For very many years, Electrolysis has existed as the only form of permanent hair removal out there. Though the numerous Laser hair removal options of today have also enjoyed great hair reduction results, it remains true today that the FDA still only considers Electrolysis to be ‘permanent’ hair removal.  (Thus, in the ‘Electrolysis vs laser hair removal‘ debate, there is no official debate, although many thousands of people have been thrilled with their personal laser hair removal results).

Hair Follicle & Skin However, before 1875 Electrolysis did not exist. In 1875, Dr. Charles Michel, an ophthalmologist, experimented with ways to remove the painful ingrown eyelashes of his patients. The early techniques used fine wires attached to a battery to produce Galvanic Electrolysis, by releasing a small amount of current. He found that the current which flowed into the hair follicle destroyed the hair forever. Electrolysis had been born, and the thousands of men and women plagued with unwanted hair could now be helped. What once appeared to be a hopeless situation now had a solution. From then until the present, Electrolysis has stood the test of time for removing hair permanently.

This particular method, Galvanic, produces a chemical response by utilizing direct current, which upon contact with skin and hair bulb tissue, converts normal body salt and water into the compound sodium hydroxide (lye). Lye destroys the cells that initiate hair growth. The Galvanic Electrolysis method is still used today, although the modern machines are now much more efficient and computerized.

In 1923, after the discovery of radio waves and high frequency current, a new method of Electrolysis was born. This method, called Thermolysis , uses the high frequency current to produce heat. The heat cauterizes and destroys the cells in the follicle that cause hair growth.

In the early 1950′s an electrologist named Henri St. Pierre was not happy with just Thermolysis and decided to combine the Thermolysis current with the galvanic current. His goal was to create an effective Galvanic treatment that was much quicker than Galvanic alone. An engineer named Arthur Hinkle developed a machine that would use both currents and called it the Blend method. With the Blend, you get both the heat and high frequency current of Thermolysis along with the chemical change of the Galvanic for what many consider even today to be the optimal Electrolysis treatment.

All three methods have been proven over time to be both safe and effective. Galvanic Electrolysis uses up to 16 probes at a time and takes two to four minutes to permanently eliminate those 16 hairs. This method is especially effective for deep and/or curly follicles. Thermolysis uses a single probe and usually takes less than one second to permanently destroy a hair. This method is often a technician’s method of choice for anyone with fine, straight hair, pregnant women, or anyone who wants visible hairs (particularly  facial hairs) removed as quickly as possible. The Blend also uses a single probe and takes approximately 8-20 seconds to permanently kill the cells that produce the hair. This method combines the thorough benefits of using galvanic ‘lye’  that work so well to flow around the curve of curly follicles plus gives the heat from the Thermolysis method which helps to speed up the chemical reaction.  Many technicians do find this method to be the very most effective over time for most clients, as it consistently delivers excellent treatment to both straight and curly hair in a timely fashion; which is both more comfortable and cost-effective for the client.

Whatever method is chosen, Electrolysis always does involve a series of treatments over a period of time. The length of time depends upon the amount of hair, its coarseness, the cause of the excess hair and many other factors, but once the dermal papilla has been eliminated, the hair is dead and that particular follicle will not re-grow. Other, finer hairs in the area may be triggered in later years, through stress, medications, etc… but the original, treated hair follicle will remain hair-free.

As previously mentioned, Electrolysis is the only FDA-approved form of permanent hair removal recognized by the American Medical Association for permanent hair removal. Galvanic, Thermolysis and the Blend are three methods (modalities) that can be used to eliminate unwanted hair for women & men, and all three are effective.

WHY BODY HAIR?

Many factors contribute to the growth of excess hair: They include and are not limited to Heredity, Normal Physiological Changes, Malfunction of the Endocrine System, Medication, & Stress.

Heredity, as a cause of excess hair, must be approached from three different levels: race, nationality and family. Typically we find that people belonging to the Caucasian race tend to be the most hairy over-all; and the Mongolian races tend towards being the least hairy. As a Caucasian, if your ancestors lived along the Mediterranean Sea, your chances of having excess hair are greater. Italians, Greek, Spanish and French fall into this category as well as many others. And in the ‘family’ category, it is a well-known factor that if your mother and grandmother had facial hair, for example, your chances for having the same condition are higher than if they did not.

Puberty, pregnancy and menopause can also cause excess hair growth. During the normal systemic changes in a woman’s life, hormone production varies. It is not uncommon for hormones during these times to be unbalanced. Increased male hormones (androgens) can be present which may result in unwanted hair growth.

Malfunctions of the endocrine glands can trigger the appearance of excess hair, too. Some diseases of the thyroid gland, ovaries, pituitary gland and adrenal gland are known to stimulate hair growth. Cushings disease, polycystic ovaries and thyroid conditions are just a few of them. These physical disorders must be treated by a physician in order for electrolysis to be effective. Though we are able to treat hair as it appears on the surface, there is no controlling an underlying active ‘feeding’ of the tendency for superfluous hair which happens with the disorders mentioned, for example.

Medications are another known factor influencing the production of unwanted hair. Some common culprits include birth control pills, cortisone, some seizure drugs and high blood pressure medication.

And finally, stress (both emotional and physical) can stimulate the adrenal glands to initiate a hormonal reaction which can cause fine, soft body hair to become more coarse and noticeable. In addition, it has also been proven that emotional disturbances can cause menstrual irregularities which, in turn, can also affect excess hair growth.

Here is a short video demonstration of Electrolysis in action, on a woman’s upper lip.

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