Intensity?

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Hi,
I was just wondering what the usual setting for female sideburns with blend would be? I understand it might be different for everyone but I’m not sure whether my electrolygist is using too high or too low of a setting. I do get some crusting but she says that the optimal intensity is just below my maximum pain tolerance threshold, so essentially she just keeps turning up the current (or is it intensity?) until I say its too much.

She uses the JB thermoblend machine and during the treatment today I saw that every time the current was administered the needle pointed up to .3mA. I’m not sure what this means but can someone tell me whether this intensity is too low or ok for the side burn area?

thanks!

#2

What is your specific concern? Is the treatment too painful? Is the level of crusting unacceptable? Are you concerned that hairs are being plucked?

It’s difficult to diagnose the problem without all the information, and the intensity is highly dependent on the electrologist, the client and many other factors. Pain tolerance is one consideration among many, and simply choosing an intensity to match the maximum pain tolerance of the client is a very unrefined approach to electrolysis.

Especially with traditional blend, the main consideration in determining settings is the time per hair. If an electrologist aims to treat each hair within six seconds of current, then they must choose the settings that will allow this. For example, successfully releasing hairs within six seconds with blend should typically not be causing any great discomfort if the settings are appropriate. This is why pain tolerance is not going to be the main consideration for a skilled electrologist.

#3

I do get crusting and they don’t completely fall off until 2 weeks after the treatment. She also mentioned that my hairs seem to be very stubborn and thick although I’ve never done anything to my side burn hairs, but I admit I naturally have a lot of hair in that area and my hair is naturally very thick.

With regards to the pain, I do feel like a prick and sometimes there is some discomfort, its difficult to describe the sensation - almost like a throbbing pain sometimes?

I guess my main concern is whether it would be appropriate to turn the setting up anymore than where it is at already, because I do have quite high pain tolerance and I think I can tolerate more pain but I also have crusting with the setting im at now - which i thought was a sign of intense treatment - yet the hairs are still difficult to get out.

#4

Settings vary between machine manufacturers so specific numbers on a dial or digital equivalent are irrelevant unless the electrologist is administering a galvanic treatment. Proper settings are determined by the minimum level of energy required to properly epilate the hair shaft without resistance all while not damaging the skin. There are other factors involved such as accuracy of insertion, proper probe selection for hair type, depth of insertion etc. There is more to it than just settings on a dial.

1 Like
#5

My colleagues above have already given you quite a bit of good info, which i agree with.

The most important question to ask in order to answer your question , is do you feel any tugging/plucking when your electrologist takes the hair out. If you do, then the energy/timing/needle size/insertion need to be adjusted.
If you don’t , are the crusts bigger than 1mm. Take a photo next time of your post treatment crusts and share it here,so we can help.

#6

Hi thanks for your reply! I do feel some tugging, I’m not sure if its plucking but I do feel some resistance when she tries to pull the hair out. I’ve read on this forum that the tugging sensation may be due to the hair bulb but I’m not entirely sure.

I’ve asked her about whether she recommends increasing the intensity but she’s not keen to do so because I already have some crusting at the current intensity. I’m not sure what more I can do now?

#7

We really need to see pictures to be able to help you further. People’s idea of coarse hair varies a lot as well as their pain tolerance. A picture will give us enough info hopefully to see size of hair, size of scabs and what may be going wrong if anything. Different size hair requires different settings and in blend there are 2 currents and the timing that can be tweeked, so the combinations are numerous.