I am writing so that all may be aware. I have a Silhout-Tone VMC that I loved (past tense). its easy to use and I get great results. Well the fairy tale has turned into a night mare. I have had many problems with the needle cords and worse problems with customer service. The problem with the needle cords is that there has been a bad batch of cords. What happens is that they will produce a burst of energy much higher than it should be and singe the client. The problem with customer service is service is that they won’t acknowledge the bad cords and blame the person using them. They have accused me of sending back used cords when that is not the case. They have also accused me of sending in tampered equipment also untrue. They have also called me to tell me my machine was ready when I never even sent it in. The customer service person is ignorant of electrolysis, of how the equipment works and has no people skills. Every time there is a problem she seems to take it personally. It is so frustrating with dealing with such incompetence. I tried recently to let Silhouet tone be aware of the problem with the needle cords, they said they were unaware of it until I told them. Their customer service person obviously did not make them aware if it. She prefers to blame the customer. I am writing so that others may avoid such problems. I was going to sell my machine if I could get a decent cord from them. I was so tired of all the problems with customer service and hoping to get a second decent cord. The last new cord from Silhout-Tone lasted 8 minutes then boom a blast of power. I cannot get results from customer service. So I want everyone to be aware of the difficulties in dealing with this company.
Go buy an Apilus! go buy anything else… DON’T buy a Silhout Tone VMC. It is with great regret that I write this post. Best
Christina
HI Christina. Do you have a back-up epilator?
If so, send in your cords and machine to Texas Electrolysis Supply.
They will evaluate your equipment.
When I had a VMC, I had this happen every now and then as well. I can also say that the phone people were not all that helpful in little things like my reporting that the machine needed to have an abort feature added, so that when one is in Auto-Sensor, it doesn’t start a countdown when you brush across moisture, and fire the machine while you are attempting to insert.
They pretty much told me to take my ignorant opinion elsewhere.
What you are describing sounds a lot like the auto-sensor “misfire” that I attempted to talk them into correcting years ago. If this is true, it would be correct to say that you don’t have faulty cords, but in fact a design flaw they have been notified of its existence, and yet have never done anything about.
So, were you using auto-sensor, or were you tapping the foot pedal in manual mode?
(When the auto-sensor problem happens, the count down is triggered, unknown to you, and you find the probe in hot transmission mode when you are attempting to insert, and this causes a blow out, and or, cutting of the client’s skin, leaving you on the hook for the damage done to the customer. I guess when they are on the bad end of a lawsuit for this design flaw, they will decide that it is time to do something about it.)
So, while Sil-tone won’t match the built in abort feature standard on all Apilus Products, the Apilus won’t give us a live hair counter like the Sil-Tone. I guess if you are going to ignore what the customers want, Apilus is ignoring something that is not as consequential to working with the machine.
Hi, I was not using Auto Sensor. I only use the foot pedal, I want to be in control of what I am doing. I was in the blend mode on fine. I called Canada this morning and I had a technician go over some things. Although I am getting results with clients with my good cord there seems to be something that needs to be adjusted. When I call Canada I actually get someone who really listens to me and does not take it personal. The customer service in Miami is just horrid. So if possible I will send the machine to Canada for service. I would throw the machine out before ever dealing with customer service in Miami again. If that is not possible I will have to get a new machine. I am open to suggestions. Thanks
Christina
It might be helpful to ask to talk to a technician. Don’t lose your cool. I had always been treated respectfully by the Sil-tone folks when I had the VMC. Even the Apilus folks complimented their product. It is a very nice epilator. I talked to the people in Vermont when I needed assistance. It only takes one hyperparathyroid employee to ruin a company’s true reputation. Can you give it another try?
HI, When I called Canada I did speak to technician we went over settings within the machine and found out that it does need to be updated .When Robin Mahanney was alive I was treated respectfully by her customer service. I find her replacement inadequate. They do not operate in Vermont any longer but out of Miami. The problem now is I am unable to send it to Canada because of customs. It most likely will get stuck there. My only choice is to send it to Miami. The head of the company in Miami now is siding with the inferior customer service. ( Because I got upset and called her an idiot) After years of frustration it is hard to retain composure. This may make me look like a complaining idiot, maybe even on here. Customer service has accused me of sending back used needle cords, and also accused me of tampering with a small Iontophoresis machine I sent in for repair. I am supposed to trust them now to fix my machine properly?? They did tell me to send the machine in but the trust and faith in the company on the US side is deeply deteriorated.
Well, that relationship may now be hard to repair, but you can always apologize sincerely for losing your temper, push the reset button and start over again… Otherwise, you can totally move toward an Apilus epilator, leaving behind what you actually have now, which is a very good epilator, indeed, minus some recalibrating. Have you called Texas Electrolysis yet? They have an epilator guru that can fix anything and it is my impression that he is still associated with Texas Electrolysis.
Call and ask for Dr. Myron Heimlich at Texas Electrolysis Supply 1-800-626-6025 and see where that takes you.
If you decide it’s just not worth it anymore please let me know. I am in the market for a good used sequentium vmc. I’m trying to start a new business with very little money to work with. I would like to see if I could get it in good working order without spending alot of money. So sorry you’re having to deal with so many difficult issues.
tobehairfree, look in the ebay thread. There’s a link a girl posted a few days ago for a silouette tone st-250. The seller emailed me this morning, and still has it, and is willing to ship it. It’s not a VNC, but for $150 a quite respectable machine.
Hi all, on a slightly different note, I am considering buying an advanced facial machine from Silhouet Tone-- Solitone 2500. This is a very expensive piece of equipment. As I am based in Ireland and we have no distributor here I am concerned reading about the customer service. I have experienced my emails not being replied to. I would appreciate if anybody, who has had dealings with them, would give their opinion on the service. Also does anybody know anything about the new electrolysis machine that they have just launched-- I believe it operates on 5MHZ
Well THAT is interesting! 5 megahertz!
I remember Hinkel telling me that while there is no monumental difference in HF frequencies, he was not pleased when the FCC mandated the three frequencies that electrolysis machines could use in the United States: 13.56, 27 and 40 megahertz.
Hinkel felt that the lower frequencies, such as 1.5 - 5 megahertz were best for elecrolysis (more of a “heating” range, he said). Whereas, he said, higher frequencies create more of a “cutting” effect. Thus, Hinkel went for the lowest frequency: 13.56. I’m not making a statement here, only remembering what Art told me.
Problems is, I would assume that the 5 megahertz unit would be “illegal” in the United States due to FCC rules? Probably okay in Europe and Canada? Although, maybe the rules have changed? All modern units are shielded, so I don’t see why FCC rules would be important any more.
(The older units … pre WWII … could be “amped-up” and used for Morse code communication: and they WERE! Great NYC story about a “spy” communicating with an offshore U-boat, using a modified Kree unit.)
Anybody know if there has been a change in FCC rules? I’d like to get my hands on this unit and try it out.
SeanaTG, thank you so much for that information. I will check it out. I own a VMC that I have used exclusively for over 11 years. I’m not sure what the differences are between these 2 machines. My thought is that it would be easier to have the same machine but for the price I think I could adjust. 
SeanaTG, btw i’m in California.
Therese Moylan, I’ve not experienced such bad customer service from silhouet-tone. They’ve always been very helpful for me. I haven’t had to contact them in several years though. Maybe things have changed.
Therese,
If you are concerned about Silouette Tone’s customer service lapses, then you may consider getting a machine made by another manufacturer. I recently had to contact Apilus in montreal a couple of times and I was really impressed with the knowledge and willingness to help from the technician there. I happen to know they also have branch offices in europe.
TobeHairfree, I think the ST-250 is a less advanced machine than the VMC. Still a modern machine though and would support all three modulations, just probably less flash modes than the VMC. If the flash modes are more important to you, you may also consider looking for an Apilus Junior, Senior or SM 500 they are all pretty advanced machines and do come up used frequently, and probably pretty comparable to your VMC.
Seana
SeanaTG, thanks again for the info! An Apilus woud be great! Its my second choice, only because i’m so familiar with the VMC. I will keep my eye out for a good used Apilus Senior or SM 500.
the SM-500 and SX-500 would be the models that would be closest to the VMC in performance.
James W. Walker VII, Thank you! I will keep an eye out for either one of those.
Silhouet site says that this model is only available in Canada. Two ways to interpret this is either they can’t sell 5mz in U.S. market or since it’s so new they don’t have a lot of production to fill U.S. market yet.
If Silhouet Tone is trying to compete with Dectro Apilus Platinum by making “the fastest flash” on the market, it doesn’t make sense that they’re locking themselves out of the U.S. market (largest electrology market?) by going with the 5mz route instead of 27 mz.