Legitimate electrolysis machines on eBay part 3

Hair Removal Methods Do-It-Yourself Electrolysis
#121

For someone who has already practiced their insertions well enough to do them decently, this unit would allow them to do cheap hair removal at home. I caution however, that I would only want a home user working on legs, or back hair with this product. Since it is a thermolysis only unit, it requires more skill than the average home user will have to do work on sensitive places like the face, or any tender bits.

As for your question about the difference between what you are used to feeling and how this would feel, this is one of the machines we affectionately refer to as “Ole Sparky” :wink:

It works, but if you have been spoiled by an Apilus, you won’t like what you get here.

On the other hand, for someone who has worked their way up from doing galvanic, to blend, and can now do thermolysis work well, this is a serviceable unit that would allow them to remove hair on someone, and it is very inexpensive.

If it doesn’t need any service, it just requires working probe/needle holders that can be purchased for $20 to $50.

#122

Haha, Ole Sparky! It doesn’t actually spark, does it?!

I ordered a One-Touch last week so that I’d have something to use while I look for a professional machine. I saw someone else had said they got so good with their One-Touch that they were able to do thermolysis right away with no problems… hopefully I can have a similar experience, because if that machine is still there, I’m just gonna go for it! I’m looking to just do my legs, so good thing you mentioned it in case I had something else in mind!

James, is a probe the same thing as a needle holder, or are they two different items that I only need one or the other? Does it matter what kind I get, and do I need needles as well? Thanks for all the info so far!!

#123

Wow, duh, of course I need needles… disregard that I even asked that. I came across this website that is freaking me out about electrolysis. Can anyone tell me if this stuff is true or not??? I don’t want to get this thread off topic, but this is affecting my decision to buy a machine as well as continue my professional treatments, so I hope it’s okay if I’m posting this here. If not, just get rid of it or move it, or whatever. Here’s the website:

hairzapper

So basically it’s saying thermolysis shouldn’t be used on coarse hairs because it causes all kinds of damage (like heat overlap?). True? False? My gut is telling me false based on everything I’ve read BEFORE coming across this website, but my scaredy cat sense is telling me that I should rethink what I know. Help :frowning:

#124

A probe is the same thing as a needle. A probeholder is the same thing as a needleholder. The needle/probe goes in the needle/probeholder. The needleholder/probeholder plugs into the big jack on the front of the unit.

The type of needles you need (F-shank versus K-shank) depend on what the needleholder you buy for your machine (only certain needleholders work with a given epilator) takes; I would venture to guess they are F shank needles, like recent Instantron machines.

Basically, the easiest way to get what you need is to ask the folks at TES what needleholder you need for your machine, and what needles (F or K shank) it takes.

As for the information on the thermolysis on the hairzapper site, my opinion is the same as the pros here, but I’m sure they can offer a better and more credible critique than I can.

#125

“Appliepie”, Ole Sparky is just an affectionate term of endearment. This machine doesn’t spark, after all, it is transistorized, unlike the spark gap machines this style replaced (now THOSE were the REAL Ole Sparkies!)

As for that hairzapper propaganda, I will just say that we have discussed this person’s views plenty on the site, and the most I want to say here is, bad work can be done in any format. Good work can be done in any format. When properly done, electrolysis, no matter what modality is employed, will leave skin looking like no hair ever grew there, when poorly done, any range of results is possible. This is the main reason we advise against non-professional work, and even when one does seek professional work, we advise one to sample many pros to see who is the best one available to you locally, and then, if you feel the need, you should go outside your area for better.

A home user can work their way up to doing good work, but the best work is always going to be done where one person holding the probeholder/needleholder is working on someone other than him or herself. Yet, most insist on working on themselves, instead of recruiting a partner to work together on this project.

Let Hairzapper’s site stand as a caution for why you need to follow our advice and read those books we recommended, and get a partner, and work your way up to good work. Although you can do fine work on most of your legs all by yourself, there are parts of the leg that can only be done well with the help of another person. For that, get a partner. In time, you both will be able to do acceptable work on anyone, and you can clear out things like faces, and underarms.

I also want to echo VickyCNY here, Texas Electrolysis Supply is an excellent resource and if you call them at 1-800-626-6025 you will get good information and any parts you need for this unit. You can also send it to them for a check and refurbishment if you choose. That way, any parts that need replacement, or reworking, will be done and you will have a unit that is as good as, or better than new.

In fact, TES offers a service where they add galvanic and blend to a unit like this. You could really save big time by doing that.

#126

WARNING!!!

Please let me refer once again to these offerings:

Do not send any money around the world upon such offerings! The machines in questions were said to be almost new. One of the two also offered a Platinum Pure for 2370$ - NEW!!
This cannot be serious offerings, and You do not have any protection if something goes wrong during such a deal.
Keep Your fingers off such businesses as long as You don’t have someone in the target country who You can trust and who is able to check if the source of the machines is a legal one.

Please let me close mentioning that both vendors have been removed from the platform. Guess why?

[color:#C0C0C0]Ali Baba und die 40 Räuber …
[/color]

Beate

#127

Like-new Apilus Jr. for $750 to start, probably needs new cables. I’d also ask the seller for a pic before bidding, and they do not state if it is a Jr. or a Jr. Plus.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160475610969

#128

I ended up offering the seller $25 for the Instantron since the shipping adds on another $25 anyway. I thought the offer would be rejected, but the seller accepted it! That was really exciting :slight_smile:

Thanks, James and Vickie! You’ve been very helpful. I’ll be contacting TES about everything else I need. I am very excited and eager to start working on this. I still see a professional electrologist which is why I decided I wanted to learn to do this on my own. I’m fine with going in and paying a professional that I trust on the areas that I can’t do myself. As much as I would love to just let someone else do it for me, I just don’t have the money to pay for it, especially if I can learn to do it myself. And I’m very interested in sending my machine in for the galvanic and blend add-on service so that I can do lots of practice before I try thermolysis!

Thanks again! :grin:

#129

Hey, sometimes you get lucky.
When you get this machine, send it straight away to Myron at Texas Electrolysis Supply 1-800-626-6025 and have it refurbished and have the galvanic added to it. You will not regret it.

#130

A Berkowits 2200 thermolysis (only) machine for $130
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330470121109

#131

The venerable Instantron SS-69 makes another appearance on eBay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160483689955

The only thing I would be concerned about is 1)It does not look like it comes with all the needed accessories and the seller did not answer the question when asked, and 2) The seller’s answer to the question at the bottom is a bit… questionable. This person claims to be a retiring electrologist, but not only is their answer in poor English and doesn’t make much sense, but what I think they are trying to say is just completely wrong. Thermolysis does require skill to perform correctly! (as do all modalities of course, but thermolysis is least forgiving not the most forgiving)

#132

Texas Electrolysis Supply 800-626-6025 www.TexasElectrolysisSupply.com would not only have all the parts to this, but they could also ad galvanic to the unit to make this a fully 3 modality machine for not a lot of money. So this could be a great way for someone to break into doing work at home with a partner.

#133

Hi James I just called Texas Electrolysis and asked them how much it would cost to add the galvanic feature. I was told that it can’t be done! The Instantron SS-69 is a Thermolysis machine only. The man who I spoke with named I think… fly? or something along those lines… did tell me that he has a lot of used blend machines for sale. Mmmm… I’m not good with price ranges with these types of machines ( I have no experience either. I’m new to all of this) so I was wondering if you could maybe give texas electrolysis a call and check if they have any good deals for the used blend machines they have? I ask because if I ask myself I will probably get a whole lot of price ranges with model numbers and features plus probably a bunch of questions… which I think… will not understand fully and might possibly irritate the person behind the phone…

#134

I will check with them, they used to add galvanic to stuff all the time. It is not really all that hard to do for someone who makes and fixes machines. One would already have all the parts, anyway.

I will see if I can have an answer for you tomorrow.

#135

Thank you James for using a portion of your time to do this :slight_smile: I am sure everyone who keeps an eye on this thread will highly appreciate this! I truly do. I hope they have some good machines on sale at a reasonable price!

#136

You are welcome.

Part one of the answer to your questions is that they used to add galvanic to thermo-only machines in the past, but the cost of doing it now at today’s prices makes buying a blend machine more practicle, so they stopped doing it. As for machines, they have more than 50 used machines that they have reconditioned and ready to go. The question is what is your price range.

#137

Wondering if this is work $1000?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Professional-Hinkel-Model-UC-3-Electrolysis-Machine-/220672095299?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336114f443

#138

I just got off the phone with Dr. Myron Heimlich (who is super great… and made me laugh!), and he said the machine I had was probably going to cost me more than it’s really worth. There were other problems with it, not just the missing needle holder.

I hope you don’t mind, James, but I mentioned to Dr. Heimlich that you recommend starting out with galvanic in order to practice doing insertions (when we got on the topic of what a better option would be than to refurbish the machine I have). I don’t know if he misunderstood me or if he just disagrees, but he didn’t think starting with galvanic was really very necessary for a DIY beginner. He recommended that my best bet would be to get a new Uni Probe Lite, which is thermolysis only.

Any thoughts on this? Will I regret buying a thermolysis only machine having never done an insertion before? (I did have a One Touch on the way, but it got lost in the mail and was refunded the money)

#139

Oh! Any thoughts on what I should do with my broken machine? Dr. Heimlich didn’t mention anything about wanting to take it off my hands to reuse the parts or anything, so I’m assuming he doesn’t really want it…

#140

Hi James, thank you so much again for your efforts. I could probably afford a machine that fits within the 200-300$ range. I am not sure if they have a machine that fits that range. I wonder if they ever put any of their machines up for sale on eBay? Since they have so many that is.