I’m wondering about the breakdown of the teflon coating on precision probes. They are a fair bit more expensive, are they worth it or does the teflon coating break down rapidly?
Seana
Easy way to put it. Try a couple of different ones and find out which ones you like. When I ordered my ballet probes they gave me a grab bag of different brands and sizes to try. I stick with ballet because I find the other probes will literally stick to your skin when heat is applied.
That depends on the quality and design of the probe. I can assure you that with some brands, the insulation layer disappears with the first 15 insertions. Other brands however resist marathon sessions over 8 hours for several days. The probe size determines the length of the insulating layer. Thus a larger probe size resists longer because the probe is exposed to a lower temperature.
This can happen with any brand. When this happens, you should clean the probe, and lower the intensity a bit. Another way to keep your probe always clean, is to use a bit of galvanic (you only need very little). Sodium hydroxide bubbles always keep your probe clean.
I’m not too concerned with heat, since I wont be using thermolysis or blend for a while, just galvonic. I am somewhat more concerned with breakdown from lye. I’m trying not to “just try a bunch” since I’m on an extremely limited budget for my first order, so I guess I’ll give the insulated ones a pass for now.
Seana
Probe companies all have a sample policy where they would send a free sample pack to allow you to try out different types of probes. Ballet probably still hands out those packs with stainless, insulated and gold all on one blisterpack.
I would use Ballet gold for GALVANIC electrolysis, so the lye can move around in the follicle.
Very interesting, think I will order those Ballet gold since I just bought a machine on Ebay (Silhouet-Tone Sequentium VMC) and wanted to start off with Galvanic like so many here recommend. I was a little concerned with which type to use F or K shank as well as the size. I did have a professional electrolysis about a week ago on my neck area and I believe she was using a size 3 and went down to a size 2 but she was using only thermolysis. Anyways I’m not sure which to get hopefully someone can give me a little insight since my machine is estimated to arrive Sept. 4th and I want to order soon. I’m assuming most people order from Texas Electrolysis Supply?
Thing is I’m hoping to try out sizes as well Dee.The Ballet gold are $46 a box of 50. I’m not planning on buying $150 in probes to get 2 or 3 sizes . I’ll probably buy a few disposable cheaper probes ( which with the precision have for $5 for a sheet of 10 or the lauriers are reasonale as well, $11 a dozen. . I may buy One larger box but may wait to buy some of the ballet gold until I have practised a bit and know better what sizes I’ll want more of. I’m thinking towards .003’s and .004’s but as eventually I will have a buddy working on my face once I’ve practised on other parts of the body which probably would take the smaller probes. If I got ballet gold now, It would be a toss up which size I’d get as the practise is mostly going to be on leg and arm hair which is somewhat thinner.
Seana
Like I said before, when I placed my first order for needles they gave me a grab bag of different sizes and brands. In the grab bag was a little brochure entitled ‘The Ballet Range’ or something similar. It gave a guideline as to what size needles correspond to certain areas of the body. Ill upload it if I get the chance. None the less, I use an F3 probe everywhere and don’t have any problems.
Edit: fixed ambiguity due to iPhone auto-correct
I ended up ordering F3’s and F4’s in disposable and non-disposable Precision . Given some advice by a professional this morning, I’ll be ordering out some ballet F3 gold probes next month when I have more budget. Just thought I’d post that info here, as I know others have been asking the same question.
Are your hairs small or medium, Seana?
Depends on wht is being worked on. For myself I’m only going to use a few non-visible body parts strictly for practise purposes, the odd hair on my arm or leg which are thinner. When the pro is working on me, she will be working on the face and neck, primarily the chin at the moment trying to get clearance. The person working on my face is certified and experienced, and works as an electrology instructor at a local school. Both now take place with my equippment, so I need to have a couple different sizes for different hair types. My chin for example is typically thick cis-male beard, and so uses a slightly thicker probe than the hormone-reduced size of leg hairs. I’m also coaxing the pro into helping me learn to do insertions well 
Sigh. So TES called me, and theydont have the non-disposable probes I had orderd and wanted to know if I should wait to send the order, or just send the disposables on ahead. I ended up cancelling the non-disposables, and ordering a box of Ballet Gold .003’s instead. Iwont have as many .004 probes to play around with, but get to try out some better quality ones I would have orderednext month anyway.
so my shipment arrived from TES today. The ballet gold probes are gorgeous, I cant wait to try them. They did make an error on a sheet of precision probes I orders, they sent me 4S instead of the 4 regular I requested, but as it was only 10 probes, and they are not likely to be used for anything but testing, meh, whatever.A $5 strip of probes wont kill me if they end up not long enough