Blend Electrolysis

In proper combination, The use of galvanic electrolysis and thermolysis can present a formidable method of destruction of the hair follicle. It has been noted that the causticity of galvanic lye can be raised as much as 16 times when heated. Heating can be done by thermolysis and the placement of its operation in the overall treatment cycle can render the penetration of galvanic lye significant. This will further aid in the damage to the hair follicle. The great variability of settings allows for custom settings to suit each individual client and their respective skin types and hair needs.

Complex for operators to use

All too often, this process is badly set up and skin damage is often the result. The primary difficulty is the determination of how much thermolysis produces coagulation and not dessication.

Coagulation is the raising of the temperature of tissue to a certain point at which fluids congeal. That is, essentially, they change chemical structure. This occurs in human tissue at 172 degrees Farenheit. At this temperature, tissue begins to lose structure and allows for greater penetration of galvanic lye if it is being used. In the case of thermolysis, the hair is ready to be removed.

Desiccation is the removal of all moisture from the hair follicle or surrounding tissue. This occurs, quit naturally, at 212 degrees Farenheit or 100 degrees Centigrade, the boiling point of water. At this temperature, collagen is destroyed and becomes gelatin and the tissue closest to the source of energy dries out to become more or less, "Beef Jerky". This tissue cannot be removed by the body and remains essentially as scar tissue. Its texture is more dense and inflexible.

Much the same as with flash thermolysis, operators in search of speed are usually the unwitting victims of mis-aligned equipment. I have witnessed several clients who received "blend" and exhibited skin damage more similar to that of badly done flash thermolysis.

Blend Consists of an extremely wide range of settings, many of which may be detrimental to the client or to the process itself

To begin with, the use of blend electrolysis is complex. Very complex. Settings of either modality can be varied from 0 to 100 percent and the timing of each is also critical to the total operation of killing hair and the prevention of severe skin damage. Very often what a client is receiving is not blend at all, but rather, thermolysis. The galvanic, though on, is deprived of sufficient moisture with which to work. The observation of the follicles which have been removed is probably the main key to understanding the extent of the settings of the machine. Knowing what you are doing helps a lot, too.

Because of pain, the galvanic portion of blend is fairly easy to control. There is only so much you can take. However, gauging this with the use of anesthetics can be a bit more tricky. You must rely on visual input, but still, it is fairly straightforward. On the other hand, the thermolysis setting can be very deceiving. Often, a significant amount of tissue can be treated before it becomes apparent that something is wrong. Often, the results of bad settings are only known a few days later. For more information, please see my section on Thermolysis.

One additional Rant

It seems that some instructions advise operators to begin setting for blend operation by gradually increasing the thermolysis until the hair is easily removed. Determine how many seconds this takes, then dividing the seconds into the units of lye needed to remove a particular type of hair. (Still with me, good!) You then increase the galvanic portion of the machine until the total time of operation to remove the hair times the setting of the galvanic level equals the units of lye needed.

Remember that: time x level = Units of Lye.

What if I told you that this is B.S.?

I have found that even the most nominal amount of thermolysis has a drying effect on the contents of the follicle. In fact, I have learned that a setting of less than 10% of total thermolysis power out can still result in this drying action. Therefore, Galvanic electrolysis cannot take place and what the client is receiving is nothing more than thermolysis. So………………………….

I would recommend the opposite. Gradually increase the galvanic level until the hair easily comes out. Set the thermolysis to about 5% of total power output in the thermolysis section. Also, set the thermolysis to pulse for no more than 1-1.5 seconds and allow it to occur at the very end of the treatment cycle, just after the galvanic has stopped.

There ya go……….TRUE Blend.