Electrolysis or Ruby laser:the difference and what suits facial hair
- In electrolysis a fine probe goes into each follicle separately and an electric current destroys the root. One hair at a time.
- The Ruby 694 nm laser works with light. The light is absorbed by the pigment of a dark hair and turns into heat at its root.
- No needle: the light passes through the skin without puncturing it and the surrounding skin stays intact. You go back to work the same day.
- The Ruby spot is only 4 mm. That makes precise work possible on the ears, nose, between the brows and along the beard line, without touching hair you want to keep.
- The big advantage of electrolysis: it also works on white, grey and light hair. Ruby is for dark hair only.
How electrolysis works
Electrolysis is a long-established method. The practitioner slides a very fine probe into the opening of the follicle, along the hair, down to the root. The probe does not pierce the skin: it enters the natural opening the hair grows out of.
Then a short pulse of current is applied. In the most common method, thermolysis, the current heats the tip of the probe and destroys the cells that grow the hair. That is why it is also called "the hot needle". There is also a chemical (galvanic) method and a blend of both. Finally the hair is lifted out with tweezers.
The advantage: electrolysis does not depend on hair colour. It works on white, grey, blond and red hair too.
The drawback: one hair at a time. You feel every hair separately and even a small area takes a lot of time and many sessions. Afterwards there can be redness, mild swelling and sometimes tiny scabs. The method needs a very skilled practitioner.
How the Ruby laser works
At Taletsky we work with the Quanta System Ruby 694 nm. Ruby was one of the first lasers ever used for hair removal. Its wavelength is strongly absorbed by melanin, the pigment that makes hair dark.
The light passes through the skin, is absorbed by the dark hair and turns into heat. The heat travels down the hair to the root and weakens it. The surrounding skin stays intact and Zimmer Cryo 7 cold-air cooling keeps it comfortable.
What this means in practice: white, grey or light hair does not have enough pigment. The light passes through it and the root is not affected. That is why Ruby does not remove this kind of hair.
The laser works on hairs that are in their growth phase. That is why you need several sessions a few weeks apart. Already after the first session dark hair becomes finer and grows more slowly. A clear change is visible after 2–3 sessions.
Why Ruby is gentler on the skin
In electrolysis the probe goes into every follicle and strong heat is created right inside the skin, hair after hair. If the current is too strong or the probe enters at the wrong angle, you can be left with red dots, tiny scabs and sometimes small marks or dark spots.
The Ruby laser works differently:
- No needle, no punctures. The light passes through the skin without opening it.
- The energy goes to the hair. The dark pigment in the hair absorbs the light and the surrounding skin stays intact.
- Cold-air cooling during treatment. Zimmer Cryo 7 keeps the skin cool and comfortable.
- No downtime. Sometimes there is light redness that fades on its own, and you go back to work the same day.
- Fast. Every pulse treats all the dark hairs in a 4 mm circle, not a single hair.
Why a 4 mm spot matters on the face
The spot is the circle the laser hits with each pulse. On our Ruby it is only 4 mm, about the size of a black peppercorn.
Standard hair removal lasers are built for legs and backs. Their treatment head is several times wider, often a rectangular plate that covers a large area with every pulse. That is great for large areas. On the face it is a problem: the plate also catches hair you want to keep, like the edge of a brow or the beard line.
With a 4 mm spot the practitioner aims exactly at the unwanted hairs: between the brows, on the ears, inside the nose or above the beard line. Hairs outside the circle are not affected. That keeps the shape of the brow and a sharp beard line.
Why Ruby is for the face only
The same small spot that gives precision is also the reason we do not use it on the body. Covering a whole back with 4 mm circles would take more than ten thousand pulses. Large areas need other lasers.
At Taletsky we treat these areas with Ruby:
- Ears and nose (count as one zone)
- Between and above the brows
- Cheeks and beard line
The back of the neck, the neck and the shoulders are not included.
Facial hair removal in Tel Aviv →Comparison: electrolysis vs Ruby
| Electrolysis | Ruby laser | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | A probe in each follicle and an electric current | 694 nm light absorbed by pigment |
| Needle in the skin | Yes, in every follicle | No, only light |
| Hair colour | Any colour, white and grey too | Dark only |
| Hairs per pulse | One | Every dark hair inside a 4 mm circle |
| Speed | Slow, hair by hair | Fast on small areas |
| Sensation | A sting and heat with every hair | A light sting, cold-air cooling |
| Afterwards | Redness, sometimes tiny scabs | No downtime |
| Areas | Small areas | Face only |
| Result | A fully treated follicle stops growing hair. Every hair has to be reached, so many sessions are needed | Dark hair becomes finer and slower. A clear change after 2–3 sessions |
Which one suits me
- Dark facial hair (ears, nose, brows, cheeks): the Ruby laser. Fast, precise and no downtime.
- White, grey or light hair: Ruby will not help. Electrolysis is the method for this hair.
- Both dark and grey: Ruby removes the dark hairs. The grey ones stay and can be treated with electrolysis.
Skin tone matters too. Ruby works best when the hair is darker than the skin. Tanned or darker skin needs caution and sometimes we will recommend a different route. At the consultation we will tell you honestly what suits you.
Price: one zone 350 ₪*, full face 750 ₪*.
Price list →FAQ
Does the Ruby laser remove white or grey hair?
No. White or grey hair does not have enough pigment, so the light is not absorbed. Electrolysis is the method for this hair.
What is better between the brows?
If the hairs are dark, Ruby. The 4 mm spot cleans up between the brows without touching the shape of the brow.
Is electrolysis more painful than laser?
With electrolysis you feel every hair separately, so many people find it more uncomfortable. With Ruby you feel a light sting and cold-air cooling makes it much easier.
How many Ruby sessions do I need?
A clear change is visible after 2–3 sessions. The exact number is set at the consultation, based on your hair and skin.
Why not use Ruby on the back or neck?
A 4 mm spot is too small for large areas. Lasers with a wide treatment head are made for them.
How much does facial hair removal cost?
One zone 350 ₪*, full face 750 ₪*. Ears and nose count as one zone.
Want to know if Ruby suits your hair?
A personal consultation: we check your hair colour and skin tone and explain honestly what will work and what it costs.*
Book a consultation on WhatsAppPrice list* The final price is set after a personal skin consultation at the clinic.
