So far have had 2 electrolysis appointments, and both times I’ve asked a question and haven’t gotten an answer that makes sense. The person doing the electrolysis asks me to hold onto a what-appears-to-be a metal cylinder, wrapped in a wet paper towel, which appears to be attached to the machine by a cord. She said it’s better if I hold it - “for the energy”…Then she said, “if you’re pregnant, you don’t hold it” [which got me really worried - didn’t think you were supposed to have electrolysis if you’re pregnant…and what IS that thing I’m holding that could cause a problem for a pregnant woman?!!]…when further questioned she said if I don’t hold it she has to use a pedal, but it hurts her back…Can anyone shed some light on what this is all about? I guess I’m looking for information on how the machine works…
The ‘Rod’ that you hold in your hand is called a ‘Ground’. When using galvanic current (D.C. current), the ground is given to the client so there is a complete circuit of the current from the machine to the hair follicle that the Electrologist is destroying.
After re-reading your question, it seems that your electrologist uses the thermolysis (A.C. Current) method during your treatments and needs to have you hold this ground so she does not have to constantly step on the foot pedal that controls the taps of flash being used. When you hold the ground, she can put the machine on ‘automatic’ and make it a bit easier for herself.
Don’t worry, with either modality, you won’t get ‘electricuted’…
Some of the licensed states (of which there are only 31) are against Electrologists working on pregnant woman with the galvanic (D.C. current) method as they don’t know what the effects, if any, could be on the fetus. If you are holding the ground during the treatment and you are pregnant it could be dangerous. They feel it’s better to wait until after the baby is born to work on the mother.
I hope this clarifies you questions 
Good luck with your treatments!
Susan Nasta
I don’t suppose this is at all relevant, but I’ll tell you all anyway…
My electrolysist insists I hold the ground (even when I’m having thermolysis) - if I don’t, each time she zaps, the CD player goes screwy!!
BTW - she calls it neutralising me. I’m Sure that’s not the right term!!! 
Toni, thermolysis uses Radio Frequency (RF) energy, which is also used in things like remote controls for TVs, etc. It’s possible that your electrologist’s machine emits a frequency that effects electronic devices, but they usually are made with manufacturing specs that correct for this. In the US, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is responsible for that kind of stuff.
If she has the CD player too close to her electrolysis machine, that might be the problem. Tell her she might try running them through different outlets on different breakers. You guys in the UK have that weird 110 current, I think. We use 220 here. I don’t know a lot about electrical stuff, so maybe another reader can comment.
Thanks Andrea … I guess I could make those suggestions, but I find the the odd 
sound here and there is a real blast!!
It’s quite an old machine, so I suspect some sort of supression circuitry might have broken down.
I think it’s the Radio Communications Agency (RCA) that governs that sort of stuff here in the UK. I didn’t realise that thermology used radio frequency until I read this site!
I’m in the US and had this problem when I was located in an older medical office building. There were 3 electrologists, using 3 different treatment rooms, but only one of us had the problem with the thermolysis buzzing in the radio/cd player. The equipment was new, but the wiring in the building was old.