'never asked before' One-touch question...........

Hair Removal Methods Do-It-Yourself Electrolysis
#1

yep - i also purchased the one-touch system…, seems to be fine so far on the thicker hairs…, i decided to do my arms also and realised they all came back again after clearing the area! :frowning: (i waited a long time, i know its not the same hairs)

so i thought maybe the needle is too thick, for the finer hairs, (plus the fact that i was kinda ‘melting’ the foilicle or something…)

i know you can’t get thinner needles for this machine, and its been suggested so many times before that we should purchase better machines, or replace the probe thing like that guy suggested on the geocities site - but none of these is really an option for me… but i’ve got a different kinda idea:

  1. i got the stylet tip to open, and saw that all it is, is a piece of wire attached to a bit of metal, with a spring underneath it… so i was thinking:
    can i replace the wire somehow??? its pretty easy to do, but what i need to know from you guys is - WHAT KIND OF WIRE IS USED ORIGINALLY, I MEAN SUPPOSING I WAS TO REPLACE IT, ARE ALL METALS SAFE TO USE, IS THEY ANY KIND OF METAL THAT MIGHT BE HARMFUL TO USE??? does anyone know this?? i reeeeeeally need to know this - dont wanna be damaging myself…
    the only thing i’ve thought of using so far is, one of the strands of a normal piece of wire(if i strip off the plastic bit of the top) - dunno if it’ll work though, do u think its safe??? can anyone suggest where i can get ‘thin wires’ from???

(i know its a lot of questions here lol, but guys i really wanna be sure if its safe - thanks!) :slight_smile:

#2

If you are going to go to the trouble to do all this, you may as well put in an F shank bit in the probe holder and get a white screw cap so that it can use regular electrolysis probes.

Of course, if you insist on this path you are currently persuing, use only gold or stainless steel. Don’t even think about aluminum, and I would not be so keen on copper either.

#3

I’d second James’ recommendation of using a regular electrolysis needle.

The problem with what you want to do is that you will find it near impossible to find stainless steel or gold wire of a small enough size to work. Typically, all common wire is either copper or aluminum, and galvanic activity WILL cause parts of the metal to break loose and possibly remain in your skin.

Another drawback to your plan is that most wire you can find, even if it WERE small enough, would be too soft, and bend easily.

I have never seen a one-touch apart, but if you were able to take a picture & post a link here, perhaps I could take a look at it and help you figure out how to mod it for pro needles.

#4

hey thanks for your replies… :slight_smile:

james- u said
‘‘you may as well put in an F shank bit in the probe holder and get a white screw cap so that it can use regular electrolysis probes.’’
thanks for this tip, sounds easier than my idea… but i have no clue what to do lol! :(, could u give me more info please?? what is ‘F shank bit’, and can u put this in the one-touch probe?? thats my prob solved then, if thats what u meant! could u post pics/or recommend a site so i know what ur talking about??? thanks :slight_smile:

F6Hawk thanks for ur opinions, i thought it might be too flexible to use, ah well… can u buy gold/steel metal wires from shops though?? any idea?
i try & post some pics of the stylet tip so u get an idea on what i’m talking about…

#5

What James meant, and I tried to elaborate about, this “F-shank bit” is a needle used in professional electro machines. They can be purchased thru electrolysis suppliers, about $18-20 for 30 of them. That is why I wanted to see pics of the “guts” of your device, to see if there is an easy way of using pro needles with it.

This would solve the problem of you trying to use a wire, as these needles are DESIGNED for the purpose.

#6

here you go :slight_smile: … the pictures:

#7

hey lemme know if u can’t see the pics…
i werent exactly sure how to upload them…

#8

No, can’t se a thing.

Try putting them on a Photobucket, Flicker, or some such site and link us to that.

#9

…how bout now??? :slight_smile:

http://s194.photobucket.com/albums/z20/Alisha9j/?action=view&current=DSC1.jpg

http://s194.photobucket.com/albums/z20/Alisha9j/?action=view&current=DSC2.jpg
http://s194.photobucket.com/albums/z20/Alisha9j/?action=view&current=DSC3.jpg

http://s194.photobucket.com/albums/z20/Alisha9j/?action=view&current=DSC4.jpg
http://s194.photobucket.com/albums/z20/Alisha9j/?action=view&current=DSC5.jpg

#10

Alisha,

It is possible that a pro needle will fit inside your device. Do you have a way of measuring the diameter of the metal shank (with the thin wire, or needle, coming from it) that goes inside the metal tube? I just measured a needle here, and the metal shank is 0.049", and the colored plastic ring near the tiny needle(which can be removed if need be) is 0.079". Those measurements in mm are 1.26mm & 2.03mm.

Or perhaps someone on here has already done this… if so, please speak up.

#11

hi :slight_smile:
my measurements were 2.3mm for the outerpart, and 1.2mm, where the needles goes… i’m not sure if these were what u were asking for, but iv’e posted some scans of the shank here, the images are actual size, so maybe u might get a more accurate measurement than me?! :grin:
is it poss that u post some pics of a pro needle, so i can get a good idea about what it looks like? thanks… :slight_smile:
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z20/Alisha9j/DSC4measuered.jpg

#12

http://www.tomlinson-tube.co.uk/electrolysis-needles.htm

#13

Allow me to make a point here. Home users might be better served with a one-piece probe/needle, like the Ballet Gold Probes. There would be less problem with overflexing of the prode during insertion attempts.

#14

http://www.hofbeauty.co.uk/_images/thumbs/balletNeedles_100x100.jpg

http://www.cosmomed.de/CMS/files/balett-nadeln.jpg

These are Ballet one-piece probes.

#15

James,

Not to argue your point, because obviously you have been doing this a few more days than I, but an alternative point was made to me about the 2-pieces… A newbie will be less likely to make a bad insertion BECAUSE of the flexibility of them, because they can give a tad more as the insertion is made. What are your thoughts on this?

#16

Alisha,

If you look at the link I put of the needle, bottom left picture… this is a 2-piece needle like I have. (The Ballet ones under mine are the 1-piece to which James refers) In my pic, you have the “wire”, or needle itself, a small indented part, then the main part of the shank. This main part is about the same diameter as yours, so it “should” fit easily enough.

My needles actually have a plastic ring where the indented part is, for easy size identification. If you get needles with this ring, it can be cut off, then your needle will be just like the one in my pic.

It is my opinion that the pro needles will fit your device, it not perfectly, then close enough for government work. F shanks are 1.27mm by specs.

Good luck!

#17

By overflex, I think James means they are easier to overflex and put a bend in the needle, as opposed to the the one piece. (James, please correct me if I am wrong.)

I use two piece needles, I seem to have better luck with them (maybe because I have curvy or distorted follicles), but I do bend them on occasion.

I have a Sterex video that argues the 2 piece are better for beginners, because if an insertion if off you can see the needle start to flex (because it is encountering resistance.) I didn’t find mine flexed much or at all on bad insertions for some reason, maybe because my follicles are wide and deep?

#18

Yes, it is true that by being more difficult to insert, the one piece forces one to make a different type of insertion. Now if the hair is straight, this is all fine and dandy. If the follicle is curved at all, things change a little. It also can be a problem when one is unable to get a perfect angle of entry due to space limitations and an inability to twist the skin around for a perfect forward insertion. Certainly self work would create lots of non-perfect situations (well, all self work is a non-perfect situation by definition).

In this way the one piece becomes a better choice, assuming your insertion technique has moved past blind poking at the skin. If one is patient, one can make an insertion that slides along the side of the follicle, straighten out some curved folicles long enough to do the treatment and withdraw the probe. One can also bend the probe at an angle to give one a different insertion so that a simple tilt, or pivot of the probe holder accomplishes the insertion.

On another level, I have found the tips of one piece probes to be a finer quality (smoothe polished ends) over many two piece assemblies, as some companies really think that just cutting a piece of wire and wrapping it around a shank is good enough.

Of course, I may be biased, as I can tell during a treatment when my tip has worn away from use (remember, since I use disposeable probes, they are NOT made to last, and frequently DON’T make it through a single appointment on one client… but then some of my “single appointments” last 4 to 6 hours) and when the polished end wears away, the tip becomes more like a wire that has been cut off at the end. The insertions become harder, as the probe/needle end is no longer smooth, and it may tend to cut along the side if it encounters the side of the follicle. At the very least, it causes more friction on the insertion.

Vicky is correct, it is easier to overflex the two piece wire tyeps than the one piece. Even if one does manage to put a bend in a one piece, one can frequently straighten them out. Two piece wires are rarely going to allow you to straighten them out.

#19

hey thanks guys… thats a lot of replies lol! :slight_smile:

F6Hawk, i think these needles would work best with my machine, the size seems closest to mine… one thing though - could you let me know the length of the needle?? it might be too long for my stylus… thanks :slight_smile:
Also what size should i get for fine hair, such as arms??

James…just in case the ones F6Hawk suggested dont work - can i ask you what size is the outer & inner part of the shank, and the length of your one piece needles?? :slight_smile:

…and Vickie, thankyou for your opinions :slight_smile: , i think ur right, & that i should also use two piece ones, cos thats the type i already use, plus my follicles are also very distorty :(…

i think my electrologist uses one piece ones, cos she bends about 2-3 in every session, i got two 2-piece needles with my one touch kit, and i have been using them since july, yeah they get bent & stuff, but i’ve managed to staighten them out every time… so i dunno - maybe two piece are better?? :confused:

#20

Alisha, the needles I have are 6mm, with a shank length of 17mm. I believe this will be fairly consistent among both 1 & 2-piece, as it is an industry standard. I have noticed that different brands offer different lengths of needle.

Here is a link showing 3 different lengths. https://www.electricspa.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=Pre+Non+Disp.

Another thing you will need to consider is the size, or diameter of the “wire” that you will need to buy. IIRC, the number of the needle designates its diameter… for example, an F2 will be an F shank (most popular style now) with a diameter of 0.002". An F5 will be 0.005". (Pros please jump in and correct me if I am off base here with the sizes)

Other good sources for needles are: http://www.texaselectrolysissupply.com/
http://boutique.dectro.com (must sign up for an account to see prices)