Bumps

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Did my first electrolysis about 2 weeks ago, and I seem to have a problem. I did an hour session and based on my request she focused on one area on my upper shoulder. (I did that so I could get a gauge on how much clearance would occur in an hour. She used galvanic, and it was moderately painful but she was very cognizant of the “no plucking” idea and I don’t recall anything feeling like it was plucked. However I’ve been traveling on business the last week waiting for the bumps to go down but thus far they haven’t. These are bumps just in the area that was cleared and they get red when I get out of the shower. From what I’ve read this doesn’t appear to be KP or anything similar as I have no bumps anywhere else. Is this normal or did she overtreat the area? Or is something else going on? Any help would be appreciated.

Jim

#2

I will go out on a limb here and guess that you are traveling on business, and using hotel showers. This would give you two things that would negatively impact your healing areas. 1.) hotels rarely have soft water that is chlorine free, and 2.) most people actually scald their skin in hotel showers, as they use water that is too hot. Humans should not bathe in water hotter than 110 degrees Fahrenheit, but at a hotel, you can easily have a shower in water up to 130 degrees that never cools off <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

You should have a shower filter for travel (they screw on and off for ease of use) and you should not shower in any water that feels uncomfortable to the back of your hand or that you would not take a direct hit in your softest, thinnest skin.

Other than that, you should have no remaining after effects 7 days after your treatment.

#3

Your skin will heal and it is good that you didn’t feel plucking. Galvanic is a very effective electrolysis option. How big of an area did she clear for you in one hour?

Just to compare, have you been able to try other electrologists in your area that use different modalities like blend or thermolysis? It’s helpful to do this so you can see how a treatment feels and how much hair can be removed in one hour. No matter what modality is used, there should not be a tweezing sensation. There are times when resistance is felt for some hairs because of the stage of growth they are in or because of the hair structure. Another point is that when using the galvanic method,some hair may be older and more curvey. You may then feel some resistance BUT the beautiful thing about this method is that the lye that was created in the hair follicle is still there working after the hair is removed and keeps on working to destroy those hair germ cells for a period of time. This is true of the blend method, also.

Checking out other electrologists enables you to see and feel their work and you can decide which healing scenario works best for you.

You didn’t say what your aftercare actions are. Healing and side effects can be a client problem, too. Are you using aloe vera, tea tree oil, witch hazel, aquaphor or something else? Are you exercising within 24 hours of treatment? The hotel shower and hot water stuff could be a factor. Clothes rubbing against the treated area or carrying something that has a strap pressing on that area could have irritated the little “wounds”. Just be assurred that it will heal in time and do consider sampling other practitioners for comparison purposes.

Dee

#4

Dear Jim,

What did your galvanic practitioner say when you asked her? Did you ask her? She did a health history on you, right? Do you have any condition that might cause you to heal more slowly? Do the bumps look the same now as it did as soon as the treatment was over or two days after treatment? How have the bumps changed? Descibe them. Mosquito bite-like? Crusty scabby?

Suggest that your electrologist come to this website and participate in the conversation; afterall, we didn’t see your skin, see your skin react, don’t have your health history, don’t have a picture of the area, we aren’t even dermatologists. We would like to help you but can only offer suggestions or understanding based on the very limited information that is provided.

It would be interesting to interact with your electrologist and chat about this with her as you indicate she administered galvanic on a small area for about an hour. Call her up and get her to join this discussion.

In prior posts you indicated that you had laser hair removal with no success. At this point, you may wonder whom to trust. Make the time to ask your practitioners questions and hold them accountable. Is galvanic the only modality your electrologist administers? Do test patches on a few areas and monitor by noting who worked on the area and which modality was used. Visit several electrologists. Its worth the research as you have large areas to treat.

Please visit with us, tell us of your journey and I hope we can help you.