| The quest for permanent hair removal goes
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| | Electrolysis has a long history, and many
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| back millenia; archeologist say that men
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| | researchers were experimenting with
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| shaved as far back as 20 thousand years
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| | electrical methods of hair removal as far
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| ago, using sharpened rocks and shells.
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| | back as the American Civil War era. The
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| Societies all around the world use
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| | first workable electrolysis machine was
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| diverse hair removal methods, from
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| | invented by St. Louis ophthalmologist
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| sugaring to caustic depilatory creams.
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| | Charles Michel, who in published results
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| However, the hair eventually grows back
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| | of permanent hair removal with treatment
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| and the procedure must be repeated
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| | by a battery-powered electrified needle
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| endlessly.
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| | in 1875. He had been using his device to
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| The oldest method of permanent hair
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| | treat ingrown eyelashes since 1869. This
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| removal is electrolysis. It works as
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| | DC-current powered method is referred to
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| advertised for most consumers if done
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| | as electrolysis or galvanic electrolysis
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| correctly, but it requires training and
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| | because a chemical reaction in the hair
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| skill by the operator. A hair-thin probe
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| | follicle causes formation of sodium
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| is inserted into each hair follicle, and
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| | hydroxide, which damages the follicle.
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| low-voltage electricity is applied,
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| | The chemical reaction is as follows :
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| causing localized damage to the follicle
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| | NaCl (salt) H2O (water) direct
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| and preventing hair regrowth. Proper
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| | current = NaOH (sodium hydroxide) Cl
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| insertion of the probe follows the
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| | (chlorine) H (hydrogen).
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| natural opening of the follicle and does
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| | Subsequent improvements included a
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| not penetrate the skin.
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| | machine using multiple needles, invented
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| This method of hair removal has a proven
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| | by Paul Kree in 1916; and the use of AC
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| track record of more than 125 years, and
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| | current, called diathermy, which causes
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| most studies show 90%-93% customer
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| | direct thermal injury to the hair
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| satisfaction with the results. However,
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| | follicle, reported in medical literature
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| it can be expensive if large areas are to
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| | in 1924 by Dr. Henri Bordier. The latter
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| be treated, and waiting while a
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| | method is also referred to as
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| technician attends to each individual
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| | thermolysis, short-wave, high-frequency,
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| hair in turn can be tedious. It can be
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| | and radiofrequency hair removal.
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| moderately painful. If the technician is
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| | Minor improvements continued through the
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| unskilled, permanent scarring can occur,
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| | 1930s and 1940s. In 1948, Arthur Hinkel
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| and unsterilized equipment can spread
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| | and Henri St. Pierre received a patent in
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| skin infections.
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| | 1948 for a combination method they
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| The treatment may have to be repeated 3-4
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| | developed, and 20 years later published
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| times, both to redo follicles which were
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| | "Electrolysis, Thermolysis and the
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| not destroyed after one treatment, and to
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| | Blend", which described their experiments
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| catch follicles which were not producing
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| | with different hair removal techniques.
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| hairs at the time of treatment and thus
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| | "Blend" refers to the fact that blended
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| went unnoticed. Hair follicles are not
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| | methods often work better than just one
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| always in an active growth phase;
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| | method alone.
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| however, after a year or so, most
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| | Further improvements included
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| follicles will have been treated. Because
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| | incorporating transistors and
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| a majority of hair follicles are in a
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| | computerized controls, as well as
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| dormant, non-growth phase at any given
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| | insulated probes and sterile disposable
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| time, treatment must be repeated at 2-3
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| | needles. However, despite attempts to
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| month intervals to catch them all.
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| | automate electrolysis equipment, the
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| The term "needle-free electrolysis" is
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| | effectiveness and safety of electrolysis
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| sometimes used to describe hair removal
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| | is highly dependent on the skill of the
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| devices which function by passing
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| | operator. Electrolysis professional
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| electric current down the hair shaft to
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| | organizations exist and set standards for
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| the follicle by a tweezer or a conductive
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| | member certification, but in many states,
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| patch. These systems are completely
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| | anyone is legally permitted to offer
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| ineffective, as hair is a poor conductor
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| | electrolysis services. Therefor it is
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| of electricity.
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| | important for anyone seeking electrolysis
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| Battery-operated home units are sold on
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| | to get references beforehand.
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| at department stores, the Internet and on
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| | Use of this hair removal method continued
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| Ebay, usually for around $20. The most
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| | into the early part of the 20th century,
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| popular brand is One-Touch by Babyliss,
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| | when it was briefly eclipsed by X-ray
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| though others are offered as well. From
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| | hair removal, which was advertised as
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| personal experience, I can testify that
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| | safe and painless. It should be noted
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| these units do indeed work, but a lot of
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| | that people in this era displayed a
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| practice is necessary. Consumers who try
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| | generalized, dangerous lack of knowledge
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| this option should be aware that despite
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| | about the dangers of radiation; shoe
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| the detailed and quite adequate
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| | stores even featured x-ray machines to
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| instructions accompanying the units,
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| | aid in shoe fitting!
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| there is a learning curve, and many
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| | After the X-ray fad ended consumers
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| people have found that performing
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| | returned to electrolysis until the advent
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| electrolysis on themselves is too
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| | of effective laser treatment in the
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| difficult to be worth the trouble.
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| | 1990's. These days, most hair removal is
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| However, if you do decide to use this
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| | done by laser, but electrolysis is still
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| option, a pair of magnifying glasses and
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| | useful for isolated hairs, and for pale
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| a good set of tweezers can make the
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| | hair which responds poorly to light-based
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| procedure much easier.
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| | treatment.
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