The Truth of Electrolysis Hair Removal
Basic facts
Permanent hair removal for most consumers if performed correctly (which requires considerable training and skill).
Description
A hair-thin metal probe is slid into a hair follicle.
Proper insertion does not puncture the skin.
Electricity is delivered to the follicle through the probe, which
causes localized damage to the areas that generate hairs.
Advantages
By far the best and longest track record of results.
Over 125 years of clinically proven safety and effectiveness. [1]
Disadvantages
Can be expensive.
Can be painful.
Can be tedious.
Can be difficult for large amounts of hair.
If done improperly, it can result in:
partial to full regrowth
lasting skin damage
spread of infection
Regulation varies by state, so inadequate controls exist to ensure competent practitioners.
Regrowth rates have not been accurately established and cannot be predicted due to numerous variables.
Some consumers do not respond to treatment.
Quack claims
"Painless" or "virtually painless"
While many clients tolerate electrolysis without requiring pain relief,
it's overpromise to state that treatment will be painless for all
consumers.
"100% permanent"
The vast majority of patients experience permanent removal of treated
hair over the course of treatment, but published studies have observed
that between 7% and 10% of consumers did not have satisfactory results.
"Guaranteed 0% regrowth"
There is no published clinical data to substantiate this sort of overpromise.
��Easy to use�� personal units
Small battery-powered probe units like the One Touch may claim to be
easy to use, but performing electrolysis on yourself is very difficult
and not recommended. [2, 3]
Background
Three kinds of energy are used:
Galvanic electrolysis works by causing salt and water in the skin
around the probe to be chemically altered to produce a small amount of
sodium hydroxide, or lye. Lye is the active ingredient in some crystal
drain openers. If enough is produced, it can damage the cells that
cause hair growth. The chemical reaction is expressed like this:
NaCl (salt) + H2O (water) + direct current = NaOH (sodium hydroxide) + Cl (chlorine) + H (hydrogen)
Thermolysis works by causing water molecules in the skin around the
probe to vibrate, which creates heat. If enough heat is produced, it
can damage the cells that cause hair growth.
Blend is based on the theory that lye is more caustic when heated.
Theoretically, blend is more effective than other methods if performed
correctly. Blend is recommended by several experts, [4, 5, 6] but
electrologist skill is by far the most important factor in safe and
effective treatment.
History
Although
several researchers were apparently experimenting with electrical
epilation after the Civil War, it's generally accepted that St. Louis
ophthalmologist Charles Michel was the first to discover and publish
permanent hair removal results with an electrified needle. [7]
In
1875, Dr. Michel reported he had been successfully using a
battery-powered needle epilator to treat ingrown eyelashes (trichiasis)
since 1869. [8] This DC powered method was called electrolysis because
a chemical reaction in the hair follicle causes sodium hydroxide to
form, which damages the follicle. It's also sometimes called galvanic
electrolysis.
Use of electrolysis for hair
removal continued through the early part of the 20th century. Its
commercial popularity as a cosmetic treatment was briefly eclipsed by
x-ray hair removal, which was advertised as both ��painless�� and
��harmless�� (only one of which was true, of course).
Subsequent
innovations in the field included the use of multiple needles,
developed by Paul Kree in 1916, and the use of AC electricity, which
causes thermal damage within the follicle. [9] This was first reported
in medical literature in 1924 by Dr. Henri Bordier, following over a
decade of experimentation by numerous researchers. [10] This method was
called diathermy by Bordier and is also called thermolysis, short-wave,
high-frequency (HF), radio-frequency (RF), etc.
Incremental
improvements in the equipment and technique continued through World War
II. At that time, Arthur Hinkel and Henri St. Pierre applied for a
patent for a blend method they'd been developing. They received their
patent in 1948, and 20 years later published the groundbreaking book
Electrolysis, Thermolysis and the Blend, discussing their use of
scientific techniques to improve the method. [11] In the wake of
Hinkel's book, several other useful practical overviews have been
written. [4, 5, 6]
The second half of the 20th
century saw more incremental equipment improvements incorporating
transistors and computerized controls, as well as insulated probes and
sterile disposable probes.
Despite improvements
in equipment, electrolysis remains highly dependent on the skill of the
practitioner. Electrolysis trade groups have set standards for member
certification, but many U.S. states do not regulate the practice of
electrolysis. [12] For this reason, it's very important for consumers
to go to a practitioner recommended by someone who is done and happy
with the results.
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