ELECTROLYSIS INFORMATION ON SCABBING

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

[size:17pt]This thread has some “pearls of wisdom” related to post treatment scabbing. In order to limit repeating information about why scabbing happens, how serious it is and how to prevent it, please refer to this thread for helpful information.

SCABBING AFTER ELECTROLYSIS - Good or Bad?

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[size:17pt]*Excerpts from Michael Bono’s post in the above thread:[/size]

"When the follicle is treated (burned), chemical mediators are released from the mast cells that initiate the healing process. Blood vessels in the area become swollen and, consequently, white cells “leak out” into the area to start “cleaning up the job.”

Along with the white cells, blood serum leaks out (carrying with it clotting factors). In a deep follicle, the serum fills the follicle and collects at the skin’s surface … quickly forming a “scab.” Indeed a scab can, and usually, forms from a perfectly treated deep follicle. (The notion of “overtreatment of the epidermis is incorrect: but that’s another lengthy explanation). So, how to mitigate scabs? It’s all about water and keeping the area moist! A “scab” is “junk” … so wash off the junk!

Yes, we have all been taught to never wash with soap and water after a treatment. This goes against common treatment for burns. Anyway, I simply had this patient take a long warm bath every day after the treatment; he complied.

What happens here is that the “scab material” was washed (soaked) away and was unable to form. All of this speeds the ability for the epidermis to bridge the wound gap quickly. The bathing also allows accumulated “junk” (dead white cells and dead material) to NOT fill the follicle: so not pustules. At the appropriate time, I also had him scrum with a soft body brush. (After the bath, he takes a very light shower and washes with Hibiclens … or other similar detergent … to guard against infection.)

…bathing also helps in post-treatment pain. Ideally, the client would also use an oily material afterward (he did not). (Emu oil is excellent, but so is common Vaseline!) I suspect that the success of “Tea Tree Oil” is largely due to it’s oily nature. By keeping the wound moist, a “hard scab” will not form. It’s very difficult to “beat” good old “soap and water!"

#2

Here is what I advise my clients to do after an electrolysis session to minimize scabbing:

Use a mild soap, like Purpose, to wash the area gently. Use a low alcohol antiseptic after that. I prefer Thayer’s brand and specifically like the Peach or Lemon witch hazel. Depending on the skin type, I like tea tree oil, just SMALL DABS ONLY, applied with a cotton swab, followed by the purest aloe vera gel that can be bought. Aloe should be the first ingredient listed, no alcohol and no blue or green dyes added. An Aloe vera plant is the purest and may be used, but it is very sticky stuff.

Tea tree oil has anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory properties that is pure in nature. It takes the place of man-made products like Neosporin and Polysporin. I never recommend these products. Tea tree oil prevents and dissolves pus quite nicely. If it is overused, then there will be flakiness and redness that mess up the healing process, so I can’t stress enough to use it sparingly for the first THREE NIGHTS only, before bedtime and to always use a carrier like the aloe, smeared right over top of the tea tree oil. Pregnant women should avoid using TTO, but everything is avoided when we women are pregnant, right?

Do this routine for three days. During the daytime, one can use aloe vera gel as liberally as they want . I’m okay with products like Aquaphor or Vasoline. There is literature saying it does not clog the pores and acts as a useful barrier. Some will say that we should not spread a petroleum-based product on our skin, however, dermatologists do like these products.

I really like the virgin coconut oil for skin. I use it for cooking my egg and I have a separate container for my skin care. I get mine at Trader Joe’s for about $6.00. It comes in a mason jar and it is a very exciting product of nature that can be used for many things. It looks like lard, but in less than a minute after touching it, it turns to a clear liquid that easier spreads on our skin.

Lastly, most of my clients do just great with plain old soap and water and nothing else!

Lastly, lastly, no matter what I say or whatever written instructions I give, some of my clients don’t listen to me anyway. They use inferior products or products that were not advised, like Vitamin E oil squeezed from a capsule, hand sanitizer, Neomycin based creams, 90% alcohol, shampoo, corn husker lotion, aloe products where aloe is listed as the fifth ingredient with green coloring added… And then they end up calling me to blame electrolysis for their negative post healing scenario.

Keep aftercare simple and pure and scabbing will not be a problem.

#3

Nice job Dee Dee! Gosh, I sure had a LOT of typos in my post.

BTW, The kid from England will be back in June, and I’ll post the photos of the same area (after one clearance). I don’t expect it to look much different, although there will be 50% less hair in the area. It’s the “second clearance” that gives the client the “big result.”

(And, while “everyone else” is still working on their website … Hairtell “rocks on!” Come on guys, you know who you are, “get it together!”)

#4

Question: I was under the impression that scabs protected the area from infection - is it not risky to scrape them off, exposing some kind of vulnerable flesh underneath? I am not arguing, but anything that “goes against” the body’s natural functions gives me pause.

Would it be unethical to ask a person to use two different methods of post-treatment care on each leg / side / armpit or whatever? I would be curious to see the outcome!

Re: polysporin, contemporary studies show that polysporin may or may not do anything much. It seems to be about as effective as vaseline in protecting against infection - it does something, but it is due to the protective barrier and preventing drying, and not to some magic ingredient. (I believe that polysporin is petroleum based).

I also second coconut oil. I like avocado oil even better, but not everyone’s skin reacts the same way to it. (Olive oil actually seems to dry my hair).

As an aside, it is also now being suggested that hydrogen peroxide doesn’t do anything at all. Any perceived benefit is likely due to just giving the wound attention and cleaning it at all. You could use water and get the same effect.

#5

Nobody is recommending, “scraping off the scabs!”

I’m just starting to write this entire “thing” out, because the misunderstandings are “really something.” Keeping an eschar moist and minimizing the crust formation is not “scraping it off!”

Once basal cells have bridged the wound-gap there is no need for a scab. I’ll explain all this “once and for all.” (With the help of all my colleagues … “stay tuned.”)

Madonna Mia … Pizzeria!

1 Like
#6

Ah, 10-4. I was commenting mostly regarding this line:

“A “scab” is “junk” … so wash off the junk!”

My comment is more along the lines of… a scab isn’t really junk, so is it wise to remove it (via washing, soaking, light scrub, whatever)?

That said - I will stay tuned and am looking forward to the next installment.

#7

Nice Zoe! Actually, reading thru some of my own comments no wonder it’s confusing … a bunch of “shyte.”

This subject needs a definitive article so clients can be educated and comfortable with this nasty little “Devil.”

working on it …

#8

Regarding the “using two different of post treatment care”, I’m doing that right now. With my right arm I followed my practioneer’s advice which was avoiding water for as long as possible and just leaving it alone to heal on it’s own. With my left arm I’m following Michael’s advice and have been gently washing and used plenty of moisturiser. It’s too early to know for sure since my scabs don’t form until after 48 hours and I treated the left arm on Wednesday but so far there has been a minimum of swelling, might be a nice side effect of the gentle washing, I think I remember reading somewhere that massage helps with swelling. I’ll be back with pictures of both arms tomorrow so we can compare.

#9

Shewolf - thank you for experimenting on yourself for the rest of us! :slight_smile: I really look forward to hearing how it goes. Science!

Re: Michael

Haha, it’s not a bunch of shyte! Just takes some turd to come along and go “oh that doesn’t make any sense” for you to realize that it can be interpreted a different way from how you meant it. Happens to me all the time (either in the role of turd or writer).

You know what they say about stupid questions (and stupid people), after all.

#10

So the first post says scabbing is the result of a perfect treated deep follicle. So comparing practitioner A to B, if after a treatment with A you have scabs on all the hairs for 48 hours or so, but with B you have none at all, you’d say A did a better treatment?

Electrolysis is hard to compare treatments like with laser, where you’re comparing levels of pain for one thing and then levels of shedding, with no shedding meaning it’s pretty much an unsuccessful treatment. Electrolysis seems so much harder to tell if the hair was actually treated or just pulled out.

#11

I have just completed my 4th electrolysis session on my upper lip and chin/cheek areas. I am red and sometimes swollen on my upper lip after each session and form scabs the next day (which fade without issue). The problem is the skin on my upper lip and a couple spots on my cheeks has formed red spots that have begun to darken in color.

Now, even though the hair on my upper lip is mostly cleared, it looks like I have a mustache because of the darkened skin.

Is this normal? What should I do? I thought about buying Obagi Nu-Derm Clear to maybe help lighten it. Any thoughts?