Elos hair removal - what is it, differences from laser hair removal, reviews from oncologists

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With all the fashion for naturalness, women still strive to get rid of unwanted hair on the body. Some use a razor the old fashioned way, while others go to the salon to try new methods on themselves. But every woman dreams that the process of removing unwanted hairs will be quick, painless and provide a long-lasting effect . Modern technologies are evolving so quickly that they have already combined all these wishes in one method of ELOS hair removal.

Elos hair removal – what is it?

Elos hair removal is hair removal using a special device that combines two types of energy, namely a high-frequency light pulse and electromagnetic energy. Thanks to this one-time effect, a more effective destruction of the hair follicle in the growth stage occurs than in the case of isolated use of laser, electrolysis or photoepilation.

Elos allows you to control light energy and radio waves. For example, if the patient has dark skin, to prevent side effects, it is necessary to reduce the light pulse, but at the same time maintaining a destructive effect on the hair root. By adjusting the radio wave, you can effectively get rid of light hair on any part of the body.

Advantages

The precision of the principle of operation of the device in a strictly verified bikini area allows you to avoid overheating of the skin around the site of treatment. This eliminates burns, scarring and pigmentation changes.
The process does not require special preparation and is short and comfortable.
Modern innovative devices and the latest attachments have an effective cooling system, and even at maximum temperatures any manifestation of unpleasant and painful sensations is eliminated.
A gentle effect reduces the occurrence of side effects and undesirable effects, taking into account contraindications to elos hair removal.
The versatility of the technique gives decent results on skin of different shades and types, regardless of the color and characteristics of the hair.
A full course of Elos hair removal is guaranteed to get rid of excessive hair in the classic and deep bikini area.

The essence of technology

The hair shaft is heated using current. At the same time, a photo flash occurs, which allows the temperature to be evenly distributed over the treated segment. This helps avoid overheating and also reduces the risk of burns and irritation.

As a result, the depth of penetration of electromagnetic energy increases, the structure of the hair changes and is destroyed. To minimize pain, the device includes a cooling attachment.

Elos removes hair in the active growth stage. In one session, up to 10% of unnecessary hairs disappear. Thanks to the synergistic effect, collagen is produced, which leads to tissue rejuvenation.

Skin care. Rehabilitation

Limitations after hair removal in the bikini area using Elos technology:

To prevent redness of the skin in the treatment area, it is recommended to take only warm showers for 2-4 days.
Workouts and activities that lead to profuse sweating should be excluded from your schedule, including going to the gym, visiting the sauna, and visiting the solarium.
For two weeks, the epilation site must be protected from sunlight; a lotion with a high UV filter must be used.
Between sessions, regrown hair can only be removed by shaving. Pulling hairs from hair follicles and applying aggressive depilatory lotion to the skin is absolutely contraindicated.

Visible irritation or slight redness on the skin goes away on its own 2-8 hours after the procedure, but you can also use an ointment like Panthenol.

Elos hair removal - differences from photo and laser hair removal

Elos removes any type of hair. Photoepilation is not able to cope with light and gray hairs. It is suitable for dark hair on fair skin. Laser is best used for dark hair.

The Elos Method has a profound effect. The laser wavelength cannot cope with hairs growing 2-3 mm deeper than the skin. The flash is also not able to cope with deep-lying follicles.

Photoepilation is the most affordable option in the price category, but requires a larger number of sessions.

In terms of time, the procedure with a laser device lasts longer, since it acts in a targeted manner and covers a smaller area.

ELOS at home

Cosmetologists are categorically against performing elos-epilation at home. And you shouldn’t think that they do this out of fear of losing their earnings. There are several reasons for this:

High-quality and permanent hair removal using elos hair removal is possible only with a professional device. It is not possible to buy it for home use. Household appliances available to the general public are low-power and therefore ineffective.
Inept exposure to laser and electricity can cause significant harm to health, especially if used contrary to existing contraindications.
A cosmetology clinic will not begin a course without clarifying your medical history and health status. In most cases, women are first referred for consultation to a gynecologist, endocrinologist, or mammologist.

Those who still decide to do hair removal on their own should take into account that household appliances will not be able to cope with coarse and light hair. It is impossible to carry out high-quality hair removal in the armpit and bikini area on your own. Firstly, these areas are difficult to reach, and secondly, the hair grows more densely there, and the roots lie deeper. In addition to the device for home hair removal, you will need special safety glasses, a cooling gel and an anesthetic.

How to choose a device for home hair removal

Great demand for ELOS hair removal prompted manufacturers to release household appliances of various classes to the mass market. Their cost is quite high, but given the length of use of the device, it is better to opt for a premium epilator.

Iluminage Touch 300,000

The Israeli manufacturer offers a proven and safe device for long-term use (for 300 thousand flashes). It is equipped with a special attachment for facial hair removal and safety glasses. It is distinguished by ease of use, the ability to be used for any skin type and the presence of a built-in hair dryer to cool the skin. The price of the official distributor is 30,900 rubles.

Manufacturers offer household ELOS epilators of different power and price categories.

Me My Elos Quartz

Another Israeli device that has undergone clinical trials is designed for 100 thousand flashes. Can be used for hair of any color. The kit includes a replacement lamp, a face cap and safety glasses. The device has an automatic shutdown function after a minute of inactivity. The manufacturer promises removal of up to 89% of unwanted hair. Price - from 14 thousand rubles.

E-one

The French manufacturer offers a semi-professional epilator with 6 power modes. Effectiveness is declared from the first session, the kit includes protective stickers, two pairs of safety glasses, a cooling gel, a marker and a care spray. The disadvantages of the device are its high price (about 96 thousand rubles) and the inability to work with red, blond and gray hair.

Before starting to work with any elos epilator, it is advisable to consult an experienced cosmetologist.

Video: video tutorial on using the device for home hair removal

Advantages and disadvantages

In ELOS theory, hair removal is recognized as the best to date. In practice, the opinions of clients and cosmetologists differ: some are satisfied, some are not.

The main advantages of the ELOS procedure are:

less time spent on the procedure for any skin type;
minimal risk of burns;
suitable for light vellus hair;
no pain;
no need to grow hair of a certain length;
long-term result;
absence of ingrown hairs and irritation after the procedure.

Disadvantages of the procedure:

high cost of the session;
consequences in the form of burns and hyperpigmented spots due to the unprofessionalism of the master (extremely rare);
recurrence of infectious complications when contraindications are ignored.

Price

How much does Elos hair removal cost? It is considered quite expensive and depends on many factors, including: the size of the problem area, the professionalism of the cosmetologist, and the type of device used. You can find approximate prices for the procedure in the table below.

Region	Above the lip	Legs (full)	Simple bikini	Armpits
Price (rubles)	From 1000 to 3000	From 8000	From 3000	From 2000

Carrying out ELOS hair removal

Preparing for hair removal involves observing the following rules:

you cannot sunbathe or go to the solarium 2 weeks before the procedure;
do not perform depilation with wax, tweezers or epilator (for 2 months);
It is forbidden to do chemical peelings (a week in advance);
You cannot shave the areas where hair removal will be carried out (1-2 days in advance);
It is advisable to shave the areas 3 days before the procedure;
On the day of the procedure, deodorants, foundations and other cosmetics should not be applied to areas of the body.

The work progress includes successive stages:

The patient lies down on a special chair and puts glasses on his eyes to protect against flashes of light.
For some clients with particular sensitivity, the skin is lubricated with an anesthetic cream. Apply a thin layer, cover with film, and after 20 minutes the excess product is removed.
Next, a cooling gel with a light-proof effect is applied to ensure tight contact of the device tip with the skin.
The tip with the applicator is brought tightly to the skin (otherwise there will be no effect). The device transmits short flashes of light. The patient may feel short-term tingling and pinching.

Some require the use of pain medications. The duration of hair removal depends on the area of treatment - from 15 to 90 minutes.

After completion, the skin is treated with an antiseptic and panthenol.

Skin care after the procedure includes the following:

use of sunscreens;
refusal of tanning/solarium;
refusal of chemical peels;
protecting the skin from the effects of aggressive factors.

Hair will start falling out immediately. From one procedure, hair loss will continue for a month. The second session should be done after 7 weeks. The more procedures, the thinner and lighter the hair shafts will become.

Preparation for the procedure

By the time of the first procedure, your hair should grow by 1–2 mm, this is enough. Therefore, about a month before you go for hair removal, change your usual waxing or sugaring, or epilator for shaving. Also shave any hair that grows back between hair removal sessions; you cannot pluck it, because radiation does not work on clean skin. The skin should be clean, without tanning. After epilation, it usually goes away quite quickly anyway.

Before an hair removal session, hair should never be removed from the roots, otherwise Elos will have no effect

If you are going to remove facial hair, chemical peeling and any laser rejuvenation procedures are contraindicated a month before the first procedure and in between subsequent sessions.

How many sessions do you need to do for complete hair removal?

At one time, 10% of mature hair follicles are removed. The remaining sessions affect hair that is currently sleeping.

In some areas of the body, the hair root maturation time is longer, in others it is shorter. Therefore, only the professional knowledge of a cosmetologist will help you choose the number of sessions and intervals based on the growth phases of the hair follicles, color and hair structure.

On average, to obtain the effect, 6-10 treatments are required with an interval of 6-7 weeks. The maintenance course is carried out once a year.

The lighter the hair, the more sessions will be required.

Examples of courses for different hair types:

Fluffy ones require many procedures. Interval 2-3 weeks.
Dark - depends on the zone. From 6 to 12 sessions at monthly intervals.
Light hair - 6-9 elos hair removal procedures with a break of 4-6 weeks.
Gray hair - from 8 to 15 procedures with a difference of 4 weeks.

Current issues

The procedure has been used for 10 years abroad, and in Russia and Ukraine even less. It is not surprising that patients have many questions about it. Moreover, ELOS hair removal of the bikini area has its own specifics. Here's what you're most interested in:

Will it really not hurt? Compared to other hardware methods, ELOS is much easier to tolerate. There is no sensation of heat, burning, itching or pain. The maximum that the patient feels is a tingling sensation in the area of influence. But with a low pain threshold, an anesthetic cream is always used, which will make the session even more comfortable.

How to behave after the procedure? Upon completion, you should wear underwear made of natural fabric that will not chafe your skin. In general, it is undesirable to expose it to mechanical stress for another 2-3 days. You should not use aggressive cosmetics (for the intimate area these are mainly detergents). The sauna and hot bath will have to be postponed for 2 - 4 days.

How many sessions are needed to achieve the effect? Hair develops unevenly: while some are in the resting stage, others are actively growing or degrading. Therefore, it will take from 4 to 8 sessions to influence each of them. For fair hair, more procedures are needed. The interval between them will be 6 - 8 weeks. If more than 3 are performed, the pause between subsequent sessions increases to 3 - 6 months.

When will hair start falling out? This usually happens 3 - 4 weeks after the session. Dark hair is more susceptible to the combined effects, so it falls out earlier.

Hair removal of the intimate area using ELOS is one of the safest and most comfortable options. The only drawback is the high price. But the result is definitely worth the money spent.

Contraindications

Like all hardware technologies, Elos has a fairly extensive list of contraindications:

herpetic infection in the active phase;
allergic intolerance to light, current;
acute skin diseases;
presence of implants;
pregnancy, breastfeeding period;
photodermatitis;
birthmarks with hairs on the treated area;
cancer, epilepsy, diabetes mellitus and other severe concomitant pathologies;
age under 18 years;
summer season.

Reviews from experts

If you have any questions about Elos hair removal, you should consult a doctor who specializes in the disease. The specialist collects anamnesis about acute or chronic conditions and makes recommendations.

Reviews from doctors about this method of hair removal are loyal:

Oncologist:

“Elos hair removal does not lead to the appearance of malignant neoplasms. The main thing is to be careful when epilating if you have birthmarks, as there is a risk of injury. Epilation is not carried out on these areas, the hair is carefully cut. After the procedure, it is prohibited to be in the sun.”

Cosmetologist:

“Elos is a middle link between electric and light hair removal. The efficiency is higher than that of laser, and lower than that of electro. But the risk of complications is less than with electrolysis.”

Comparison of pain sensations

No method of hair removal, even shaving, is absolutely painless or pleasant; each involves some degree of discomfort to a greater or lesser extent. The question is how to minimize it. This is exactly what the developers of modern hair removal techniques are struggling with.

They have achieved some success, especially when compared with such inhumane methods as waxing, sugaring and others based on the method of hair pulling, in which the effect is not so long-term - a new hair follicle and, accordingly, a hair appears in the hair follicle very soon.

But every cloud has a silver lining: most likely, those who have used such technologies are so accustomed to pain that photo-, and especially elos, hair removal will seem completely insensitive to them.

The combination of long-lasting effect and minimal discomfort is distinguished by such modern techniques as photo- and elos hair removal.

during photoepilation : from a slight tingling sensation to a strong burning sensation. It depends on the sensitivity of the person, the area of skin and the concentration of hair follicles on it. In case of severe discomfort, local anesthesia is used.
Painful sensations during elos hair removal are absent or resemble a slight tingling sensation that turns into warmth. It is recommended to treat the deep bikini area, the most sensitive place of all, subjected to hair removal, using elos. If there is pain, a painkiller can be used. The degree of discomfort depends on the person’s pain threshold, skin sensitivity and hair thickness.

A beauty blogger talks about ELOS hair removal and the use of ELOS technology in other cosmetic procedures in a video