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why is electrolysis better then laser? I have light skin, dark hair.

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why is electrolysis better then laser? I have light skin, dark hair.

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Laser is hair reduction and electroysis is hair removal. I did laser for over a year and it did nothing so now I am looking into electrlysis.

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They each have their advantages and disadvantages. Electrolysis has been around 130+++ and is still the gold standard by which all other methods are judged. You will get dependable results with electrolysis 100% of the time if it is performed correctly by a skilled practitioner and the client complies with a timely schedule. Electrolysis can treat all hair colors, all skin colors, all sizes of hair. That's why it is referred to as the gold standard for permanent hair removal.
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I personally use both. But depending on the area, I'd pick laser over electro and vice versa. If you wanted to remove hair on your legs, bikini, underarms, and you have light skin and dark hair, I'd tell you hands down, get to a laser tech. Those areas are too big (think TOO EXPENSIVE) to treat with electrolysis. It'll take you hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars and YEARS to remove all the hair on those parts of your body. I mean, no doubt it'll be gone forever, but that's a LONG TIME.
While LHR can indeed only claim permanent REDUCTION, you'll most likely be perfectly satisfied with the results on places like your legs/bikini/underarms. After 5-7 sessions of LHR you might have a few strays and a few very fine, very light hairs, and ppl tend not to notice or care about them. If they still bothered you, you could just pay for a couple mins with an electrologist to get the last couple strays.
If you want hair removed on your face, I would see an electrologist. Too many disaster stories about LHR on the face, and it's such a visible area - why take the risk? Really small areas can be easily treatment by electrolysis and it's probably cheaper, too. Large areas on the body are better for laser (all this in my opinion of course).

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What you say can be true about electrolysis as far as time goes, Canuckette, if one chooses a practitioner that uses older methods, older, less powerful equipment and doesn't use proper levels of intensity and timing.
Legs, bikini lines, underarms go extremely fast when a practitioner utilizes thermolysis with a computerized epilator doing MICROFLASH. Along with high quality vision equipment and microflash technology, the client gets faster clearance and treatments are very comfortable compared to the old way of doing things.
I have done many bikini lines. To clear both sides initiallly, we are talking only 3-6 hours. The client looks done and finished, but they are not done and finished, yet. We then go into the maintenace phase and the client shows up as new hair cycles in for short treatments over a nine to twelve month period to grabbed any new hair. It doesn't come close to hundreds and hundreds of hours unless the person treating you is still back in the horse and buggy days of electrolysis. Same for the legs. Fast clearance initially is the name of the game for electrolysis,followed by clean up treatments.
Underarms: 1 1/2 - 3 hours to get to first clearance depending on the amount of hair. After that, you only go in for treatment to catch new growth or any regrowth over a 9-12 month period. Done. Permanent.
I only wish the public was better served by electrologists in their area that cared to up date their vision, epilator equipment and learned special techniques. It's pretty amazing what can be done quickley and permanently to any hair regardless of color, size or thickness (throw in skin color, too) if practitioners would cross over into the 21st century.
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Mocroflash is thermolysis. Thermolysis is a modality that destroys/damages the follicle with heat. Slow flash thermolysis has a timing of 1/10th of second. SuperFlash is 1/100th of a second. Microflash is 1/1000th of a second timing. The probe is placed in the follicle, the intesity of the heat is set at a high level and the energy is delivered for a certain amount of time. In the case of microflash, the timing is 1/1000th of a second and several quick flashes are delivered very fast into the follicle, thus destabilizing the nerve network that each hair has, giving the client a more comfortable treatment, but yet wrecking havoc on the follicle. This can only be accomplished with computerized epilators with automatic timing.
Apilus is introducing a newer epilator that does picoflash, 1/10,000th second. I hear it is absolutely amazing comfort-wise from those that are wiser than me. It's not a cheap piece of equipment, but I'll probably end up relenting and purchase one at a point in time.
These are powerful epilators, but they are amazingly gentle on the skin. Keep in mind, I'm not saying electrolysis is pain-free with the newer epilators. What I am saying is this technology delivers treatment energy that is much more tolerable than some older units that are still in use today and leave the skin in great shape. Some say that this improved thermolysis equipment will replace blend and galvanic electrolysis. I still do all three methods, but I have gradually converted from being a blender most of the time to taking advantage of the microflash epilation.
The problem is, you need to find a competent electrologist who knows how to make near perfect insertions at the right depth with the right intensity for the right amount of time, leaving the skin in good shape. A good treatment session will leave one's skin a little pink and maybe a little swollen. Some nice cold aloe vera gel and a small ice pack right after really speeds the healing process and most look like nothing has been done within minutes to hours after treatment. I might throw in that quality vision equipment adds to the comfort factor for clients, too.
Hope this explanation helped, vaga.
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Yes, of course, such detailed explanatio is very helpful.
Thanks a lot.
I'm not looking for less paintful equipment, but I really want to remove my hairs permanently w/o damages to my skin, for reasonable price and time.
I think, I will try electrolysis.
Can anybody recommend me good competent electrologist somewhere in Montreal?
I live near New York, but I don't want to pay twice more only because here they have higher appetites or mortgages.
I would really appreciate your advices and recomendations.

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I've heard more than 1 electrologist claim that REALISTICALLY, it takes more than a year of regular treatments. It's a slow but perm fix. I'm a fan of electrolysis and I'm not knocking it, but it isn't just a few hours to clear a huge area, and then some maintenance apps for 9-12 mos then that's it that's all. That's overly-optimistic in my opinion!
Plus it's not exactly feasible to call up an electrologist and ask her if she makes "near-perfect" incisions re: depth and aim, etc. How does a consumer like me know if she's making near-perfect pokes?? Is Microflash the only effective equipment to be using right now? I wonder what my electrologist has. Hers is black and small and clips to her belt and it has all the settings, you just have to switch something or program something, etc. The epilator runs from a cord plugged into the little black thing on her belt.
In your opinion, if my electrologist isn't using Microflash, should I be moving on?
Also, I don't really pay that much attention to growth cycles. I just don't feel it will make a MASSIVE difference in the end results. I won't want to go in a for a few hairs, I want to wait until all the hair grows in to get it cleared again, you know? Plus factor that in with my busy life, my electrologist's schedule...not as easy as one would like it to be.

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Clients love to see a quick first clearance where they don't have to use any temporary measures to disguise their hair problem. By first clearance, I'm not saying they come in for one appointment and boom they are cleared. If it takes 6 hours to clear a bikini line, we may be tallking one hour appointments per week,for 6 weeks. So it takes six weeks to clear a bikini line. Frequently, for some chin and sideburn hair cases, it's not uncommon to clear both offending areas in one appointment. It all depends on the amount of hair per square inch and some other variables.
I tell all my clients at that first consult that if they are serious about reaching their goal of permanent hair removal on a certain area, they need to see me consistently over the next 9-12 months, more appointments in the beginning followed by appointments spaced farther apart toward the end of that 9-12 months. After that first clearance, she may look finished, but she is NOT finished. We work together to clear the area as soon as possible in the beginning and that means the client actually needs to show up for her appointments once a week or more in the beginning until the area is cleared. Then she needs to come as new hairs cycle in, every two or three weeks for another clearance, etc.
Some electrologist's out there can actually remove 600 hairs per hour and permanently destroy most of those hairs the first time. If you have someone that removes 100 hairs per hour, then it stands to reason that you're on a slower train and it will take longer, but you'll still get there.
If you are talking about a man's large hairy back with 100 hairs per square inch then it stands to reason that he will need more than 9-12 months for this procees to happen. Same goes with a transgender client with a thick beard. However, we were talking about underarms, bikini lines, and yes a large area such as the legs that do not always have the the hair density per square inch that one would think. It is true that first clearance can be obtained very fast if the client pushes forward up front and then we slow down as we wait for hair that wasn't available to treat in the first clearance to make it's grand entrance weeks later.
We need to be concerned with hair growth cycles so an offending hair can be treated in the growth stage (anagen), otherwise, you will delay your progress. You really get your money's worth when you follow a schedule to catch all the hair at the right time.
I don't consider the underarms, bikini,or even the lower leg large areas that take a long time. If some one had 300 hairs per square inch on their lower legs, then I would suggest they look into laser if they were a good candidate and if they didn't want the laser route, then I'd have to stress that timewise it would take longer than 9-12 months. Same for a man's chest and back. Most female cases don't come close to this scenario and can be taken care of easily if her hormonal environment is stable.
I'm not being overly optimistic about the above scenario, because this works the way I described it. I know it's sounds impossible to believe, but there are many electrologists that can deliver what I described. Your practitioner is still giving you permanent hair removal. It's your call as to whether to stay with her. We come in all shapes and sizes and we all have our own way doing electrolysis, but in the end, the client end ups hair-free regardless of the equipment used or the modality used. I choose to do microflash because of the advantages I've already listed before, but if I had to use a non-computerized epilator, I could still deliver permanent hair removal for my clients.
As for you other question, Canuckette, you're not supposed to ask electrologists if they make perfect insertions. Some would probably say yes or if they are very honest they may say, I always aim to make perfect insertions, but I'm only human and sometimes I may be a little off. If you feel like you are being pricked a lot or the hair feels like it is being plucked, then I'd go shopping around and get some more consults. There's a little blind faith happening here, too. You won't know if you are getting permanent results until at least a year after you started. If you don't adhere to a good time schedule to catch those growers, then you prolong this whole hair removal thing.
Through others advice and experience, I choose to use the equipment I use because it is , in my opinion, better for my clients and better for me in the long run. You can't beat quality vision equipment, quality epilator, quality lighting, not to mention ergonomic chairs and table for performing electrolysis. The money it takes to set an office up is not cheap, but good equipment contributes to better treatments as the electrologist has to be comfortable and she has to see well so as to make those perfect insertions.

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I get a small area below my belly button cleared. My electrologist clears it in under 30 mins. I always wait for it to grow back before I go and get it cleared again. Some hair will grow in sooner than others because of diff growth cycles I suppose, but I won't make an appointment for 3 hairs. I'll wait until it's worth clearing again. Is this a bad idea?
I love my electrologist. She seems to be using what I would assume is modern equipment, and hairs always fall out - if ever she reaches to move a hair away and it doesn't come out, she zaps again and it falls out. I'm not worried about her technique, since she often discussed how a good electrologist LOSES clientele and she recently lost a significant number at once since they all happened to be hair-free at around the same time. Obviuosly new ppl come in, but I like the sounds of that. If the client stops seeing her, it's because there's no hair left to treat.
I still stand by laser for larger areas. That's my personal opinion. I would rather see a laser tech for my bikini and have it treated in 5 mins, shed a week later and be hair free for 5 wks before the next session. It's quicker and less tedious than laser, and in SOME instances, cheaper. Depends how much hair you have, and how much you're paying per laser session of course.
My particular electrologist isn't a huge fan of the blend method. I don't need blend on my area, since hairs there are already fine and easily treated, but she said she can achieve the same results using only thermolysis and prefers it.

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You're electrologist sounds like a keeper. It would be great if we could clone her. I really liked her statement about good electrologist's loose clients because they become hair-free. All very true.
Three hairs on the abdomen is probably not a reason to make an appointment, however, if you have hairs in other areas to be treated, too, then it would be ideal to go in to catch those fresh, young, delicate growers in combination with other work.
Just curious, how many clearings have you had on your abdomen and how long ago did you start treatment? Same for laser. How many sessions have you had on your bikini line and when did you start treatment?
I lean more toward thermolysis, but I still do a little blend depending on the situation. I like both modalities, but again, clients want results as quick as possible and thermolysis will get them there.

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Lemme think here...
I'm having laser done on my bikini line and underarms. On Sept 6 I will have my 3rd of 4 pre-paid sessions, including touch-ups in between if necessary (and I've had 2 of those).
I am JUST barely a skin type II, so I'm quite fair, with dark brown hair, which is more or less an ideal candidate to treat. My tech uses the Alexandrite. I don't know which settings, but she said that on Session 2 she could go fairly high.
I will say I am happy with laser. I mean you stay hair free for a long time, and know it will work. It's not a 100% fabulous hair-was-never-there look, but I know it wouldn't be. Of course, that's ideally what I'm looking for, but I understand ppl often marry laser and electrolysis after their last laser session to nab any remaining hairs. I am also happy with the results on my underarms. Barely any hair is growing back, and I don't anticipate getting electrolysis under my arms after my last session. I'm not sure if I'll have to buy a 5th or 6th session after my 4th. Perhaps not really a full session but more a "half" session for half price or whatever.
I've had the little area on my stomach cleared um...maybe 5 or 6 times? I would say that's about right. I used to pluck and irritate and thus created a problem that hadn't previously existed and I owned up to the fact that electrolysis was the only way to premanently fix it. I love having electrolysis done for some reason...I guess I find it a little indulgent and I love the hair-free results. Of course I get annoyed when the hair grows back again, and I always think "When the hell is it gonna stop??" but I know it'll have to be cleared lots more before that happens. I don't go every week. I go more like every month I'd say. I wait until it's all grown in, then have it cleared again. I know it'll take about a year of clearing it for it to finally go away for good. Even though I know it takes a lot of patience, I still get impatient.
I guess because I can picture the end results and I'm just anxious to get there.
My electrologist used to teach electrolysis. I know that doesn't necessarily mean jack, but she's been in the business for decades, and I guess as a consumer I just feel like she wouldn't have been a teacher, or lasted this long if she sucked. Plus she uses the highest "zap" power she can on me since I don't complain about the pricking, which is what I want. None of this "Oh I use a low setting so my patients are comfortable". I don't wanna be in there 5 yrs because my electrologist doesn't want to hurt me. I want the hair gone!!

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You don't have to lay in a pool of sweat or curl your toes constantly to get a good electrolysis treatment. A very tolerable treatment will get you permanent hair removal in a very satisfactory time frame,too. The myth of no pain no gain is shattered with the newer generation of epilators in the hands of a skilled electrologist. They are awesome to behold. I do know of some local electrologists that give almost painless treatments and guess what, their clients are now my clients. I think 2-3 years of weekly treatments more than borders on unethical. I'm not afraid to use intensity and a powerful 12.56 megahertz computerized epilator will do intense damage to a follicle and still leave the skin in great shape. The client will be able to tolerate longer treatments, too.
I'm in total agreement with the great results people get with laser hair removal on the underarms and bikini line. I have seen awesome results with my clients and always tell new consults that they should try laser before electrolysis on these areas if they are good candidates. I have a list of practitioners, from clients who were happy with the results,and never hesitate to pass on the news to an undecided client. I am puzzeled by those that still choose electrolysis for their underarms and bikini area. It's as if they don't believe me! I'll be taking my own daughters to one of these laser specialists in a couple weeks for their underarms because I'm so sold. Thanks for commenting on your results as you're just another satisfied customer and list keeps growing for these two areas.