Electrolysis
For Teens
01
Electrolysis For Teens: Get Rid Of Unwanted Hair Forever
The teenage years bring about a lot of physical changes, from growth spurts and acne to facial hair and body hair. These changes, while exciting, can sometimes lead to body image issues and low self-esteem. If you are the parent of a teenager who suffers from unwanted hair on their face or body, you may be researching options for helping your child with a solution that is effective and permanent. With electrolysis recognized as the only FDA-approved method of permanent hair removal, more and more parents are asking about electrolysis for teenagers.
Whether your teen is unhappy with their bushy eyebrows or unibrow, sideburns, upper lip hair, stomach or back hair, or hates shaving legs and underarms, electrolysis is the best permanent solution.
Types of Hair
Before removing hair, let’s start by reviewing the different types of hair on our bodies. All hair is made of keratin, a hard protein that’s also found in fingernails and toenails. Hair growth begins beneath the surface of your skin at a hair root inside a hair follicle, a small tube in the skin.
Humans have two types of hair. Vellus hair, also known as “peach fuzz,” is soft, fine, and short. Most women have vellus hair on their chest, back, and face. It can be darker and more noticeable in some women than others, especially those with darker complexions. Vellus hair helps the body maintain a steady temperature by providing some insulation.
Terminal hair is coarser, darker, and longer than vellus hair. It’s the type of hair that grows on your head. Around puberty, terminal hair starts to grow in the armpits and pubic region. On guys, terminal hair begins to grow on the face and other parts of the body such as the chest, legs, and back. Terminal hair is there to provide cushioning and protection.
Terminal hair has several different purposes. For instance:
- Eyelashes and nose hairs provide a barrier to dust and dirt.
- Hair on your scalp may regulate the temperature of the head.
- Pubic hair blocks bacteria from entering the body and may protect you from sexually transmitted diseases.
Hiar Growth During Puberty
There are significant differences in how and where hair appears for males and females in the pre-teen and teen years.
Girls during puberty:
- Keep more of their vellus hair compared to boys
- Grow thick leg hair
- Develop terminal hair in the pubic area
- See terminal hair in armpits
Boys during puberty:
- Experience terminal hair in more parts of the body than girls
- Develop thick hair in the pubic area (usually starting at the base of the penis)
- See terminal hair in armpits
- Grow thicker hair on the face, chest, back, legs, arms, hands, and feet
- Have some facial hair appear in their early teens, which may not fill in until their early 20s
What Causes Unwanted Hair Growth?
Unwanted facial hair growth, whether it be between the eyebrows, on your upper lip, chin, or the sides of your face, can be caused by a number of factors. Genetics is a major factor: around half of all Hispanic women experience facial hair on their upper lip, but fewer women of other races have this issue. Hormones are another common cause of facial hair growth. PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome, can affect teenage girls, with the body generating more androgens (such as testosterone) causing more hair growth and acne. There are also some medications that can trigger these hormone imbalances.
Many hair removal techniques are available today, such as waxing, threading, and shaving, but all of them are temporary. Electrolysis is the only FDA-approved permanent hair removal method and is highly effective for teenage girls as well as boys.
What About Other Hair Removal Methods For Adolescents?
Let’s review some of the other hair removal methods your teen may be considering as an alternative to electrolysis.
- Plucking or tweezing can cause the hair follicle to regrow a hair that is coarser and darker, making it even more visible. This technique also increases the likelihood of painful and unsightly ingrown hairs.
- Shaving, while easy and relatively safe, requires constant maintenance in order for stubble not to reemerge. And let’s face it, a teenage girl with facial hair does not want to be shaving it off.
- Depilatory hair removal creams can chemically coax out stubborn facial hair, but risk irritation and prolonged issues with skin pigmentation.
- Laser hair removal therapy is limited in its effectiveness. Most laser technology associated with hair removal relies on a contrast between the skin tone and pigment in the hair to affect an area. When there is an insufficient contrast, such as with fair hair and light skin, burns and other side effects can occur.
Only electrolysis, with its precise method of targeting every individual hair follicle currently growing dark hair, is effective and FDA-approved for permanent hair removal for people of any skin tone.
Can Teens Get Electrolysis?
Did you know that women with facial hair spend an average of 104 minutes a week managing it? That’s over five times as long as the average man, who spends 20 minutes a week shaving. Doesn’t seem fair, does it? Think about how much time that is over a year: 104 minutes a week adds up to over 90 hours, or nearly 4 days. Now imagine what you could do with those 90 hours if they were given to you to do literally anything else. What would you achieve?
You don’t have to simply imagine. Electrolysis is a permanent solution to the problem of body and facial hair. After a handful of short treatments, you can say goodbye to the problem of facial hair for the rest of your life. Other depilatory treatments may claim to keep hair away for good, but electrolysis is the only hair removal treatment whose claim of permanency is supported by the FDA. Teens are not only able to get electrolysis, teens are the demographic for which it makes the most economic sense to get electrolysis, since they will get greater value out of the benefits of permanent hair removal. If you are the parent of a teen, consider the dividends of making this long-term investment in their future happiness.
What About Teenage Boys and Electrolysis?
Teenage boys are taking charge of their appearance like never before. In recent years, we have witnessed a positive shift in the attitudes of teenage boys towards their appearance. More than ever before, teenage boys are taking charge of their grooming routines and seeking solutions for unwanted hair growth. Whether it is getting rid of the unibrow, removing chest hair or back hair, or dealing with facial hair, teenage boys are no longer content with leaving their grooming routines to chance. Teenage boys, like their female counterparts, may have personal preferences when it comes to hair removal. Some boys may prefer a smoother, hair-free look for aesthetic reasons or to align with fashion trends.
How Long Does It Take for Teens to Overcome Unwanted Hair with Electrolysis?
Depending on the size of the area, a typical electrolysis session can take between 15 and 60 minutes. For most facial work, sessions will trend shorter. Bear in mind that at Electrolysis by Alison, Alison’s expert technique cuts this amount of time down to between 10 and 20 minutes. Regardless of where you go, it will be necessary to book at least one follow-up session in order to zap inactive follicles that the initial session cannot target.
Are There Any Side Effects of Electrolysis?
Electrolysis is a sophisticated treatment technique that requires certification in most states, including California. A certified electrologist should be able to provide quality treatment with minimal side effects. The more experienced and careful an electrologist is, the better. Side effects you can expect to experience at least a little of are tenderness in the treated areas, redness, and possible swelling. All of these side effects are temporary and can disappear in as little as a few hours.
Should I Shave Between Appointments?
Once you start your electrolysis treatment, you may be tempted to shave or tweeze in between appointments. It’s not advised to shave or otherwise remove hair between appointments, as electrolysis is only effective on hair that’s not in its ‘resting phase’. Follicles that have had their hairs removed or clipped short are not able to be targeted by the electrolysis equipment. The most efficient and effective way to use electrolysis is to let your hair grow so that it can be easily targeted by the electrologist for removal.
At What Age Can Teens Get Electrolysis?
Many clients ask us what is the earliest age a teen can get electrolysis treatments. Girls and boys as young as 12 years old are acceptable candidates for electrolysis treatments. The most important factor is whether or not their body or facial hair is done growing in.
Electrolysis For Teens and More at the #1 Electrolysis Clinic In Los Angeles
At The Vertical Wellness Spa, home of Electrolysis by Alison, we have over 20 years of experience removing unwanted facial and body hair permanently. We use the proven and effective thermolysis method of electrolysis. Thermolysis electrolysis uses an alternating current to charge water molecules until they create enough heat to disable the cells responsible for growing hair in the follicle. The electrical current heats and destroys hair growth cells. With thermolysis, individual hairs are treated in mere seconds, as there are not many steps involved in this procedure. Thermolysis electrolysis is highly effective and safe for teenagers as well as adults, and for people of all genders. Whether your teen needs just a few hairs removed from their chin or sideburns, or would like to have completely smooth and hair-free legs, stomach, back, or underarms, we can help.