Part II: Laurier

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#161

The primary reason for the Bulbous tip is to place the insulation in behind the tip for a smooth profile and easier insertion.

Skin is somewhat abrasive and the insulation will physically wear in time. There are places in the world where access is difficult and tariffs are high, so re-use is important to those operators. Egg white is generally used to determine the condition of the insulation after use and before re-sterilization. When the distinct coagulation pattern at the tip begins to elongate, that indicates the Probe is at the end of it’s useful life. Most US law (and AEA guidelines) require single use, so that is not an issue here.

As Michael stated previously, The Laurier Insulated Bulbous Probe was designed for thermolysis or flash. It has never been reccomended for use with galvanic, since the lye is so corrosive. Blend being a combination of both, will cause the Probe’s usable lifespan to be shorter as opposed to thermolysis alone. Again, single use operators will not see this in most cases.

#162

I’ve been treated with an insulated needle for the past two days, as well as a regular gold-tipped needle, with picoflash and multiplex on BODY areas. I can’t remember which was used with which needle and where. My skin is type V (I think), prone to hyper-pigmentation, extremely sensitive and suffers inflammation very easily.

Initial post-treatment reaction is better with the insulated needle. It doesn’t put me off the gold needles, as it’s the long-term reaction that I care about. The insulated needle is less painful, but that could also depend on the mode (pico/multiplex). My body and skin is very sensitive to heat, so I found the insulated probe more comfortable because it didn’t concentrate the heat as much. I find the heat more painful and uncomfortable than the ‘zaps’ themselves.

I found that I was sorer on the side of the body which used the gold probe. It’s the initial sting and burn with the gold probe that was more pronounced. Stinging sensations overall were similar, but healing time was slightly quicker with the insulated probe.

Note that I got scabs with BOTH needles – scabs are inevitable if you’re getting body work. The majority of scabs usually take 5 days to heal. I noticed that he gold probe resulted in more scabs, which were also generally larger too. The insulated probe was much kinder to my skin appearance wise.

HYGIENE / STERILISATION:
I know this is an issue amongst some electrologists, so here’s my observation and perspective. I’m not bothered by the lack of individual, pre-sterilised insulated needles. I found the gold probe gave me whiteheads, even with religious use of tea tree oil. I didn’t do any aftercare (after leaving the electrologist’s office) with the insulated probe and didn’t have any whiteheads at all. I’m not that fussed, because whiteheads typically disappear after 2 days.

I prefer the insulated probe overall. Post-treatment appearances are better, pain following the treatment is better, there are fewer and smaller scabs (but still plenty!), and healing time is better. However, treatment is much faster with the gold probe. Considering the reactions are very temporary, it’s still worth using it for body work.

POST-SCRIPT/AMENDMENT: 3 months after the treatment, the results on hyperpigmentation have been similar on areas treated by the two needles.

Pictures posted by depilacionelectr below show results from two different clearances, so please be objective, as regardless of the needle, second clearance is always better for the skin anyway!! The second clearance, as electrologists will back, helps to heal the skin after the first clearance!

#163

Blimey, it looks v long.
I just wanted to add - I’ve been bitten my mosquito bites on my arms, finger, shoulder and all over my face. The pain and reaction from the electrolysis is nothing compared to the damage one mosquito caused (where the bites are, it’s v. red, swollen / inflamed, itchy and SO painful and scabs)! Do I look like the man behind the iron mask? Yes. Would the electrolysis do that too? Nope.

#164

This is the most beautiful part of my job: Meet people like you Smurf.

Indeed, Smurf is a young woman with an extremely beautiful skin (uniform color, without freckles). What I have always dreamed of having. The perfect tan without having to spend hours suffering in the sun.
However, the other side of the coin, high risk of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.

The first clearance was done in January 2011 and 3 ½ months after (without doing anything, just moisturize) some areas had still hyperpigmentation.

Before Electrolysis (small spot of a previous injury)

Scabs of first clearance(January)

3 ½ months later (May), second clearance, (2 days later). Probe: 003 medium Laurier.

[img:center]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_YBdPD6HSjRc/TcB4OJmOfkI/AAAAAAAAAp0/t1ZXL37CCtk/s640/DSC04197.JPG[/img]

#165

Mike Roy, I decided to offer my clients the possibility to be treated with your probes. They all deserve. So I will make an order Prestigeelec.com.

My question is: Laurier has a poster that I can put on the wall of my office? if so, is it available in Prestige?

#166

Our company has not devoted much attention over the years to advertising. The focused delivery of the pulse and greatly reduced irritation to the patient has always done that for us.

Our focus has always been on the quality of the Probe and not clever advertising. Given a choice, a patient will most often choose the Laurier Insulated Bulbous Probe over others for comfort and rapid recovery.

At one time we did make a microphotographic laminated clinical wall hanging that displays the effective focus of the insulation (two of the photographs are on the web page). Prestige may still have some, if not, I believe we still have a few in the office. I will call Jane tomorrow and if they do not, I will overnight one to them to send to you with your order at no cost.

#167

I recently exchanged e-mail messages with my electrologist, Margaret. I asked if she had any previous experience with the Laurier IBP, and whether she minded using these during my treatment. I realized it would require some time and effort for her to adjust to using a different probe, and it was well within her rights to say she’d rather not. Fortunately, she did not mind at all. She knew very well all the reasons for and advantages of the Laurier design.

I’ve just ordered a box of 12 this evening from Prestige, and hope they will arrive within a week’s time. I’ll be happy to describe my individual feelings following treatment here, especially surface reactions in my skin. If possible, I’ll try to obtain and pass along Margaret’s feelings, as well.

#168

Thank you Caith, I’m certain they will prove themselves to you also.

May I ask anyone else that wishes to do this, please, first do as Caith did and discuss it with your electrologist. The reasons they choose a specfic Probe for a certain task are many, and almost none are obvious to those without their training and experience.

Again, thank you Caith, I believe you will be pleased.

#169

Oh! thank you very much, Mike, those microphotographic laminated are fantastic. Your pictures will be given a scientific touch on my wall. And the colorful pictures will bring a touch of elegance to my waiting room.

What a coincidence! As you can see, currently I have a couple of posters with this kind of pictures on my wall.

#170

Caith, I can know how the size of the probe you’ve purchased?.
For your upper and lower lip, I would have chosen a 003 (medium or short). Perhaps it admit a larger, but that you do not feel the insertion in this sensitive area, I have followed the instructions of Mike, and I have a smaller size. I like the size “short” because I have observed that there is less surface reaction. I used a size 002 (short) on upper lip sister Stoppit and after 55 minutes on the right side, no one could say that nothing happened there after 24 hours.
I love this response in the skin!!

#171

Hi Josefa, did you use the Laurier for my sister’s upper lip then? The rest of the treatment too?

I saw my sister about 48hours after her treatment with Josefa and I can honestly say the skin looked like she had nothing done. I do not know how much time she had done in total in this area but obviously, more than 55minutes! No swelling, so scabs, no whiteheads - nothing!

I will be starting a thread soon with pictures.

#172

Josefa, Margaret was using size 004 for all of my maintenance, but used 005 for the initial treatment of the coarse whiskers. I ordered 004 medium for her use, because so many of my follicles have been deeper than expected.

#173

Caith, might I suggest you offer to put her in contact with Josefa? Our Probes react a bit different and maybe they can compare notes. I’m sure she’ll have no trouble with them, but the indications at the skin’s surface she’s looking for will be reduced somewhat. What she observes is a part of how she decides her adjustments and strategy.

#174

Yes, Stoppit, I did everything with the needles Laurier. In the area of the sideburns I used a size 003 (short) and the upper lip a size 002 (short).
I have to consult my notes, but I recall that the total time on the upper lip was 1 hour and 55 minutes. I promised you that your sister would get the best I am able to offer, and that what she had. Same as Smurf, I have worked in the skin of her little face like I had worked on my own daughter.

#175

Despite my lack of experience with insulated needles, will be a pleasure for me to be of some help to Caith.

#176

I’m not certain if Margaret would post here, as she’s a very busy lady even when not at work. I know I should remind her to clean the probe more frequently during use, after reading comments in this topic. I imagine the most difficult thing might be becoming accustomed to the probe during insertions. Because she was already familiar with Laurier products, I presume she won’t require too much additional time or effort to familiarize/learn while using it. She also knows she can use lower energy, but she’s reasonably conservative with energy, already.

#177

Caith, with the Lauriers i have fewer problems of probes needed to be cleaned than with my other probes. My first imression using thermolysis is that the necessity of cleaning a Laurier probe might be an indicaton of too much energry.

#178

As said on our web page Beate, the buildup is normal,from concentrating the RF energy at the tip. The micropolish holds it, so cleaning keeps your insertions smooth. A lack of any buildup at all would indicate undertreatment for flash.

#179

My package of #4 Medium probes arrived from Prestige Wednesday afternoon, just in time for my 8:00 am appointment Thursday morning. It only required a few minutes and several insertions for Margaret to become accustomed to inserting the probe. After that, she continued at her normal pace and performed maintenance over my entire upper lip. My opinion is the energy certainly felt more focused towards the bottom of the follicle, and generally caused less discomfort compared to previous treatments. After returning home, I iced down my lip for twenty minutes to relieve the immediate swelling and redness (all general, none specific to any pores/follicles) and then drove to work. Upon returning home this afternoon, I see significantly less impact on the surface of my skin. The true indication will appear tomorrow morning, when I first wash the area and then apply witch hazel afterwards.

#180

Hey Caith, you should become an electrologist. You’d be a great one, seriously.