Which method am i getting if....

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

The treatment consists of a needle inserted, then my guy uses a foot peddle to zap me? It looks like some knob and numbers indicating time and stregth. Does ‘Shortwave’ make sense? Thanks. Btw, i have had excellent success with electrolysis. I am almost finished with my bikini line and the results have been absolutely amazing. I have a great practitioner, who is unfortunately in transition right now, but he promises he’ll be back in September. Hi, i have plenty of questions about hair remval, so it’s nice to find this site.

[ July 11, 2002, 10:42 PM: Message edited by: Ginx ]

#2

Hi Ginx–

Shortwave is a name for thermolysis.

Glad you’ve been pleased with the results so far-- finding a good practitioner makes all the difference!

#3

Thanks. In your opinion, is the best method? Of course, how could i even consider switching, i don’t think i would unless i heard some overwhelming evidence that something else is so much better, but i always gotta ask. Thanks.

#4

Operator skill is the most important element.

Basically, thermolysis is faster, but often considered to be more likely to cause skin damage and be ineffective in the wrong hands.

Galvanic is very slow, but is often considered the safest and most effective.

Blend attempts to harness the best of both worlds, a happy medium of effectiveness, speed and safety. Many practitioners recommend blend, but as I said up front, the most important thing is a good practitioner. A good musician can make any instrument sound good-- same is true with electrolysis methods.

#5

Yes, thanks. I fully agree on degree on practictioner. When i first left lucy i tried out a few, and wow, some of them were just shocking. One left HOLES in my face. They didn’t heal for what seemed like months on end. Just awful. I think she must have been using the chemical method, becuase that felt like lye burning right through my skin, leaving holes where the acid ate it’s way through. I’ve also had a women who knew a whole lot and had tons of clients, seemed to do everything he did, but it didn’t ‘feel’ the same and she kept saying that each hair had to be treated maybe 3 or 4 times until it turned light and then it would be gone. No way, my guy hits my dark hairs one time, they make a fierce zap and those babies are gone, period. I got lucky, cuz i found him fast, but he’s been gone for a moment, but he promises he’s coming back. I wait with baited breath.

I will rec him when he comes back.

[ July 15, 2002, 07:35 AM: Message edited by: Tonic ]

#6

Another question on this Andrea, it seems as if the other 2 methods are more effective than shortwave, (the one i am getting) so why is it that Lucy Peters uses shortwave and not another? Thanks (that’s if that’s what they use, but i’m assuming it is b/c i remember it being the same to what i get now), except there’s a had a slightly different feel, more of a ‘POP’ each time. ZAP!

#7

Shortwave (aka thermolysis) is a great method in the right hands. It also has the benefit of being much faster than galvanic or blend. This allows for faster clearance and more hairs per session.

Several highly regarded practitioners use thermolysis exclusively. Interestingly, thermolysis is much more common on the East coast, and galvanic/blend on the West, probably because Blend originated out there.

A less-skilled practitioner is probably going to get better results and fewer side effects using galvanic or blend, which is why I usually suggest looking for someone who uses blend if you didn’t get a recommendation from someone who’s done and happy.

#8

Hmmmm, would blend by any chance leave holes? I had this one awful woman work on me, and the needles goes in, stays in for a bit, then pulls out, it was the most painful experience ever. After about 5-10 minutes, i told her to stop, there were holes in my face, that took over 6 months to heal (they litteraly left indents for months). Was that Galvnic? Was she just doing it ass wrong? Oh, i will never forget that woeful experience, my poor chin. I think i’d be scar®ed to do that again.

#9

You can get holes from both if you’re overtreated. One uses heat, the other caustic chemicals. Both cause holes if you get enough.

If she was leaving the needle in 2-3 seconds, it was probably blend-- longer than that and it was probably straight galvanic.

I’ve had holes, too (from tghermolysis). Some never healed completely!

#10

Hi there. This is my first posting here. I have found this site soooo helpful. I accidently stumbled on it while looking for some home kits. Thanks for the info. Saved me mucho money and probably a lot of scarring. I have some questions though. I have just started seeing an electrolysis, 4 sessions already. She is very nice has all her credentials posted on the wall and has been doing it for 23 years. But she also said what TONIC was told by one of her formers, that each hair will take about 3-4 “shocks” before it is permanetly gone. Is this correct? She predicts that it will take us 6-8 months for the hair to be gone and, with time increasing between treatment dates. Does this sound correct? I was tweezing my chin and upper lip for several years and have caused some discoloration around those areas. She said that this will gradually fade. Is this also correct? After treatments, I have reddness around the area and don’t want to go out in public. The next day, I still have slight reddness, but I can deal with it. I do think that some of these discolorations are caused by my previous tweezing and digging at the hairs, but I am not totally sure since the area is still “under attack.” What do you think? I mean, 23 years has to account for something, right? Any information you or any one else could offer would be most appreciated.

#11

Welcome, Debra, and I’m glad the info has been helpful!

It’s hard to kill a hair on the first shot. The “kill ratios” aren’t well-established, since there are so many variables. I probanly had to have most of mine hit a few times, but they were very coarse.

It usually takes six months to a year to get most of the hairs in a limited area like the chin. you’ll have to go more at fisrst to get them as they’re coming in, but after a while, you’ll be able to slow down the number of treatments.

To help with post-treatment redness, avoid the sun, don’t put makeup on the area, and use a soothing product. They’ll often pout a little witch hazel on right after. You can also put on some 100% aloe gel (no menthol or other additives), which can help the redness subside faster.

Once you’ve done the research and chosen someone you trust, it’s a bit of a leap of faith, I know. But you sound like you found someone with lots of experience who’s telling you all the right things. I know it can be a little nerve-wracking to commit a lot of time and money when you’re not 100% sure of when it will end, but with any luck, you’ll be almost done by year’s end and will have forgotten all about it by next summer! :smile:

#12

My guy inserts the needle and gives it 2 shots right off the bat. “zapzap (sizzle)” I’ve learned to love the sound. And i’d say the hair is usually gone for good after that. At least the course easy hairs that haven’t been waxed or plucked too much in the past.

#13

Hello just wanted to add in about the hole thing. Normally holes are caused by practioners error and by diathermy. What can happen is either the tip of the needle has not gone into the skin and as diathermy is heat it burns the skin and can scar, but this can also happen if the needle is left in the follicle for to long or if the current is to high it would be very hard to do this with blend as a Minimum heat is used.

#14

I just gotta touch on this one. Normally holes are NOT caused by electrologist! When you have a electrologist work on you who is trained correctly you do not end up with scarring. A filiment is inserted into the open pore the current is dilivered and the hair is easily epilated. You should not ever have scarring if you do its time to check with another electrologist in your area who has been highly recommeded or researched. If you ever have a question ASK IT a question is never to dumb.

#15

Well, you shouldn’t get holes by a trained practitioner, but then training isn’t any substitute for skill and experience!!

And co-ordination accidents do happen with even the best practitioners!

Actually, I’ve had a few holes caused by a machine fault (the pedal switch stuck on, and we didn’t notice!)

But I have to agree with Beauty Therapist. I’ve had both types of damage - zaps to the skin surface (machine fault mainly), and a few ‘long zaps’.

I’ve since switched to blend, and I’ve found it much better!!

#16

Holes are much more rare than the kind of scarring caused by overtreatment. This type often takes a long time to appear and can look like dimpling or smooth indentations, or creasing from vertical lines of scar tissue (most noticeable in the upper lip).

Because this type of scarring can take months or years to show up, it’s really important to choose an electrologist carefully. I also agree that blend is generally going to be safer, especially if you’re going to someone who is less experienced.