Hello all, my first posting. I recently purchased a Presision Electronics Uni-Probe auto blend epilator off of ebay. The seller said that it had only been used once, and when I recieved it, only one of the needles had been removed from it’s package and the machine appears to be brand new. I’ve yet to have an electrolysis treatment, so except for what research I’ve done, I’m absolutely green. The instruction manual that came with the machine looks pretty simple. What I’m posting for is to see if anyone knows where to find a good hands free magnifying glass. kay2
You can usually find a circle lamp like many electrologists use for about $75 on ebay, and through Electrolysis classified ads.
Thanks James, I’ll try that search topic. I had been searching under “magnifying glass” without any luck. You seem to be the voice of authority on this website. Are you familier with the epilator that I purchased. It seemed to be a very practical choice to me due to it’s simplicity. I am hoping to hook up with a friend so that we can work on each other. I simply couldn’t see putting out all of the money that hair removal was going to cost without trying this myself first. I do plan on one or two visits to a pro before I begin to get a feel for what they are doing though. Kay2
the unit you purchases is a basic bare bones item that will work for permanent hair removal as long as it is used properly.
“basic” and “will work” is exactly what I was shopping for. The unit I purchased is virtually brand new and only cost $311. From what I’ve read, some professionals can be a lot more painful than others. Would this be differences in equipment, technique, or both? Kay2
It is both.
A better machine will make up for some of a practitioner’s lack of skill, but it works in reverse, as a lesser machine can retard the skill of a fabulous practitioner as well.
In a perfect world, you would have a highly skilled practitioner with the best, most versatile equipment, utilizing the best vision and lighting assistance while working on you.
FYI-I went out and did some shopping today and found the answer for my original question. Office Depot had a circle light with about a 6" diameter 3x magnifying glass, table mount, 38" reach, in a matte chrome finish. List price was $99, but they sell them for $49. I also picked up an 8" 3x make-up mirror at Walgreens for $6. I believe I’m all set up, now, commence the torture! Kay2
“basic” and “will work” is exactly what I was shopping for. The unit I purchased is virtually brand new and only cost $311. From what I’ve read, some professionals can be a lot more painful than others. Would this be differences in equipment, technique, or both? Kay2
Good job on the purchase. I used the same machine for extensive hair removal (armpits, eyebrow shaping, pubes) on my wife. It worked quite well; it’s pretty forgiving, and we ended up using it in what I call “hard-core” mode, with both settings cranked up to the maximum. However, even at that level, epilations are two to four seconds, which definitely tests one’s ability to withstand pain. Flash would have been easier on the patient, but I probably would have been blowing holes in her skin as I learned it.
- Eric
Office Depot had a circle light with about a 6" diameter 3x magnifying glass, table mount, 38" reach, in a matte chrome finish. List price was $99, but they sell them for $49.
If Fred Flintstone were here, he would say, “Take it Back! Take it Back Before I Sue The Store For Selling it to You!”
In all honesty, you need to take it back and get your money back. Art circle lamps do in fact have the same ring lamp, and magnification set up as an electrology system, HOWEVER, they are made to be set up, positioned, and never moved again. An electrolysis set up is moved every few minutes or less. If you don’t return this ASAP, you will break it during use.
You seriously have to add $25 to what you paid, and buy a used ELECTROLYSIS CIRCLE LAMP, not a drafting circle lamp. If that would have worked, I would have told you about it.
Office Depot had a circle light
You haven’t said what hair you’re trying to remove. Is it any serious amount? If so, the following should help:
We’ve gone over how nightmarish these circle fluorescent lamps are in various threads on this and the pro forum.
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Get a partner. Now. Devote all your energy to finding a partner before you do anything else. Doing this on yourself will suck more than you can imagine.
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Get a halogen spotlight. Anything that takes a halogen MR16 bulb will take a MR16 10 degree spotlight bulb. You can get these lamps at Office Depot; you probably will have to order the spotlight bulb. Fluorescent light sucks for epilation.
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Get a binocular head-mounted magnifier. It will set you back some bucks (>$250), but even though I have excellent vision and still found working with anything else intolerable. The problem with the magnifier is not so much that it will break but that using it sucks.
All this applies in the case in which you have any serious amount of hair to remove. If you only, however, want to take out a few hairs, never mind. If you are like most who attempt this and want to suppress facial hair or do your bikini line, getting the right equipment is essential. Even with decent equipment, I found the whole process difficult at best.
first off, James, I appreciate what you’re saying. Like I mentioned earlier, I’m totally green at this. I will keep my eye open for a “good” lamp/magnifier and make do with this one until I find it.
You haven’t said what hair you’re trying to remove. Is it any serious amount?
>>I’m mtf transgendered, just starting transitioning and just turned 49 years old. My beard is what I’d like to attack right now. Most of it is white hairs. If it were still dark I’d be going for laser treatments and not even considering electrolysis.
We’ve gone over how nightmarish these circle fluorescent lamps are in various threads on this and the pro forum.
>>see above reply to James
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Get a partner. Now. Devote all your energy to finding a partner before you do anything else. Doing this on yourself will suck more than you can imagine.
>>I couldn’t agree with you more. I do however think there’s a lot of the beard I can work on myself, until I get to a point that requires being ambidextrious. I’m hopeless there. -
Get a halogen spotlight. Anything that takes a halogen MR16 bulb will take a MR16 10 degree spotlight bulb. You can get these lamps at Office Depot; you probably will have to order the spotlight bulb. Fluorescent light sucks for epilation.
>>already had the halogen -
Get a binocular head-mounted magnifier. It will set you back some bucks (>$250), but even though I have excellent vision and still found working with anything else intolerable. The problem with the magnifier is not so much that it will break but that using it sucks.
>>I was just watching a pair of doctors magnifier glasses on ebay. They were older, but looked like some top quality glasses and ended at a little under $200 I believe. They went over my budget at $100. Hopefully, I’ll have a partner soon to do this with and I’ll let her do some investing.
All this applies in the case in which you have any serious amount of hair to remove. If you only, however, want to take out a few hairs, never mind. If you are like most who attempt this and want to suppress facial hair or do your bikini line, getting the right equipment is essential. Even with decent equipment, I found the whole process difficult at best.
>>Seems most folks on this site are getting by with a $10 one touch, so I figure I’m already way ahead. I’ll attack the beard for now and pray that soon I’ll have a bikini line to worry about.
A partner is so important, and gets you more hair removed per minute than you struggling to do what you don’t know how to do, and can’t even see well enough to learn quickly, and can’t hold still to provide good treatment for. Those who have taken the time to buddy up can testify to the increased speed they enjoy, as well as increased effectiveness.
Based on the emails I get, the average One Touch buyer either never uses the product, or tries it once, or twice and gives up. Those who do make any significant progress with a one touch, end up purchasing multiple units, as they break easily, because they are not really designed to last. The company knows the average person tosses them in the trash or in the junk drawer in the first week. I think you greatly overestimate the number of successful one touch users.
As for the lamp. I am just telling you that the amount of movement required to do electrolysis will break the metal in your drafter’s lamp in a short time, and if you look at the cost of buying two of these units (at the so called sale price of $49.99 that they have been selling them at for over 5 years) you will have paid more than you would for an actual circle lamp ($75 used, $150 new) that will last you the entire treatment and allow you to resell it when you are done, thus recouping your initial investment.
Here is an electrologist who is selling off her equipment now that she has retired.
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
Recently Retired
All inventory needed to open or expand a practice
If interested, call Betty Lawson, CPE
713-249-3141 OR 713-869-4098 to discuss purchase
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Luxo Lamp w/circline magnifier (white) w/clamp $60.00.
Lamp Base w/casters (white)$40.00 Will sell separately. -
Lamp w/circline magnifier (off white) w/clamp $50.00.
Lamp Base w/casters (bronze) $40.00 Will sell separately. -
Dazor classic lamp without magnifier w/24”fluorescent tubes (bronze) $60.00
Lamp Base stationary without casters (bronze)$40.00 Will sell separately.
I think Governor “Ah-nold” said it best in the movie Pumping Iron:
“Hear me now, and believe me later.”
>>I’m mtf transgendered, just starting transitioning … My beard is what I’d like to attack right now.
Ouch! Sucks to be you. Beard removal is a massive undertaking. Even seasoned electrologists get weird when you start talking about complete beard removal.
Your best bet is either a TG partner, or a woman who wants complete pubic hair removal, because you’re going to be doing this for a long, long time. Start searching high and low for a partner - or, better yet, partners.
Most of it is white hairs. If it were still dark I’d be going for laser treatments and not even considering electrolysis.
Heh - and after a few thousand dollars had disappeared, you’d be considering electrolysis again!
I seem to recall you do complete, or brazilian, pubic hair removal for strippers. How long does that typically take? And how long does a beard removal typically take?
I just completed my first two hour session, decided to go ahead and try it before going to a pro. I started out with a few arm hairs to see just what a cleanly epilated hair was supposed to look like, then moved on to the beard. actually, even with the higher settings ( I went ahead and started with blend)and longer times, I found the beard to be much easier and less painful. It was pretty slow going, but sped up as I got used to it. I think I’ll try and target the “pepper” for now, as the black hairs are pretty easy to pick out. Maybe in a few years, I’ll start to notice my efforts pay off! Kay2
Full Brazilians for me take about 12 to 18 months, but the number of appointments in that time varies by person. Some people can do it in 10 appointments.
Beards vary wildly because some people have 100 hairs per square inch, and others have 500 per square inch. Some people have the hair stop at the neck line, and others have it go to the breast bone.
Still, my average beard client is done in about 18 to 24 months and 100 to 250 hours.
3 weeks time and maybe 10-12 hours of work into my DIY electrolysis and I’m already seeing results. It’s still pretty slow going, maybe a hundred hairs an hour, but the convenience of having a machine set up and ready to use at my convenience has made it a worthwhile investment. I’ve yet to find a partner to work with, seems everyone I meet that is in my similar situation is going to try laser first.
I went by the drugstore today and was looking at skin moisturizing lotions. I noticed that some said on the bottle not to use their product if you have puncture wounds. I’ve been inserting my probe needle to nearly full depth and never have drawn any blood. I was just wondering if electrolysis qualifies as “puncture wounds”, and which moisturing products are recommended? kay2
If you are doing your electrolysis correctly, it doesn’t qualify as a puncture wound. Even if you are doing it wrong, it doesn’t qualify 72 hours after treatment.
Any recommendation on which moisturizer to use, and with what vitamin or other additives?