A Brief Overview of Electrolysis
Electrolysis was invented by an opthalmologist, Dr. Charles E. Michel.
He demonstrated its effectiveness at the Paris World's Fair in 1875, removing
an ingrown eyelash hair from one of his patients. The method he used was
galvanic electrolysis, or the direct current. This method produces a
chemical change in the base of the follicle. Small amounts of lye are created from
the patient's own body fluid, which is composed of normal saline. This has a very
effective destructive action on the dermal papilla, which is at the base of the
follicle. The dermal papilla causes the hair to grow by providing nourishment and
stimulation to the hair. The down side of galvanic electrolysis is that is took
three minutes to treat a single hair.
In the 1930's, the short wave current started to be used to destroy the dermal
papilla. It's an oscillating current, which produces heat. The theory is that the
heat dessicates the dermal papilla and destroys it. This method allows the rapid
removal of many hairs.
In the 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. With the blend, you
get both the heat of thermolysis and the chemical change of the galvanic.
Several factors determine the effectiveness of electrolysis : the correct
insertion depth of the probe, how long the current is in contact with the papilla,
the correct intensity of current for the type of hair, and the angle of insertion.
Hair grows at an angle out of the skin. If the probe is not inserted at the proper
angle, the treatment will not be effective.
Clients also plays a role in the effectiveness of their treatments. If they do
not keep their regularly scheduled appointments, the treatment will not be very
effective. The best time for an effective treatment of the papilla is when the hair
is first emerging from the skin. At that time, the papilla is weak and the follicle
is shallow. This allows for a more effective treatment of the dermal papilla. It
is believed that waiting too long in between treatments allows for the papilla to
regain some strength, rendering the last treatment less effective.
Hair has different growth cycles depending on where it is located on the body.
Eyelashes and eyebrows grow for about four months, and then are shed. Hair on the
head grows for two to four years before shedding. Each individual hair also has its own
growth cycle. They do not all shed at the same time. It is estimated that if you treat
an area consistently for four months, you will have treated all the follicles at least
once. Follicles go into a dormant state in between growth cycles. These can last
for anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Also, it takes a couple of weeks for
hair to reach the surface of the skin once it starts to grow. So after four months of
consistent treatment, the hair that is returning should feel finer and softer. Hair
often gets finer and softer before it stops coming back all together.
Some other factors that can contribute to the length of time in treatment are
hormonal imbalances, medications such as steroids which stimulate hair growth,
diseases which cause unwanted hair growth, the intensity of the current that the client
can tolerate, and once again, the frequency of the treatments.
Electrolysis has been around for over 100 years. It has proven itself effective
and is recognized as a method of permanent hair removal by the F.D.A. It is the only
method to get this recognition. While it may take two years to get rid of underarm hair
(with consistent treatment), it does not go on forever. In my own case,
I had hair removed from my upper lip and chin and then did not have treatment for
fifteen years, until I started having hormonal changes. Then, due to changing
hormone levels, some of the very fine hair on my face became terminal hair (darker
and thicker) and had to be removed.
After treatment, it is normal for the skin to be pink and slightly swollen for about
an hour. Very sensitive people will have this for a day sometimes. This is part of the
body's inflammatory response, which is triggered when there is a perceived injury to the
body. It is temporary and normal.
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