I went in for the first hour of treatment on my chin/jawline on Sunday. YAY! Immediately afterwards, I noticed my face looked a little red and swollen in some spots, but nothing anyone but me would notice.
After the treatment, I showered/shaved, washed my face with Neutrogena soap, put on Kiehl’s oil-free moisturizer and makeup. Ugh. I didn’t even think about what I was doing and now I’ve got red bumps and whiteheads all over!!
What’s the best aftercare regimen? Tea tree oil? Witch hazel? How do the women here deal with the makeup (foundation) issue? Do you wait 24-48 hours to apply? Is it strictly forbidden? Any tips?
Did the electrologist give you recommendations? Any time a consumer has questions, calling the provider is a good idea.
That said, here’s my recommendation:
If you saw redness and swelling immediately afterward, you should use a little ice and/or witch hazel (optional to add a little wintergreen alcohol).
You should not have shaved and applied all the other stuff. Now, you should sparingly apply some topical OTC acne products. (J&J Clean and Clear with salicylic acid is good)
You’ll be fine, just don’t do lots of stuff to your skin - THAT can irritate it.
I personally like my clients to use witch hazel 3-4 times per day. I think you would really like Thayer’s lemon witch hazel or Thayer’s medicated. Use 100% aloe vera gel cold from the refrigerator during the day and then dab the treated area with tea tree oil at bedtime. Apply these three things after you wash your hands even though you are using cotton balls and cotton swabs to apply the witch hazel, aloe and tea tree oil. Keep your hands off your face and don’t let anything germy touch your face for three days. Did you really have to shave? No full clearance??
Tell your electrolgist about the red bumps and pustule’s even though you think you caused this to happen after your treatment.
When I went in for the initial consultation (a whole YEAR ago), the electrologist gave me a take-home sheet with the aftercare info. She asked me if I still had the sheet and was clear about aftercare and I said “yep!”. Sunday’s visit was a little emotional and my brain must have been a little scrambled because I knew I definitely didn’t have that paper anymore.
And yes, I HAD to go home and shave my face. I have a series of 1-hour Sunday appts. (due to logistics of having to grow out the facial hair) and I don’t expect to have full clearance for a couple of months. To tell you the truth, I had a little breakdown in her office before we started because it was the 1st time in over 17 years that I hadn’t woken up in the morning and immediately rushed to the shower to shave. It was the first time anyone had seen my unshaven, makeup-free facial hair – AND we were talking about it.
When I went in, I had 36 hours of growth, which was definitely noticeable and more than enough length for her to work with. I’ve got a lot of course facial hair, but I can actually see a difference in the density of the hair on my face in some areas.
I don’t mean to get all mushy here, but this board has been a godsend. You are such knowledgeable and supportive people. THE INFORMATION SHARED HERE IS CONTRIBUTING TO AN EXPERIENCE THAT IS CHANGING THE QUALITY OF MY LIFE. Thank you, thank you, thank you…
Neenah, this will all be behind you shortly. Hang on tight and keep pushing forward with long and frequent appointments to get a first clearance. Your electrologist has seen worse, I’m sure, and she will bring you much needed relief and she certainly understands tears. We see tearful ladies all the time and certainly pass out our share of hugs! How very good of her to see you on Sundays so you can let the hair come forth!
We always say that the first six months is the hardest it will ever be as those growth cycles keep coming and coming. It will all calm down though, but hair has to be punched good and hard in the beginning, so do this weekly until you and your electrologist are in total control of those hair growth cycles, then you can spread out your appointment to every 2-3 weeks. Yes, your life will change for the better and that is the most wonderful thing I witness in my practice. Electrolysis will lift you high again. There is no medication or words that can make you feel different about too much hair on your face, only RESULTS matter and a good electrologist can get you results assured.
We’ll be thinking about you. Come back and share your story so others may gain hope and courage.
Good luck on your journey. I agree with above. Try to avoid facewashes, lotions/moisturizers, and makeup until the skin heals. Just use witch hazel a few times a day. You should be able to see how your skin is healing. It will start getting used to the treatments. Often, I now find I can apply a bit of makeup just 5-6 hrs after the treatment without problems. But definitely do not use any of these things on irritated skin. They clog pores and cause more irritation instead of healing.
Definitely invest in witch hazel. Ice helps too. The only facewash I find gentle enough (and still only used at least 24 hrs after the treatment earliest) is Aveeno Ultra Calming Facewash.
Is it possible for you to go more often or for longer periods of time so you can get your clearance sooner?