Some Questions For Any Passing Pros

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
1

I haven’t frequented the board that much as of late because I found myself reading about hair removal, more than actually doing hair removal. I told myself if I spent half the time actually doing electrolysis, than reading about it, I’d be pretty far cleared by now. So now I’m clearing more and posting less.

But I have some questions If maybe someone has had experience in these matters:

-Has anyone here that practices electrology had lasik eye surgery? Currently, I wear contacts. I’m myoptic (-2.00 Px in both eyes) and to get clearest vision, remove my contacts before putting on my 3.5x loupes. There is a huge difference. My vision magnified without contacts is diamond sharp and my insertions a lot quicker. I hear so many different things about the effects of lasik, that glasses are still needed to see close, that each eye is done differently to accomodate near and far vision, that some see more blurry with near vision. I spoke to three lasik surgeons and each one didn’t really give me a good answer about magnified unassisted close-in vision. So I’m wondering about it. I don’t like wearing contacts, but it’s better to deal with it than be surprised by losing an ability to get good insertions.

As it is, I’m on the ‘No’ decision side. Until I hear something consistant and convincing, I’d rather wait.

-Next question. Flonase, Advair, fluticasone proprionate type drugs. Inhaled corticosteroids that are used to ease breathing. I have read that they increase bruising ability, and slow skin healing ability. What I want to know is: does this slow eschar healing ability? Is it something that you have seen in practice? I would think it would slow eschar healing. I would just like to know if anyone has any experience with this.

-Another question. And I know this is somewhat ambigous or maybe miniscule to the point of being moot. But, does a gold needle’s performance over stainless steel hold in both galvanic current delivery and flash/AC current delivery? Or does the benefit only apply to galvanic? I’m thinking it only applies to galvanic, has anyone here noticed a difference when it comes to Flash?

-And, my last question: Is my bead sterilizer (for tweezers) useless and should I use it for a pencil holder? Are they unreliable? Should I sterilize with a solution bath? Or spend a bit on a dry heat sterilizer? And what is a good, inexpensive sterilizer to look at that will be used for maybe five tweezers at a time weekly?

And, a bonus question for anyone reading this far: Flat metal lancets or plastic handle lancets, which are better and do less skin damage in flipping out ingrowns or imbedded hairs?

Thank You all. Hope everybody’s fine. It’s too bad about the polar bears.

Mantaray

2

It is late, and I don’t have much time either. Here are the gems I can toss your way before calling it a night:

Clients always seem to be able to tell the difference between stainless and gold, so there must be at least a difference in the experience of the sensation even if their is no difference in the delivery of power. I am one who believes there is an advantage in the power department as well. Clients who have tried gold probes, usually perfer them over anything else. I know, I used to give the clients a sample of all 3 probe choices on their first treatment, but it just did not make sense, as nearly everyone chose the gold anyway, and I was wasting probes (and money) on trying the stainless and insulated probes that people continually rejected.

Bead sterilizers can’t be relied upon to give even constant heat, and therefore are not considered sterilizers. One could invest in a dry heat sterilizer, or an autoclave. I lean towards autoclave. One coule also pre-heat an oven to 350 degrees and bake for 2 hours.

Lastly, I am partial to metal lancets.

3

I’m yawning, too, but here goes.

I can speak about the lasik part of your question Manatary because I took a huge risk back in January of 2001 and had my vison corrected. I chose to have monovision and all went exceedingly well. I did have to have my surgical loupes modified to match my new eyesight though, which cost me $180.00. I did lose my really good close up vision that I had before the correction, but that matters little when I do electrolysis because I wear the revised surgical loupes anyway and have no trouble whatsoever seeing. I can read menu’s and other things without my 1.25 readers from Sam’s Club, however, I will wear my readers if I have them handy because they do bring me up a click and provide me with a clearer view.

Getting lasik did not affect my vision ability to perform electrolysis. Depth perception is good and all is still working well in 2007.

I like gold probes by far and so do my clients. They know something is different about a treatment if I use stainless instead of gold. I don’t have very many stainless probes left and I don’t intend to re-supply when my stainless ones are gone. Flash, blend or galvanic doesn’t seem to make a big difference with gold. It performs well for my clients needs.

I use plastic lancets. I like the feel of these better. I used metal years ago when I worked on a diabetic unit as a nurse and had to do fingers sticks at 2am when a lot of hypoglycemic reactions can happen. Thinking back to those night shifts makes me yawn, too. There is nothing wrong with metal. It all has to do with personal feel and what works best with your hands.

Corticosteroids for Cushings disease and diabetes brings the slower healing and bruising questions to mind. Yes, a client that I am aware of has this same scenario as described by an electrologist colleague of mine. She was so worried when her client complained about these side effects. All heals fine within two weeks for these challenging cases, but the electrologist still needs to work with the client and make some adjustments to see if a better healing outcome can be obtained.

Bead sterizers are a no-no. I use dry heat. A Wayne dry heat oven costs about $300-$400.

Goooooooodnight!

Dee

4

I’ve been on Advair for 5 years, I’ve never noticed a difference in my healing. I too, prefer using gold needles, (microflash) as do my clients. You can also sterilize in a pre-heated oven at 450 for 60 mins. I’ve used both types of lancets and tend to lean toward the metal, but will gladly take the plastic when metal isn’t available, rather than waiting for a back order.

5

Bead “sterilizers” are not labeled as a sterilizer by the FDA, so discard it. When using a dry heat sterilizer there is no need to go over 1 hour at 340 degrees. (I overkill with 350 at one hour.) That time and temperature does not include heat-up time.

For esthetics, I like the plastic handled lancet over the flat metal, but for removing ingrowns, the sharp sterile forceps lift them out easily.

6

Yes, as Barbara advised, an hour means and hour at 350 degrees. So you really have to set the timer for 80 minutes for the lag time, because it takes a good twenty minutes for the oven to reach the 350 degree mark.

When are you going to become an electrologist, Mantaray? You’d make a good one with your attention to detail. Also, can you tell me what areas you and your electrologist are working on, so I don’t have to look that up? How are things going for you?

Dee

7

I’ve been considering Lasik for a while now. However, there are several potential irreversible side effects that have stopped me so far. I was just at my doctor’s last week, and they’re currently testing a new procedure based on the way cataracts surgeries are done, called Phakic IOL. It’s only available through studies right now, but I’m considering it for the future. It seems like a better alternative because it’s completely reversible, unlike Lasik.

8

You know I was looking at my now-abandoned bead sterilizer and it just hit me that it would make the most excellent mini-deepfryer. You know, fill it with cooking oil and pre-heat it? One battered shrimp at a time.

I now have now disgarded my headband to my loupes. I bent the ear wires inwards and more curved at the ends so they loop around my ears. They stay more still and are quicker to take off. Also, straws are a good thing to have for beverages when wearing loupes.

A&D cream is pretty good.

I tried a forehead LED spotlight, I got a pretty bright one at the REI Camping store, it just didn’t light at a good angle to see things well, you like those Barbara?

I’ve found the plastic lancets yield less blood when digging.

Mantaray.