Outcalls and Paraffin

[melb]

OK, everyone that offers outcalls and paraffin - how do you do it?  I'm mainly thinking hands/feet.

A paraffin bath would seem to be unsuitable, even with a lock on lid. Though I suppose you could soften it up before driving off to the outcall, but it would seem a bit of a challenge getting the right temp quickly.

I've been thinking one of the facial paraffin baths where you get the removable pot of paraffin, then put the paraffin in a latex glove for hands, freezer bag for feet.  I know this uses a bit more paraffin than dipping, but the pot seems to be an easier option for heating than the large quanity in a paraffin bath.
Only problem is I think facial paraffin baths are usually at a higher temperature than a hand/foot paraffin bath, though I could be wrong! Feel free to correct me.

Someone out there must be offering paraffin for outcalls?? Anyone?? How do you do it??

Any other ideas?

[maestra]

melb, I'm not sure how the paraffin bath and the pot for paraffin are different. I'm assuming the pot means it's not big enough for your client to get their hand or foot in...
The bag method you mentioned might work, but as you said might be wasteful of the paraffin. I'm not sure if it would be less expensive or not but...
The first time I ever experienced paraffin, my MT offered to paint my sore ankle (chronically sprained) with it. She just used a small type of paint brush (probably from a beauty supply for just such a thing) and brushed the paraffin right on that ankle. It felt great! I'm wondering if you couldn't do the same?
If not... you might be able to practice with friends and get that perfect amount to pour into the bag down to an art.

[melb]

Sorry, I probably didn't make it clear - it's not the application I am so concerned about - I've been taught dipping, bags, gloves, brushing and draping of muslin as ways to apply the paraffin.  Everything uses more paraffin than dipping  I actually use the bags in clinic, I dip hands, but not feet. I'll have to figure out how much my ladle holds

The question is how to carry the paraffin around for outcalls - smaller container must heat up faster, but liquid paraffin takes even longer to solidify than to melt.  It's got to be awkward.  I've avoided it, but I've been using it a bit in the clinic, and would like to include it for outcalls.  I just can't figure out how to move it around safely and in a timely manner.

Does anyone use paraffin for outcalls?

[lovingkindness]

I brought paraffin a couple times when I gave a massage  to a special friend who was in bed with back problem. I used a third the amount of parrafin in my little remington paraffin dip, heated it before I left, placed the container in a cardboard box and set off for destination. It did slosh in the box when it was fuller. Anyway, when I got to destination I plugged it in before I set everything up and it was fine. It's a lot of hauling, though, considering table, music, bolster,sheets,etc. I would try wrapping the unit in foil and placing it in a cardboard box. It will form fit to the unit and possibly insulate it for travel time and if it sloshes, you can peel off the foil at your destination and the unit will be clean on outside for clients use. Just a thought.

[maestra]

Just another thought --- following up on the info that lovingkindness provided... (I have a Remington model as well). I have not tried it, but was thinking perhaps rather than putting it into a regular cardboard box... that an inexpensive styrofoam cooler might be a better choice.  I am thinking there would be even less heatloss between her residence/office and the client's home than if a regular cardboard box was used.
My 2 cents, for what it's worth! LOL

[sagetherapist]

I have a mylar temp control bag that I use to keep things hot or cool. I got it at the grocery store! It says it'll keep 140 degree temp for 2-3 hours! I use it for my heated wheat sacks, so my clients don't have to hear the clang-clang-beep-beep of the microwave door & timer during their sessions. I have also used it for keeping steam towels handy at the foot of the table, as my heating unit is at the other end of the room. I can imagine if your paraffin were heated & liquified & put into some kind of sealed container/bag & put that inside the mylar bag, you'd be good to go. The mylar bag I have is approx 11 x 17 inches & closes with a snapping handle for carrying. They sell them at the grocery store to use for carrying hot or cold items home.
Jill/sagetherapist

[superspagirl]

Jill/sagetherapist What a great idea!

[danema]

Hi everyone:

Have done several outcalls during my internship..just graduated November 12th.  Have been preparing ideas for outcall once I get licensed..adding paraffin sounds nice...can someone explain the steps for us newbies...like:

1)where to purchase the paraffin?
2)what's the best way to apply it to the clients hands
and feet(prone or supine)..brushing or gauze wrap..etc?
3)what should be done as preparation? ie..should towels be placed on the floor/and or table under the feet/hands to catch dripping wax?
4)transporting to an outcall...Jill/Sagetherapist seems to
have a good solution..

All suggestions/tips appreciated!
danema

[melb]

1)where to purchase the paraffin?
no idea, different country, but I get mine from a beauty supply place

2)what's the best way to apply it to the clients hands
and feet(prone or supine)..brushing or gauze wrap..etc?
the whole secret to paraffin is you need a sealed layer, so you get the sweat under the layer of paraffin when it's hot and then it is reabsorbed into the skin as it cools down to super hydrate the skin, putting cream on helps before the paraffin is applied as it gets absorbed into the skin much quicker too.

Dipping is the best for hands/feet, but you need a bath big enough for the hand or foot.  This is where I have the problem with out calls as that is a lot of paraffin to carry around heated, before or after, and it takes a long time for paraffin to warm up evenly - most things will say 4 hrs to melt on high, turn down and then allow another hour to get to an even temp. You dip 3 to 8 times over the bath, once it stops dripping you dip again.  After the last dip (how many is determined on how hot they can take it) you can put the hand/foot in plastic bag, then a bootie.  When it cools down it will all slide off in one paraffiny glove.  THAT is what you are trying to have happen with any method.  Dipping uses the least amount of paraffin compared to the other methods.

Brushing just doesn't get the sealed effect, unless you are using a big brush and it is very fiddly trying to apply the paraffin underneath the foot.  Brushing is used for covering large flat areas, or the face, where you put the gauze on first anyway. Brushing only the top of the foot does not give the foot a paraffin treatment.

Gauze wrapping isn't too bad buy it isn't quite as snug on the feet as the traditional dip, plus you need a full size bath to have a big enough piece of gause to completely wrap quickly.  Again it is mainly used for large areas like the back and legs, though can be used for feet if you are working out of a paraffin bath. Gauze allows you to cover a large area very quickly.  You get a LOT dripping around with gauze no matter how careful you are. (and I am sure someone will say they have no trouble with drips using gauze but it's not an easy way to start)

Bagging/gloving is the neatest, and probably the most hygenic anyway.  Last place I encountered paraffin in the training they dipped hands but always bagged feet because of the health issues.  Most people say dipping feet is ok as the bath is too hot for something to live in it, but it is often recommended to have a different bath for feet, so bagging feet would mean you could just have one bath.  Fill the fingers of a latex glove up with paraffin then put the hand in, plastic bad and mittens.  Bagging feet get a freezer bag big enough for the feet along the closed end of the bag.  Put the foot flat on the floor in the bag with the seam running down the middle of the bottom of the foot.  Pour the paraffin in and then mould it around the foot until it solidifies.  The bag/glove are not quite as good as dipping, but you can use a much smaller bath.


3)what should be done as preparation? ie..should towels be placed on the floor/and or table under the feet/hands to catch dripping wax?
you take the bath to the client you don't get the brush/gauze/ladel of paraffin on one side of the room and run across to the other side of the room to get to the client - you will drip.  You don't want towels to catch the drips - it is hell to get out, makes getting oil out of massage linens seem like a complete breeze.  You need thick paper to catch the drips, or plastic sheets, you shouldn't really be dripping but you will (if you aren't dipping hands/feet)  Towels under the paper/plastic.

4)transporting to an outcall...Jill/Sagetherapist seems to have a good solution..
Seems to be the best idea, but I still can't see it as something I could just take along in case.  Any more suggestions??????<br>I am thinking a facial paraffin pot with a very solid lib seems to be the best option.  I don't think I would every consider outcalls with a full size bath - too much risk of spillage and burns.   You can't have the paraffin in the bath below the minimum level it will get too hot to use, they are carefully callebrated to heat at least so much paraffin and less than that they will overheat and you will be up for burning someone.
I think a kitchen digital thermometer with the probe on the end of a wire to check the temp would be needed too.

I'm still thinking it's way too much work for outcalls, unless someone has a bit more light to throw on the subject?

[melb]

it said I typed too much!!! LOL!!!  and in conclusion...


Please note that this is someone that will take hot rocks on larger out calls which takes a lot of extra work.  I'm thinking taking paraffin on outcalls would be much more work than hot rocks.... At least with the rocks the main work is setting them up once there and cleaning them off to take away, travelling to/from you just have to throw the rocks in the car.  Paraffin you have to heat beforehand to get into at least a semi liquid state, keep it sealed and upright, be careful how you throw everything else in the car so you don't knock it, having to get it to the correct temp once there..... I'm still thinking too much effort..... 10 minute treatment taking a loooooog time in preparation.... so far I can't convince myself it is a financially sensible offering.  

I do offer it in the clinic, but that is just heat up the unit and it's ready to go after a certain amount of time.  I have an auto paraffin heater that can turn on at a certain time and turn off, I will set it the day before.   The heater can actually be pregrammed by the day of the week, but I don't have the demand to use it everyday.  Maybe if I was a beauty place rather than massage I'd use the full week timer (where you can tell it not to turn on certain days as you're closed)

[sagetherapist]

Dear melb (and all)

I just got a catalog from New Life Systems, and saw something that should solve your paraffin dilemma!

Paraffin strips! They are reported to retain heat longer than dipping, don't require a tub/unit & are sterile. They have a bit of stretch (they say), so are good for wrapping an arthritic elbow, say, etc.

Pretty good pricing, at a glance. I'll be ordering some soon. 40 strips per pack/$1.50 per pack. Buy 8 packs & save:  ($1.20 each).

It doesn't say anymore, so that's all I know for now.

www.newlifesystems.com

Jill/Sagetherapist

[superspagirl]

I just looked at those. They show them over a paraffin unit, it appears that you may dip the strip and then wrap it on the client. Is that right? If not then how do you get them warm? I am still waiting on my catalog.

[sagetherapist]

I must've misunderstood. Sorry. The photo in my catalog didn't show a paraffin unit... just the elbow wrapped. Of course it's too good to be true! ha
Jill/sagetherapist

[superspagirl]

well did they say it doesn't require a unit? I am still interested in these for doing feet. The salon I am in has a paraffin bath but it is on a shelf for use with hands so it would be tough to do feet unless I moved it, and then it would be dangerous.

[berkana]

melb - I think I may have found a possible solution - check out the mini melting pot w/locking lid (item #c724)
http://www.universalcompanies.info/CatV ... ?index=101 .  It looks like it's made for depillatory wax, but I would think that the temprature range is comparable?

[sagetherapist]

That's a good one, berkana. And if you have an ac car adapter, you can keep the unit "on" during transport!<br>JIll/Sagetherapist

[Isis_Leone]

I have recently begun using the paraffin strips, and I love them! They have the perfect amount of 'snap' to them, so the actually stay on the thing you are trying to wrap, instead of slip-sliding around and around.

I do my paraffin treatment with my client lying on the table prone. I undrape the hands and sanitize them, then I move the clients hand into position and dip their hands for them into the unit.( Did I mention that I move my paraffin tub near the head of the table?) Then, I place a towel under the feet, and use a deep moisturizer followed by parrafin strips. Of course, I wrap the hands and feet in plastic, then begin the massage.  All of my clients love it!

[sagetherapist]

Isis_Leone,
So tell us. Do you have to dip the strips?
Jill/Sagetherapist

[Isis_Leone]

Sorry I didn't specify...  :P I guess looking at the title 'paraffin strips' makes it sound like 'strips made of paraffin!'

Yes, you dip the strips into the paraffin, just like you would with gauze, except that the strips are stretchy, and not as porous....if you can imagine tissue paper strips, except much stronger and somehow woven to be 'boingy.'

I just started using these about a week ago, and I have just about mastered it to the point that I have hardly any drippage. I grab the (opposite) corners of the strip, then dip the strip into the paraffin. I then remove the strip, and instead of letting one end loose to let the excees drip off, I continue to hold both corners and alternately raise and lower them, this way, the excess just rolls along the length of the strip, further coating the strip with paraffin instead of just dripping back into the pot.  Then, I wrap the foot, starting at the heel, and working down to the toes. Because of the stretchiness of the strips, it's more like using an elastic bandage than a slip-slippery piece of gauze! Then I gently compress and smooth the strips so they make optimal contact with the skin. Very easy!  ;D

[superspagirl]

How many strips per foot would you say you use? I also read in one of the catalogs at the salon that you can use the strips they use for around the neck before barbering. One of the girls there uses them for haircutting I will try a few and see if they work. Those would be very economical.

[Isis_Leone]

Hmm...I guess the number of strips I would use depends on how big the foot was!  ;)

Normally, I go around the heel area at least twice ( 2 strips), cause this is the area that needs tends to need the most attention. I like to have at least a double layer over the entire foot, but if the foot isn't gi-normous, you should be able to overlap the strips. I think I use around 6 to 8 strips per foot.

*Fantasizes about how great it would be to have a chat room here.......sigh*

[Happy being dippy]

I looked at the date of this posting and I am fashionable late!... I was searching on google for an answer to my problem and ran across your site, posting yours. I manufacture it, so I won't post again, I don't do spam but thought to offer a suggestion for travel that might help. We do trade shows and had the same how to travel problems and while I still dont have an answer to my problems I hope to solve yours... Have you tried a very large thermos/carafes? You can pick them up at speciality kitchen stores. They are hold temperature, won't spill and as they normally store coffee, it's temperature safe.