seeing the follicle opening

Dear electrologists:
What advice could you provide regarding finding follicle openings amongst dense, fine hairs, other than a surgical microscope? I’ve only just begun my practice, and the lip hairs are giving me trouble. I use an O.C. Green-Lite, which has plenty of lighting, but the opening of the follicle is not clear. How effective are pore markers, in this case? I’m discounting greatly for this, due to the time it takes me to treat said areas. Thanks in advance

you locate the base of the hair and then use the first millimeter or so as a guide to the follicle location and direction.When you have it right the needle will follow right into the folicle. If you see the skin denting or feel resistance, you havent got it right. When I work on particularly dense hair I try and go in the direction of growth and make a lead line. That way the outside hairs always show their base.I’ve not done it but someone suggested using mascara on particularly light hairs to make them show the direction of insertion better. You mention lighting but not what magnification you are using. I use a 6 diopter loop .

Seana

If you feel that you did everything to get the best lighting and visual aids, what else?
I used to ask clients, with fine wispy non-pigmented hairs, to shave just one time, the area that I would be treating. They would do this one week before their first treatment. In that way, the hairs were blunt and did not fall on top of each other and the follicle openings were more visible. Also, if the treatment area is not close to the eyes, I would ask the client to gently exfoliate.

Regarding lighting and…
I just find that all of those lights that I have: incandescent, fluorescent, halogen and fiber optics are okay but I have found the cool light of Rose Micro Solutions lighting to be best for those wispy colorless hairs. I found them at a medical convention and were able to test the lights. Find out when there are dental or medical conventions around and see if you can attend just the trade show. I have found that the lighting and glasses are better than what our vendors have offered.

All the best,

Thank you kindly, Ms Batz.