“As a small business owner, esthetician, holistic health advocate, author and skin care blogger, Ms. Weintraub has accomplished a lot in the 30+ years that she has been a practicing electrologist! And like so many entrepreneurs, those accomplishments were born out of her drive to achieve excellence and then to share what she learned with an audience outside her practice.”

Q: What motivated you to become an electrologist?

I graduated from college in the late 70s with a teaching degree. At that time, there was a glut of public school teachers making it impossible to secure a position. I took a job as a secretary in Manhattan; and at first, I wasn’t a very good one. I always had a passion for helping people and was intrigued when a friend of mine, who had been receiving electrolysis treatments, told me about her experience. After much thought, I decided to enroll in the evening program at Kree Institute of Electrolysis.

By the time I finished the course, I’d become much more proficient at my secretarial job and didn’t want to quit! Fortunately, I found a part-time job at an electrology office located just a few blocks from my day job. This gave me the opportunity to hone my skills under the guidance of an experienced mentor. After noticing a Business for Sale posting in the classified ads of the NY Times, my husband encouraged me to check it out and the rest is history. I took the practice over from a retiring male electrologist who was having difficulty performing the service due to rheumatoid arthritis.

Not surprising, my new clients preferred receiving treatments from a woman, especially when requesting work to be done on intimate areas of their bodies. I’ve been at the same location for over 30 years. I have been blessed with a wonderful landlord who has offered me minimal rent increases through the years, and this has enabled me to keep my prices affordable. It means so much to be able to serve women who have limited discretionary income in order to help them feel more self-confident in their appearances.

Q: You’ve branched out in so many ways beyond the basic operational process of running an electrolysis office. You became a licensed esthetician, published a book on hair removal in 2014, and built a website and blog where you've written about practical ways to nurture healthy skin and to follow holistic health practices. How did these varied pursuits evolve for you?

In short, my personal growth fed my business…

Being an entrepreneur means tackling many challenges. When it became clear that my business needed a website, I decided to make it myself even though I had no background in website design. Building my own website was a huge learning curve, but I had a vision and the motivation to create something that spoke from the heart.

With regard to my skincare blog, it was my own middle-aged skin that led me on a quest for accurate fact-based skincare information. As a consumer, I had been purchasing a plethora of products and not achieving any noticeable improvements in my skin which left me feeling both disappointed and discouraged. This motivated me to enroll in an educational program that supplied me with the tools and understanding that helped me to address my own skin concerns. Becoming an esthetician was a wonderful decision and I was enthusiastic about sharing what I’d learned with others.

Similarly, a deeper knowledge of holistic health grew out of researching and studying topics that were a part of my personal quest to learn healthier ways of taking care of my body. Like so many of my other interests, this pursuit grew into a body of knowledge that I could share with my electrolysis and esthetic clients.

My book, The Complete Guide to Hair Removal for Women was written as a supplemental guide for clients who wanted to share hair removal tips with their friends and family members. Publishing it on Amazon was the perfect format and has made it available to wider audience.

Q: Can you offer any tips for new electrologists just entering the profession?

The consultation is the cornerstone for building confidence in the process and building the client’s faith in me as the electrologist so that they can achieve the permanent hair removal results that they are seeking.

It is my firm belief that an understanding of the hair removal process is an important beginning to successful electrolysis treatment. I insist that new clients schedule a complimentary consultation so that I can explain how electrolysis works, how it differs from other hair removal methods, and the reason it is still considered the only truly permanent method of hair removal. During the consultation, the prospective client’s hair growth pattern will be evaluated for the purpose of determining an appropriate and realistic treatment schedule.

Q: The electrology industry has seen a number of changes during the course of your career. What reflections would you like to share about your job?

This is a wonderful vocation for visual learners who are passionate about making a difference in a person’s life. Good eyesight and steady hands are the minimum requirements to succeed.

However, I am concerned for the longevity of this wonderful profession. Many older electrologists are retiring, and there are not enough new practitioners presently to fill that void. I feel that we must all do our part to advocate for this profession whenever possible, and I would like to see an outreach program created for high school students to garner greater interest in electrolysis as a career.

Q: What would you tell new electrologists about Ballet needles?

I exclusively use only Ballet needles at my office. Not only are the probes of exceptional quality, the packaging makes it easy to use and insert into the needle holder. The probes are available in a multitude of sizes as well as different materials that address various treatment requirements.

Because the integrity of the skin is of utmost concern, I have been choosing the Gold needles more often as they are perfect for treating clients with sensitive skin. These probes minimize the reactivity of the skin and the insertions are always smooth and effortless.

My go-to sizes are F2 and F4. However on rare occasions, I will select an F6 for use on a client that has thick, tenacious hairs along with resilient skin. As treatment progresses, I will then switch to a thinner probe when eradicating any remaining regrowth.

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If you would like to be highlighted by Synoptic Products as an Electrologist of the Month, please get in touch! We love to recognize successful electrologists throughout North America. Send your request to info @ synopticproducts.com.