Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-12-01
WITHOUT A SCAR.
Removing Superfluous Hair
From Fair Faces.
A Simple and Painless Operation by
the AID of Electricity.

A writer says in the New York Sun:
The permanent removal of hair from the
face of lovely CT unlovcly woman has
heretofore been considered an impossi.
bic achievement. Now the removal of
hair, even big moustache, an imperial,
and whskers, can be taken off without
leaving a trace or scar. Moreover, when
properly performed by an expert clectri-
cal surgeon or surgical electrician, which
ever you choose to call the operating
doctor, not hair ever grows there
again. I saw the operation performed
by DIR. W. II. King, and was enlightened
at the same time as to how the electrical
current was applied and made to do its
work. In the first place, pretty young
girl of about 10, who was the subject of
the cperation, took her seat before large
window in the Doctors operatingschair.
She was a little nervous at first while the
Doctor was changing aad arranging his
galvanic battery. A fine needle, made
especially for the purpose, was carefully
inserted into the skin of the young lady's
upper lip. just where the first hair to be
eradicated grew.
"Thc needle is now in the hair iolli-
Gle ITSELF" said the Doctor. "You sec
she has not fin chci. 1t has given her
no pain to indent the needle, for it is
too sharp and fine to be felt. Now l
will connect the needle with this mega
tive pole Of the battery, just so, while
this positive pole is connected with this
flat piece Of metal, an c'cctrodc, placed
on her cheek. 1t can be placed on any
part Of the body, the object being SIM
ply to complete the electric current"
"Ah, it stings," cried the young girl,
but she did not move.
at is more or less painful" continued
the Doctor, after little soothing attcn-
tion to his patient, according to the To-
cation Of the hair on the face, and the
nervous sensibility Of tic patient Look
here; now there is little frothing
around the needle. ! will withdraw it
and"--.-
He withdrew the needle and lifted
out the hair without giving the young
lady any pain. Quickly inserting the
needle in another follicc he repeated the
operation, and this time the patient only
gave slight shiver. She smiled and
said:
at is less painful, or l have become
accustomed to it. Go on Doctor"
Tho operation was continued, the
operator taking out from about five to
ten hairs every minute. This was con-
tinucd for thirty minutes, the length of
time allowed by DR.. King for each
sitting both patient and physician need.
ing rest after that length of time.
While the operation was going on
interviewed the Doctor thus:
GLOW long has it been since this
operation was pcrformedW
"Dr. George II. Fox, some eight years
ago-I think it was in 1S7S-read before
the New York State Medical Society q
paper on the subject OF the permanent
removal of hair by clcctrolysis. Since
then most Of the electricians in this city
have been making use of DR.. Fox's
process. With only slight variations,
the operation is practically the same as
that first described by DR.. Fox"
as it difficult Or dangerous opera
tion2"
"Ncither difficult nor dangerous in the
hands of II good electrician. 1t requires
fine cyesight, good light, Il steady
hand and nerve, and great patience on the
part of the operator as well as the patient.
If operated by q skiful surgeon, it can
be performed in about as many sittinys
as will be required to take out from one
hundred to two hundred and fifty hairs n
day. One sitting a day, half an hour
long, is all that a judicious operator will
allow
"Will not some of the hairs grow
again2"
YES, few. If the operator has skill
and experience, there will probably be a
growth of from five per cent. to ten per
cent of the hair removed. If a tyro per-
forms the operation, perhaps thirty or
fifty per cent. will return. Then it will
be only necessary to repeat the opc-
ration"
as the operation frequently per-
formcdW
eyes; as it becomes known it is more
frequently called for, and the practice is
on the increase
"Does it leave n scarl'
"Not unless the hair is coarse and deep
set. Then there will be marks that will
not disappear under week perhaps, and
perhaps in a few days. If the hairs are
fine the clcctrolysis will not cause more
than slight redness, which will dis
appear in few hours"
The young lady who had been oper-
ated upon seemed willing to have all OF
the hair removed in ono sitting. About
one-half had been ken of, cr Gifted
out" as the Doctor eXpr, sscd it, before
she rose from the chair, but DR.. King
said that he never permitted patient tc
sit for the operation longer than half an
hour. So she reluctantly put on a thick
veil to hide the half moustachc which re.
NAMED on her pretty face. OF course,
she promised to return next day for the
completion Of the clcctrolysis, and Of
course she kept her promise.
!