Thermolysis vs. The blend?

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

What’s the difference? How come some say blend is better, even though slower has a higher kill rate than thermolysis? I find thermoylsis faster and because of that reason, if you go consistently every week more hairs will be killed. I wanna switch from blend on my face to thermolysis, problem is finding a GOOD electrologist.

I found a lady who works out of her home, 20+ years experience. She seems so confident, and she said the reason I’m probably not seeing results as quick as I would like, is also because I’m only going an hour a week for such a large area (full face) she wants to see my area, and recommend an allotted time per week. Does this sound reasonable? She said usually for female face she does min. of 2-3 hours a week (split up twice a week)
Can you great electrologists help me out here, does this sound like someone who knows what shes talking about lol I don’t know what to look for anymore when it comes to this =(

#2

Both thermolysis and blend are effective. It all depends on the skill. If the skill level is the same, thermolysis is faster, i.e. more hairs treated per minute.

#3

Getting more hours in up front to clear the area is never a bad idea, if your face can handle it. If your face is sensitive and takes a whole week to heal, then you’d want to leave the healing part totally alone (maybe work on the other side for a while or something).

I suggest you schedule a short session with her and judge for yourself if you feel any plucking and if your skin reaction is reasonable afterward. That is going to be the best (and only) way to tell if she’s any good.

#4

This is almost the exact question I wanted to ask today. I’ve had about 120 hours of blend on my male beard since 2004. I started out with a heavy, coarse male beard. Unfortunately, because of distance and spotty finances, I’ve wasn’t able to consistently follow-up when my face or neck was cleared. But I can see a definite reduction in density over these 6 years.

Interestingly, my facial hair was patchy for a few years. But gradually, it all evened out, just a lot less dense. I’m guessing that, over time, there is a big variation in the duration of anagen and telogen phases, that growth finally evens out. But when I compare my current density to what I started with in 2004, there has been a big and permanent reduction.

I have several areas that are completely hairfree, thanks to the blend work. My unibrow is completely gone. My upper cheeks are nearly hairfree. My mustache area is greatly reduced. But elsewhere, like my underjaw and neck areas, are still pretty dense.

Recently I started with a different electrologist who does thermolysis. She seems competent, but it’s hard to assess progress. I suppose I could treat for a while, and then wait 9 months, to see the results. I know she’s using an older Fischer machine, a TS-1, on manual setting. Otherwise, I don’t know the settings she’s using.

I’ve read different comparisons between blend and thermolysis. The comparisons all seem to say that blend is more effective in killing male beard hair the first time. They also say that thermolysis leaves tiny burns in the hair follicle, which can cause ingrowns if the hair was not killed. I sense that I’m getting more ingrowns than I did with blend. I’m also getting what feels like small burns, along with brusing, in areas where she tries to zap every hair. But I’m not getting the seepage of amber liquid that blend caused, that would later crust over. I can and do use witch hazel, but can’t use several other common things because of allergies.

Sorry this was so long, but does anyone have suggestions as to whether it’s worthwhile to continue with the present thermolysis?

#5

The hair didn’t grow back. Your body probably developed new hair. Do you know the reason for your hair growth?

#6

I don’t think there is a difference in terms of achieving permanency .I’ve been treated with both modalities. They both work, however the majority of electrologists want to use blend. Not sure why!!!I’m guessing since it takes longer, it means more visits from the client!

#7

Although I won’t go so far as to say that making more money is not a factor, the choice between blend and thermolysis is made based on the ease of doing good work. Since it is easier to get good at doing blend, and it forgives little errors on the practitioner’s part, it is easy to choose to do blend. Until, and unless one gets to be as good doing thermolysis as one is at blend, it really is doing the client a service to just do what one is best at doing.

For someone like myself, who can do it in blend, or thermolysis (or galvanic for that matter) it all comes down to what makes the most sense based on the priorities of the client. Most of my client’s priorities are something like: Get it done already! I want to feel as little as possible, and for the shortest amount of time. Oh, and I want to look like I am not having anything done.

In most cases, the thing that will come closest to delivering on their desires is PicoFlash or MicroFlash thermolysis.

#8

I notice a lot of electrologists who advertise that they have an Apilus, and maybe even give you a sample treatment with the Apilus during your consult, but when it comes time for treatment they use their old school Clareblend or sometimes a newer machine but still blend.

#9

Really? This surprises me.

#10

My electrologist uses blend on me with her old Clareblend and always has. I notice she has an Apilus Sr. II so I got her to use that on me a few times. I don’t think she is as good with the Apilus and I feel like she needs multiple pulses that end up being more painful than blend and taking almost as long. Plus I end up with more after effects in the form of little red dots. I let her treat my low back once and she totally burned my skin and left me with hyper pigmentation dots in a large cluster on my back. My advice is just stick to whatever your electrologist is most comfortable with.

#11

The problem you describe is an unfortunate thing. Many people buy an Apilus, but don’t get the training needed to utilize it well. They use the techniques of a Kree with the power of the Apilus and end up performing Nuclear treatments that send their clients running away screaming. If done right, an Apilus thermolysis treatment is one pulse, and relatively comfortable, while being highly effective.

I know of a few practitioners who strangely turned down the opportunity to have me give them some hands on training on the Apilus products they purchased, but later blamed the machine for their sub standard work with them once they had them. Of course, they still did not change protocol or listen to any advise that I tired to give them long distance. One ended a conversation where I described what was being done in a way that was not the best approach with “Well, that’s just the way that I feel most comfortable doing it!” So I just said, “But it is not the way that your clients feel most comfortable taking it, and since you have clients who have seen me, they know the difference.”

Didn’t help from what I hear.

#12

Caligirl! I was seeing an electrologist that did the same thing! She had an Apilus and a Clareblend, but never used the Apilus on me unless I asked her to! I stopped seeing her and found another electrologist!

#13

Good for you!

#14

I personally find that for bodywork, blend is proving to be much less traumatic and so far has resulted in less scabbing and ingrowns. That could be because of practitioner skill or my sensitive skin, though.

#15

Good advice,caligirl , I agree completely.

#16

Regarding modality, its all good.
I prefer to administer the fastest flash thermolysis but if I need treatment, I prefer blend as it never exacerbates my psoriasis while thermolysis does. Extenuating circumstances is just the perfect reason to know all modalities and as many techniques that the equipment enables one to administer.

Regarding James’s post, he has a lot to offer a profession where continuing education is overly boring and redundant. Just a few minutes with him gave me the incentive to start using more #6 probes in situations where I was using 4’s and 5’s. He has made an impact on me as my commitment to providing the best treatment is a priority. Now only if he could only manage to get CEU approval.

#17

Here! Here! Arlene. Electrologists should be able to demonstrate skill for all modalities. Even though I use the varying degrees of flashes, I adore the blend for some situations. I always use the biggest probes possible thanks to James’ advice several years ago. I find real advantage to that strategy for the client.

Long live the King! This profession needs James as a lecturer. I am at the point where I feel that there is nothing I can be taught at my continuing ed seminars - it is all redundant. I find that many get a confused puppy look when the words MicroFlash or PicoFlash thermolysis come from my lips. They never heard of these modalities and if any have heard of these modalites, they scowl and puff and say they are not effective on thick hair. Sadly for their clients, they couldn’t be more wrong.

Dee

#18

pico and micro are terms that dectro uses
so if an electrologist has a relationship with other manufacturers, they
might use other terms

when i used silhouette tone over 20 years ago, and that was among the early digital flash, that was referred to as superflash

i heard that gentronics updated their machines and can match micro timing

i haven’t investigated but i have to remind myself that with thermolysis, there are no universal settings and the language varies for the same meanings