Electrolysis Hair Removal – The Pros, Cons And Science Bit
What Is Electrolysis Hair Removal
The aim of this article is to introduce you to the basic science associated with electrolysis hair removal methods and the three methods of electro-epilation, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of each. My aim is to help you to make an informed choice when you visit the beauty of hair salon to select the most suitable method of permanent hair removal for the your skin and hair conditions.
Galvanic Chemical Electrolysis Hair Removal
This is the oldest form of electrolysis hair removal or epilation and uses a direct current which possesses polarity because it flows in one direction only through a circuit. To achieve this the current needs one negative and one positive electrode for a circuit to be completed. It works on the principle of producing a movement of ions in the skin tissues from negative to positive, or visa versa. This process is known as electrolysis.
During galvanic chemical epilation/electrolysis hair removal you are connected to the anode which you will hold in your hand. This is then connected to the positive outlet on the electrolysis machine, whilst the needle electrode is connected to the negative outlet on the machine and therefore negatively charged.
The needle is inserted into the hair follicle which contains a natural electrolyte, water and salt. This helps your skin tissues conduct electricity better allowing the current to flow readily through the skin. As the direct current passes through the tissues it causes a chemical chain reaction to occur. This results in the atoms of the salt and water breaking down. The atoms split into negatively and positively charged ions, called cations and anions, that rearrange themselves to form new chemical substances, sodium hydroxide at the cathode and hydrochloric acid at the anode.
The chemical structure of water is 2 hydrogen atoms (H2O) and 1 oxygen atom (O2), whilst the chemical structure of salt is 1 sodium atom (NaCI) and 1 chloride atom (Cl). During the electrolysis hair removal procedure these chemicals simply separate into sodium ions and chloride ions, all the ions produced usually pair up immediately, as they are unstable in this format, so the chloride ions join together to form chlorine gas (Cl2). Whilst the hydrogen ions pair up to form hydrogen gas (H2), this leaves the sodium ion (Na) to pair up with the hydroxy ion (OH) thus forming the chemical sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at the cathode. Sodium hydroxide also known as lye is a highly caustic alkali which is available along the whole length of the needle. It is able to penetrate the skin tissues and curved hair follicles due to its wide treatment pattern. This results in tissue destruction through chemical decomposition of the lower follicle, where the moisture is more concentrated, either rendering the follicles inactive or weakening its ability to reproduce new hair growth.
Electrolysis Hair Removal – The Chemical Process
This chemical reaction is not immediate but takes time to build up and depends on three factors:
- how high the current intensity is
- how long the current application time is
- the moisture level within the tissues.
Fine hair growth may require up to 10 seconds or more on a low current intensity, whereas deep, coarse terminal hair growth may require a higher intensity of current for 20 or 30 seconds leading up to several minutes of treatment, for treatment to be effective in producing sufficient lye. The treatment does not cease when the current stops as the chemical action continues to build up within the tissues for a short time afterwards (just like switching on a fire your room is not instantly heated, it takes time for the heat to build up in the room).
Therefore, leave the hair in situ for a few minutes while you treat other similar hairs in the area, before removing it, hence up to several minutes treatment time. Occasionally during the electrolysis hair removal process hydrogen gas will appear as froth on the skin surface.
This is a by-product of the treatment which is harmless to the skin, but should be wiped off to prevent the current from travelling onto the skin surface. At the anode another gas may be released called chlorine gas, which combines with water and forms hydrochloric acid and is distributed over the electrode surface, without causing any irritation normally.
Electrolysis Hair Removal Reviews – The Pros and Cons
The Advantages Of Galvanic Electrolysis Hair Removal Are:
- Ideal for distorted hair follicles as sodium hydroxide is able to penetrate curved follicles due to its wide treatment pattern
- Able to treat deep, coarse terminal hair growth more effectively than short wave diathermy
- The current is concentrated in the lower follicle due to the moisture levels being greater here and the sebum insulating the upper drier, skin surface tissues
- Regrowth is less than short wave diathermy, but more than the blend method, due to the sodium hydroxide not being heated by the high frequency current with these hair removal methods
- This method can be used on nervous clients.
The Disadvantages Of Galvanic Electrolysis Hair Removal Are:
- Not ideally suited to fine shallow hair growth
- Requires more time than short diathermy treatment
- Fewer hairs can be treated in one session than with short wave diathermy, due to the length of the electrolysis hair removal treatment time for individual hairs.
- Not ideally suited home electrolysis hair removal use due to the equipment required and expense associated with the electrolysis hair removal machine
- The electrolysis hair removal cost is quite high