Richards, 1986  Title: Electroepilation (electrolysis) in hirsutism.
35,000 hours' experience on the face and neck.
Authors: Richards RN, McKenzie MA, Meharg GE
Journal: J Am Acad Dermatol 1986 Oct; 15(4
Pt 1):693-7
PMID: 3771842, UI: 87034440
Affiliated institution: North York
General Hospital, Sunnybrook Hospital, University of Toronto,
Ontario, Canada.
Physicians frequently recommend electroepilation
(electrolysis) in the management of hirsutism, but there have
been no English language reports of its clinical effectiveness.
We performed over 35,000 hours of electroepilation (electrolysis)
on two hundred eighty-one women over a 4-year period. We used
conventional, commercially available electroepilation (electrolysis)
equipment that produced both thermolysis and blend type currents.
We found that electroepilation (electrolysis) helps control hirsutism,
and 93% of the patients improved. There was no scarring. For best
results electroepilation (electrolysis) must be combined with
treatment of excess androgens. Instructions about good grooming
and stressing that shaving is not harmful will help to maximize
improvement in appearance. Electroepilation (electrolysis) is
expensive and not readily available to those lacking insurance
or other funding.
This excellent paper was followed up in 1995 after
a total of 140,000 hours of clinical observation
See follow-up paper
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