Electrolysis Modalities

What does a rectifier do?

Changes alternating current (a/c) to direct current (d/c)

What modality is interrupted current?

Thermolysis

Which modality breaks down tissue and is speeded by heat?

Blend (Galvanic = breaks down tissue; thermolysis = speeded by heat)

What is the natural insulator in galvanic?

Sebum (oil)

Intensity x Duration = ?

Units of Lye Produced (Galvanic/Blend) OR Treatment Energy

What are different types of conductors (transmits)?

Any substance which readily transmits electrical current: Probe; metals (stainless steel, gold, copper), human body

What is an example of an insulator (resists)?

Rubber; any material which will resist the passage of an electrical current

What is Galvanic measured in?

Miliamperes (ma)

Ohm =

Resistance; the unit of electrical resistance

Watt =

Power; the unit of power, ampere x volt

Volt =

The unit of electrical Force/pressure

Amphere =

The unit of electrical Strength

Caustic =

More damaging

What is a circuit?

A path; the entire path traveled by an electrical current from its generating source, through conductors and back to its source

What are the 5 variables that affect treatment?

1. Length of time current is applied

2. Intensity of current

3. Depth of insertion

4. Needle diameter

5. Moisture gradient

Virgin hair growth =

Superfluous (excess) hair condition that hasn’t been tweezed, cut or tampered with in the previous 8 months or longer.

What does FCC stand for?

Federal Communication Comission

Who coined the term High Frequency Blowout (HFB)?

James Shuester

How should you hold the probe?

Between the thumb and first finger

What is Faradays Law?

Intensity x Time = Lye Produced

What is blend modality?

Galvanic (Chemical reaction) + thermolysis (alternating heat) happening simultaneously or sequentially

What happens when chemicals and heat mix in blend modality?

They move faster

Is blend modality alternating current or direct current?

Alternating

What are the key factors in Galvanic?

1. Direct current

2. Slow

3. Salt + water = Lye

4. One direction (circuit, path)

5. Chemical decomposition

6. Anaphoresis (-) and Cataphoresis (+)

What are the main factors in Thermolysis?

1. Alternating current

2. Fast

3. Heat + water (moisture)

4. Flows in one direction, then the opposite

5. Coagulation/dessication

What is more dominant in blend modality, galvanic or thermolysis?

Thermolysis

What type of needle do you use in blend modality?

Tapered blunt probe

What are the main factors in anaphoresis?

1. Negative (black)

2. Irritates (promotes redness)

3. Softens

4. Produced sodium hydroxide (Lye/NAOH)

5. Destroys tissue

6. Vaso-dilation

7. “Cathode” = needle

8. Hydrogen gas/chlorine gas (not important to electrologists)

What are the main factors in cataphoresis?

1. Positive (red)

2. “Anode” = indifferent electrode/metal pole

3. Calm, smooth, firm

4. Production of hypothesis acid

5. Vasoconstriction

Who invented electrolysis?

Dr. Charles Mickael (ophthalmologist) in 1875

How does the current work in galvanic?

Galvanic travels in one direction (circuit/path), constant and even in slow motion from negative (needle) to positive (hand piece) to the machine/device (source) to get recharged

What is galvanic?

Chemical decomposition (breaking down) of tissue → salt + water = NAOH/Lye/Sodium Hydroxide

What is tattooing?

If you put the needle on the positive jack, you can create black oxidation (probe disintegrates)

Does galvanic have a point effect?

Galvanic has no point effect, current is spread around evenly on the needle (need water + salt)

How many units of lye does coarse hair on a female face need (especially on chin)?

80 units of lye

What is ionization in galvanic?

Pushing product into unbroken skin

How does thermolysis work?

Generates heat which causes coagulation (clot) and through evaporating moisture (water) in the tissue. (Ex. Chicken in microwave)

What are other names for thermolysis?

1. Radiofrequency

2. Microwave

3. Shortwave

4. Radio wave

5. Friction

6. Oscillation

7. Tesla

8. Diathermy

9. High frequency

How does the current flow in thermolysis?

Flows in one direction, then the opposite and disappears in air (dissipates)

What is thermolysis measured in?

MHz, megahertz; most commonly 13.56 and 27 MHz

What shape is the heating pattern in thermolysis?

A teardrop or pear shape current

Does the heating pattern shape ever change in thermolysis?

No, it can get bigger or smaller but the shape always stays the same

What kind of probe do you use in thermolysis?

Tapered blunt needle probe (insulated)

A bigger needle = what heating pattern?

A bigger heating pattern

What is the point effect (PTE)

The most concentration of heat (tip of the needle)

What is electrocoagulation?

Thickening (cooking) the tissue with electricity

What is electrodessication?

Drying the tissue with electricity

You should stretch the skin ? to the direction of the insertion (or hair growth), and insert the needle on the ? of the hair.

Parallel; underside

The distance from the surface of the epidermis to the bottom of the bulb is called what?

“Hair Depth” - use the distance between the tweezers and bulb as a depth guide

Where does the inner root sheath stop on the hair follicle?

The inner root sheath does not extend all the way up the hair shaft because it stops at the sebaceous gland duct

What is the average time of hair reappearance after waxing or tweezing “deep, coarse, bulbous terminal hair” (as on chins)?

5-6 weeks

What is the average time of hair reappearance after waxing or tweezing “medium depth terminal hair” (as on the side of face and body)?

6-7 weeks

What is the average time of hair reappearance after waxing or tweezing “medium depth intermediate or accelerated vellus hair”?

7-9 weeks

What is the average time of hair reappearance after waxing or tweezing “shallow vellus hair” (downy, general face)?

8-10 weeks

What does a “shaving case” refer to in electrolysis treatment?

Any case in which a patron has been removing superfluous (excess) hair by means other than tweezing or waxing.

Vellus comedones are also known as

Trichostasis Spinulosa or Bundlehaar

What are vellus comedones?

A bundle of tiny vellus hair protruding from a follicle held together by sebum; more of a skin problem not a hair problem.

What is a corkscrew?

A truly distorted hair follicle; it is not unusual to see the bulb of the hair just beneath the horny layers of the epidermis.

What is the depth gauge?

The distance between the bottom of the hair root (bulb) and the point at which the forceps grip the successfully epilated hair.

Always expect to insert deeper when entering a follicle containing what type of hair?

A gray hair; Natural gray hair is always deeper in its last stage of anagen

In electrolysis, the area of influence surrounding the probe (that we experience as heat) is call what?

The high frequency field (HFF)

What are examples of magnetic materials?

Iron, cobalt, nickel

Battery is not what?

Dry, paste form

Direct current or Galvanic is also known as what?

True electrolysis - the application of direct or galvanic electrical current to living tissue

The electrical current in galvanic causes the salt and water contained in the tissue to break down into what new substances?

Sodium hydroxide (lye), hydrogen gas and chlorine gas

Which chemical produced in galvanic is caustic and created an effective means of destroying the cells at the base of the follicle?

Lye

What is electricity?

The flow of electrons (negatively charged particles) along a conductor

In galvanic, direct current (d/c) is

A constant and even flowing current, traveling in one direction

In thermolysis and alternating current (a/c) is

A rapid and interrupted current, flowing in first in one direction and then in the opposite direction

Define anaphoresis

The use of the negative pole to produce an alkaline effect on the skin. Increases blood supply, softens skin, stimulates nerves

Define cataphoresis

The use of the positive pole to produce an acid effect in the skin. Closed follicles, decreases redness and establishes proper skin pH

What is static electricity?

At rest and builds on non-conducting substances or insulator

What kind of needle do you use in Galvanic?

Cylindrical needle non-insulated

Electrons flow from

an area where these is an excess of electrons to an area where there is less; negative to positive

All matter is made up of

Molecules, the smallest part of matter that still maintains its individual physical and chemical characteristics; they are divided into atoms

For a current to keep flowing there must be a

continuous path (or circuit) from the generating source of the electricity through all the conductors and back to the source

In direct current galvanic electrolysis the electrons flow from

the machine source, through the needle holder, and into the electrolysis needle which acts as the negative pole. From the needle the electrons flow through the hair follicle, through the body, through the positive electrode and back into the machine.

In alternating current, the current flow

continuously reverses its direction. The electrons move back and forth along the conductor as each source pole rapidly changes its polarity, in cycle with each back and forth movement.

The high-frequency alternating current required for thermolysis is produced by an

oscillator, which increases the frequency of our household alternating current (60 cycles per second) to the millions of cycles per second required for thermolysis.

Why are the frequencies on electrolysis machines regulated?

The frequencies are in range of radio waves and thus are regulated in order that there is no conflict with radio wave transmission.

True or False: The thermolysis machine is giving and taking away energy almost simultaneously. Some of the electrical energy is lost to the surrounding air and furniture.

True

If a direct current is passed through the probe into the conducting salt (NaCl) and water (H20) tissue fluid in a hair follicle what is produces?

The salt becomes Na+ and Cl-, and the water becomes H+ and OH-. These free ions recombine to create NaOH (Lye/Sodium Hydroxide) and H2 (Hydrogen Gas)

True or False: There is more moisture in the depth of the follicle, so more lye and more destruction is produced there.

True; the upper portion of the follicle is less moist, and additionally, the sebum produced by the sebaceous glands at the top portion of the follicle is a poor conductor and acts as an insulator

Who devised the term “units of lye'“?

Arthur Hinkle

What did Hinkle state about units of Lye?

1 unit of lye was produced if 0.1milliamp intensity of current flowed for 1 second. Thus, 0.2 milliamps x 2 seconds = 4 units of lye

What is high frequency blowout?

If the intensity is too high, then the tissue fluid may boil, which produces steam. The steam interferes with the heat rising up in a pear shaped pattern, and the heat may go straight back up the needle, producing unwanted surface effects. This phenomenon is indicated by a crackling sound and excess sticking of tissue debris to the electrolysis needle.

In blend method, galvanic electrolysis only requires ? the amount of time normally needed for galvanic electrolysis alone.

1/4

What factors should you consider when selecting the length of the probe?

Make sure the probe inserts fully into the follicle so that the probe tip can reach the dermal papilla in its late anagen stage. They are available in extra short, short, medium, regular and long.

How should you choose the diameter of the probe?

Match the probe thickness to the thickness of the hairs being epilated. Probe sizes rage form .002 to .007, 2-7 thousands of an inch.

Does the diameter of the needle affect the amount of Lye produced?

No, however when you use a thinner needle, lye is initially produced in amore concentrated area, so pain may be greater; vs a thicker needle where the current will be distributed over a larger area.

Regardless of modality, does a larger or smaller needle yield a more comfortable heating /lye distribution pattern?

Larger

Does choosing a needle larger (within reason) than the hair shaft cause bruising?

No

Dr. Charles Michel was an ? , that invented electrolysis in ? .

Opthamologist; 1875

Electrolysis is the use of an electric current to remove what?

Hair roots

Galvanic electrolysis is a modality of electrolysis that uses what type of current?

Direct current, moving in a circuit from negative to positive

Electric energy can be produced through how many sources?

6 main sources: Friction, Pressure, Heat, Light, Magnetism, Chemical Action

A substance that allows electricity to pass through it is known as:

a conductor

True or False: A cathode is a pole used to negatively charge ions.

TRUE

Iontophoresis is also know as?

Ionization