DESPERATE! please advise :(

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

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Hi everyone!

I’m new to this forum and I need advice badly! Due to genetics I suffer from chin hair. Pretty much you can call it a very low beard because its so much now. When I was a teenager I had a few hairs and unfortunately I made it worse by tweezing and I shaved once. The hair bothers me a lot but what’s worse to be is the severe hyperpigmentation from ingrown hairs. I tried laser and while it did reduced the hair that was there, it also stimulate more growth. I set an appointment with a “very good” electrolysist and I just wanna ask you guys first if I should do a chemical peel first with and then electrolysis or vice versa. Once and for all I wanna get rid of the scars and be makeup free. Rest of my skin is very good and it just kills me that my chin look so terrible.

#2

If you look up poster ORANGECODE here on Hairtell , she had a similar problem. I worked on her for about 18 months and we still communicate with each other. She is my “adopted” daughter!

I would start electrolysis, get the hair removed permanently and then work with the dermotologist to fix the hyperpigmentation. You can be helped. It is not going to be faster than 18 months and it won’t be easy, but you can be helped if you stuck with it. On my particular client, all her hair was removed permanently with PicoFlash thermolysis. For all the naysayers who protest that thermolysis cannot disable tough hair like this, well, IT DID! Just ask ORANGECODE . Other modalities will work, too, so find an Electrologist that is comfortable with the modality she / he does best.

#3

This pigmentation will reduce considerably once tweezing ceases. We see amazing skin transformations over the months of treatments. You will probably notice a slight change at around the 3 month mark, and on completion you may be quite happy with your skins, condition. I am happy that you are now on the right path and look forward to some updates. A happy,hairless new year to you!!!

#4

(Cosmetologist here.) It’s difficult to do chemical peels on darker skin because they can sometimes cause either darkening (treatable) or a loss of pigment (much more serious.) Hyperpigmentation is a response to inflammation, so creating yet more via peels, microdermabrasion, etc can sometimes make things worse. I agree that you should undergo the electrolysis first and worry about the pigmentation later. There are prescription creams you can get from the doctor that contain skin bleach and an anti-inflammatory that work great for cases like this, but I would save it for after your hair removal is mostly finished because it can make the skin more sensitive.

Good luck!

#5

Thank you guys so much! I saw the electrolysist today and she told me that its best that I do the electrolysis first and chemical peel later down the road. She did say the pigment would go away so I might not need the chemical peel anyway down the road. She also said I have a lot of hair and that they are close together. She recommend that I do hour a week for 3-4 months and then 30 minutes for 2 weeks for at least 6 months. This is gonna be solo expensive for me because its $110 for 1 hour and $55 for 30 minutes. I wanna cry so bad because I wanna do this but don’t know how I’m gonna do this every week. She also recommend that I see an endocrinologist just in case. My gyno checked for Pcos prior and it came back negative. This is all so depressing to me because I’m getting serious with a guy I’ve been dating and I don’t know how his reaction is gonna be to see my chin without makeup :frowning:

#6

I’m actually gonna check out orange code now! :slight_smile: I need all the motivation I can get now.

#7

I have another question, is there anyway I can suggest to the electrolysis on where to start? I really want her to clear my jaw area first in the first month and focus under my chin next. I work in the bank as a customer service rep so I interact with people face to face EVERYDAY. What do you guys think?

#8

I ask my clients before every appointment, where do they want me to start. I think it would be more than fine to make your request and she would appreciate your input.

#9

Hi Ali. I am a skin care therapist who also happens to administer electrolysis and I often see clients who present with a similar situation to yours.

Although you choose to wait for the professional treatments that will address the hyperpigmentation, for the dark skin that reacts to tissue trauma, such as your, I suggest you begin an at home gentle exfoliation regimen.

Find a gentle exfoliant that contains lactic acid. Look for this ingredient and make sure it is listed close to the top of the ingredient listing.

Tissue buildup will flatten, ingrown hairs will come up closer to the surface. Your skin will more likely look better, faster.

Later, down the road, after several months of electrolysis, you might find that those chemical peels might not even be needed.

All the best,

#10

Thank you Arlene! I will definitely try that.

#11

I have a few questions that you wonderful experts can help me with.

1.Im dating some new & its getting pretty serious. He like to touch my face alot and now that im going to start electrolysis, I don’t want him to feel like rough stubbles. Would I be able to use a depilatory cream on sections that’s not being work on??

  1. While laser did cause some hair growth, the hair did grow in thinner and softer. Should I continue with the laser package I have and wait a month or two after to do electrolysis on the hair that grows back. I did a laser package in the summer and I have 4 sessions left. Only did two.

  2. I never fully finish a laser session from the very first laser session I ever did back in 2011. I did 3 sessions and ran out of money. This time around I only did 2 and tempted to go back because the thought of spending $400 monthly for 3 months and to grow out my " beard" is giving me anxiety. :frowning:

  3. Last but not least. If you guys were my electrolysist what would you guess recommend for me starting out based on the picture I posted on my chin. I will do another of my full chin so you all can see.

Do you guys see how terrible this looks! Yearssss of tweezing! I did more harm trying to get rid of this hairy chin I have! It wasn’t like this at first. It was just a little hair here and there. I had no knowledge of electrolysis, waxing, sugaring etc. I just want my chin to be smooth & scar free like the rest of my face

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#12

I would classify this as severe. The hair looks like it is mostly ingrown, but I can’t tell for sure by looking at the pictures. What are you doing to control the hair now?

#13

I trim it or use a depilatory cream. :frowning: I think I might just do the laser and call it a day.

#14

I guess I’m gonna be stuck with this forever. Might as well just get use to it.

#15

Ali You have already been given good advice. I can sense the desparation in your words. Make sure the desperation doesn’t make you do something you will regret.

Laser works best on very dark hair and very light skin.Unfortunately, your skin is darker than would be suitable for any amount of removal from laser. You might see some thinning of the hair ( and it looks like you have) but that honestly is the best that can be hoped for with laser.
Laser also can cause things like ingrown hair, and in some cases, hyper-pigmentation. Electrolysis too can cause hyper-pigmentation.Dee is quite right that your skin is on the severe side .
If you truly want the hair gone, then the most effective route is through electrolysis. The hyperpigmentation isnt going to disappear overnight, and 1 1/2 - 2 years is a reasonable estimate. But if you do the other things to take care of your skin ( reduce processed food, take vitamin E supplements, use Aloe vera on the skin ) then it will get better. There is a better than reasonable probability that the laser ( and plucking) caused a large amount of your existing hyper-pigmentation.
So PLEASE…dont pluck. Stick with your electrolysis sessions ( or move to a different practitioner if you really feel enough progress isnt being made) . It IS a slow process, but IT DOES work. You are likely looking in the area of 3 years total to remove the hair and allow the hair to return to normal, but only if you stick with the program, be nice to your skin, get the hair off, and allow the hyperpigmentation to heal and fade on it’s own.

I’m reminded of a conversationI had reently with one of the transgirls I work on . If you think you have hair issues, these girls have FUll beards. She says to me “I think my partner is going to get me some laser sessions from a groupon deal for christmas” . I turned to her and said “Dont waste your money! Just Stick with the electrolysis!”
You see this girl has light red hair. She would see ZERO improvement from laser. Even under ideal conditions, somefaces still dont react well to laser, and under less than ideal conditions, even less so. But the dysphoria of having hair, that’s a powerful thing. It gets to be all you can feel, all you think about, and all you see when you look in the mirror. It can make you make choices, that are not in the best interest of removing it or correcting the problem.You look for the “quick fix” and often, that search leads to laser. In a case like yours however you would likely be making the problem WORSE not better.

If you do EXACTLY as Dee and others have suggested to you, get the hai removed with electrolysis ( a year and a half process) and let the skin rejuvenate on it’s own ( another 1-2 years) then the problem WILL be gone forever. Dont let the dysphoria over the hair, and the desparation, be your guide. Let the advice from the professionals guide you.

Seana

#16

Seana you hit the nail on the head. I hate having the hair but I can tolerate that more than this pigmentation. I wish they were more doctors like you guys because they all tell me to do laser and I invested so much money. I can’t go aday without pputting makeup on my chin and its so frustrating. Thank you so much because I was going to get a " quick fix". But I’ll pray and be patient! Its just so depressing now.

#17

No, you won’t have to get use to it. You need a plan of approach. It sounds like you have a found an electrologist that is willing to take your case? The temporary methods are adding more insult to your skin, but you can’t just do nothing or you will have a beard! It would be wonderful if you could clip the hair.

Pictures can be deceiving. The hyperpig and bumpiness may be showing up more intensely than what it really looks like…

I may have missed it, but have you seen a doctor? Do you know what your testosterone levels are? It would be appropriate for you to get a hirsutism work up now.

By the way, we are not doctors here!

#18

You said: “I guess I’m gonna be stuck with this forever. Might as well just get use to it.”

I say: “OH, PUUULEEEEEEZE!”

Why, oh why, are you being “defeatist” on an issue that can be ABSOLUTELY resolved 100%? Electrolysis will cure this problem … not easily or overnight … but YES CURED!

I wish I had photo-documented my “biggest beard case ever.” He was a (retired) military guy named Joe. His beard was beyond horrible.

The problem was, he could not have a beard in the army and the on-going shaving made his skin a true nightmare (no other way to describe it). He had to quit the military because he couldn’t take the on-going infections and pain.

I was the only electrologist in town that would treat this poor guy because the others were “grossed out” by the hundreds of pustules! (It WAS a challenge and it sometimes made me physically sick.) I’m telling you that this was extreme!

It took a couple years to remove the entire beard: sensitive skin and every hair was ingrown and distorted … and massively pigmented with infections.

The beard was removed, his skin looked “baby perfect” afterward, and the PIH was 100% resolved … the hairs were causing ALL OF IT!

Joe told me that his new GF said she “loved his baby smooth skin!” Imagine that?

So kiddo, get the hairs removed FIRST!
Get electrolysis now!
And, get to it!

#19

I’m definitely no doctor! I’m also not a professional electrologist, I’m a strait up DIY’er. What I tell you is true though, deal with the hair with electrolysis then let the skin heal over time. It’s not going away any other way!Pay attention though to what people like Michael bono say. He’s been practising electrolysis for 40 years! A good professional electrologist will make all the difference in the world for you. Just dont go for the quick fix it wont work for you!.

Seana

#20

I actually made an appointment with the endocrinologist. My appointment will be on Jan 3rd. I typically dont have the bumps but i tweezed last week( dont know why i even started) and thats when all the bumps came back. I was trying to schedule an appointment with my dermatologist but of course everyone is booked or away because of christmas. The bumps will go down once i take an antibotic (doryx) because i think they are infected and they hurt. I have been putting cold aloe on my chin every night and it helps. Also my family on my dad side as hairy chin but not as bad. I made my situation worse with tweezing. Most of the pigmentation stems from that. The hairs are short (stubble like) doesnt grow too long thank god.