Blend v Galvanic v Thermolysis

It’s not FIFA, but it’s important

To understand the difference between the three methods of electrolysis, we have to travel back in time to 1875 when an ophthalmologist in St. Louis by the name of Charles Michel was tackling the problem of ingrown eyelashes. Dr. Michel used a battery powered epilator to insert a tiny probe into the follicle of the eyelash. The electrical current caused a chemical reaction inside the follicle in which sodium hydroxide or lye was formed, damaging the follicle to the point of hair destruction. “Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye” takes on a dark meaning in reference to the history of electrolysis. Not only that, it could take up to five minutes to treat a single hair.

Fast forward to 1923 and Dr. Henri Bordier in Paris, France (not to be confused with Paris, IL, Paris, TX, or any other Paris in the world) introduced thermolysis to the world of hair removal. This involved a high-frequency alternating current (heat) applied to the follicle through the probe. This method took mere seconds to treat the follicle. The only problem was, the regrowth rate was quite high as the practitioner had to be extremely accurate in reaching the germinal center of the follicle. This is especially difficult with curved follicles.

In 1938 two new heroes entered the field of permanent hair removal: Electrologist Henri St. Pierre of Lyon, France, and engineer Arthur Hinkel, U.S. American engineer. Together these two superheroes combined the effectiveness of galvanic electrolysis with the speed of thermolysis and permanent hair removal was revolutionized.

Both galvanic and thermolysis methods of hair removal will work to destroy a hair follicle with the proper intensity, depth, and time applied, but the Blend method is preferred for effectiveness, comfort, and speed.