SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                 -------------------------------------------


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934



                                 Date of Report
                      (Date of earliest event reported):

                                  May 24, 1999

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                             THERMOLASE CORPORATION
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


Delaware                        1-13104                   06-1360302
(State or other               (Commission              (I.R.S. Employer
jurisdiction of                File Number)            Identification Number)
incorporation or
organization)



2055-C Luna Road
Carrollton, Texas                                             75006
(Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)


                                (972) 488-0710
                         (Registrant's telephone number
                              including area code)




This Form 8-K contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks
and  uncertainties.  Important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are set forth
under the  heading  "Forward-looking  Statements"  in Exhibit  13 to  ThermoLase
Corporation's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 3, 1998, as
amended.  These include risks and  uncertainties  relating to: recent  operating
losses,  difficulty  in  retaining  qualified  management,  conversion  of spas,
requirement  of  future  significant   expenditures,   customer  claims,  market
acceptance,  dependence on proprietary  technology,  compliance  with government
regulations,    limited   operating    history,    competition,    international
relationships,  and  the  potential  impact  of  the  year  2000  on  processing
date-sensitive information.

Item 5.     Other Events

      On May 24, 1999,  the Registrant  issued a press release  stating that its
ultimate parent corporation,  Thermo Electron  Corporation  ("Thermo Electron"),
has proposed the merger of the Registrant into Thermo  Electron.  The Registrant
would become a wholly owned subsidiary of Thermo Electron.  Public  shareholders
of the Registrant would receive shares of the common stock,  $1.00 par value per
share,  of Thermo  Electron in exchange  for their shares of the common stock of
the Registrant.

      This proposal is subject to numerous conditions,  including  establishment
of a price and exchange ratio,  confirmation  of anticipated  tax  consequences,
approval by the board of directors of the Registrant  (including its independent
directors),   negotiation  and  execution  of  a  definitive  merger  agreement,
completion  of review by the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  of  certain
required filings regarding the proposed  transaction,  and receipt of a fairness
opinion from an investment banking firm.

      The Registrant also announced that it will record pretax restructuring and
other charges totaling  approximately  $65 million.  These charges will be taken
primarily  in the third  fiscal  quarter,  which ends July 3, 1999.  The charges
largely  relate to the sale or  closure  of the  Registrant's  spas,  write-offs
relating to lasers, and the termination of various  international  joint venture
arrangements.

Item 7.     Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits

      (a)    Financial Statements of Business Acquired: not
            applicable.

      (b)   Pro Forma Financial Information: not applicable.

      (c)   Exhibits: not applicable.


                                    SIGNATURE



      Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, on this 25th day of May, 1999.



                                             THERMOLASE CORPORATION


                                             By:  /s/ Theo Melas-Kyriazi
                                                  Theo Melas-Kyriazi
                                                  Chief Financial Officer