International Hair Removal Systems, Inc.
Now called 
Rejuvenu International Limited. Please visit the Rejuvenu page for the most up-to-date information.
International Hair Removal Systems is a North Carolina-based company that manufactures and sells "transcutaneous hair removal" devices under several names.
Products made by International Hair Removal Systems (IHRS) should be avoided by all consumers.
On 2 April 2001, FDA told IHRS they were in violation of federal law in making claims of painless and permanent hair removal using transcutaneous patches. This was their second such warning.
In June 2001, IHRS changed its name to Rejuvenu International Limited.
Products
Also see my
Contact information
Names associated with this company
Lee Cole (a.k.a. Hubert Cole)
Mark H. Chandler
Ed Wait: Sales Director
Notes
IHRS lists the following companies as IHRS distributors or salespeople for the SuperPhaser Gold, TransQ-2000 or the Pinnacle 1250.
In fall, 2001, this list was removed from their website, but I will leave it up as a service to consumers researching companies.
All the businesses below should be avoided by consumers.
Company Location Phone Website Contact Comments Lincoln, NE 800-843-9162 Marcy Chiropractic supply Denver, CO 800-607-7455 (x 205) usmedical.com R.H. Medical supply Nashville, TN 615-320-7984 hairlabs.com James Britt Sells "breast cream," too Boca Raton, FL 888-446-3747 harmonixcorp.com Oyvind Berg Sells "laser hair regenerator," too Macon, GA 800-245-4959 noneedle.com Grace Johnson Salon and "school" Lincoln, NE 402-464-6536 consultingstudio.com Don & Nola O’Neal Salon Carlsbad, CA 760-434-7771 hairless.com Marion Williams Salon Wichita, KS 316-687-0400 Kathy Orender Salon Minnetonka, MN 800-852-3082 Allen Spa supply Houston, TX 713-271-1745 Dr. DesRuisseaux Physician East Brunswick, NJ 732-855-2206 Dr. Joe Aguiar Nutritionist Quebec, Canada 450-588-3686 Alice Nail salon
* Removed from distributor list in June 2001
Website analysis
Their
Cole is CEO and founder. He has "a chain of beauty salons in the Pinehurst and Southern Pines area of North Carolina." Chandler does the research ("concentrating on skin care problems"). He also does the training and "lecturing worldwide." (i.e. selling the devices at beauty conventions)
The IHRS
Some choice quotations: My favorite section is Chandler’s
On false advertising:
"What is advertised is not always the truth. Some of the methods claim permanence, but have no scrutinizable scientific proof that they are truly permanent."
There is no published clinical data that shows these devices can achieve permanent hair removal.
On bogus electric tweezer data:
"The problem with tweezer thermolysis lies with the fact that it is impossible to induce a dry hair to conduct a high frequency current. While the companies theorize that the current reaches the papilla in other ways (like through the melanine channel), there is no controlled scientific data to support the claims. What actually occurs is that the current dissipates from the end of the tweezers (like the end of the thermolysis needle). The current heats the tweezers and heats the hair that the tweezers are touching. There is no effect on the papilla or the stem cells. In fact, the United States Food and Drug Administration states that tweezer thermolysis is no better than manually tweezing. The only research that is used to show that tweezer thermolysis works are small single patient uncontrolled studies which do not pass the usual scientific scrutiny. "
The data presented by Chandler does not pass scientific scrutiny, either.
On gels used to enhance hair removal effectiveness:
First, the substance applied to the skin cannot penetrate the hair follicle. A normal hair follicle is closed from the outside world by the seal made by the growing hair and the oil produced by the sebaceous gland. If this were not true, all manner of foreign bodies would be contained in the follicle, including bacteria and constant infections. On the contrary, we know that the follicle is sterile and very well protected. There are solutions that when applied to the skin are absorbed into the upper hair follicle through the transfollicular route, but these do not include carbon and dye suspensions like used by Thermolase.
The conductive gel used by IHRS doesn’t go into the follicle, either. That means most of the energy dissipates on the skin’s surface. If any does get into the skin, it’s not enough to cause permanent hair removal.
Final note: comparison shop
The IHRS products cost thousands of dollars more than any other their transcutaneous competitors. If this information doesn’t convince you to avoid transcutaneous electrolysis, you should at least comparison shop. See my comparison of transcutaneous devices.
Alternate spellings for these products include Super-Phaser Gold, Super-Phazer, Super Phaser Gold, and the SPG method. The TransQ-2000 is also sometimes called the Trans Q 2000, Trans-Q-2000, TQ-2000, TQ 2000, TQ2000, and the TQ2K. The Pinnacle 1250 is also sometimes called the TC System (for Transcutaneous System), the TD System (for Transdermal System), the TE System (originally for Transdermal Electrolysis, now for Transcuateous Electrolysis) or the TQ System (For Transcutaneous System). The procedure is sometimes referred to as Hands-Free electrolysis, Patch Electrolysis, No Needle Electrolysis, Non-invasive Electrolysis, Cotton swab electrolysis, or Q-Tip electrolysis. Older models include the TE 229, SuperPhazer, TE 429, Super Faser, TE 629, SuperFazer. The company has operated under several names, including American Hair Removal System (AHRS), Carolina Institute of Dermology, Eloc Manufacturing, and Trillion Medical Resources (TMR).
Note: due to misinformation received from Medical College of Georgia, this site had suggested a connection between Dr. Wm. Marcus Chandler (MCG ’68) and Dr. Mark H. Chandler (MCG ’83), both physicians practicing in North Carolina. Hairfacts regrets this error.