The Science and History of Transdermal Electrolysis

The concept of electrolysis began more than a hundred years ago in Saint Louis, Missouri, by Ophthalmologist Charles E. Michel.  For many years, he had tried in vain to solve the problem of ingrown eyelashes, which had caused chronic vision problems in several of his patients. 

Experimenting with a new technique, he attached a surgical needle to a live electrical wire from a dry-cell battery and inserted it down the follicle shaft for several minutes.  The result of the treatment was the total destruction of the hair follicle unit.   The hair never grew back, and history was made.

What Dr. Michel actually did was alter the pH of the follicle shaft from neutral (7) to highly caustic (11-14) by creating an electro-chemical reaction inside the tissue.  The electricity had changed the natural sodium electrolytes into a highly caustic alkali called sodium hydroxide (NaOH).  It is this chemical byproduct, not the electricity itself, which was responsible for the destruction of the hair-generating tissues.  This chemical is so caustic, a tiny drop could burn a hole instantly through your skin.

Thousands of men and women have been successfully treated with Dr. Michel’s process, also known as “conventional” or needle electrolysis.  It was somewhat ironic when, nearly a century later, scientists discovered it was completely unnecessary to insert a needle to produce caustic levels of sodium hydroxide inside the follicle pore.  By simply clipping an electrode directly to the hair itself (with the aid of a highly conductive silver chloride ion gel) the pH of the tissue could be elevated all the way to 14.  Quantitative molecular measurements verified the high presence of sodium hydroxide throughout the electrolyzed tissue. 

Transdermal Electrolysis:  This is very good news for the countless individuals who could not, or would not, undergo Dr. Michel’s needle process.  Most of the limitations which formerly plagued the professional electrologist have been completely eliminated by the introduction of non-invasive electrolysis.  The most serious of which were the health-risks involved with the use of needles (HIV, hepatitis, infections, etc).  Another involved the extreme difficulty in locating the papilla bundle (where hair growth starts) with the insertion probe.  The Transdermal electrolysis current finds the papilla every time.

“Non-Invasive” electrolysis (as it is also known) is a treatment process which has been thoroughly tested as safe and effective through clinical studies and governing agencies.  It has created a rock-solid reputation among physician’s, cosmetologists, aestheticians, and electrologists for the administration of electrolysis.  The most important aspect of Transdermal is that patient’s find the procedure very comfortable.

Distinct Changes Noted By Magnification

Before Transdermal Treatment:  The complete follicle unit is illustrated under 500X magnification, showing a distinct papilla matrix along with all of the corresponding tissues/cells of a healthy and mature anagen hair.  This follicle was extracted from the patient by tweezing, without having been treated by Transdermal Electrolysis

After Transdermal Treatment:  This photo illustrates the drastic effect to the follicle tissue following Transdermal Electrolysis.  The entire papilla bundle has dissolved, leaving nothing but the solid keratin shaft.  The fluid cells, which are responsible for nourishing the follicle, are completely gone.  The follicle from which this hair unit was extracted has been highly traumatized.  The cuticle of the hair has shown substantial decomposition as well.  Although the cuticle has no part in actual “growth” of the hair, it is what actually holds it securely in the skin.  The breakdown of the cuticle structure will make the hair pull from the skin with very little effort (or pain) following the administration of the treatment.  This is a very desirable way to extract hairs from a client.   The less discomfort involved, the more likely the client will continue treatments.

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Permanent Removal of Unwanted Hair - Without the Pain

Instead of inserting a needle, Transdermal hair removal involves placing a patch to transmit galvanic current through the skin to the hair follicles. This current creates a chemical reaction changing the water & salt present in the hair follicle to sodium hydroxide. As in the case of electrolysis, the sodium hydroxide destroys the germinative cells, thus achieving permanent hair removal.
 
As it takes approximately 6 - 12 weeks for a hair to grow from the papilla to the surface of the skin and each hair has its own individual cycle, you can appreciate why electrolysis is required over a period of time.  You may also be unaware that there can be as many as 1000 hair follicles in a square inch but only 10% are above the surface at any one time.  Excessive hair growth can be attributed to many causes such as hereditary, stress, hormonal changes or even medications.  In the case of women, puberty, pregnancy and menopause can affect hair growth, for these reasons, no-one - not even your doctor - can predict the exact length of time it will take to achieve complete removal of hairs in an area.