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+ WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT:

Your first appointment begins with a personal consultation. We will review your hair removal goals, medical history, and answer any questions you may have. Together, we’ll create a treatment plan that is tailored specifically to your needs.

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Next, we will perform a short sample treatment so you can experience how electrolysis feels. A very fine, sterile probe is inserted into the natural opening of the hair follicle, and a small amount of energy is applied to treat the follicle. Most clients describe the sensation as a quick, warm tingling or snap feeling. The treated hair is then gently removed.

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After the sample treatment, we will discuss recommended scheduling, expected results, and what kind of progress you can anticipate over time. You’ll also receive simple, easy-to-follow aftercare instructions to keep your skin calm and healthy.

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Our goal during your first appointment is to ensure you feel informed, comfortable, and confident moving forward with your treatment plan.

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+ ELECTROLYSIS TREATMENT PREPARATION:

To prepare your skin and improve treatment effectiveness.

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• Discontinue exfoliating products (Retin-A, retinol, glycolic acids, salicylic acids, acne treatments, exfoliating scrubs) on the treatment area 5–7 days prior.

• Take an over-the-counter pain reliever, if needed, before your appointment.

• Drink plenty of water to hydrate your skin.

• Avoid caffeine or stimulants on the day of treatment to minimize sensitivity.

• If using a topical numbing cream, apply 1 hour prior to treatment and cover with plastic wrap unless otherwise directed.

• Do not trim or shave the treatment area for 36–48 hours before your appointment.

• Do not pluck, wax, thread, epilate, bleach, or use depilatory creams between treatments. Shaving or trimming is allowed.

• Arrive with clean skin free of makeup, lotions, oils, sunscreen, or deodorant (if applicable).

 

+ SKINCARE AFTER TREATMENT:

Proper aftercare supports healing and protects your results.

 

• Expect temporary redness, swelling, or small raised bumps around treated follicles. These reactions typically resolve within 24–72 hours.

• Stay well hydrated, this aids the healing process.

• Apply cool compresses or soothing products such as ice, aloe vera or witch hazel.

• Avoid touching or picking at the treated area.

• Keep the area clean and dry for 24 hours.

• Apply an oil-free moisturizer as needed.

• Avoid sweating, exercise, saunas, pools, and hot baths for 24–48 hours.

• No makeup or skincare products on the treated area for at least 24 hours.

• Avoid sun exposure and tanning beds for 14 days; use broad-spectrum SPF.

• Refrain from exfoliating or using active skincare on the area for 5–7 days.

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+ FOUR THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN A QUALITY TREATMENT FROM ELECTROLYSIS:

Permanent hair removal results depend on the skill, accuracy, and judgment of the electrologist.

 

1. In most instances, you should not feel the hair being pulled out during the treatment. The hair slides out easily if properly treated.

2. Following a consistent series of treatments, you should see a change in the texture of coarse hair within 3 to 4 months and also a reduction in the amount of hairs.

3. By six months, the frequency and length of time per treatment should be reduced.

4. Within a year, your appointments should be spaced much further apart, possibly of shorter duration.

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​​Other considerations that have an effect on your permanent results include: hormonal imbalances, medications, and the client's compliance between scheduled appointments. 

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+ TOPICAL AND ORAL MEDICATION - NOTIFICATION OF USE.

If you are using Retin A (Tretinoin), Retinol, Glycolic Acids, or over the counter Acne Treatments - Please stop using in the area where you would like treatment at least 5-7 days prior to your appointments, including your first appointment.  

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Accutane - If you are using Accutane, please wait until you have finished your Accutane treatment plan before starting an Electrolysis treatment plan.

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Using these topical and oral medications while receiving electrolysis treatments could result in an adverse reaction and is prohibited.  Be sure to notify us of use of this medication so we can discuss alternatives.

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+ IS ELECTROLYSIS SAFE?

Yes.  We sterilize the same way doctors and hospitals do and pride ourselves on maintaining a clean and sanitized environment along with sterile supplies for each treatment.  We use pre-sterilized disposable probes that are for 1 time use and then disposed of in a medical waste container after each treatment. Stacey is also Certified in OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard for proper infection control. We strictly adhere to the Infection Prevention Standards written by the American Electrology Association which is based on recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Association for Practitioners in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). 

 

It is important to note, Electrolysis is a minimally invasive treatment and has a 150-year+ history of safety and effectiveness.

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+ DOES ELECTROLYSIS HURT?

Most people describe it as a slight warming or snap sensation that is tolerable. Different parts of the body have a different number of nerve endings. Some areas might be a bit more sensitive than others.  At Barely There Electrolysis, we use the latest technology and special techniques to minimize sensation.

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+ ARE THERE ANY SIDE EFFECTS TO ELECTROLYSIS?

Yes.  Since electrolysis destroys the dermal papilla of a hair (hair root), it is normal to have redness, tenderness, mild swelling, and red bumps that surround the treated follicle.  These side effects are temporary and are associated with the electrolysis treatment. 

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​+ BETWEEN ELECTROLYSIS SESSIONS

After you have begun your Electrolysis treatment do not tweeze, wax, thread, or epilate the area being treated. These temporary methods remove the hair from the follicle, preventing treatment until a new hair grows.  Missing these treatment opportunities delays progress and may increase the total number of appointments needed.

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Cutting or shaving the hairs are the only acceptable methods to minimize the appearance of hair between appointments.

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​+ ELECTROLYSIS TIMELINE

Electrolysis is a gradual process because hair grows in natural cycles. At any given time, only a percentage of hairs are visible above the skin, while many others are in different stages of growth beneath the surface. As new hairs naturally emerge, they become available for treatment.

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Most clients who follow their recommended treatment schedule and maintain full clearances at each visit achieve permanent results within an average of 18–24 months. Individual timelines vary depending on the treatment area, hair density, hormonal influences, and each person's unique hair growth patterns.

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Hair growth occurs in three main stages: anagen (active growth), catagen (transition), and telogen (resting). Electrolysis is generally considered most effective during the anagen stage because the hair is actively connected to the follicle's growth structures, allowing treatment to more directly target the cells responsible for hair growth. During the catagen and telogen stages, the follicle is naturally changing or resting, which can make treatment outcomes somewhat less predictable. However, experienced electrologists can still successfully treat hairs in these stages, and repeated treatments throughout the natural hair growth cycle allow every follicle to eventually be treated.

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After your first treatment, many hairs will still remain beneath the skin. This is known as undergrowth: hairs that were not yet visible or accessible during your initial appointment. As these hairs naturally emerge over the following weeks and months, they are treated and permanently removed.

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Within the first few months, most clients notice reduced hair density, finer regrowth, and slower return of hair. As each new cycle of hairs appears and is treated, fewer untreated follicles remain. Over time, the area becomes permanently smooth.

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This gradual, cycle-based process is what makes electrolysis the only hair removal method recognized by the FDA as permanent.

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​The graph below illustrates the growth cycle of a hair.