Overview of methods?

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

I haven’t seen a thorough survey of the relative merits of the different electrolysis methods. Michael Bono, for example, is unambiguous in his endorsement of Blend, while Gino Fior seems devoted to flash thermolysis. I’d be interested in hearing from both clients and electrologists on the merits and demerits of the different methods.

Thus far I’ve learned (correctly or incorrectly!):

Galvanic: Least pain, but slow. Effective; the residual lye continues to work for some time after epilation. Can work in multi needle mode, but generally not considered as a viable option because of complexity and difficulty.

Straight thermolysis: Medium speed, moderate pain, no residual effect, most prevalent post treatment scabbing and welts. Less effective per hair per epilation; hairs commonly regrow multiple times.

Flash thermolysis: Much faster than other options. Least pain because the treatment is so fast. Post treatment condition similar to straight thermolysis. Effectiveness similar to flash thermolysis.

Blend: Somewhat faster than and more effective than straight thermolysis; post treatment condition better than thermoloysis. Significant pain. Most effective per hair, per epilation.

Anybody have any corrections or additions?

On overall efficacy:

I’m guessing that clients may prefer flash because of its speed, lower pain, and greater apparent effectiveness – clearing an entire area in a single session, for example. But, as Michael Bono claims, “the tortoise wins the race”, presumably because of greater effectiveness.

So, with identical insertion times, and the same time per week spent “under the needle”, which method would come out ahead?

  • Eric
#2

I switched from thermolysis to blend because the pain is less, and the scabbing is a little less. Which method is faster is hard to say, they may be equally fast in the end. I’ve noticed fewer regrowing hairs with blend but I don’t get as much work done in my sessions.

Getting an electrologist who is good took me some work. The ones I didn’t like had schooling and are R.E.s , so search carefully.

[ October 04, 2003, 08:26 PM: Message edited by: snaffle ]

#3

One thing needs correcting:
</font><blockquote><font size=“1” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>quote:</font><hr /><font size=“2” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>Blend: Somewhat faster than and more effective than straight thermolysis; post treatment condition better than thermoloysis. Significant pain. Most effective per hair, per epilation.
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size=“2” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>Thermolysis is always faster per hair, because it treats hairs in one second or less. Blend takes at least seven seconds per hair on average and so treating ten hairs in Blend will take longer than treating ten hairs with any form of thermolysis.

A person who gets treatment regularly, however, may find that they finish sooner (based on number of months their treatment is spread out over)in blend because of the higher regrowth rate experienced in thermolysis. However, since one can get full clearnance in thermolysis faster, and maintain it easier, the visual effect is that one can look finished while still working on the final goal at a much faster rate when utilizing thermolysis.

Have I confused you all yet? :confused:

#4

Is it a fact that thermolysis has higher regrowth rate? Is the something to support this view?

How much is the regrowth rate for both modalities? (approximately)

Thanks

#5

I started doing electrolysis four months ago (started in july 2003). I started out with full thermolysis. I had a lot of redness after thermolysis and my pore sizes increased after the needle was injected into the pore because of the high level of heat. Because my skin took so long to heal after thermolysis, I switched to the blend method. The blend method was much gentler on my skin. However, I still got some redness from the heat. Therefore, I decided to switch to full galvanic. I just get swelling after each treatment (which goes away several hours after treatment). I haven’t gotten a scar yet from from full galvanic electrolysis - I’m getting full galvanic electrolysis done to this day and I am happy to say that I have no coarse hairs left on my upper lip or chin. And, I wish I tried the other methods right away because I got a lot of treatment done using thermolysis and I have scars from that.
My advice to you is to try every method and see which one is best for you because everyone’s skin is different. What I found is that my skin is very sensitive to heat and so the only method I can use is galvanic. I hope this helps!

#6

It is more correct to say that the practitioners in your area gave you the results you got. I have successfully treated clients in all those forms without scarring. I have also seen people come into my office with scars from one method or another that i succesfully treat them with the same method, although with better treatment protocol.

That is why we say get a consultation and sample treatment from everyone in your area before choosing. Let the treatment be your guide, not the flashy business cards, the marble floors, or even the price.