Electrolysis, also known as the Galvanic method, was the first method of permanent hair removal and thus it is carried as the umbrella term for the practice. The Galvanic method uses a DC (or Galvanic) electrical current to produce a chemical reaction between the salt and water present in each follicle. This chemical reaction dissolves the hair’s papilla preventing further growth. The Galvanic method is the slowest of the methods, taking 30-60 seconds per hair, and is rarely used as a sole means of treatment.

Thermolysis was developed in the 1920s. Instead of using a DC current, a high frequency AC current is used to generate vibration to produce heat, which coagulates the papilla and inhibits future hair growth. Thermolysis is the fastest delivery method, taking only milliseconds per hair follicle.

Also referred to as the dual or sequential method, blend uses reduced intensities of both Galvanic and Thermolysis methods to destroy the papilla. Thermolysis heats and speeds up the chemical reaction produced by the Galvanic method. The result, is a reduction in the time that the Galvanic method requires (10-15 seconds per hair) while gaining some of the benefits afforded by Thermolysis.

There is no best method. Opinions and preferences may be generated by various electrolysis schools and practitioners, but the truth is that there hasn’t been a viable scientific study to confirm a “best” method. The national electrology associations don’t recommend one method over another. At Dragonfly Dawn, the electrologist and the client work together when developing a treatment plan to achieve the client’s hair removal goals.