Make sure the hair is long enough - for most people this is 3-4 days worth of growth

Remove any makeup on areas to be treated

Get as comfortable as possible during the treatment.

Eliminate as much stress as possible on the day of the appointment.

Your diet can affect your sensitivity. Avoid stimulants like caffeine, chocolate or sugar on the day of your appointment.

Avoid sun exposure 48 hours prior to your treatment to avoid dilation of the blood vessels.

Do not use Retin A, Tazorac or any serious retinoid for at least 1 week prior to your electrolysis treatment. Discontinue Accutane for at least 6 months prior to electrolysis.

Some clients may find that they are more sensitive during or right before their menstrual cycle and may want to avoid making appointments during that time.

There are many topical numbing creams that are available either with or without a prescription. EMLA (by prescription) and Greencaine (non-prescription) are commonly used.

Some find a meal just before treatment helps reduce discomfort.

Drink plenty of water the day before, the day of and the day after the treatment. Dehydrated follicles are more difficult to treat. Hydration will also help your skin heal more quickly. Keep in mind drinking alcohol the night before an appointment can dehydrate you.

Following your treatment, do not touch or scratch the area treated. This can cause bacteria to transfer to the treated area. This will cause a breakout (whiteheads).

Moisturize the treatment area daily between sessions with a gentle, unscented moisturizer.

Do not wear make-up over the treated area for 24 hours. Even washing with soap can cause irritation and possible infection.

Avoid perfume or alcohol-based products. They will dry out your skin. You can wipe the area with witch hazel, if needed.

You can apply aloe vera or vaseline to the treated area the night after your treatment. This will help your skin heal even faster, especially facial areas. Apply with Q-tips or clean hands. If your skin is still irritated on the second day, apply a Hydrocortisone cream (Cortisone, Cortaid, anything with 1% hydrocortisone or hydrocortisone acetate). It is anti-inflammatory and will reduce redness and swelling. Also works on pimples!

Avoid the sun for the next 72 hours to avoid the formation of brown pigment spots. Your skin defends against UV rays by producing pigment, which will deflect some of the harmful rays. If your skin is injured or traumatized it can over-produce pigment in those areas. This can result in hyper- pigmentation.

Do not swim in a chlorinated pool for the first 48 hours following treatment.

If small scabs appear, do not scratch them away. This can cause scarring. Allow them to fall off naturally. This is nature's way of healing the follicle that we have treated. (the scabs are lymph fluid that has drained out of the follicle and dried up) Keeping the area moisturized will often curtail the formation of scabs. If discomfort should occur in closely treated areas apply an Epsom salt compress: Add 1 tsp. Epsom Salt to 1/2 cup warm water, mix and soak up with a washcloth. Lay washcloth over treated area for 10 minutes and repeat until discomfort subsides.

If you are prevented from coming in as soon as you would like for your next treatment, DO NOT TWEEZE! The offending hair can be clipped off with small scissors or shaved.

Remember: Some re-growth is to be expected. If you reschedule when the first re-growth occurs, the roots are shorter and weaker and therefore can be treated more effectively.