The following is excerpted from my site:
Hairfacts: Electrolysis
</font><blockquote><font size=“1” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>quote:</font><hr /><font size=“2” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”> Three kinds of energy are used:
Galvanic electrolysis works by causing salt and water in the skin around the probe to be chemically altered to produce a small amount of sodium hydroxide, or lye. Lye is the active ingredient in some crystal drain openers. If enough is produced, it can damage the cells that cause hair growth. The chemical reaction is expressed like this:
NaCl (salt) + H2O (water) + direct current = NaOH (sodium hydroxide) + Cl (chlorine) + H (hydrogen)
Thermolysis works by causing water molecules in the skin around the probe to vibrate, which creates heat. If enough heat is produced, it can damage the cells that cause hair growth.
Blend is based on the theory that lye is more caustic when heated. Theoretically, blend is more effective than other methods if performed correctly. Blend is recommended by several experts, [4, 5, 6] but electrologist skill is by far the most important factor in safe and effective treatment. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size=“2” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>For more on the clinical advantages, read the summary on that page or see:
Hairfacts: Electrolysis medical data
[ June 19, 2002, 12:27 PM: Message edited by: Andrea ]