electrolysis disaster? please help

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Ok I’m beginning to worry about this, after a few online friends voiced concern.

I had my first electrolysis session 5 years ago but I was burned on my cheek and stopped going (still have a small scar from it). Earlier this year I decided to use LHR since that seemed faster to me at the time. I had five sessions and except for my chin and lip areas I am somewhat pleased with the results.

Since LHR didn’t seem to work on my lip/chin area I decided to see an electrologist again. A friend recommended someone in my hometown who apparently has a good reputation. My friend’s face looks wonderful anyway.

So I had a 30 minute session two weeks ago where she cleared a little off my cheeks and chin. Then last Saturday I went back for a 60 minute session. I didn’t offer any instructions, but she knows I have a show in NYC early next month and took it upon herself to concentrate solely on my chin.

My chin was swollen horribly afterwords, and expected as much since she warned me during the session. But three days later my chin is still swollen and looks like somebody used a cheese grater on parts of it.

http://flowersofdoom.net/images/photos/minced_meat.jpg

Should I be concerned about this?

Had I known this was going to create a huge ugly scar on my chin I would have elected to continue with LHR a while longer. I’ve been scarred once by electrolysis, but I was assured that wouldn’t happen again.

I called her this afternoon and spoke with the receptionist who said that sort of reaction was normal. I don’t know… maybe I should drive by so the actual electrologist can see it first hand.

~^^~ tomblily ~^^~

http://deadatlanta.net
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#2

I would get it looked at by the electrologist, and/or an MD. The only hypothesis I have is that maybe your skin doesn’t heal as well as the norm…

#3

I gasped when I saw the picture, tombliley. This is severe overtreatment. It APPEARS [color:“green”] [/color] that the area was worked on too long at too high an intensity, on hairs too close together. What a shame.

I can’t predict the final outcome for healing. You must go see your electrologist by all means, and if you can see a physician, preferably a dermatologist, that can help manage your wound, all the better.

I’m assuming you didn’t try to self-medicate with a product that worsened the situation. Neosporin is famous for causing an allergic scenario. A lot of people are allergic to this product. Applying make-up right after electrolysis could have worsened the area also.

Cool compresses (ICE) to reduce the swelling and 100% Aloe Vera Gel would be very helpful first steps. Keep your hands off the area, too!

The picture was very helpful. Thank you.

Dee

[color:“green”] [/color]

#4

Holy Cow!

Anyone who calls that NORMAL for their work needs some serious hands on RE-TRAINING!

The good news for you is that with proper care, you will heal up from this.

You need to use the aloe during the morning, and Tea Tree Oil at night. Keep the area clean and dry as best you can in the summer. Just stay out of the sun to avoid pigmentation of the area, and finally, do some mega doses of vitamins A, E, and C. These will help you heal from the inside. When the area heals up well enough to have sunscreen put on it, make sure that if you will be exposed to the sun, you not only use sunscreen, but reapply it every hour, should you be outside longer than 7 minutes.

#5

well my dermatologist said that it will heal without scarring. there may be some discoloration but even that will go away in time.

he seemed more interested in my lips, which appeared to have blisters on them. the electrologist didn’t go near my lips, but i did have laser on my upper lip a few days before. he gave me ointments to put on them and a cortizone pack to take.

#6

I’m relieved that your dermatologist prescribed a cortizone pack for inside healing help and I presume the ointment is a cortizone based product,also, for outside healing help. This stuff is great for skin inflammatory conditions such as what I saw on your chin.

Did the electrologist see the damage so he/she can learn from this experience so as NOT to repeat it??

Again, the picture was very helpful, tomblily. Thanks for your effort to show all of us.

Dee

#7

As in any profession dentist, MD, electrologist all depends on the practitioner. If you read very carefully the site ElecrtolysisInformation.com it will answer your questions. If not let me know.

#8

I am so glad your dermatologist said that would heal! My electrologist started work on my eyebrows and forgot that the machine was on the setting for back hair, so I have 3 dimples in the center of my eyebrows before she noticed overtreatment. I was NOT pleased and it looked a lot like your picture. I think it is healing though. I found keeping it moisturized with Neutrogena oil-free lotion is helping a lot. In fact keeping lotion on the electrolysis sites I have helps the scabs heal faster. I’m using plain old Jergen’s and it works fine. I find that aloe gel dries out too fast.

#9

Thank you soooooooooo much for posting the picture. It’s always hard trying to explain here what weird skin reaction we may be having, or what one of the pros on this site mean when they say that such-and-such is a sign of overtreatment. I’m sorry you have this terrible wound on your chin but I gotta say I’m glad to hear that a reaction like that is still expected to heal normally. I think this will also make many others feel better about reactions they’ve had too.

Also, i hope that you went back to show your electrologist what they did to you. Honestly, they should refund the cost of the session, if not even pay for your dermologist visit!

#10

Well I continued seeing the same electrologist. My chin healed nicely and I found I had a similar reaction when she began working on the upper and lower lip area. I had my third lip session this week and there was slight swelling, nothing at all like the first time she worked that area.

In general? Most of my face and neck is cleared. It feels absolutely wonderful not to see that nasty shadow anymore. She has to remove some of the longish vellus hairs every once in a while, but that I think is slowing down.

The only bad thing about this is there has been slight pocking and discoloration. In time I guess that my face would heal itself to a degree, though if I still have my current job I intend to have laser skin renewal to help with the pocking and discoloration (I also have some of that around my eyes which is from aging).

#11

i saw your post last week, and this week i saw your update inforamtion again. really nice to see your update information again.

you really sounds great.

how many hours have you been working on your face?

#12

Very nice to hear from you, tomblily. I have wondered about your progress for several months now, as I keep this picture of your overtreatment in a binder I have at work. I periodically show this to my gittery first-time consults that are worried about scarring, pocking and pitting that can be a side effect of a very poor electrolysis treatment. Your picture does help them understand what looks abnormal for the healing process. After they have a treatment, go home and look as if nothing has happened to them, they are at ease. Pictures are wonderful! Thank you for coming back to share with us your ‘happenings’ almost a year after.

Dee

#13

are the red spots on your chin caused by overtreatment? there are really lots of red spots,

are they fade nicely ?