Three Types of Electrolysis For Hair Removal | Sterex (2024)

There are three modalities of electrolysis treatment: galvanic, short wave diathermy and blend.

They all have comparative benefits and disadvantages and should be used in accordance with individual clients’ needs and situations. All three modalities require moisture for effective treatment.

Galvanic

The galvanic method uses a direct current which moves from one pole to the other in one direction.

ADVANTAGES

  • Excellent for strong and coarse hair
  • Excellent for distorted follicles – the Lye is fluid and flows into the base of the follicle
  • Current is attracted to the area of greatest moisture, i.e. the lower follicular area, where the dermal papilla is located
  • Less re-growth

DISADVANTAGES

  • Treatment is slow, as it requires more application time to allow the destructive chemical to flow and act
  • Not as effective on fine vellus hair, which is more shallow, as there is less moisture and a higher level of insulating sebum in the upper follicular area.

Short wave diathery (SWD)

This method is also known as ‘Thermolysis’, ‘High Frequency’(HF) and less so ‘Radio Frequency’(RF). It uses an alternating current that oscillates by moving backwards and forwards between poles at 3 to 30 million cycles per second.

ADVANTAGES

  • The quickest way to remove hairs
  • As it is coagulation, not cauterisation that is required, a low intensity current is required so damage to surrounding tissue is less likely

DISADVANTAGES

  • Permanent results take longer, as there is more re-growth
  • Not suitable for the removal of distorted and curved follicles, as the heating effect is not wide enough

Blend

The blend method uses a combination of SWD and galvanic currents and benefits from the greater effectiveness of the galvanic method and the warmth produced by SWD.

ADVANTAGES

  • Takes more time in situ than SWD, but is quicker than the galvanic only method
  • Generally more comfortable for the client than SWD
  • More efficient than either of the other methods on their own
  • Very effective on distorted or curved follicles because of the fluidity of the warmed lye
  • More effective so less re-growth
  • Three different techniques can be used to suit all skin types and pain thresholds, so client can choose the treatment that is most comfortable for them – the happier clients are, the busier electrologists will be!

DISADVANTAGES

  • Lower currents generally mean longer time (but for some clients this is their choice as its more comfortable)

BLEND METHOD – THREE TECHNIQUES

Technique 1 – Higher for Shorter

Generally the most popular, this technique must always be carried out first to establish the ‘working point’, which is the point at which the hair epilates without traction, indicating you have achieved the correct and optimum levels for treatment.

PROCESS:

  1. Set the timer to 5.0
  2. Set the thermolysis (SWD) intensity to 0.5
  3. Set the galvanic intensity to 15
  4. Insert the needle, depress the footswitch
  5. Wait for the beep, lift foot from pedal and remove needle
  6. Gently release the hair; if it won’t remove, leave in situ for a while and increase the galvanic intensity by 3 digits and insert into another follicle
  7. Repeat steps 4, 5 & 6 (on different follicles) until the working point is found.
  8. Once the working point has been established, other methods can be tried.

Technique 2 – Lower for Longer

Following on from Technique 1, turn the galvanic intensity down by 3 digits and increase the timer by 1 second, to 6.0 seconds. Can be repeated, reducing the galvanic current and increasing the time until the desired results are obtained.

Technique 3 – Treat and Leave

The lowest current and time usage, but the hair is temporarily left in the follicle to allow the Lye additional time to perform its caustic action. Following on from method two, decrease the time to 5.0 seconds, do not alter the galvanic intensity.

  1. Treat a group of at least 10 hairs, but DO NOT remove
  2. Treat another group of at least 10 hairs – do not remove these hairs either
  3. Gently remove the hairs from the first group, then the second group

A mini ‘treat and leave’ technique can be utilised. Once the working point is established, occasionally a stubborn hair may not release as it may require slightly more time in the follicle to react. This one hair can be left in the follicle temporarily whilst the electrologist moves onto the next hair. Following the gentle release of the next hair, the first stubborn hair can be revisited and it should now gently lift from the follicle.

Sometimes better results are obtained by turning the thermolysis (SWD) down to 04 or even 03 as the moisture in the follicle can dry out too much at the normal level.

Three Types of Electrolysis For Hair Removal | Sterex (2024)

FAQs

Three Types of Electrolysis For Hair Removal | Sterex? ›

There are three modalities of electrolysis treatment: galvanic, short wave diathermy and blend. They all have comparative benefits and disadvantages and should be used in accordance with individual clients' needs and situations. All three modalities require moisture for effective treatment.

What are the three types of electrolysis? ›

Types of Electrolysis
  • Galvanic Electrolysis – Galvanic electrolysis is the oldest type for of this hair removal. ...
  • Thermolysis Electrolysis – Thermolysis uses shortwave radio frequency or AC current. ...
  • Blend Electrolysis – True to its name, blend combines both galvanic and thermolysis in one treatment.

What type of electrolysis is best for hair removal? ›

Galvanic electrolysis is one of the most effective forms of electrolysis, able to remove even the strongest, coarsest hair. It'll also help remove distorted follicles, where the lye is fluid, flowing into the follicle's base. That's because the current is attracted to the area with the greatest moisture.

What are the methods of electrolysis hair removal? ›

There are three types of electrolysis: galvanic (which chemically dissolves the follicle), thermolysis (which uses localized heat), and blend (which utilizes both methods).

What is the least painful electrolysis method? ›

Short-wave diathermy or thermolysis uses heat alone to do its job. It's quicker and less painful than other options. Galvanic electrolysis mixes heat and chemicals to destroy the hair follicle. This method is more painful than others and isn't used often.

What are the 3 types of electrode? ›

Cathode and anode, reactive, inert electrodes, electrodes in quantitative analysis, electrodes in batteries.

What are the 3 products of electrolysis? ›

Electrolysis is a very commercial and important process to produce Hydrogen gas, Chlorine gas and Sodium Hydroxide.

Which electrolysis is most effective? ›

Galvanic Electrolysis

This process is most effective on coarse hair. During the treatment, an electric node is placed on the hair, and the electrical current moves down to the base of the hair follicle. A chemical reaction occurs during this process, turning the current into a liquid called lye.

How many electrolysis sessions does it take to permanently remove hair? ›

Expect to go through around eight to twelve sessions for a permanent result. That may seem like a lot. However, it's important to remember – the results last forever. Indeed, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Medical Association (AMA) consider electrolysis the only permanent hair removal method.

Does electrolysis permanently remove hair forever? ›

Yes, electrolysis safely and permanently removes hair from all skin tones. It is the only FDA-approved permanent hair removal treatment. Because electrolysis permanently destroys the growth cells in the hair follicles, the hair will not grow back.

What is the new method of electrolysis? ›

Thermolysis is heat-based electrolysis, also known as shortwave method. A thermolytic epilator destroys the hair follicle by injecting each follicle with high-frequency radio energy. This energy produces localized heat and weakens cells and surrounding tissues to prevent future hair growth.

How many methods are there for electrolysis? ›

There are three modalities of electrolysis treatment: galvanic, short wave diathermy and blend. They all have comparative benefits and disadvantages and should be used in accordance with individual clients' needs and situations. All three modalities require moisture for effective treatment.

What is a downside to electrolysis? ›

Electrolysis Cons

The electricity in the device can actually destroy the capillaries in the surrounding areas. It can be very painful. It is not recommended for people with rosacea since the skin is so easily irritated. It may not be suitable for people with darker skin tones.

Why is electrolysis hair removal not popular? ›

Electrolysis is not as popular as laser hair removal for a few reasons: Longer Treatment Time: As mentioned, treating each hair follicle one by one makes electrolysis a much lengthier process. Discomfort: The procedure can be more uncomfortable, which deters some people from opting for it.

Is there anything other than electrolysis to remove hair permanently? ›

Laser/Light Treatment

If a laser or light based hair removal method has been used, electrolysis should be avoided in the treated area for two weeks to ensure maximum healing potential from the laser or IPL. Ideally the two treatments should be performed completely separately with many weeks in-between treatments.

Where is electrolysis most painful? ›

The degree of pain is also relative to the area of treatment. Certain spots, such as the upper lip, are known to be more sensitive than spots like the brows.

What are the three types of electrolytic solutions? ›

Strong electrolytes fall into three categories: strong acids, strong bases, and salts. (Salts are sometimes also called ionic compounds, but really strong bases are ionic compounds as well.) The weak electrolytes include weak acids and weak bases.

Does electrolysis really remove hair permanently? ›

Yes. Unlike other hair removal methods that offer a temporary solution, Electrolysis is permanent and is the only FDA approved method of permanent hair removal.

What are three uses of electrolysis? ›

Extraction of metals. Purification of metals. Electrolytic reduction of metals from their compounds.

What are the different Electrolyser types? ›

Three types of electrolysers for hydrogen production exist. These are the alkaline electrolyser, the proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyser, and solid oxide electrolyser (SOE).

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