Treatment
Frequently Asked Questions

It's my first day of electrolysis, and I'm a little anxious - what can I expect?

When you arrive to the building please text your provider to let them know you have arrived! They will come and let you into the building.

From there, we will show you to the electrolysis room, and we will get settled into our session. We have a place in each electrolysis room for our clients to store their belongings/clothes during the session. The provider will get the equipment ready to begin treatment. Once both the client and provider are ready, they will begin treatment for approximately 1 hour. When there is about 5 minutes left in the session, the provider will stop electrolysis and get set up for after-care. After-care takes about 3-5 minutes to complete and is done to help bring down inflammation and irritation post-treatment. Once after-care is completed, the session is over, and all that is left is to pay for the service (if required).

​

​

I’m really excited to get started with electrolysis, but I am going to be gone for a few months for a trip out-of-state. Is that okay?

As a general rule, we are looking to work with clients who can commit to the 12-18 month timeline of treatment uninterrupted. We understand that there will be absences over the course of treatment, but we need folks to be available for the entire treatment timeline to the best of their ability.

​

​

I don’t even know which surgeon I want to go to. Do I need to know before starting electrolysis?

Nope! Many clients start working with us before knowing which surgeon they would like to work with. However, each surgeon has their own particular hair removal guidelines prior to surgery, so we ask that clients inform us once they choose a surgeon, so that we can ensure we are following that surgeon's particular hair removal guidelines during treatment.

​

​

I would really like to get my electrolysis over with as quickly as I can. Does Goddess offer 2-hour sessions, or allow me to pay out-of-pocket for extra sessions?

Unfortunately at this time, we can only offer each client 1-hour of treatment time per week to ensure there is equitable access to our services throughout the community. We do keep a list of clients who would like to be offered extra sessions when there are cancellations on our calendar. Joining the cancellations list is included in our intake paperwork.

​

​

I am losing my current insurance because I am changing jobs. I would still love to work with Goddess, but I’m not sure if they will be in-network with my new insurance. Is there anything I can do to keep working with Goddess?

Yes! Here is what we can offer clients in this situation:

1) We are contracted as in-network providers with Blue Cross Blue Shield. We can accept commercial plans, medical assistance plans, and plans purchased through the MN Marketplace. If possible, try switching to the BCBS-MN network.

2) For clients who are moving to a different insurance carrier that is not BCBS, they can attempt to navigate insurance reimbursement. Clients pay for their treatment in full ($200.00) at the time of service. Within 48 hours Goddess Electrolysis provides an invoice showing proof of payment, which the client can submit to their insurance to be reimbursed. NOTE: If a client wants to pursue this route, we highly encourage the client to call their insurance provider ASAP to ask if they need to have a prior authorization in order to have our services covered.

​

3) We have the ability to work with a select number of clients at a reduced community rate. If a client is losing their insurance, we can explore working with a client at a reduced rate ($100-199 per session).

​

​

Why does electrolysis take so long? I had LASER done and it was so much faster!

Electrolysis and LASER hair removal are two different hair removal methods and are NOT interchangeable treatments.

 

Electrolysis Hair Removal

• Uses electrical pulses to treat hair follicles one-by-one.

• Effective on all hair and skin tones.

• Time consuming- due to only being able to treat one follicle at a time.

• Electrolysis is the only FDA-approved method for permanent hair removal.

​

LASER Hair Removal

• Uses light pulses to treat nickel-sized patches of hair by targeting the melanin in the hairs.

• Requires color contrast between the skin and hair in order to be safe and effective.

• Works very quickly to reduce overall hair appearance/thickness.

• LASER hair removal is FDA-approved as permanent hair reduction, as regrowth can occur.

​

​

I had electrolysis on my face and it really hurt, so I am nervous about starting pre-surgical electrolysis. Is there anything I should be doing to prepare?

Pain management varies person to person and our team is always willing to work with clients to make them as comfortable as we can to reduce pain and discomfort during treatment. Some steps that clients can take are the following (all of which we cover during our intake session with clients):

​

1) Commit to moisturizing the treatment area 2x a day, every day with an unscented, water-based moisturizer. The water content in the body is a huge factor in the process of electrolysis, so the more moisturized the area is, the lower we can have the machines settings during treatment.

​

2) Bring something to distract/occupy yourself. Most of our providers play music during appointments, and we are happy to chit chat with our clients to pass the time. We also encourage clients to bring fidgets, games on their phone/devices, books, headphones, and other forms of entertainment to take their minds off of treatment.

​

3) Numbing creams can be very helpful when pain becomes too much to handle with distraction alone. Clients can start with an over-the-counter numbing cream (usually lidocaine is 4% for over-the-counter formulations). If an over-the-counter cream is not doing enough for pain management, a client can then reach out to their primary care provider to ask for a prescription strength numbing cream. We have seen success with creams that use 2-3 additional numbing agents in addition to lidocaine (BLT cream - Benzocaine/ Lidocaine/ Tetracaine 20%/6%/4%).

4) Some lifestyle factors can impact the discomfort experiences during electrolysis. Drinking plenty of water is very important the day before and day-of your appointment, because electrolysis relies on the water content in the skin to treat the hair. Additionally, avoiding stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine can help reduce the discomfort during treatment.

​

​

Is there any prep I should be doing before each appointment?

1) Trim or grow hair in the area to about 1/4 - 1/2 inch - this allows for the electrologist to see each individual hair more easily.

2) Shower and/or clean the treatment area with a washcloth and some mild soap prior to each treatment.

3) Moisturize the area with a water-based, unscented moisturizer prior to each treatment.

4) Take care of your basic bodily needs - drink water, get a good night's sleep, and eat a solid meal prior to treatment.