When we started out to design the original Ballet needle, we looked at needles from all over the world. One thing quickly became clear: the tapered needle designed by Arthur Hinkel and Henri St. Pierre had a very loyal following among electrologists. In designing a tapered probe, Hinkel and St. Pierre sought to concentrate shortwave current at the needle's tip. With the gradual taper built into regular Ballet needles in "F" and "K" shanks, we achieved a similar effect. However, many electrologists continue to want to work with the more pronounced taper of the original Hinkel-style needle. That is why we have been producing highly tapered Ballet "T" shank needles in Stainless Steel and Gold versions for many years now. They combine the characteristics of the original Hinkel-style probes, and the consistent quality and efficiency of the Ballet factory. In this issue of the Ballet News, we talk to Linda Meakins, an electrologist who favors "T" shank needles. She is yet again proof that there are myriad ways to perform good electrolysis- or should we say, there is more than one way to epilate a client! --Sara

Q: Linda, you seem very happy as an electrologist.

A: Definitely! I always remember that electrology is more than taking hair out of people all day. It is improving images; we can't forget that. I have highs and lows, but I've been busy, and really blessed.

Q: How did you start out?

A: I needed treatment myself and went to an electrologist in Greely, here in Colorado. She told me that I had the perfect personality to become an electrologist. I graduated from the Rocky Mountain School of Electrology and opened my practice in 1993. I expected a first year with not a lot of business, but I hit the ground running and have grown ever since then. When this article was originally published, I was one of only three CPEs in Ft. Collins, and the only CPE in the area who specialized in the blend.

Q: How did you come to your present choice of needles?

A: When I went through school, we used Ballet Gold F3 needles. I liked the insertions and rarely used anything other than Gold; I was already getting good results. Then, I went to Larry Kunze's conference in Denver in the summer of 1996 and heard Patsy Kirby talk about different needles. She spoke at length about using tapered needles with the blend. So I tried them.

Q: And the results?

A: I quit using regular Gold, and went to a "T" Gold needle because I was getting such good results. After changing to tapered, I believe that I am getting as much as 50% quicker clearing of the area where I am working.

Q: Any other differences

A: Insertions are easier. I am able to really "feel" the follicle with the stiffer tapered needle. Any good electrologist can feel the follicle properly with a probe like this. And clients tell me that they sense the heat a t the base of the follicle. I think that staying in the follicle the appropriate length of time, plus the extra concentration of heat at the tip of the needle, make all the difference. It is an overall truism in modern electrolysis that many electrologists may be under-treating. For example, after-count in blend is very important. Doing the blend properly with tapered needles, I avoid this mistake.

Thank you, Linda.