Acupuncture Needle Brands in Canada
At first glance, acupuncture needles look quite similar to one another, and perhaps they may look exactly the same. However, there are numerous factors that set them apart. These factors include, coating, handle designs, packaging, flexibility and most importantly size and length. All of which directly affect how they feel and perform in practice. Due to these differences, there’s no single brand that's best for every practitioner.
In fact, it is even easier to say, different brands are for the better. However, the right choice will always depend on your preferences. From how they feel on your own hand from opening the package, how easy it is to insert or it can also depend on the treatment technique. In this blog, we made a comprehensive guide that compares several acupuncture needle brands at Lierre.ca and how you can maximize each brand for your practice.
What to Consider When Choosing Acupuncture Needles
Before we dive into our brands, acupuncture needles come in different coatings, either with or without silicone. Silicone-coated needles reduce friction during insertion which increasingly favor the clients comfort. Meanwhile, non-silicone coated needles provide greater tactile feedback to practitioners.
Secondly, the acupuncture needle handles. While acupuncture needle handles come in different materials and shapes, the handles generally affect the grip and the techniques used during the treatment. Which is an important factor to consider especially with treatments such as electroacupuncture and treatments integrating moxibustion. If you’d like to read more about needle handles, discover more about it in our Acupuncture Needle Guide.
Thirdly, how the acupuncture needles are packaged. At Lierre we offer individually packed needles as well as multi-needle formats. The former is convenient for treatments that require a low amount of needles. Concurrently, the latter is ideal for practitioners to make their treatments more efficient while also wasting less.
Finally, the sizes, acupuncture needles come in different lengths and diameters. An increased length and diameter is usually best for thicker muscle areas. Smaller and thinner needles are most suitable for delicate areas and for a younger demographic of clients, Overall, the best option would always be best when it aligned with your treatment style while considering all the mentioned factors.
ShinLin Acupuncture Needles
ShinLin needles feature Korean-style stainless steel spring handles, precision-sharpened tips, and a micro-silicone coating. They are available in several packaging formats, including individually packaged needles and multi-needle format packs. Our multi-format needles include:
- ShinLin 5 Bulk, which contains five needles per tube, 500 pcs in a blister pack.
- ShinLin 10 Bulk contains ten needles and one guide tube, available in both blister packs and easy tear-away plastic sachets.
ShinLin may be suitable for practitioners looking for:
- A Korean-style spring handle
- Micro-silicone-coated needles
- Multiple packaging and quantity options
- A wide selection of commonly used sizes
Acu Relaxo Acupuncture Needles
Acu Relaxo offers several needle styles for different applications. Its classic acupuncture needles feature Chinese-style copper loop handles and are available in silicone and non-silicone coated shafts.
Tip: Acu Relaxo boxes in orange are silicone coated, while blue Acu Relaxo boxes are non-coated.
The collection also includes tab-less needles with colourful plastic handles, as well as specialized options such as intradermal, press tack, and auricular detox needles.
Acu Relaxo may be suitable for practitioners looking for:
- Traditional copper loop handles
- Silicone-coated shafts
- Tab-less needle options
- Intradermal, press tack, or auricular needles
Lierre Basic Acupuncture Needles
Lierre Basic needles feature Chinese-style aluminum loop handles and non-silicone-coated stainless steel shafts. Their uncoated design provides direct tactile feedback, while the metal loop handle makes them suitable for techniques commonly used in acupuncture practice, including electroacupuncture and moxibustion when appropriate.
Lierre Basic may be suitable for practitioners looking for:
- Non-coated acupuncture needles
- Aluminum loop handles
- A traditional Chinese-style design
- Needles compatible with a range of treatment techniques
Lierre Plus Acupuncture Needles
Lierre Plus needles also feature aluminum loop handles and non-silicone-coated shafts. Compared to Lierre basic however, these needles are microscopically cleaned and designed for practitioners who prefer an uncoated needle while getting a smoother insertion. Like Lierre Basic, their metal handles can accommodate techniques such as electroacupuncture and moxibustion when used by trained professionals.
Lierre Plus may be suitable for practitioners looking for:
- A non-silicone-coated shaft
- An aluminum loop handle
- Greater tactile feedback
- A needle suitable for multiple professional techniques
Lierre Golden Acupuncture Needles
Lierre Golden needles feature an 18K gold-plated shaft and a traditional Chinese-style loop handle. They are individually packaged with guide tubes and available in a selection of commonly used sizes. Their distinctive gold-plated design offers practitioners an alternative to standard stainless steel acupuncture needles.
Lierre Golden may be suitable for practitioners looking for:
- An 18K gold-plated shaft
- A traditional loop-handle design
- Individual sterile packaging
- A distinctive needle option for their practice
Which Acupuncture Needle Brand Should You Choose?
The best acupuncture needle depends on how you practice. When comparing products, consider:
- Coated versus non-coated shafts
- Spring, loop, or plastic handles
- Individual versus bulk packaging
- Available diameters and lengths
- Compatibility with your preferred techniques
- Your clinic’s typical treatment volume
Moreover, the best way to find out which needle is best or which brand suits you, is to always give the needles a try. With each needle featuring a different purpose and style, it's only normal that it'll take some time to find the needle that gives just the right amount of feedback, convenience, insertion and balance between you and your client.
Practitioners may need to try more than one style before identifying the needles that provide the right balance of grip, feedback, convenience, and insertion characteristics for their work.
Explore Acupuncture Needles in Canada
At Lierre, we offer acupuncture needles in a wide range of sizes, handle styles, coatings, and packaging formats. Whether you prefer Korean-style spring handles, traditional Chinese-style loop handles, coated shafts, or non-coated needles, you can compare the available options and choose the products that best support your practice.
To find out more, you can also discover our Acupuncture Needle Guide which discusses further details about acupuncture needles.
Acupuncture needles are intended for use by qualified professionals. Always follow applicable professional standards, product instructions, and disposal requirements.