We hear from electrologists all the time when emergencies strike—a needleholder cord stops working, a lamp suddenly goes out, or a sterilizer fails at the worst possible moment. Take it from us: we know the key items that can be costly (and stressful) to rush-ship in a pinch.
Don’t put yourself in a position where you have to cancel clients. With a little planning, you can stay prepared and keep treatments running smoothly. Here’s our recommended list of essentials to always have a backup for:
1. Magnifying Lamp
If you rely on a magnification lamp, a backup is a must. It doesn’t need to be expensive—consider the Daylight Omega 5, which comes with both 3-diopter and 5-diopter lenses. This versatile lamp is affordable, reliable, and can quickly step in if your main lamp fails. Especially if you use multiple diopter strengths, it’s an excellent “just-in-case” tool to have on hand.
2. Needleholder & Accessory Cords
Cords are one of the most common items we see fail, often without warning. Our best practice tip: order a backup, then rotate it in as your main cord. Place the cord you already know works into a
drawer as your safety net. That way, if the new one fails, you’ll have a proven backup ready to go. When you use it, reorder right away so you’re never left without one.
Pro Tip: Gentle use = longer cord life. Avoid pulling or tension of any kind to help extend their lifespan.
3. Sterilizer
Because sterilizers are a larger investment, it’s not always practical to have a second one sitting on standby. Instead, we recommend having a backup plan. Keep a chemical sterilant, such as Wavicide-01, on your shopping list along with test tubes or a stainless steel germicide boat. That way, if your dry heat or autoclave sterilizer goes down, you have a reliable strategy so you can still safely treat clients while waiting for your replacement or repair.
4. Epilator
For solo practitioners, a backup epilator can mean the difference between continuing treatments or canceling clients for days. If investing in a second top-tier machine isn’t realistic, consider an economical option like the Sterex Stereblend or Clareblend Essence. Both offer all three modalities at a great price. If you mainly practice one modality, a galvanic-only or thermolysis-only unit can be a smart, budget-friendly safety net.
The Bottom Line
Emergencies happen—but with the right backups in place, you can prevent small equipment failures from becoming major disruptions. Take stock of your treatment room today and make sure you’re prepared. Your clients will appreciate your consistency, and you’ll enjoy greater peace of mind knowing you’re covered.