Electrolysis before tattoo

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

I’ve done about 4-5 full clearances on my arms, and they’re in pretty good shape, but not 100% finished. I did the last one a few weeks ago March 22.

I would like to do some tattooing on my arms, and have an appointment in early June with an artist I want very much. I’m wondering if I could/should have one more electrolysis session in about a month - say early May. I know there won’t be much growth by then, but there will be some. My electrologist usually tells me to come again in three months.

I form extremely tiny scabs, about the size of the hair follicle itself, but they heal fairly quickly. I see them all over my arms now (you need to look closely), 1-1/2 weeks after my last session. After four weeks, I am usually completely healed up.

So any issues with tattooing a month after electrolysis? Thanks in advance.

#2

There should be no issues with doing electrolysis a month before. You should not however do electrolysis over the tattoo, at any point.

Seana

#3

I’ve done electrolysis over tattoos… It’s not a big deal and hasn’t caused any issues for the tattoo. The only difficulty is in seeing dark colored hairs where dark ink is located.

#4

I wonder what elements can let you to claim electrolysis should not be perform on tattoo “at any point” Seana.

#5

Adrien,

The thermolysis ( or blend )treatment affects the pigments in the skin which make up the tattoo .It’s not dangerous in any way I’m aware of, but the tattoo will need to be touched up.

Seana

#6

Seana, you speak with such incredible authority on this subject. I wonder if you have any direct experience with electrolysis necessitating a "re-touch of a tattoo?’ Or that "you should never do electrolysis over a tattoo?’

Indeed, I could make a theoretical case for what you are claiming (but not based on either "thermolysis or blend;’ instead based on reactive macrophages) …

Except, in the "real world’ no such event takes place. I’ve completed at least 25 "hair removal jobs from tattoos’ (probably more), and the tattoos are always left completely intact. No need for any "re-inking’ at all … ever. I’m currently working on a guy’s "eagle tattoo’ and, again, all is going perfectly. (Still, for practitioners, a test spot is always a good recommendation.)

So, again, my question is this: "Did you experience difficulty with a client of yours that had ‘tattoo problems’?’ What is the basis of your statement?

#7

Michael please leave me alone.

#8

With great pleasure!

#9

Thank you for replying Seana, but why avoiding Mike’s question ? His point of view based on his professional experience is very interesting for us electrologists and for the consumer as well.

#10

Adrien such doesnt belong here, or anywhere. Accept that I am being the bigger person by not discussing such further.

#11

What do you mean ?

#12

I, too, have worked on many tattoo’s. They were all older than a month and I never had a problem.

I was told, many years ago when I was a neophyte electrologist, not to break the follicle wall when doing tattoo’s. In other words, do perfect insertions, which is true for every insertion, tat or no tat. I was also told that if extensive work is done on the tattoo, a touch up may be needed in the future. So far, after the thousands and thousands of hairs I have removed from tattooed areas, I have never had a complaint about fading or any ill effects. I’m thinking that the words of advice are still circulating about fading, touch ups, etc. like so many other pieces of advice that are not always agreed upon.

Maybe the tattoo artist and the electrologist should speak to each other specifically doing electrolysis on a FRESH tattoo, meaning, less than a couple of months?

#13

Funny thing Dee Dee, I could make a very good case for theoretically not doing electrolysis on a tattoo. But the reality is, the theory doesn’t hold up and tattoos can be safely treated by any modality. There’s the point of arguing from theory (only) or perhaps what you’ve "been taught,’ but many times you just have to "give it a go’ to find out for yourself. Lots of people have weighed-in on the subject on another website and all of them (I think about 10 so far) say they’ve worked on tattoos with no problems.

So, "rat-a-tat-tat and don’t worry about the cat!’ (I don’t know what the cat is, it just rhymed.)

#14

Hi Dee,

I can tell you what was related to me. This came to me FROM the tattoo artist so I guess what you suggested sorta happened already?. I’ve never had reason to test the theory since I’ve never been asked to treat on tattooed skin.

My Ex wife has left the country last year. Before she left she wanted to get a maple leaf tattoo on her leg and to touch up a damaged tattoo on her shoulder that was to signify my autistic son. It was damaged and smeared due to a pimple that had formed under it during healing.

The tattoo artist asked if she had done electrolysis on the area.The tattoo itself is a mix of black outlining and greens, and I THINK it was the greens affected. BEing into electrology, this immediately peaked my interest. I asked if that happened. She related to me that with certain types of pigment yes it could very well affect certain pigment and cause that type of effect. We advised her she hadnt ever had electrolysis from me or anyone else and that the distortion was from a boil that formed under the inked skin. I honestly dont rememeber exactly what she said about the physical process, but I know she did say she had to touch up several tattoos that had been worked on. Perhaps I took that connversation the wrong way?

Seana

#15

The tattooist is right. It is possible that in many cases, the tattoo remains unchanged, but when it comes to very coarse hairs as you can find in the pubic area, the client should be warned in advance, and if possible, obtain informed consent duly signed.

This is a case of alteration in a tattoo done several years ago in the pubic area of a young woman. Fortunately, the client was planning to get rid of the tattoo. So my warning did not stop her going with Electrolysis.

The area surrounded in white is an old scar prior to electrolysis treatment.

#16

Fascinating photo Jossie. What you are showing is exactly what I would have expected/predicted from electrolysis on a tattoo. It’s just that I’ve not seen it happen … yet.

So, there it is: “rat-a-tat-tat-and look out for the cat?”

#17

Thanks - just to be clear, I want to check that it would be ok to tattoo after electrolysis, say 3-4 after, when the skin looks to be all healed up.

For sure, however, I will want to do some electrolysis after tattooing also, but hopefully not very much. The whole point of starting electrolysis a few years ago was to remove the hair first!

#18

That should be fine Kostik as long as it has healed properly. What you dont want is some skin manifestation affecting the treatment, a whitehead or a zit as mentioned can affect the tattoo. Inks are apparently very fussy and certain colors of ink more affected than others, though I could not tell you which ones. So as long as you arent left with seeping yellow plasma or a whitehead, then try and tattoo over that , you shouldnt have any worries. I’d also mention, that many tatooists charge more money for their time than electrologists do.

#19

Yes, You are right. Pale spots may occur, even with finer hairs. A few years ago i had a similar result on a tattoo, but with spots less pronounced. I did warn the client in advance, and i will, of course, always warn my clients. At that time i did neither have my good loupes nor my Platinum - and the Junior needs pretty aggressive settings. In addition the lighting and positioning situation was really difficult (the client was immobile due to a paraplegia, and the tattoo hard to reach an hard to see. Quite interestingly later treatments with more experience and better equipment did not lead to more dots - they are all from my first attempt on a tattoo.

But anyway - discoloration may happen, and i cannot guarantee that i will never cause them anymore (simply because i’m human and not a machine…)