Before beginning treatment with any provider, if you plan to use health insurance for electrolysis, you must obtain prior authorization from your insurance company. The Electrolysis Collective does not assist with prior authorizations.

Oregon House Bill 2002, passed in May 2023, expanded transgender care coverage in Oregon. Under HB 2002, insurance companies are required to cover treatments prescribed by a doctor as medically necessary gender-affirming care, including Electrolysis.

At The Electrolysis Collective, each electrologist is self-employed.

Some bill health insurance directly.

Others do not, but can provide detailed receipts so you can submit them to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.

Once prior authorization is obtained, experiences vary, but most clients receive reimbursements from their insurance company within about two weeks.

Yes! Electrolysis is the only hair removal method that is recognized as permanent by the FDA and backed by 150 years in practice.

Yes! Unlike laser, electrolysis works for all types of skin and hair. Electrolysis is safe for melanated skin (certain modalities of electrolysis are safer for melanated skin).

Shaving does NOT increase hair growth or make hair grow thicker, but waxing and tweezing DOES.

Hair that grows in after shaving feels coarse because the soft ends have been cut off, however any treatment that only effects the hair shaft (the hair you can see above the skin) has no affect on hair growth.

Any hair removal method that pulls the hair out by the roots (tweezing, waxing, sugaring, threading) will increase hair growth in hormonal areas, making it more coarse, deeply rooted, and spreading it over time.

Hormonal areas are those where you would typically see more hair on cis males than on cis females (chin, upper lip, etc).

Nope! Electrolysis is entirely different than laser and has been around since 1875! Obviously, there have been many improvements to the process of electrolysis since 1875 ;)

Electrolysis uses direct current passed through a probe (inserted into the hair follicle) to cause a chemical reaction in order to destroy the structure (hair bulb and papilla) and the germ cells that allow the hair to grow.

There are different modalities of Electrology: Electrolysis (Galvanic: Direct Current), Thermolysis (Alternating Current), and Blend (a combination of the two). The electrologist will choose the best modality based upon your skin and hair type during your consultation and subsequent treatments.

Immediately after treatment, some mild redness or irritation is typical and temporary (usually lasting only a couple of hours). To reduce redness and irritation, treatment is finished with cataphoresis, a process that helps to rebalance PH and calm the area.

After treatment, icing the area immediately is helpful. It’s important to let the skin breathe; for the first 24 hours, no makeup or fragranced lotions, no touching the area (avoid introducing bacteria), and avoid heat (such as working out or saunas).

Electrolysis should leave you looking better than you did before, not worse!

YES! Though we have no control over how long it takes for all hairs to have cycled through (be visible above the skin, and treatable), there are things that you can do to reduce the total treatment hours needed.

Two things to help you achieve optimal results are: consistency and hydration.

Follow the treatment plan developed for you by the electrologist, come to sessions regularly. Waiting too long between sessions can slow progress, as treating hair that is in anagen phase (new growth) is the most effective. NOTE: a week skipped here and there is ok.

Hydrate! We can’t stress this enough. Consistent hydration (drink 72 oz of water every day, especially the 3 days before treatment!) helps the process, making the hairs slide out easier (and quicker), meaning more hairs treated per session.

Discomfort is minimal for most people (heat or a little sting), but individual tolerances vary greatly and a person’s sensitivity can vary from day to day. Some areas are less sensitive than others.

The electrologist can adjust the settings of the epilator, working with you to achieve a balance of comfort and results.

There are some things that you can do to increase your comfort:

Hydrate! Drink water daily; consistent hydration helps with the process of electrolysis, and good hydration levels support the healing response after treatment.

Avoid caffeine a few hours before treatment.

Limit sun exposure the day before treatment (sunburns are no fun).

Over the counter topical desensitizing creams are available, as well as greater strength prescription creams from compounding pharmacies (with a doctor’s prescription).

The hair must be long enough to easily grab with tweezers; 3-5 days (1/8” - 1/4”) of growth is usually the perfect length for treatment.

In between treatments, shaving is the best way to control the hair. Many clients mask on days that they are growing out their hair.

Treatment of hair from moles or treatment of eyelashes requires written permission from a physician, per state licensing laws and some general liability insurance policies.

The inside of the ears and nose can not be treated.

Doctor permission is required if you have certain implanted devices (pacemaker, etc).

If you have metal implants in your jaw, galvanic and blend electrolysis on your face is not advisable (seek a practitioner that specializes in thermolysis).

Although electrolysis has never been proven harmful to pregnant women, advice of your physician should be sought before treatment.

A client history assessment is required, which will include questions about previous methods used to control the hair, current medications, health conditions, and treatments such as chemical peels, fillers, or Retin-A.

This information is necessary in order to determine if you have any contraindications to treatment.

After a personal and confidential consultation, the electrologist will design a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.

There is very little risk of complication or lasting skin irritation when electrolysis is performed by a skilled, licensed practitioner.

To ensure your safety (and for the best results possible), only receive electrolysis treatment by a licensed electrologist. You can check licensing status by visiting the Oregon Health Licensing Office website: Oregon HLO

Note: Washington is an unlicensed state.

We adhere to the highest protocols of safety, health, sanitation, and sterilization. Each probe used in treatment is single use and comes individually wrapped and fully sterile. After use, probes are immediately disposed of (in a biohazardous sharps container).

All tools used in treatment are properly sterilized. All other instruments are disinfected and sanitized according to State Regulations.

Yes!

Wait 1 month after laser, fillers, or botox to receive electrolysis in the same area

Retin A and hyaluronic acid should not be used within 1 week before or after electrolysis

The most commonly asked question about Electrolysis is, “How long does it take?”

The amount and type of unwanted hair varies so much from person to person, the answer is not simple.

However, the majority of individuals see a great reduction in unwanted hair within 3-4 months of regular visits on a treatment plan.

For more detailed information, please check out the How long does it take? page.

Even if you don’t find the perfect fit here at TEC, our priority is that you get the care you need to be free of unwanted hair. We encourage you to explore other qualified providers who may be the right match for you.

A great resource is the Oregon Association of Licensed Electrologists. You can search their member directory to find an electrologist who best meets your needs:
Find an Electrologist – Oregon Association of Licensed Electrologists