Advanced Electrolysis in Toronto

Electrolysis Q&A

What is electrolysis?
During electrolysis, a tiny probe, the same size as the hair is gently inserted into the hair follicle, down to the papilla (the part that nourishes the hair). A very low electrical current destroys the papilla, ending further hair growth.

Is electrolysis painful?
Until now the electrical current used in the process was transmitted at a fixed intensity, resulting in an unpleasant sensation. Sequentium VMC is an innovative machine using the patented Sequential Modulation System by Silhouet-Tone. During the insertion of the probe, the system modulates the intensity and duration of the current, achieving next-to-painless electrolysis.

Is it really permanent?
Yes! Electrolysis, which utilizes the probe, is the permanent hair removal method for all skin and hair types.

How many electrolysis treatments I need?
The number of treatments required depends on several factors:

the area being treated

how much hair is involved

adherence to the schedule of appointments

tolerance for the procedure

Cost of electrolysis?
Electrolysis costs no more than other beauty and skin care treatments. However, once completed it lasts a lifetime.

$25 for 15 minutes
$45 for 30 minutes
$60 for 45 minutes

Is it safe?
Yes. At Celluline Certified Electrologist maintain the strictest standards of hygiene. Sterile, disposable probes are only used once, ensuring your complete safety. Treatments will be performed by Ontario Registered Medical Aestheticians and Certified Electrologist. Electrolysis can be performed safely on all skin and hair colors.

How permanent hair removal with electrolysis procedure looks like?
The process involves inserting into each hair follicle a tiny probe, which emits an electrical current and essentially cauterizes the papilla, which normally nourishes hair and allows it to regrow. Plucking out hairs or waxing, which pulls hairs out by force, can distort the end of follicles and make hair grow back coarser and darker. Distorted follicles sometimes require more than one electrolysis treatment.
The probe is smaller than the hair, patient just feel a little heat for a split-second. The new Sequentium VMC allows us to adjust the heat depending on the sensitivity of the area like underarms, lips and bikini lines take the least heat.
After the initial treatments, patients may come in every two - three years for a touch up to remove hair that has grown into follicles not yet treated. Others may need additional treatments because of possible changes in the body's hormones.

How long does the treatment take?
This varies greatly from person to person. Factors such as the size of the area to be treated, the curvature of the hair follicle, the level of skin sensitivity, hormonal balance and heredity all have an effect.

Upper Lip   ~ 4-10 hours
Chin           ~ 2-12 hours
Sideburns   ~ 4-8 hours
Eyebrows   ~ 3-8 hours
Underarms ~ 4-12
Arms          ~ 5-10 hours
Bikini Line ~ 8-16 hours

These estimates are based on averages, they will vary from person to person and should only be taken as a rough guide.

About electrolysis equipment:
The Sequentium VMC System is most advanced technology available for computerized electrolysis, by Silhouet-Tone, which allows the operator to use varied intensities of electrical current, depending on the area of the body being treated, to disable hair growth. The Sequential Modulation System produced an advanced delivery system, that modulates the current in both intensity and duration while the probe is in the follicle. In the past, electrolysis machines had fixed intensities and durations of current
Sequentium VMC also features a new interference-free probe that brings greater stability and control of energy distribution.

Until now electrolysis equipment transmitted a constant, fixed-intensity electrical current through the probe, the result was a pain followed by a persistent unpleasant sensation.
With the Sequentium VMS System, the current decreases while the probe is inserted. This technique reduces the discomfort usually associated with electrolysis.
The result is a more comfortable treatment while producing a more effective and efficient hair removal

Sequentium VMC -Visual Modulated Current
With the Sequentium System, the current's intensity and duration are modulated in decreasing sequences while the probe is inserted. This technique destabilizes pain transmitting nerve fibers and reduces the discomfort usually associated with electrolysis. The result is improved treatment comfort while focusing more useful energy in the follicle - a more efficient and effective treatment.

Sequentially modulated Thermolysis
During insertion of the probe, SEQUENTIUM VMC will automatically modulate the intensity and duration of the current combining the three (3) Thermolysis techniques - Super Flash (1/1000's to 1/100's); Flash (1/100's to 1/10's); Slow (1/10's).

Sequentially modulated blend
SEQUENTIUM VMC automatically optimizes and modulates the galvanic HF currents. The SEQUENTIUM VMC will automatically select the correct Blend technique: Short Blend, Soft Blend, Pulse Blend or Uni-Blend. This feature solves any difficulties previously encounted with the Blend method.

Advantages:

The best and longest track record of results.

Can treat all hair and skin types

Over 100 years of clinically proven safety and effectiveness.

Disadvantages:

Can be expensive if used to treat large area.

Generally more painful than laser.

Slow if used to treat large area.

How electrolysis work?

Three kinds of energy are used:

Galvanic electrolysis works by causing salt and water in the skin around the probe to be chemically altered to produce a small amount of sodium hydroxide, also know as lye. Lye is the active ingredient in some crystal drain openers. If enough is produced, it can damage the cells that cause hair growth. The chemical reaction is expressed like this:

Thermolysis works by causing water molecules in the skin around the probe to vibrate, which creates heat. If enough heat is produced, it can damage the cells that cause hair growth. This method is much faster but less reliable than galvanic electrolysis. Thermolysis is also known as 'short-wave radio frequency diathermy'.

Blend electrolysis method tries to combine the benefits of the galvanic and thermolysis methods by passing an AC and a DC current through the probe at the same time. It is much quicker than the galvanic method. The Sequentium VMC System decreases current while the probe is inserted is controlled by computer and therefore this minimized risk of improper or inadequate treatment.

History of Electrolysis
Although several researchers were apparently experimenting with electrical epilation after the Civil War, it's generally accepted that St. Louis ophthalmologist Charles Michel was the first to discover and publish permanent hair removal results with an electrified needle.

In 1875, Dr. Michel reported he had been successfully using a battery-powered needle epilator to treat ingrown eyelashes (trichiasis) since 1869. This DC powered method was called electrolysis because a chemical reaction in the hair follicle causes sodium hydroxide to form, which damages the follicle. It's also sometimes called galvanic electrolysis.
Use of electrolysis for hair removal continued through the early part of the 20th century. Its commercial popularity as a cosmetic treatment was briefly eclipsed by x-ray hair removal, which was advertised as both ?painless? and ?harmless? (only one of which was true, of course).
Subsequent innovations in the field included the use of multiple needles, developed by Paul Kree in 1916, and the use of AC electricity, which causes thermal damage within the follicle. This was first reported in medical literature in 1924 by Dr. Henri Bordier, following over a decade of experimentation by numerous researchers. This method was called diathermy by Bordier and is also called thermolysis, short-wave, high-frequency (HF), radio-frequency (RF), etc.

Incremental improvements in the equipment and technique continued through World War II. At that time, Arthur Hinkel and Henri St. Pierre applied for a patent for a blend method they'd been developing. They received their patent in 1948, and 20 years later published the groundbreaking book Electrolysis, Thermolysis and the Blend, discussing their use of scientific techniques to improve the method. In the wake of Hinkel's book, several other useful practical overviews have been written.
The second half of the 20th century saw more incremental equipment improvements incorporating transistors and computerized controls, as well as insulated probes and sterile disposable probes.