Electrolysis vs. Laser Hair Removal

Hey everyone! Does anyone here actually have some real-world experience with electrolysis—you know, the radiofrequency or needle stuff—or maybe laser hair removal???
I’m totally lost on what the actual difference is between all these methods. Like, does it actually work for good? Is it permanent or just a temporary fix?

I went with electrolysis. It’s permanent.

Basically, once a hair is gone, it’s gone for good. Though—and this is a big though—a new one can occasionally pop up 😉

But honestly, that rarely happens unless there's some weird hormonal shift going on.

Laser wouldn't have worked for me anyway since my hair isn't dark enough for it to be effective.

The needle part hurts, though. Definitely not for anyone with a low pain tolerance.

But man, the results feel amazing. 🙂 I've had smooth legs for about two years now—not counting the months I skipped, obviously. 🙂

It feels like most of these laser hair removal places just charge you based on how much time they spend sitting there with the machine, rather than actually counting the hairs they're zapping or the amount of skin they're covering. It’s such a weird way to bill, right?
So, I was wondering if anyone here could actually give me some real answers—like, how many sessions am I realistically looking at, and how long does each one usually take, if I want to basically wipe out all the hair on my legs for good?
And more importantly, what kind of damage are we talking about to my bank account (in dollars, whatever, just give me a ballpark figure)?

Taylor Swift

Yeah, they usually quote everything by the minute.

Honestly, nobody online can give you a real answer without seeing it. You’ve got to check hair thickness—if you’ve been shaving, you might see some regrowth on the same follicle 😉—and just how much coverage there is.

The thing is, some hairs don't budge after one session, and since others are still in a "growth phase," you'll probably need another round in about 4 to 6 weeks.

I ended up spending a fair amount on this, but I didn't get it done here in the States, so my personal price list won't be much help to you.

If I recall correctly, the rate in America was around $3.25 per minute.

For legs, you're looking at at least an hour per session—though that depends entirely on how fast your technician is (some people are lightning quick, while others will obsessively hunt for a single root until you're exhausted 🙄).

Once they hit a follicle with the needle, they have to hold it there for a second before moving on to the next one.

placidjackal97 said:From what I can recall, back in the States, it was about $3.25 per minute.

When you're talking about legs, it really depends on how fast or skilled your technician is—you know, some people are absolute pros who fly through it, while others are super meticulous and basically go on a scavenger hunt for every single tiny hair 🙄—but you should budget at least an hour per session.

The thing is, once they hit a hair with the needle, they have to hold it there for a second before moving on to the next one.

If I’m following this correctly:
Let's say my legs end up needing two full hours... so that's 120 minutes times $3.25 which equals $400? And if they actually have to go over everything a second time, we're looking at $800 total!
Also, once those hairs are gone for good, they stay gone forever, right?

So, once they're gone, they stay gone for good?

I already gave you my take on this, 😉

But seriously—just approach this with a healthy dose of skepticism. Any legit medspa in the States will tell you they offer some kind of ten-year guarantee or something along those lines.

The only time I’ve ever heard of hair actually growing back was in cases involving hormonal imbalances—so it wasn't even the same hair, just new growth caused by a medical issue.

As for what it costs, honestly, just call a local clinic directly to check current rates—these prices are from three years ago.😉

Oh, let me give you a little encouragement here 🙂it’s honestly such a liberating feeling!

There’s nothing quite like deciding to hit the pool after work and realizing you don't have to stress about grooming—it’s a massive win for your schedule and your wallet (if I’d kept paying for those pricey waxing appointments at the local salon, I would’ve already spent way more than the cost of this device)

You can just spontaneously decide to throw on a sundress and go, because you’re ready to go 365 days a year.🙂

Sweet.
Thanks so much for all the helpful info you dropped.
In the meantime, I actually did a little digging and found a place charging about 3-$1.25 per minute. They mentioned I’d probably need around 4 to 5 sessions, spaced out about a month apart.
I honestly think this is going to be my next big "splurge" investment 😁

😲 👍 Looks like they finally dropped their prices. I just have to mention the needle treatment—it’s worth it.

The tweezer method isn't the same thing—doesn't really get the job done. Don't ask me how I know.

Basically, you really need to hit the root with the current.

Anyway, if that's the case, let me know which salon you end up going to (once you try it out). I'm planning to head there this summer to get my bikini area sorted.😁

I’ve definitely been guilty of messing around with tweezers just because I was bored out of my mind, and honestly, my 🙂 ended up getting so swollen that even a 😁
wouldn't have worked on them.

Anyway, what's your take on this photolipheu thing? It’s seriously painless compared to dealing with a needle...

I was actually thinking about those electric tweezers—you know, the ones that supposedly use a tiny current. I actually tried that treatment for the first time at a local spa recently.

They use these specialized devices for it.

But honestly? It was a total bust. Not a single hair even budged 🙄

The whole idea was to grab the hair right at the root with the tweezer, hold it for a few seconds, and let the electricity just... pop it off. Yeah, right.😁

I checked out the link you sent, and they claim it’s painless. But if you ask someone at a salon, they'll tell you the truth—it stings a bit, your skin stays red for a while, and it really only works if you have dark hair.

placidjackal97 said:I checked out the link, and they’re saying it doesn't even hurt! Though, honestly, if you ask at a salon, they'll probably tell you it stings a little and leaves your skin looking pretty red for a bit, plus it really only works on dark hair.

well, that is literally all I need 🙂 for my dark hairs 👍

vividskipper40 said:Do the hairs just stop growing back entirely?

Personally, I’ve never actually tried electrolysis.
But I have two friends who still deal with regular hair growth...
even after several sessions.

placidjackal97, you must have been lucky since yours were thin and light, so they just don't seem to grow back anymore.

And just a heads up, LASER isn't painless. I've tried it myself. The area gets all red, though that usually clears up within 24 hours.
The results aren't even that great considering how much money you throw at it.

If what you're saying is true—then why didn't they ask for a refund? I paid a small fortune for this, and when you drop that kind of cash, you expect some kind of guarantee.

At the very least, they should be removing those new stray hairs for free.

Is it actually possible that every single woman at the salon I visited had just as bad luck?

placidjackal97, come on, give us a little plug for that salon where you used to work... tell us the name, the address, and a phone number so we can check it out🙂

Taylor Swift

Here’s what placidjackal97 posted when she first started this thread

It ended up costing me quite a bit—but since I haven't worked in the States, my rates probably won't be much help to you.

😉

I tried using a needle to pluck those tiny hairs from my bikini line. I practically counted every star in the sky during the process—doing the treatment three or four times, leaving me covered in scabs, and essentially throwing money down the drain (at roughly $1 per minute)—yet the hair is still right where it started, maybe ten fewer strands at most.
My former esthetician suggested I should probably repeat the procedure several more times.
As if—she can go ahead and poke herself then!

Even laser treatments don't offer any real guarantees, and they’re significantly more expensive anyway.

Hair in the bikini area is way thicker than everywhere else—it’s just stubborn like that.

Plus, the skin is thinner there, so it definitely hurts more. 😢

But look, you shouldn't have been dealing with ingrowns in the first place 😲—that’s not about the method itself, it's really just down to how skilled your esthetician is.

placidjackal97, could you please send over the address and phone number for your salon?😎

That’s Germany we're talking about—you sure you want to reach out to them?

If you’re actually serious about getting in touch, I’ll shoot you their number via DM. It's located in Saratoga Springs, just so you know.😎