A violet wand typically consists of a hand held “wand” made of plastic which encases a high voltage electrical transformer. The base of the handle has a permanently attached electrical cord which plugs directly into a wall outlet. Though use of a GFCI is recommended with some wand designs, to protect from surges. The wand has an intensity level control and sometimes an on/off switch, usually located near where the electrical cord is attached. Some models operate on an electromagnetic disruptive discharge circuit while others are powered by electronic circuitry (called solid state wands) or combinations of the two.