Between appointments

Hello,
I was wondering what other people do between electrolysis appointments, in the way of hiding unwanted hairs? I am just trying to get ideas to see if there is something better.
I have tried shaving, but my skin seems really sensitive, and then I get paranoid that the irritation seems visible. I am currently bleaching and trimming the hairs as close to the skin as I can, then I apply foundation to help cover it. I am still paranoid that other people can see it even after doing all that.
I am just now starting to see the results of the electrolysis (13 months in) so I know I wont have to worry about it for too much longer, I just need advice.

Thanks!

I’m struggling with the same issue but I recently had an experience, which showed me that I might be worrying unnecessarily about this.

I went to my accountant’s office to drop some papers, and she greeted me with a fully grown out mustache which could rival that of most men. (And no, she doesn’t work alone but in a room full of people.)

Now, I’ve no idea why she let it grow out to such an extent, but what immediately struck me was her utter lack of care about it. There was no doubt, I was dealing with a VERY self-confident woman.

Once I got over my surprise I didn’t care about it either. Why should I, she didn’t.

I’m not saying you and I should do the same, only that people take their lead from us. It’s us who decide if their reaction will be “oh, the poor thing” or “wow, what a kick-ass lady.”

Besides, it’s temporary and people forget quickly.

Hi justsomegirl,

You don’t specify but may I take it you mean on the face area? (You did mention foundation but that can be applied to other body areas besides the face, if one chooses.)

For starters, if you haven’t already, add in a shave gel or cream to your routine to help keep the skin moisturized & to buffer it from the razor blade. (I think Skintimate has some aloe & “sensitive skin” formulas; no doubt other brands have similar products. I know the men’s skin care line from Burt’s Bees has a nice shave cream with chamomile & some other plant/herbal ingredients to reduce skin inflammation.) When you’re done you can use plain old aftershave – usually these are scented for men so if you’re worried about “smelling like a guy” just look for a fragrance-free variety… that will be kinder to sensitive skin, anyway. Alternately you can dab on some witch hazel; it stings for a second since it’s got a small percentage alcohol but it’s good to fight inflammation & itching. Personally I would lay off the bleaching – chemical treatments seem more likely to irritate hair/skin, which may interfere with active treatments & skin recovery.

My electrologist says you really shouldn’t apply makeup for the first couple of days after a treatment, but if you absolutely must, then protect the skin first with a thin layer of antibiotic ointment (e.g. Neosporin). For me, though I haven’t yet had any electro on the face, I do unfortunately have plenty of experience with sensitive skin… and if we’re talking about the face, I would HIGHLY recommend switching to a dusting of lightweight mineral makeup over any oil-based liquid that gunks up the pores. Just stay away from brands that use bismuth oxide (which many people have annoying itchy reactions to). You should NOT have to spend a fortune on it, either. If you can’t find something locally, PM me and I’ll direct you to a brand I order online. Also, you know that green concealer counteracts redness, right? That will do a better job hiding spots or inflamed patches than plain skin-tone foundation alone. (Btw, you can get those for mineral makeup just like you can with the more traditional stuff.)

As the user “impossable” notes above – it’s just temporary. A little longer and it’ll all be behind you. (I’m actually jealous you are so far in! LOL) It’s natural to feel self-conscious but people do forget quickly and very likely if you don’t draw their attention to it, many will never notice anything in the first place. We tend to be critical of flaws on our own bodies tenfold to what other people think of them… probably they’re more occupied wondering if you notice their flaws. :grin:

If the hair is still dense, shaving is best. Shaving creams might help. If the hair is not so dense, perhaps clipping will hide the hairs.

Antibiotic ointments aren’t recommended because some people have a reaction.

An excellent skin protectant is Constant Care, which contains zinc oxide. It can be found online for a few dollars. Haven’t found it in stores, yet.

Shaving works for me but I do recommend using a good shaving cream (I steal my husband’s–works for him) and doing it after a hot shower. I also use Thayer’s Rose Witch Hazel toner–it’s alcohol free and irritates my skin less than other toners.

On the days when I am growing out in preparation for my appointment I use Make Up Forever’s Full Cover Concealer. It is designed to cover scars and tattoos. Honestly I’m not sure how well it works but it makes me feel less paranoid about people looking at me.

Good luck!

Yes, what she said. Shaving after a hot shower (or steaming your face for a few minutes) is much less irritating than shaving after your face has been dry, the hot water/steam opens the pores and softens the hairs.

MakeupForever concealer is good but expensive, same for their foundation. I find Revlon colorstay works just as well but that may depend on your skintone and skin type.

I wouldn’t recommend mineral makeup, you’ll never get the coverage you need, especially if using something without bismuth oxychloride (the reason it was used so extensively in mineral makeup is because it adheres to the skin very strongly, which is also why it can clog pores and caused many people to break out).

I was referring to my face (unfortunately). The hairs are mostly very thin now, when I first started they were all coarse. Every now and then I will get a few that are. I haven’t had many hairs on my lip, it’s mostly my chin…but the hairs that do show above my lip are always coarse and dark. I will start using an antibiotic ointment before makeup to see if that helps a little. My skin is so sensitive, especially above my lip…even though we only spend a couple minutes on it, it stays red for a long time (a week or longer). It really stands out to me.
I often clean my face with witch hazel, tend skin, tea tree oil, and I also put aloe vera to help with the redness. I wonder if that is too much and that’s why it’s not healing right? The rest of my face is usually set on a higher level but the swelling goes away the next day. It’s just my lip, and I think that’s partly too why I can’t use a razor on it.

This is what I recommend to people who need to trim a lot of hair and can’t shave close:

I have a handful of those and love them… I mostly use them on my eyebrows…but the rest of my face is really sensitive and it reacts similar to shaving when I use them, I usually use some kind of barrier between my skin and the blade (or whatever it’s called). Usually I use a shaving cream, what do you suggest to people to use as a barrier? I am wondering if I am just using the wrong thing.

I think you are interfering with your natural healing abilities with so many products being used and that is why you are staying redder for longer. Talk to your electrologist. I would tell you to wash the area with a mild soap, use a good quality of witch hazel and aloe vera gel. You can first try just soap and water without using anything and see where that takes you. Your electrologist may advise otherwise and she trumps me because she can see you.

I usually like the skin to heal on its own.The body has strong healing mechanisms and I agree with Dee. Sometimes ingredients in products can irritate the skin.