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66 DAYSPA | AUGUST 2014 Making Waves Let's start with microcurrent, a technology that generates small amounts of pulsated electricity that mirrors the body's natural current, and which serves to stimulate facial muscles, thereby fi rming, lifting and toning them. Ray Baker, CEO of Beautiful Image, explains that 32 different facial muscles are manipulated during a typical microcurrent treatment, and offers a layman's explanation for how this works: "Cells are analogous to batteries and electrical generators," he says. "They conduct electricity, create electrical fi elds and are powered by a very low level of electrical voltage known as microcurrent. It's the body's own electrical system, and pro- vides the voltage that enables cell functions like nutrient intake from the blood, elimina- tion of cellular waste and nerve function." However, continues Baker, "When there's an injury or disease within cells, they experience signal disruption that obstructs the pathways of intercellular communica- tion." These disruptions can be caused by dead, hyperpigmented, acneic or otherwise compromised cells. "Microcurrent technology uses probes to control that current in and out of the cell, re-educate those muscles, and tone and lift the face," Baker says, adding that microcurrent also helps to increase blood and lymph fl ow, and to boost activity in cells' mitochondrias—the little engines that produce ATP, aka adenosine triphosphate, that crucial substance that feeds cells their energy to produce more collagen and elas- tin. Dasha Saian, vice president of SAIAN, adds that microcurrent waves also stimulate the body's production of amino acids. "This is crucial in boosting cell repair," Saian says. Galvanic currents, conversely, consist of a single small, and constant (not puls- ing), current. Galvanic current can be channeled into the body to help temper cellulite; however, as Pevonia Equipment sales manager J. Vince Legut explains, this direct current is also great for keeping clients' faces looking young and healthy, thanks to its bipolar nature. "The negative, alkaline pole relaxes the skin and softens sebum, emulsifying cutane- ous oil, breaking down that crust covering very oily skin, and helping to facilitate com- edone extractions on even the most acneic clients," Legut explains. "Meanwhile, the positive pole's acid action destroys germs, disinfects and tightens the skin." He adds that galvanic currents also ionize the skin, which helps with product penetration. Electroporation, or electro ionization, is a technology that combines negative and positive ion fi elds, except that this one disassociates molecular structures. "Simply put, it's an electrical current that opens a pathway in the skin to allow for deeper pen- etration of product," says Hancock. "This application of an electrical pulse momen- tarily disrupts the cell membrane, allowing product to enter without pushing through layers of skin. When the pulse ceases, the membrane returns to its original structure, leaving product in place." Hancock puts the process into layman's language: "You're opening a door that allows us to insert products more deeply into skin. You can actually feel a density in clients' skin after this treatment." Let's back up for a moment. Ions are molecules that have either lost or gained an electron, rendering them negatively or positively charged. And negative ions— which are created naturally through effects including sunlight, waterfalls, ocean waves and lightning—are benefi cial to the human body. "While lasers vaporize skin cells and chemical peels utilize acid to burn skin cells, electro ionization technology targets skin at the molecular level," explains Ken Callison, president, Allied Professionals. "The advan- tage to this treatment is that the technician can achieve substantial results with little or no trauma to the skin." In this vein, Callison says electro ionization is an excellent choice for clients with sensi- tive or thinning skin, or for those who've lost elasticity. High frequency currents are the only waves that create a quick, alternating cur- rent, which changes direction many times in a second. "High frequency waves can go through the skin without being felt," Legut says. The current doesn't serve to stimulate the muscles, but rather, to create a heating effect inside tissues. At up to 250,000 Hz frequency, it's used to aid healing, encour- age desquamation (natural exfoliation), stimulate sweat and sebaceous glands and blood circulation, and reduce congestion and infl ammation. Electricity-Based Energy GEM Pro from SAIAN Galvanic current, microcurrent, EMS (electrical muscle stimulation), thermal Facial Sculpting Machine from Beautiful Image Microcurrent Dermafl ex Facial System from Pevonia Equipment High frequency, galvanic, vacuum/spray Quantum Electro Ionization from Allied Professionals Electro ionization