Thermophores

Hi all,

I'm looking at adding heat into my practice (beyond my table warmer, which I like but it's simply not designed for getting the fascia moving). I can't afford the hydrocollator (nor does the upkeep work with my small, part-time, shared office practice). I've heard excellent things about the thermophores, but am a bit confused about how they work, so some questions:

- who uses them? should I get one for my massage practice to use on clients? if so, what size/shape is most versatile?

- how do I keep them clean from client to client:

  - do they have a removable cover that doesn't disrupt the "moist heat" application? if so, should I buy extras and swap them between clients or do I use an extra layer, like a towel, and not have to wash the cover too much?

  - is there a style with a button the client doesn't have to touch and hold the whole time?

- the training I have with moist heat application was with hydrocollator packs. is there somewhere I can find information about how these differ from hydrocollators:

  - are contraindications the same?

  - is there anything else I should know about these?