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DIY Electrolysis - Usage
This part is harder, because it requires some trial and error and real world experience.
It goes without saying that it can feel unpleasant. Topical anaesthetics like EMLA cream or generic lidocaine can help but you should really do the first few runs without it so you know when something goes wrong.
Needles
There are a lot of different types of electrolysis needle available. I personally use F4 needles. F refers to the shank size (1.25mm diameter) - you have to use F shank needles, since that's what fits into the D sub connector in the stylus. The number refers to the tip size, which is the part that goes into the follicle.
Anecdotally, I am told that Ballet needles are generally better than Sterex for ease of use and are less prone to accidentally bending. I use Sterex personally, because the best needles are the ones you can actually get. If you have the freedom to choose though, Ballet is probably a better choice.
| Needle Type | Suited for |
|---|---|
| K shank | 0.8mm diameter shank instead of the 1.25mm we need. Do not use. |
| F2 (0.05mm) | Fine vellus hair |
| F3 (0.075mm) | Not fully developed hair |
| F4 (0.1mm) | Facial and body hair, decent all rounder. Recommended if you're unsure. |
| F5 (0.125mm) | Coarse, dense facial and body hair |
| F6 (0.15mm) | Coarser, thick and dense facial and body hair |
| Insulated | Has a polymer coating up the probe with the tip exposed. Designed for flash electrolysis, you should avoid these for galvanic electrolysis and just use uninsulated needles. |
| Gold coated | Gold coating on the probe, useful if you get a reaction from metals used instandard probes but it otherwise has no real advantage. |
Settings
Galvanic electrolysis does not kill hairs by zapping them, it does so by generating lye in the follicle which chemically kills it off. The amount of lye is measured in Lye Units (LU). You can set how much lye you want to aim to generate in the follicle in the device's settings.
| Hair type | Amount of lye (LU) |
|---|---|
| Fine, uncoloured vellus hair | 10 - 15 |
| Fine, coloured, soft hair | 10 - 20 |
| Medium/shallow terminal hair | 15 - 30 |
| Deep terminal hair | 30 - 45 |
| Very deep terminal hair | 45 - 60 |
The above table is a rough guide for how much lye to use for different hair types. You may need to adjust based on your specific hair and skin.
Technique
Correct technique is necessary for making the hair removal actually permanent. It can be quite hard to get the needle into the follicle initially, but with practice and potentially a microscope or magnifying glass.
The needle should be inserted at the same angle as the hair exits the skin. You may find it helps to stretch the skin out to slightly widen the follicle opening with your non dominant hand. Slide the needle down alongside the hair. The needle must reach the bottom or be close to the bottom for electrolysis to actually be effective, otherwise the follicle won't actually be damaged enough to prevent it from regrowing.
A good way to gauge the follicle depth is any root sheath from a hair that comes out with full structure (white jelly like stuff at the end of the hair when removed). Holding it against the needle probe can give you a good idea of the depth you should be targeting for similar hairs in the area you're working in.
TODO: add follicle diagram image and photo of hair with root sheath plucked for reference
Hairs generally come out without resistance once treated, but often might not. This can be down to the sheath getting stuck, and sometimes down to improper insertion depth. Avoid treating the same follicle more than twice though.
Key Preparation
1. Power Up: Make sure the device is fully charged before each session. A full battery helps generate the right amount of power consistently.
2. Visibility: Good lighting and magnification help a lot. You need to see the exact entry point of the follicle and doing it with the naked eye can be difficult.
3. Hygiene: It is very important to sanitise the site you're working on with 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes beforehand for hygiene and safety. 70% IPA and not 99%, and you're sanitising not sterilising. The difference between the two is fairly irrelevant to the guide, it just bugs me when people mix the two up. It also really helps with tens pad reusability if it goes onto clean, exfoliated skin.
4. Pen, pad and pedal: The stylus should be connected to the jack marked with the lightning bolt symbol, and the pad to the 2.5mm jack. If you're using a foot pedal, it goes into the unmarked jack.
5. The Circuit: Remember that galvanic electrolysis requires a completed circuit between the needle and tens pad. Make sure you wipe down the spot the pad is being applied to with an IPA wipe and that it isn't too far from where you're working with the needle.
6. Self Test: The device has a built in self test function. Use it to make sure it has been assembled properly!
Procedure
0. Test & Practice: When you do actually run it live, do some test runs some place you don't mind potentially getting scarred if you screw up while you get a feel for things. I recommend just trying to slide the needle into the follicle with the device off to get a feel for it first.
1. Insert the Needle: Slide the needle into the follicle. It shouldn't hurt, and if it does you've probably not gotten it into the follicle properly.
2. Zap: Once you've set your desired settings and inserted the needle, hold down the foot pedal or trigger button until it automatically stops generating lye.
3. Clean up: The hair should slide out when removed with tweezers. If so, congrats! If you feel resistance like you're going to pluck it, leave it and move on or try treating it again later.
Safety & Care
The needles are consumables. They are not meant to be used more than once per session.
The tens pads are also consumables, but you can get away with reusing the same one quite a few times if you take care of them. Always make sure the skin they're going on is clean to minimise the amount of debris they pick up and always put the plastic sheet back on them when it isn't on your skin. If you're concerned about material waste, you can make a truly reusable pad with a grounding plate from aliexpress and alcohol-free baby wipes.
You can apply an astringent like witch hazel after post treatment sanitisation with IPA, before adding some aloe vera gel to soothe. Try to keep the skin out of the sun for at least two days and absolutely do not get sunburned.
Hairs in moles should be dealt with extreme caution. You can put yourself in serious danger if the mole is not benign.
I hope this guide has helped you and encouraged you to pursue DIY electrolysis hair removal!