Sterex Mission Statement

To set the standard for our industry to follow and then strive to exceed it

Sterex Company Introduction

Sterex Electrolysis International Ltd is a registered British company, with 9001-2000 certification. Brand leader in twopiece disposable electrolysis needles, the company was formed over 27 years ago and is truly an International company selling into over 30 countries. Predominantly a manufacturing company, the name Sterex is synonymous with quality and customer care and is well respected in the beauty industry and education for both their product ranges and electrolysis training. This high level of experience and success was then, in 2003, utilised by the founding of Skin by Sterex Limited which specialises in anti-ageing treatments and skin rejuvenation products.

In 1981 Sterex was responsible for inventing the disposable sterilised electrolysis needle and introducing the pre-sterilised, twopiece needle to the UK market. The disposable sterilised needles were developed primarily to combat the Hepatitis B infection. Prior to 1981 therapists re-used their needles, many salons taping them to the back of the clients record card to ensure that the same client retained the same needle whilst other salons, unaware of the cross infection possibilities, were not as stringent in their practices and actively encouraged their therapists to continue to use their individual needles for as long as possible. This practice, whilst hard to accept in today’s more ‘aware’ generation of therapists, was common.

However, soon after the launch of Sterex sterilised disposable needles, the HIV Virus was recognized as the pandemic it quickly developed into and it became a legal requirement for practitioners using needles e.g. tattooists, acupuncturists and of course electrologists to use a disposable sterilised needle for each client. Immediately Sterex became brand leader and has steadfastly retained this position constantly strengthening its’ lead by exploring and developing into new avenues including: epilation units, wet products, a respected and renowned training department, (which played a large part in launching the Blend Method of epilation to the UK market) and more recently the launch of Skin by Sterex Ltd with its’ portfolio of treatments BioSkinJetting and BioSkinSmoothing and the Carat range of nutriceuticals and cosmeceuticals.

The Sterex education and training department over the years has developed into one of the most respected training departments within the Industry and has seen steady growth developing a varied range of courses for both Sterex Electrolysis and Skin by Sterex. Close links to education and Colleges of Further Education have been developed with Sterex offering support courses for both students and lecturers as well as the renowned ‘Student of the Year Competition’ now in its 18th year. The more recent and extremely popular Advanced Cosmetic Procedure courses have seen much research and development and are now held almost every month to satisfy demand in these lucrative, rewarding and effective treatments. Sterex courses are now generally taught in their state of the art, purpose built training academy in Birmingham which opened in 2005.

Sterex has undertaken an unrelenting and exhaustive quest to obtain the important standard of CE mark approval. It is a sought after and highly prized standard and a unique selling point. If a needle is said to be sterile but does not have a CE number, it is not approved and there is no guarantee that it is sterile.

All manufacturers of medical devices must be assessed by a notified body and obtain ISO 13485:2003 in order to carry the CE mark and for their goods to be marketed freely anywhere within the community. An epilation needle is classed by the MHRA and the FDA as a medical device, Directive 93/42/EEC Annex V.

Eventually the sale of medical devices, without the approved CE marking, will be prohibited throughout the community and manufacturers of medical devices who mark their products with CE and are not approved will be liable to prosecution as will the distributors who sell them. This mark must carry a number (Sterex is 0120). This means that Sterex is approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulations Agency (MHRA) through an independent assessor which is SGS. UK Ltd.

Over the years Sterex has gained a huge understanding of the skin and slowly developed a number of products designed especially for the skin both pre and post epilation. Then in 2003 a new very exciting treatment came to their attention called BioSkinJetting. Sterex were so enthusiastic about this treatment that they formed Skin by Sterex Ltd to concentrate on this process. BioSkinJetting was based on a medical treatment ‘Subscision’ – a cellulite and scar treatment originally developed in the USA and further researched and developed in the Netherlands by a renowned cosmetic Institute. To accompany BioSkinJetting Sterex developed the Smoothing machine and launched these treatments at Olympia in 2003. Launched as ‘Botox without the Botox’ these natural anti wrinkle treatments are highly effective and come with no risk of allergic reaction or paralysis as no product is injected. They work on the skin producing its own collagen to plump the wrinkle and smooth its’ appearance. Sterex and now over 1,000 practitioners believe that Women want solutions which are natural and chemical free.

One year later, in 2004, Skin by Sterex launched Carat a cosmeceutical and nutriceutical range of anti ageing products which have proved extremely successful with consumers and therapists alike. Fighting the signs of ageing from both topically and within the body, (in the form of nutritional supplements), the range is innovative, invigorating, energizing, refreshing, highly active and effective. Simply put, the Carat range is a feast of vitamins and energy boosting ingredients specifically designed to keep the skin looking young and stunning.