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The Electrolysis
Society of Florida was organized in 1950 in the lobby of a Miami,
Florida hotel. It was preceded only by the Electrolysis Society of the
Northeast, a regional organization. This makes it the first and longest
active state organization in the world. This professional organization
has been sustained and has benefited in part by the members of other states
who have settled in the warm climate of Florida.
The Society has maintained its purpose of organizing
electrologists, setting standards for practice and educating both electrologists and other allied health professionals about permanent
hair removal throughout the years. There were several attempts by the
Society to get the profession regulated through the Florida Legislature,
but for many years, these efforts were blocked by powerful
concessionaires that operated in department stores and free standing
offices.
In 1979, after an
outbreak of Hepatitis B from unsterilized acupuncture needles, the
Florida Department of Health began to look at electrolysis as being just
as much a risk as acupuncture for spreading Hepatitis. A concerted
effort to obtain legislation was led by then President, Lydia Krones. In
1981, the CDC announced that HIV could be spread by contaminated
electrolysis needle electrodes.
For several years, the
legislation languished for one reason or another but mostly from the
powerful anti-regulation lobby. Then in 1984, with the help of a
seasoned lobbyist, William D. Owens, the first regulation bill was
finally passed by the Society, only to be vetoed by Governor Bob Graham.
Two years later, another successful bill was vetoed by Governor Bob
Martinez.
In 1990, the Florida
Board of Medicine decided that legislation was needed to regulate the
practice of electrolysis, but because of an attempt by a national
organization to create a monopoly, the legislation failed in 1991. Some
electrologists found themselves in a situation where they
could be facing the demise of their profession.
In 1992, a compromise was
made and a regulation bill was passed by the Florida Legislature to
regulate the practice of electrolysis. Unfortunately, the definition had
been changed to limit the practice of hair removal to that of "needle"
only and further work had to be done to allow this profession to grow
and expand its capabilities. |

CLICK HERE FOR
ESF MEMBERSHIP
APPLICATION
CLICK HERE FOR
TIMELINE OF EVENTS RELATED TO LASER HAIR REMOVAL REGULATIONS
CLICK HERE FOR
MEETING INFO ~
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS
FEBRUARY
8-9, 2008
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THE OBJECTIVES OF
THE ELECTROLYSIS SOCIETY OF FLORIDA
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To encourage
improvement of services rendered by electrologists in the State of
Florida by creating guidelines and standards for members of the
profession seeking to join this organization.
Promote and
maintain the standards of ethics as prescribed in the Code of
Ethics contained in this vehicle.
Foster knowledge
and understanding of electrolysis to the Allied Professionals and
general public.
Endeavor to give
new knowledge and skills to members through continued education.
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In a tense 3 year battle between the
Florida Society and Electrolysis Council, bidding to encompass laser
hair removal into its statutes, and The American Electrology Association
along with some doctors, the statute was finally changed in 1999 with
the help of lobbyist Owens, who died later that same year, after having
served the Society for 18 years. An amendment to the Florida Medical
Practice Act, passed surreptitiously, resulted in a hearing before an
administrative law judge, who ruled in the electrologists' favor on
September 12, 2001, thereby allowing Florida electrologists to use
lasers under the supervision of a physician.
The Electrolysis
Society of Florida was, in part, responsible for submitting rules for
use of lasers by electrologists, requiring national certification and
special training. Electrologists are the only health care professionals
in the state to require this special training and certification. The
members of the Electrolysis Society of Florida know that the highest
standards are required to maintain respect for the profession, which has
been much maligned by some members of the profession, who have not
conducted themselves with dignity, and for protection of consumers.
These same consumers are coming to realize their safety and health, both
physical and economic, lie with practicing electrologists who are
progressive in their approach to hair removal.
The Electrolysis Society
of Florida is the first in the nation to look seriously at underlying
illnesses that contribute to unusual hair growth and have initiated a
program to study the correlation of insulin resistance/diabetes and
polycystic ovarian disease in women to hair growth patterns. The
Electrolysis Society of Florida is truly leading the way for consumer's
health in the State of Florida. If you have questions or comments,
please feel free to contact ESF at
info@hairremovalflorida.com. |