[duplicate post from merged threads]
So at my last electrolysis appointment, my first time with this electrologist, she used a roller over the treated areas once she was done. It was a roller with witch hazel on a thin paper sheet wrapped around it. I had the roller at the end at my previous electrologist’s office too but she told me that hers, and I assume my previous electrologist’s roller actually had electricity running through it. And boyyyyy could I feel it in hers, I would never had noticed at the other place though. She said it promoted skin repair, healing, and that it closed up the pores. So she decided to roll it across my forehead where I had a small breakout and when it rolled across I felt a strong zap of electricity near my eyes that felt sooo unsafe. I was pretty scared to be honest.
QUESTIONN (So I am wondering, what was that all about, should I ask her not to use that, is it necessary? Is it possibly harmful, and does the elecricity involved with electricity have the possibility of somehow throwing the heartbeat off and messing with it’s pace?
Thankyou
If this was done after thermolysis, it’s cataphoresis. It’s supposed to cause vasoconstriction and provide a temporary relief for the temporary side effects of thermolysis. Most electrologists don’t bother with it. Personally, I would rather spend the appointment time on removing hair, rather than on cataphoresis, as the benefits are marginal. The zap that you felt, if your eyes were closed, is probably your optic nerve being stimulated by the flow of electrons from the roller. You may have seen a tiny flash, and it’s harmless.
Unnecessary, in my opinion, but many electrologists swear by it. If it works - don’t fix it. Harmful - no - it will not throw off your heartbeat. It is recommended that those with pacemakers do not have electrolysis until talking to their physician.
Didn’t Michael Bono answer this question last week?
Your “roller” uses direct current. This is exactly the current you get from a battery you buy at the store: electrons moving in one direction (thus the name “direct current”*). The electrons move from the negative pole to the positive pole (seems wrong, but that’s what’s happening).
If you have a breach in the skin the “electricity” will leap into the wetter spot. Remember that electricity is “lazy” and will always go where there is less resistance. Your “boo boo” is a perfect conductor consisting of exposed salty liquid. As the current shoots into the tiny spot it becomes concentrated (all the current flows to the spot) and you will feel a zap.
If the electrologist were to rest the electrode on the spot for a few minutes (with her positive roller) there actually would be a buildup of acid in the tissue … not a good thing. However, that’s not going to happen with a quick “roll over.”
Mostly it’s the HF (thermolysis) that used to be worrisome for people with pacemakers … since the HF is an actual transmitter of radio frequency. With today’s “shielded” pacemakers and epilators there should be not problem. Still, getting the physician’s approval (as if they know?) will satisfy insurance issues for the electrologist.
Funny note: in Europe they say “Thermo-LYsis.” Americans say: “Ther-MOLysis.” Actually, the Europeans are more correct. From Greek: “Thermo:” Heat … and “Lysis:” to break apart. We put the accent on a different “Syl AH bull!”
(*The struggle between proponents of DC and AC (in the late 19th and early 20th century) is worth looking into. It’s a heroic story filled with battles and intrigue. AC won for commercial use.)
I stopped applying cataphoresis (the official name of that roller thing) even after blend treatments because some clients reacted heavily on it an did not like it.