Some people will experience unwanted hair growth on various parts of their bodies. Patterns of hair growth is determined by heredity, and for women, possibly an imbalance of hormones. Two possible means of removal are electrolysis and laser treatment. Seek the medical advice of your doctor to determine which treatment would work best for you in removing unwanted hair growth.
Procedure of Electroysis
"Electrolysis treatments are a form of electrical epilation where a needle is inserted into the hair follicle and literally applies a zap of electrical current to the area," according to the Hair Removal Forum. A topical anesthetic is applied to the area that is being treated, to relieve some of the pain and discomfort that will take place during the procedure.
Procedure of Laser Hair Removal
"During laser hair removal, a laser beam passes through the skin to an individual hair follicle," according to MayoClinic website. The heat of the laser damages the hair follicle, and prevents it from growing back. The laser contains a gel substance that cools off the area being treated, to reduce the pain and discomfort of the procedure. Because hair goes through cycles, the hair may eventually come back. "The hair that re-grows tends to be lighter and finer in texture," according to the American Academy Of Dermatology.
How Many Treatments Needed
Both treatments depend on how thick the hair is and the area of the hair. For the most part, laser removal can take up to five treatments for each area to completely remove the hair. The treatments can take up to 30 minutes each time and they space out each treatment every four to six weeks. Electrolysis is primarily used for smaller areas of the body such as the chin, upper lip, and eyebrow area. Since the needle needs to enter each hair follicle, this can be very tedious and time consuming. Each treatment can take 10 to 20 minutes, and depending on the amount of hair and the area you wish to remove the hair, you could be getting weekly treatments for up to a year.
Side Effects Of Both
Immediate side effects from both treatments may be itching, swelling, redness, and pain in the recently treated area. Some of the more serious side effects could be scarring, bleeding, and infection. Some patients have been known to have discoloration of the skin. Either lightening or darkening depending on the skin tone.
The dermatologist will do a medical evaluation before she begins treatment, and will take into consideration the many factors that could cause these side effects.
Costs
Both of these methods of hair removal of the back can be very expensive. "Generally speaking, the average cost per treatment is higher when purchased through a plastic surgeon or dermatologist's office than through a clinic that specializes in laser skin treatments or strictly laser hair removal," according to Hair Removal Forum. Laser hair surgery for the back will cost around $300-$800 per treatment. Electrolysis primarily costs $40 per treatment. But electrolysis treatments cover a very small area at one time and may take up to a year to remove all of the unwanted hair on the back.
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