I found a paraffin wax heater last night at Walmart and was wondering if anyone has used one of these. I have a lot of pain in my hands and my rheumatologist told me they used to treat it (long ago) with paraffin wax. Anyone use this? Can you just leave the wax in there when you are not using it? Is it easy to care for? Instructions didn't really tell me too much. Thanks, J
I LOVE my paraffin heater! I use the gallon size baggies to put over my hands after I dip them in the wax, then I slip them into a pair of heated mitts and sit and watch TV with them on. Sometimes I leave them on for over an hour...it feels soooooo good!
The parrafin heater requires no maintenence or clean-up. Just turn it off, let it cool down, then put it away. What ever wax is left in the heater stays there and you just add more wax as needed.
I have a friend that uses it almost every day, so she leaves her's plugged in and heated all the time. That way it's ready when she's ready and she doesn't have to wait for the wax to melt.
How expensive is this heater? Do you know what they are called? Parafin wax heater, but who is it made by? I would love one of those. I have done it at the nail salon before and it felt terrific but didn't last long. The baggies and heated mitts sounds like a good idea. Thanks.It is also called a "Parrafin Bath". The wax in mine gets very hot, even on low, so it's a very quick dip, let harden for a minute the dip again, up to 4-5 coats.
This is the second one I have had. You can also put your favorite lotion on your hands first to really help soften them. After you peel the parrafin off just rub what is left on your hands, into your skin.
One warning, though. If you have poor circulation, DO NOT use it on your feet. My doc told me never to use it on mine, as it could really burn them. My skin is very thin and feet are numb a lot, so I could burn my feet very easily and not know it.
There are several companies that make them. Homedics is another one. The replacement parrafin blocks are a bit costly, but you don't have to add wax too often. It's worth the investment.
Mine came with plastic bags or gloves and each replacement parrafin pack also comes with some. Then just put on the mitts and relax.
Hope you enjoy it Juliah. Let us know.
Nini
There are many different brands of paraffin heaters/spas out there, ranging from on up. Mine is a Remington that I purchased at Target four or five years ago, and I think I paid about . Check on eBay, they usually have quite a selection. Revlon, Conair, and Homedics also make them. If you're looking for a REALLY nice paraffin spa, try Therabath brand.
I get my wax refills at the local beauty supply, and my heated mitts I ordered online. The brand is 'Jilbere de Paris'. A must have as far as I'm concerned!
Thank you all so much I am going to try and get it on ebay. If I can't there is a Walmart and a Target close by. I can't wait to get it. Thank you very much! I had my gp wrote a perscrption for one. Took it to the medical supply store and got one. If you have med supply covrage on your insurance it might not cost you anything. I loooove mine!!! I put a few drops of wintergreen oil in mine for smell good an to help the wax to come off easier.Nini, I think we have the same one! Does it have a blus-ish clear-ish lid? :) I LOVE mine, but I don't use it nearly as often as I should :( Thanks for all the replies. I have the same one from Wal-mart. I'm going to use it tonight. It says it takes 90 minutes to melt the wax the first time. After that, about how long does it take for the wax to melt? Thanks, jAs you use the wax and the level gets lower, it will take less time to heat. My heater has a fill line and I always try to keep the wax somewhere around that line. In other words, I usually add a little more wax to bring the level up after using it each time. Mine also takes about an hour and a half to two hours to melt completely.Yes, Katie, we do have the same one
The sad thing is that the parrafin would soften them up so they wouldn't crack, but I have to wait for the cracks to heal before I put them in
Take care Katie, hope you are feeling okay!
Hugs,
Nini