Electrolysis - is this burn or hyperpigmentation?

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Hello,
I just started electrolysis a month ago on my chin and upperlip as i have white hair mixed with black hair. I am Indian and have brown skin. I had the following sessions:
09.01.19 - 30 mins
12.01.19 - 30 mins
16.01.19 - 15 mins
23.01.19 - 1 hour

I will try to upload photos. I would like to know if this is normal? Should I change the electrologist? Will my skin recover the original color? Should I stop treatment till the skin has returned completely to normal? Should I shave till then?

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The photos are in chronological order. The area is red in the first couple of days, then purplish and then blackish now.

#2

gosh, you arent in Toronto are you? I can almost recognize the work.

People of indian/pakistani descent are extremely susceptable to hyperpigmentation because of their olive skin tone. Hyperpigmentation is a temporary manifestation and will always resolve, completely. It’s a normal part of the healing process and is a side effect of inflamation ( thus Post Inflammatory hyperpigmentation) . It will always resolve

When I look at your photos the development of hyperpigmentation is clear, starting with scabbing then the darkening as you progress. The one thing I can tell you for certain is it will fade and resolve, compleely, but it may take 12-18 months to do so, and that is from the time you cease treatment. Theres no way to shorten this timeframe unfortunately.

However the last time I saw scabbing like that , the electrologist in question had been using high frequency flash, with gold uninsulated probes. Each insertion showed a pinpoint sized scab, leaving hyperpigmentation as they fell off just as it has in your case. The thing is that client came to me because of my reputation for excellent results. I still use high frequency flash, but the insulated probe was enough of a difference between that client and 3 others who saw that same electrologist, have all travelled to me, and NONE have exhibited the same type of issue.
So while the hyperpigmentation is real, and we can say that it will resolve completely, it’s usually not necessary to have such treatment manifestations in order to have a successful electrolysis treatment. For that reason, my advice is to try out some other electrologists, to see if you note a better quality of treatment.

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#3

Thank you very much for your answer. I am afraid to continue treatment in case the damage becomes even more or does not resolve as a result of continuous injury to the same area. . Should I wait for sometime?

I visited an aesthetic doctor today for an opinion and she said it’s a burn and I should use Fucicort twice a day for 1-2 weeks. (antibiotic plus cortison) Do you agree about the need to use fucicort? How is it apparant that it isn’t a burn?

When looking for the next electrologist, what kind of equipment should I ensure that she has? As you mentioned, insulated needles, is there anything more?

#4

I wont second guess a medical doctors advice, as I’m not trained as they are.
Insulated probes I think are a must with your skin type, please note this opinion only .

#5

Your next electrologist should show an understanding of why you consider this treatment unacceptable and be able to explain how they will proceed with treatments to avoid a similar outcome.

The process of flash thermolysis heats the follicle contents. The burn damage is localised to the follicle and very minimal when done correctly, which is why electrologists using flash will opt for an insulated probe, especially with facial work, which Seana has already touched on.

Your doctor is technically correct to identify the injury as a burn. You should follow her instructions, though PIH does still resolve when left alone. So please don’t be worried by this.

I would definitely suggest seeking out another electrologist who can treat you without excessive injury.

#6

Thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions.

I started shaving my chin since December 2018 as advised by my electroogist. (I plucked before that.) I feel that the hair is coarser now. But while I wait for the skin to return to its normal state, I was wondering if I could use any other means of hair removal. What options do I have? At present the area is inflamed. If I try to pluck, for some hairs a little blood oozes out. So I guss plucking is out. (The root seems to have become very ‘hard’)

So please tell me what I should do for hair removal now? Will shaving make it coarser over time or it can’t get any more coarse than it is now?

#7

Shaving is the only option that will not cause further damage to your skin or introduce difficulty when you choose to continue with electrolysis. It is not possible for this to cause hair to become more coarse or dark. I would make sure your skin is healed to the point that it is smooth and flat enough that a razor will not cause any bleeding. I would avoid any hair removal that rips the hair from the follicle. It probably won’t help the healing process.

The PIH doesn’t need to completely resolve before continuing with electrolysis, so you won’t be waiting too long. See what your doctor and your next electrologist say about it.

#8

Thank you very much for your answer. I appreciate the help from all above very much.

I feel the marks are just a bit lighter. I will let you know how things resolve in the future. It might help others in my position.

#9

We have been doing electrolysis on Indian persons only, since we are located in Delhi. Yes, Indian skin is prone to hyperpigmentation and burns since it is brown color not white. We do only galvanic technique in face and cosmetic area since that does not produce pigmentation on the skin. Also, we make it a point once a session is done we give rest to the skin for one month atleast as the skin cycle is 28 days or four weeks. Steriod cream will decrease the pigmentation.

#10

Thank you for your answer. Is it also your experience that the marks will go away? It is very worrying for me.

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#11

Yes, the hyperpigmentation does fade eventually.
we also advise steroid creams for initial application for two weeks then follow it up with silicon gel cream like Scarend Silicone Gel which are over the counter creams and are also available online. There are lot of silicone creams to choose from.

#12

Hi @Vaseline, Did the hyperpigmentation fade?

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#13

@Vaseline
How are you doing now? I am a 32 years old Indian woman, planning to go for electrolysis for chin. I saw your post and pictures of your electrolysis journey. I hope your skin has recovered now and you are feeling good without unwanted hair now. Would you mind sharing with details regarding how many sessions it took for you to completely go hair free. How many months to recover from the skin pigmentation. Also if you took this treatment in Toronto, do you mind giving a slight hint about the place where you took this treatment. Thank you for sharing the information with us. It really helps me to plan my treatment.