Apilus Versus Older Machine. Which one to choose?

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

I have a question that I hope someone can help me with. I’ve been seeing my electrolysis for about a year now and I seem to be making progress even though it does seem slower than I like. My electrolysist uses an older brand of machine (I have no idea of the name), but recently purchased an new Apilus machine which she intends to use in the salon alongside the older machine. At my last appointment she told me that she purchased the Apilus to use on clients who find electrolysis treatments very painful as the apilus is less painful, but will continue using the older machine on me as she feels she has more control with the older machine and can treat the hair with more current/time etc.

I’ve heard good things about this machine, so I’m wondering whether or not I should ask to switch to the apilus? I’m often left with scabs on my face after treatment which can take at least a week to fall off. Would the apilus be less ‘damaging to the skin’? My electrolysist has been doing electrolysis for over 20 years and I never really feel as though the hair is being tweezed. It’s the scabs I’m concerned about. Thanks for reading

#2

I am always hearing electrologists say things like “I hate the Apilus because it takes away my control of the treatment.” What they really mean is, “The Apilus forces you to learn how to translate what you are doing into quantifiable numbers and tell it exactly what you want to do, so it can repeat that ad infinitum until you say differently. Furthermore, it will work with an auto sensor, thus forcing you to get into rhythm with the epilator to get good work, done fast.”

If she is willing to really learn how to work the machine, she will give you great treatment, and remove more hairs per hour with it. (and wouldn’t that be a good thing for you?) On the other hand, I have known people who buy one, because clients ask for it by name, but then force it to work like an older style machine, so they “can be back in control” <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> (It is sorta like the Dodge Viper. It has an automatic transmission, but allows you to shift manually if you choose to do so.)

If she was taught at a school that used the paradigm “find out what hurts, and set it up a notch higher” she won’t trust the fact that the Apilus releases hairs at such a low measure of sensation for the client. If she is ready to accept that you only need to treat the hair at the level it needs to be treated, without regard to how it feels to the client, she may just get the hang of the machine in a short period of time.

How can you best discuss all this with her? Damed if I know. I have a hard enough time telling my friends to let me bring my Apilus, set up the machine, and all the settings, and they just insert and remove the hairs. They want to do it their way, and on their machine most of the time.

I even had one electrologist do some work with my Apilus, stop and complain that it couldn’t be working and it was not hot enough, because the skin reaction was so non-existant. I tried to explain that as long as she was making good insertions the damage was all well below the skin’s surface. She did not believe me until she missed an insertion and blew out a follicle due to the shallowness of her insertion and removed a small section of my skin’s surface and smelled the burnt skin and saw the puff of smoke.

Good Luck

#3

James,

Thanks very much for your enormously helpful reply in the other thread-- I’m not stressed about keloids anymore, which is a massive relief. Regarding this thread, I have always asked electrologists to jack up the current to whatever I could stand, thinking that it would get me to completion faster. My skin has always healed fine everywhere (face incl. upper lip, chest, tummy, buttocks, and breasts as far as I know). Am I incorrect in thinking that more pain equals higher kill rate?

Thanks for your help!

p.s. In the other thread, were you referring to keratosis pilaris? I had a look at that forum, and though I have virtually unnoticeable darkly pigmented spots on my upper arms and hips, there’s nothing pimply about them…unless a pimple is simply an elevation of the skin?..

#4

All I am saying is there is a point where more power passes by good treatment, and moves into over treatment. It is also true that good treatment doesn’t have to be the kind of pain one needs a rubber ball in one’s mouth to bite down on for.

#5

Thanks for the reply. I think I’ll ask my electrolysist to try the Apilus machine at my next appointment. If she uses the machine correctly then I don’t see how it can’t be better than her older model.

#6

Hey, did you ever get to try the Apilus?

I have one, and love it. My clients do to. Compared to the old machines, it feels sooooo much better.

#7

I think your electrologist is willing to learn new things but doesn’t want to experient on you and likes to stay in confort zone. She will get use to new equiptment and will use it on you when she has master it. Then she will have a new comfort zone and so will you.

#8

As an electrologist for the past 16 years and as an electrology instructor, I have had the opportunity to use several epilator brands and models.

Even the finest machine can not replace the intelligence and skill of the practitioner however if you have the intelligence and have the skill, all things being equal, the newer Apilus epilators have the technology to provide treatment with more comfort than any other machine I have used. I say, “newer” because I have had Apilus epilators since 1992 and I wouldn’t recommend purchasing an older model. I mostly use the Apilus SX500 however I have diehard Gentronics fans who enjoy the cool air generated by that machine; also a newer digital model.

The newer Apilus epilators are so good that it almost makes me want to become a Canadian!

#9

While I was going through my training, I had the ability to work on both Hinkle and Apilus epilators. When it came to purchasing my own epilator, I chose the Apilus. One thing that happens in school clinics is that when there are no clients, the students work on themselves and other students. This gives us first-hand experience from both sides of the probe. Believe me, I was very impresses with the Apilis’ ability to perform the treatment will very high comfort levels. I can also clear a much larger area with the Apilus than with the Hinkle in the same time frame.

While it is more expensive than the competing Hinkle machine, the digital control makes finding a working point a snap and I can get extremely good epilations with very minimal discomfort for my clients.

I have run into a lot of the old-timers who still feel that electrolysis involves the principle of “No Pain, No Gain”. This is no longer applicable. Also the epilator is very controllable once you learn to use the machine.

I agree with James. The biggest problem with the newer machines is learning to gage the energy level you are using. Especially in the thermolsis modality.

Joanie