“Awards don’t matter to us. We believe in the quality of our services, as well as recognition from our customers and from the industry.” - Sherly Kollannur, Chief Consultant Electrologist, LiLi
“The biggest achievement for us is establishing electrolysis as a mode of treatment for permanent hair removal and setting up the training academy that has been accepted by the industry within India and abroad. Also the acceptance of our Diploma in Scientific Electrolysis.” – Prof. K Tharu Benny, Dean, LASE Acadamea
The company
Sherly Kollannur, Chief Consultant Electrologist, and Director, LiLi Scientific Electrolysis, is a veteran in the field of permanent hair removal using electrolysis technology since 1991. With a rich experience of 32 years, several LiLi Permanent Hair Removal Clinics have been set up in Kerala and Delhi. She is also the founder of LASE Academia, one of the first and only training academies in the whole of south Asia, training in scientific electrolysis in order to impart an integrated skill development, where all aspects of electrolysis theory and practice are taught. This academy has addressed the demand and supply of skilled electrologists in India and Asian countries. The Diploma in Scientific Electrolysis (DSE), offered by LASE Academy, is in great demand in India and abroad.
Sherly has brought the most sophisticated technology in electrolysis –high-frequency radiowaves- in treating permanent hair removal, by introducing Apilus range of electrolysis machines, manufactured by Canada-based Dectro International, to India. The FDA of the US and the American Medical Association recognise only electrolysis as a permanent method for removing hair.
Early years
Sherly, initially worked as a nurse in Hyderabad, before doing a course in electrolysis and starting off her profession in electrolysis in 1991. LiLi Scientific Electrolysis was set up to impart the knowledge that hair removal is no more reduction of hair growth, but permanently arresting the re-growth of unwanted hair.
After successfully setting up her own home clinic at Pala in Kerala, in 2008, Sherly started another clinic in Kochi, the commercial capital of Kerala along with establishing a training academy in electrolysis permanent hair removal – LASE Acadamea in 2013. With the setting up of a clinic in Kochi, she has started offering treatments for men and transgenders also. Scaling up further, she shifted her base to Delhi in the year 2018 establishing another two clinics in Delhi NCR, one in Green Park, South Delhi, and another one in Vaishali, Ghaziabad, UP.
The initial days were a struggle for Sherly, having no support system and single-handedly managing the company till she married Prof. Tharu Benny in 2012, who later stepped in to support the business. A professor in marketing, he quit his career as a Dean in a B-school and handled the marketing activities of LiLi Scientific Electrolysis.
Recalls Sherly, “There was no formal training available for electrolysis hair removal in India, and we are the first to venture into training with the only academy in the whole of South Asia, where both male and female dermatologists, cosmetologists, aestheticians, dentists, doctors, nurses, and engineers from the US, Australia, Philippines, Dubai, Nigeria, Ethiopia etc. study, apart from Indian students. Meeting the demand for trained candidates, we were also the first to introduce professionally trained technicians to work in the field. Our course curriculum has been vetted by experts in the US and Canada and accepted by industry in India and abroad.”
Scaling up
Unwanted hair growth was a common problem and electrolysis was practically unknown and unheard of then. The real challenge was the lack of awareness in society about the most effective method of permanent hair removal. Unfortunately, people in India did not know that there is a permanent hair removal method and opted for plucking, threading, waxing, and shaving which are all temporary hair removal methods. Even laser treatment had its own limitations. “In fact, 80 percent of our customers are laser victims. Besides, training and managing people, funding the company, and educating the customers about electrolysis are some of the challenges. Hurdles were many, but we work as a team and completely trust in God to lead us forward,” says Prof. Benny.
Having had the opportunity to work in various cities in the country, Sherly’s company offers a 360-degree solution in electrolysis, starting with the basic treatment, training in electrolysis hair removal for interested candidates, provides machines and equipment needed and also gives consultancy advice for those wanting to start a new venture. “So far, we have treated nearly 3000 customers from 2008 onwards. At any given time, there are about 500-600 live customers on a regular basis,” adds Sherly.
The road ahead
With more than 32 years in the electrolysis business, the company has huge plans for expansion and aims to open 100 clinics all over India, and 5 clinics in UAE through the franchisee route. Canada-based Dectro International, world leaders in innovating state-of-the-art electro-epilation technology, have tied up with the organization to distribute their electrolysis machines under the brand name, Apilus.
Besides, the company is also looking at the possibility of a tie-up with Electrolysis Company the world over. Plans to create an Afro-Asian Electro logy Association of electrologists and organise an international conference with international delegates are also in the pipeline.
Their success mantra is simple: honesty. Sherly elaborates. “We make no false promises. We inform customers as to what is possible in treatment and what is not. It generally takes a 9–18-month period for any treatment and it is important for the customers to know the time period. One has to have the time and patience to do this since these treatments are not a one-time affair. We believe in providing high-quality treatment, our quality rating is 99 percent and hence there have been no complaints from customers so far,” she signs off.
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