I can sympathize since I kept telling "ouch, ouch" during my first try. I still am heating up my fingertips but not as much. I try to hold onto the ribbed edges....it doesn't always work.
However, I have had really good luck with them. Perhaps because I am using a longer roller...I don't know but they give my hair so much curl that hangs around for a few days and that has not been my prior experience with hot rollers.
Queenfrannie, good point. I guess not any more than with a hot iron or even the blow dryer. I have fine hair but a lot of it with ugly waves that are randomly scattered around my head. To get it straight I have to use quite a bit of heat.
However, I only wash and style my hair every three/four days.