HAIR GROWTH PHASES
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Hair growth occurs in phases and not all hairs are in the same phase at the same time. This is why it takes repeated visits to clear an entire area. The more dense your hair is (amount per square inch), the longer it takes to remove it all.
The following are the five hair growth phases.
I. Anagen - The Growth Phase
Period of active growth when the hair root cells rapidly divide in the matrix building length onto the hair shaft. Hair is at its greatest depth in Anagen thus in the most ideal state for effective electrolysis treatments.
II. Catagen - The Transition Phase
The hair stops growing in Catagen because the follicle releases it from its blood supply. This forms what is known as a club hair & leads to the next stage of hair growth. Catagen is the shortest of all growth phases.
III. Telogen - The Resting Phase
The hair rests in the follicle until it is pushed out by the growth of a new hair. Pulling out a hair in this stage will reveal a solid, hard white material at the root. Around 10-15% of hairs are in this phase.
IV. Telogen Exogen - The Shedding Phase
Represents the period when a resting hair reaches its terminal position, gradually loosens and fully releases itself to make room for the new hair growing.
V. Early Anagen - The Early Growth Phase
The earliest stages of hair growth when the hair follicle grows downward & connects to its blood supply, also known as the papilla.
Related Link:
How Age Influences the Hair Cycle »
Video: “Electrolysis hair removal regrowth, time between session and total duration” »
SKIN CHARACTERISTICS
An electrologist’s ability to observe the hair and skin’s external characteristics is, at first glance, the only way to gauge how to treat the follicle properly. It’s equally important for the client to understand it for themselves so they can do what’s necessary before and after treatments to ensure they keep their skin and hair in what we call the electrolysis sweet spot. The sweet spot is when the skin and hair are under the best conditions possible for the most effective electrolysis treatment with the least amount of discomfort.
The following are the five skin characteristics affecting an electrologist’s work.
+ Sensitive - Insensitive
People’s pain sensitivity varies. The higher a client’s pain tolerance, or threshold level, the more equip they are to receive large amounts of electrolysis; therefore, the client with a higher pain threshold is the most ideal.
As a rule of thumb, the closer the treatment area is to the center line of the body, the more sensitive it is. Also, older clients are more tolerant of pain than younger clients because the skin is tougher.
A client who has been regularly lasered, waxed, threaded, tweezed or sugared in a specific treatment area will have a higher threshold for pain than those who haven’t.
+ Soft - Firm
The softness or loose factor generally only impacts the ease at which the probe is inserted into the follicle. The more firm or taut the skin, the easier the insertion becomes. Therefore, an electrologist will often ask the client to help pull and stretch the skin around the area being treated.
The chin and forehead are examples of firm areas. The underchin and armpit are examples of soft, loose areas.
+ Thin - Thick
The depth at which an electrologist must insert the probe to reach the bottom of the follicle during treatment is obviously greater in thicker skin.
In lighter skinned clients with thin skin, the electrologist can see the bottom of the follicle making it easier to treat. However, thin skin does have its disadvantages; in that, reddening becomes visible more quickly and gives the appearance that the treatment is more intense than it would appear on thicker skin.
Note: thickness of the hair is NOT correlated to the thickness of the skin.
+ Moist - Unmoist
Moisture content increases with depth. So, if electrical current is required to destroy hair permanently, then the more moist the skin is, the more effective the current is where the skin comes in contact with the probe tip. Therefore, it’s important to stay hydrated and keep the skin moisturized while going through electrolysis treatments.
Note: Moisture content refers to water content in the skins cells and not related to oiliness. The next section speaks to oil content specifically.
In adults the corners of the mouth, the armpit, and skin covering the skin is very moist with no oiliness present. At the other extreme are areas that are very dry, such as the chin, lower legs, elbows, and knees. All other areas of the body range in moisture content somewhere within these extremes. Older clients tend to have less moist skin than younger clients. Differences in moisture content require special precautions and techniques.
+ Oily - Not Oily
The oil characteristic has little relevance to the electrologist except that a layer of oil on the skin does prevent the escape of moisture, thereby preserving moisture content. A naturally oily skin may be evidence of moisture but the client’s application of oil or cream to the skin to prevent dryness can fool the electrologist into thinking their skin is naturally oily. A layer of oil must be maintained over the course of many days before moisture is restored to otherwise dry skin.
Most naturally oily skin types are moist unless alcohols, astringents and drying acne prescriptions are being used to combat the oily condition. When oily skin is observed it may also be true that the skin is also moist, but this is NOT guaranteed.
STRUCTURE OF THE SKIN
Understanding what goes on beneath the skin’s surface is important to the electrologist. In order to be successful, the electrologist’s insertion must be very precise at the point to which the probe enters the follicle at the skin’s surface and the depth of that insertion.
The goal of every electrologist is to destroy the hair papilla located at the bottom, or bulb, of the follicle to prevent future hair growth using one, or a combination of, the three electrolysis modalities; thermolysis, the blend, or galvanic. Learn more about these three modalities in our FAQs »
Anatomy of the Hair + Skin
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Segment of the Hair + Skin
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source: Electrolysis, Thermolysis and the Blend: The Principles and Practice of Permanent Hair Removal; by Arthur Ralph Hinkel, and Richard W. Lind, B.A., M.A.
“Growth is the only evidence of life.”