink “extra water” before electrolysis. While hydration matters, it isn’t that simple. Please keep in mind that if you drink extra water but aren’t consuming enough electrolytes for balance, that can actually cause the skin to become more dry & impair electrolysis treatment. It can also lead to an electrolyte imbalance, which can become a medical emergency.
Some experts, like dermatologists & estheticians, have argued that “drinking extra water” doesn’t improve skin’s moisture, for someone who is already well hydrated to begin with.
You know your body & habits better than we do, so all we can ask is that you stay adequately hydrated. If you have any questions about how much water or electrolytes to consume, that’s a conversation for your doctor.
