Can this be avoided? If so how?

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

I’m currently seeing one of the most well respected professional electrologists in the region so I have the utmost respect and confidence in her abilities. With that being said, I’ve only had one appointment with her, my next one is in a few days, and I’m sure she’ll adjust according to the reaction I’m getting. I’d just like to have some feedback before going in there as it’ll make be feel better to have multiple opinions.

I had 2 hours done on my face: my neck, chin, upper and lower lip and side burns. When we started treatment, she started with a lower setting thermolysis on my neck and chin but had to up the power multiple times as the hair wouldn’t slide out. When I say multiple times I mean 4-5 times. So these are ugly thick stubborn hairs. She was pretty straightforward: these were going to scab because of the high power. She was right: they stabbed pretty badly. These aren’t pin prick scabs either, some of them are around 2 mm in diameter.
We did a cluster on the side burns and lower lip, and a few under the nose. She mentioned the sideburns will scan too because of the same problem : need to use higher current because the hairs wouldn’t slide out. The scabs here are much smaller, closers to pin pricks.
I also got pin prick scabs on my upper and lower lip.

Now I’ve watched Michaels videos on healing (great videos!) so I know scabs are a natural part of the healing process, but I’ve also read and heard on multiple occasions that’s scabs can be avoided on the face and are only unavoidable on the body. I’m especially concerned about the bigger scabs.

Am I just going to have to put up with it? Anyone know of any way to avoid the scabbing or minimize it? It doesn’t seem like turning down the power is an option. On the bright side with the high power the hairs are 100% sliding out; I can’t even tell how many she’s pulling out consecutively.
She also seemed to switch probes on different areas of the face which is great.

Thoughts? Comments? Recommendations?
I’ve added a photo to give u some idea of my chin/neck area.
https://s32.postimg.org/v309y6b51/image.jpg

#2

Thanks for your post and private email. The scabs are too big; most likely no long-term problems. There will be lots of suggestions made here … all good ones. I’d only chime in to recommend the electrologist use a thicker probe.

#3

Are there any other electrologists in your area that you could try out? This looks like a lot of scabbing to me for the face… You’ll get rid of the hair, but the hyperpigmentation could take a long time to heal (it depends on your skin).

It is good that she’s not tweezing your hair, though. Are you drinking a ton of water before the appointment? My electrologist tells me that it will help with the hair sliding out easier. And if it’s easier, it means lower energy settings and less scabbing.

Good luck!

#4

Some possible suggestions:

thicker probe

switching to an insulated probe

lowering the power and doing multiple zaps at different parts of the follicle

switching to blend if the power required to dislodge the hair with thermolysis alone is too high for your skin to handle

#5

Don’t larger probes have potential to bruise and scab more? My electrologist warned me that larger probes have tendency to cause that compared to smaller diameter.

#6

In my opinion, the depth of the crust is more worrisome than its diameter.

Would you know tell which machine was used? with a modern look? or conversely, it was a basic unit? Your answer might help clarify a small matter: the scabs are a common side effect regardless of sophistication or simplicity of the machine.

At the end of the day, heat is heat …

#7

Fenix, your zapper has it totally wrong. You can probably figure this out yourself … using your understanding of physics. Or even read Hinkel’s discussion of this in his book that was published in 1968?

#8

The machine was an apilus. She also used one of those surgical glasses with the lights attached for magnification

#9

The larger the probe, the less concentrated the heat is, and thus, the less likely it is to overtreat the skin.

A larger probe can be harder to insert than a small probe, which is one of the reasons why we stretch the skin while we work. If the electrologist can comfortably work with a larger probe, the results will pretty much always be better. It does take slightly more work than a small probe, since you barely have to stretch at all.

Bruising comes from disrupting the blood vessels, typically because of poor insertions (though some people just bruise easily anyway).

#10

It’s been 48 hours since a 3 hr session on my face. Woke up today and the swelling is finally unnoticeable. Still no scabs in any of the newly treated areas and I’m wondering if it’s because of a different setting this time, different after care, or a combo of both!
I wonder if there’s still a possibility of scabbing. I’ve been keeping things moist with Vaseline.

#11

Jules,

While we often attempt to predict immediate post-op outcomes (and we’re pretty good at it too), sometimes the skin has a “surprise” in store for us!

I’m putting together a vid on a few more interesting cases of “surprises” and the outcome too (including your photos).

I’ve got a great study on post-treatment blisters: why they formed, what to do and the outcome (nicely, the guy will be coming up next weekend after a full year post-op … our camera is ready.)

BTW … keeping it moist = YES! (And, probably why scabs did not form at all.) And, actually Vaseline is perfect. Beauticians hate it … but for wounds/burns it’s fine (still used medically). Vaseline, when introduced, was considered “the new miracle” … and still pretty good (environmentalists and “healthoids” hate it: slammed all over the internet.)

Lanolin (wool fat) was also the “miracle ingredient” … no longer popular as people want “plant source.”

“Plant source” works best if your a plant! Animal source, e.g., Emu oil … is stunningly effective. But people want PLANT cosmetics … (Politics?)

#12

Jules, it sounds like she has a good set up. I don’t know how she uses an attached light to her surgical loupes, so she is amazing just for just doing that. Many years ago, a rep set me up with an LED light on my head and it gave me nightmares and headaches.

Those scabs are too big. No matter what epilator you use, basic or the Apilus, it is all about energy, accurate insertions and proper probe selection. That recipe requires skill. However, the first couple clearances can be the roughest as the electrologist gets to know your skin and it is the toughest until your skin acclimates to electrolysis.

Keep giving her (or him) feedback, so she can make adjustments. She needs to refine the recipe and customize it for you. I ask my clients to send me pictures in four days, so I can see the healing. People don’t like these kinds of scabs on their face, obviously, so effort should be made to change things up.

This will heal nicely. Don’t worry. Aquaphor is a nice product to use. I like cold aloe vera gel immediately after a session. You can experiment and see what works for you. If you do nothing, it will still heal.

I will post a few pictures later. I need to get permission from the client first.

(Mike Bono - I will post some pictures of you-know-who one year after his treatments on his back. This client is a mutual client or ours)