At CherryTree I use Elite Spectrum by Instantron and Apilus epilators. These are chosen by many specialist electrolysists world-wide for their versatility, gentleness and reliability.

Probes: I use Ballet stainless steel and gold insulated and non-insulated probes.

Orascoptic surgical loupes are used to make sure every hair is treated precisely and accurately.

Procedure

Electrolysis involves the introduction of a sterile, single use probe – no bigger than an eyelash – alongside each individual hair. The skin is not pierced.

There are 3 methods commonly in use:

Thermolysis or Radio Frequency (RF)

A tiny amount of electrical current is passed and this excites the target structures microscopically, producing heat. The heat destroys the hair germ cell sites and root tissue and releases the hair without resistance

Galvanic

The introduction of a galvanic current produces a temporary change in chemical composition in the tissue fluid that bathes the hair follicle in Sodium hydroxide or Lye. This is alkaline and destroys or denatures the protein hair structures by mild caustic action.

Blend

Blend is a simultaneous application of the first and second methods. A small amount of heat added to the Galvanic current via RF (see above) speeds up the chemical process resulting in significantly faster destruction of the hair root than with Galvanic current alone.

Strategy

Treatment strategies will be discussed during your FREE consultation. You may, for example, be advised that 6-12 weekly intervals would be appropriate between treatments or you may require weekly treatments.

This decision will be reached between you and your electrolysist depending on the type, situation and amount of hair in question. Your availability and budget will also be considered as will your tolerance and that of your skin.

Transgender Hair Removal

Transgender hair removal – all stages – all body and face areas – Pre and Post- Op – I am happy to work with you and your Doctor/Surgeon on Genital hair removal.

Treatment Holidays

It is only possible to book treatment holidays far in advance at present, due to pressure on availability of appointments

For those who don’t live near my office and who are having larger areas treated you may want to consider what I call a ‘treatment holiday’ This is a holiday that is tailored towards multiple hair removal treatments. You can find me on Google maps and locate suitable accommodation for yourself or you can ask me to help. I will be more than happy to use my local knowledge to help you find the best place to stay and transport links.

Our nearest transport links are:

• Air - Edinburgh, Turnhouse.
• Train - Edinburgh Waverley
• Bus & Coach – St Andrews bus station
• Trams: Edinburgh Trams will soon (due to be ready next year, 2023) stretch all the way from Turnhouse Airport to Newhaven via the City centre and Leith. The engineering work is causing some major disruption to buses and traffic but we live in the hope that we’ll see the improvement of services once completed.

Visit the Lothian Buses website for city bus services

Nb. The 35 goes all the way from the airport to Ocean Terminal. There is a very good Holiday Inn at Ocean Terminal and Cherry Tree is 15 minutes walk from there. (or a very short -2 stop- bus ride)

Once you are here your treatments can be arranged around:

• your schedule

• your budget

• your goals and

• your progress in treatment eg skin reaction, break requirements etc.

Price for treatment holidays:

£65 per hour for 2 or more consecutive hours.

Surgical Electrolysis

Thread Veins.

These are correctly named “telangiectasia” and are simply capillaries which are permanently dilated and lying close to the surface of the skin. The walls of these capillaries are one cell thick so are easily reached, cauterised and eliminated. The immediate result can be seen before slight erythema (redness) is activated in the process of healing and thereafter the redness will gradually diminish and tiny crusts may form at the treatment site. These fall away over the course of the following days.

Milia.

Milia (singular, ‘milium’) are small, pearly pockets of keratin, the protein found in our skin. They often appear around the eyes, nose and forehead and the cause is unknown. Hygiene does not play a part in their aetiology and they are not infectious. They are completely harmless and can be simply removed by gently piercing the surface and allowing the keratin to escape.

Skin Tags.

Skin Tags or Fibro-Epithelial Polyps commonly appear around the hair line and neck, knicker and bra-lines, axillae and inner thighs. They are harmless and can be treated by cauterisation and or dessication (drying) using heat. They immediately shrink and subsequently fall off leaving normal skin behind. 50%-60% of people over 50 have these, although younger people do also get them. Most sufferers have more than one and a family history is common.

Campbell De Morgan’s Spots.

Angioma or Haemangioma are two other terms for these red/violet papules (raised bumps). They start as tiny, often flat red dots and grow to (usually) under 6mm. in diameter or (sometimes) up to 1cm. or more. The chest, trunk and extremities are the usual sites; they are non-blanching (they don’t go pale when pressed) and can bleed if disturbed. The cause is poorly understood but links have been made to some chemicals and to hormone change. The third and fourth decades of life are the commonest age of onset and they usually do proliferate. Treatment involves dessication and is very quick and simple.Occasionally, further treatment may be required as it may not be possible to reach each and every angle of vascular supply in one go.

Common Wart.

‘Verruca Vulgaris’ Many different types of wart exist, all caused by a genus of the Human Papilloma Virus. They are notoriously resistant to treatment and many methods exist. Freezing or Cryotherapy is often offered and these as well as chemical applications can be bought over the counter. The appearance of the common wart is of a firm, rough, raised, pink/flesh coloured swelling, sometimes like a cauliflower. Dots (capillaries) can be seen on the surface. They can appear alone or in clumps on hands, fingers, elbows, knees or feet. By electrolysis, the virus which is occupying the DNA of the skin cells will be targeted and thoroughly coagulated/dessicated leaving the surface to die away. More than one treatment may be required.

Plane Wart

Verruca Plana. These are 2-4mm. wide, smooth with a flat or slightly raised top. They may be singular or number hundreds. The colour is light brown, flesh coloured, greyish or darker. Incubation is from 1 month up to 2 yrs. As for any wart, the plane wart is treated by targeting the viral DNA within the cells of the fleshy lesion and more than one treatment may be needed.

Seborrhoeic Wart

Also known as Basal Cell Papillomas, these are not in fact warts at all, but innocent over-growths of skin cells occupying the very top most layer of the skin only. They can be light brown to black in colour, 1 cm. to several in diameter and commonly appear on the neck and trunk although they can also affect the face and head. They look a bit like ‘stuck-on’ rice crispies. Most people over 40 will have at least one. They are not viral or infectious, they do enlarge in time and they can itch and bleed if disturbed or caught. They are easily treated using gentle heat to denature (break down the protein) of the lesion which will fall away in the following few days.

Plantar Wart

This is the common verruca. Plantar is the anatomical name for the soles of the feet. These can occur anywhere on the sole, heel and toes and infection is usually acquired by direct contact or contact with shed skin cells. The changing room at the swimming pool being the usual suspect, probably because of the warm, damp environment. Some people are more susceptible than others, however. The same warty story applies to these as to other members of the wart family. They can be left alone to die out in their own time but if causing discomfort, cauterisation may be the answer. As before, more than one treatment may be required.

Other lesions that can be treated include:

XANTHOMA:

These are small, raised pads on and around the eyelids. They can be associated with raised cholesterol so it is advisable to ask your doctor to look at them and possibly do a blood test for cholesterol levels. In themselves, these are harmless and are removed by gently and expertly scraping away with a sterile electrolysis probe. More than one treatment may be required.

SYRINGOMA:

Benign new growths arising from sweat gland tissue (Eccrine cells), Syringoma are also found most commonly around the eyes but are also found on the axillae (armpits), abdomen and vulva. These are inherited in some cases but not all and they usually affect females from puberty or later. Removal is by very light ablation using a little electric current via a sterile probe. More than one treatment may be required.

CherryTree’s Price List (Surgical Electrolysis)

• £65 for up to 15 minutes
• £90 for up to 30 minutes
• £40 for each additional 15 minutes

For more information about advanced electrolysis treatments see our Frequently Asked Questions page. To book an appointment contact June on 07814 783 867 or fill out our Online enquiry form..