I have some bumps on my elbow. I don’t want them to get worse.
Can electrolysis free the hair trapped underneath?
My only issue is that I was left with ‘ghost hairs’/trapped hair that came out without a root following a particularly bad electrolysis appointment.
Is this something any electrologist can do or should I wait to find a different electrologist?
Side-note: can ingrown hairs resolve over time?
One of the biggest advantages of electrolysis is treating ingrown hairs, so the answer is, yes.
Is it as easy as just treating the bump?
Do you puncture the bump?
How does it work?
Bump
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i kind of misunderstood that post
if electrolysis treats an ingrown bump, will the pih just fade and will the bump go away?
sorry for these repetitive questions. just wondering
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Well, you sure do have a lot of “bumps!” Where are the “grinds?” (Joke: NOT serious!)
An ingrown hair in a bump has to first be lifted-out of the bump (using forceps). After releasing the hair, the therapist will gently lift on the hair to see if it’s “attached.” If it comes out with no traction, it’s most likely a dead “ghost hair.” (Thanks for inventing the term. Did you invent it? I forgot.)
If the hair came out dry, i.e., no blood around the thing, the zapperette will treat the hair. If, however, the attached hair is sitting in a pool of blood (often happens), it’s best not to treat the hair at that time (unless you can get the area dry). The pool of blood will “short-circuit” (absorb) the HF energy at the top of the skin, and prevent the “heat” from getting to the right spot (the bottom of the follicle).
Suggestion: Bumps with hairs? Just wait, or gently scrub them out (you know: “bump & grind?”). Present your electrologist with nice clean attached hairs that are ready to “meet their doom!”
You know what, in all these years of “Hairtelling,” nobody has ever defended the poor hair! Everybody just wants to KILL them. We never hear their side of the story! Not fair! “Equal time,” please!
i have a lot of those bumps
thanks for the explanation, Michael
quick question, wouldn’t removing the hairs first, cause scarring? or is it the case that when performed with forceps, there is no scarring?
I don’t understand the question.
if i were to pick at these bumps, they’d surely scar
so my question is, will treating them first with tweezers be any different from picking at them?
I don’t know why they would “surely scar?” Unless you are “mining for gold.”
Anyway, don’t pick at things yourself. Your electrologist is looking under high magnification and lifting out the hair with sterile tweezers/forceps. One or two careful “lifts” and that’s it … NO MINING!
Scars only happen when the deeper dermis is damaged (or infected). ** I suppose even if you did “pick,” it would be nearly impossible to “scar” … unless you gave yourself an infection. So, don’t pick!
“Pick at yourself” only by using a clean wash cloth in the shower (gently!) … and mostly leave the area alone. Hard to believe, but the skin has been managing these “skin affairs” longer than you. Let nature take it’s course. (And stop looking! You are not going to help anything “heal.”)
** Pretty much the only danger in post-op electrolysis is infection. I don’t worry about ANYTHING else. I put Hibiclens (diluted) on the area and tell my clients to “DON’T DO NOTHIN’ NEITHER NO-HOW!” Although rare, even the (improper) application of post-treatment “goodies” can create a risk of infection (or allergic reaction).
Shower and plain soap & water. And “NO TOUCHY!” If you don’t have a problem, don’t give yourself a problem!
The plastic surgeon with whom I work confirms that pretty much the only post-op patients that have problems are those that attempt to “help the healing.” MANY horror stories here.
Alright Michael, I’ve never knowingly treated an ingrown hair. I honestly wouldnt feel competent. But here’s my question, and I think it relates to the OP’s.
How does one know how to proceed? How does one “lift” the hair? Wouldnt it be necessary to pierce the skin to even get AT the hair? As I understand it alot of these hairs make coils" under the skin how does one see the hair to lift it out? I’m a little confused on this. Also how one would identify a ingrown hair versus a mole.
Seana
Thanks for the question Seana … I will try to answer, and hope I get close to what all of us do.
Mostly, if you can clearly see the hair under the epidermis, then a quick “poke and lift” works great. Yes, sometimes the hair forms a coil: a near perfect circle laying flat under the epidermis.
Sometimes it forms a loop (I have a drawing of this in my book). Looking down at the loop it’s not easily identified: maybe just a “segment” is seen. Because the hair has grown upward, and then has grown back down you can’t see much. (These are the ones people dig at. Bad idea.) In many cases this type of ingrown is associated with a “black head,” and that makes getting it out easy … a little push (maybe a tiny “poke and lift”) will do it. Leaves a big “dry hole” but this is only the stretched follicle/sebaceous gland and it goes back to normal size.
In any event all of these “things” work themselves out - eventually. Mr. Hinkel always told his students to leave all ingrowns alone. He said, “The patron is paying for hair removal … not picking.” I suppose if you are taking more than a few seconds to release the ingrown, then that’s too much?
Still, when I see a big fat juicy ingrown the temptation is just too much for me. It’s my OCD kicking in … every time! And, I’m not kidding; I DO have that sucker … among other things! I’m “a mess” but happy! Hey, nobody’s perfect?
Today I saw my third “silky” (hair) in 40 years… never talked about this … but it’s nuts! I tried to take a photo … no dice.
so some of the scabs on my forearm (had this area treated two weeks or so ago) have come off.
no pigmention, no scarring.
hoping the hair is gona for good there too
strange how some places react without any PIH and some go crazy with the PIH
Bump.
So several weeks ago I had a session done on the bottom of my forearm.
It was a test spot to see how I reacted.
I have no PIH in the area of the test spot, BUT…
I’m left with what appears to be ingrown hairs.
Can improper insertion technique or energy level cause this to happen?
As mentioned in the parallel thread, improper insertions are the main cause of ingrowns (but not necessarily the only one), especially if they are numerous.
It would be easier to help You if we could concentrat this within one discussion thread, wouldn’t it?
you’re right Beate, I will refer to this thread. my apologies
i believe you’re also right about the improper insertions
although im just a client, so what do i know
i can only say that this is the first time i’ve seen these ingrowns arise following a tx with my electrologist
my left arm has virtually any PIH
my right arm is riddled with PIH
so this electrologist is not consistent in form
OR, my hair is growing in weird inconsistent directions. in 2012 i used a depilator cream on my arms one time and never since, so that could have had an effect
although i did not begin electrolysis until 2014…
so in theory, electrolysis can treat ingrowns?
if the electrologist is conservative in energy level and length in the follicle, would that be good enough?
Electrolysis has actually been invented to treat ingrown hairs (in the eyelids).
Regarding Your arms: consistency is really a lot easier if You are able to insert with Your left and right hands. No problem for people knowing their jobs.
But I can easily imagine that an electrologist who has difficulties with a specific hair situation will also deliver asymmetrical quality.
BTW: Hyperpigmentation is admittedly ugly but a normal part of the healing process, and it will fade away with time. Things are too complex and we do know far too little about Your skin and Your hairs to blame the collegue in question for its appearance.
And we are not machines. As we are humans no one of us is consistently “in form”, and at least i try really hard to deliver good work even if it is not my day. Maybe a bit slower than usual.