I have pores on my cheeks
But none below my cheeks typically. Never had acne, no acne scars. The clearest photo I have is one taken just after a treatment with someone else. The circled area is the treated area hence it is red, and if you look around that, it shows how my skin usually is
It looks like your skin is still healing. I donāt see anything that raises my bunny ears.
Worryingly, the LHR clinics never told me this was paradoxical hypertrichosis! They were all quick to take my money and carry on with treatments stating - āwith time it will get betterā. It wasnāt until I did a bit of digging that I came across a few peer reviewed studies on paradoxical hypertrichosis. Hereās what I found:
Paradoxical Hypertrichosis (PH) is an extremely rare side effect following laser hair removal and is defined as an increase in hair growth, density, length, colour, or coarseness in the treated area following laser hair removal when compared to baseline photographs (Honeybrook et al., 2018; Al-Naimi, 2016; Desai et al., 2010; Alajlan et al., 2005).
PH is poorly understood but is believed to be caused by the transformation of vellus hairs into terminal hairs (Wendelin et al., 2003).
PH is estimated to have a prevalence of 4% (Snast et al., 2021).
PH is more common in those with darker skin tones and those who receive treatment on the neck, lower face and side of the neck (Desai et al., 2010; Alajlan et al., 2005).
Thank you, so the pits and little indents in the previous older pictures on this thread should resolve?? They look almost like acne/ ice picks. Whatās the typical timeframe? At present Iām almost a month post treatment.
How long should I wait before continuing?
The latest photo I just posted, was few mins after with my previous electrologist, thatās what I typically look like after her treatment and it follows with no other issues. Iād look ānormalā within a few days. Thatās why this time round Iām finding it so difficult and feeling very anxious about healing.
So, it can be 12-18 months for the skin to restructure, but that doesnāt mean it wonāt take less time in your case. Clients get freaked out with prolonged skin reaction, which I understand. The skin heals fine with time. Donāt interfere with too many medicants or lifestyle no-noās.
Electrologists all work differently to achieve the same goal, which is permanent hair removal. As long as the hair slides out with no resistance and the skin doesnāt look too disturbed or heals within 7-10 days or less, you are good to go. This is all about perfect insertions and applying the proper energy for the right amount of time, no matter what modality is being used (Galvanic, Blend, Thermolysis and all its forms). All modalities work beautifully when certain principles are followed.
I have updated pictures
The upper lip is looking worse and more obviously indented. Please is there any hope this will heal Iām feeling really depressed and with everyday that passes Iām seeing more pits on my cheek and irregularities.
@Iluv2zap do you still feel she was not at fault when you look at the below pictures?
I am sure this is NOT typical after electrolysis and my upper lip is actually resembling some of the horror stories here
@Hairadicator @James_W_Walker_VII or anyone please if you have any stories where it has healed?
I am 5 weeks post treatment today
I still unfortunately do not see any evidence of long term scarring. One of my predecessors described this area as a danger zone, so while your feelings of caution are warranted, I still do not believe any scarring has taken place. Please learn to relax. Review the videos I sent you previously which should provide some timelines and reassurances. If at the 9-10 month mark there are still indentations you are concerned about, then come back to us, but at this point in time we cannot determine if scarring, however unlikely has occurred.Iām also going to say that if your anxiety over this issue is causing you concern, perhaps you are too nervous to be undergoing electrolysis and should wait it out for a full year or more before continuing or maybe give up on electrolysis. Some people cannot get over their fears, whether or not they are well founded, and if you fail to understand the healing processes at play and this is you, maybe you are better off living with the hair.
James, did you want to venture a response?
I really really do hope you are right and there are no permanent marks following this.
Itās very difficult having to see it everyday when youāve never had such issues before. And itās even harder waiting when you have a wedding coming up, and things just look worse as the days pass.
I have definitely been put off electrolysis thatās for sure, and I highly doubt I will trust anyone again for a long time (well maybe the previous lady).
I agree I think the hair is easier to deal with than scars.
I understood the videos, as I said previously it was more the timelines. Mr.Bono mentions wound contraction that happens approx 7-10 days later and then resolves. And from past experiences thatās exactly what happened and I looked fine soon after, I didnāt even notice any pits in the past.
Since this time the pits are becoming more apparent after 3 plus weeks, now at 5 weeks even more prominent. Hence the difficulty in understanding whether this will persist as itās not following the healing timelines suggested in that video.
I have seen far worse heal just fine.
Others needed dermabrasion, but it still healed just fine in the end.
I donāt believe you will need dermabrasion unless you smoke and donāt have nutrition that is good for making healthy skin hair and nails.
You should be fine in a few months.
I saw this ad
Please note Iām not sure the product is as good as claimed
Do not use any irritants or any topical products containing, benzoyl peroxide, acids, AHA, BHA, vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), alcohols, alkaline, witch hazel, astringents, vitamin A and its derivatives, such as retinoids [for examples, over-the-counter retinol, prescribed stronger tretinoin (Retin A), Tazorac], or etc. for at least 1 week before and after hair removal procedures, such as laser & electrolysis.
Discontinue isotretinoin (Accutane) for at least 6 months prior to electrolysis & laser hair removal.
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Hi,
I am back with a 10 month update. Unfortunately my scars have not healed.
The Derm suggested Microneedling, I had a couple of sessions with a doctor which didnāt improve things. I started using tretinoin at night after her advice, with a moisturiser and vitamin C serum with SPF. This is over the last 4 months, prior to this I have only used e45 and simple cleanser.
The BIAE concluded that I had an āadverse reactionā. Please if anyone can help me with the following
-
Can anyone tell me is this even possible?
I have had sessions few months prior to the treatment that scarred me, and I had little to no reaction. Nothing has changed in my medical history, no harsh topicals used at the time, and I do not have a metal allergy. They did not contact my previous provider. -
Is it correct to say that overtreatment is visible whilst treating? I am struggling to understand why she could not see the blisters forming and the white patches, but then continued to treat further. Should there be signs whilst working to show overtreatment is occurring?
@Deedra @Iluv2zap @James_W_Walker_VII @Hairadicator -
And finally is there hope this can still heal and the indentations level out?
Is it possible? This result is not even surprising given what you described following the treatment. Intense swelling, leaking yellow fluid, and then large scabs. No surprises at all.
This type of overtreatment is visible during treatment and can be easily avoided. The signs are as you describe. Skin blanching and blisters.
Will it still heal? Iād say thereās still hope. Itās difficult to tell because the lighting and angle are different, but the appearance seems to have improved somewhat in the last four months. I think you will continue to see improvement, especially with continued microneedling and topicals. Itās difficult to say how much or to what extent you find this acceptable. If you see no improvement in another six to nine months, you can return to the dermatologist for more significant procedures to rectify this.
Thank you so much for your reply.
Is there still hope for improvement even though itās been 10 months since it happened (not 4, I think I may have not been so clear, itās 4 months since I have tried Microneedling with the new skincare).
Also, is it possible that there is no fault of the electrologist and my skin is just sensitive?
This is the conclusion that they are going with, and I donāt accept that since I didnāt have any reactions like that to previous treatments elsewhereā¦with no changes to medical history/ allergies
Thank you so much for your insight. I really appreciate it. I mentioned that it should have been visible during treatment however I have just been dismissed.
Itās even more upsetting since I have already paid almost Ā£1000 trying to fix it, and they have absolved themselves of any responsibility. I canāt afford to pay much more eitherā¦
Is there still hope for improvement between 10-18 months post treatment?
And is it an āadverse reactionā if Iāve never reacted to electrolysis in the past?
Yes. There are skin reactions from electrolysis that are not actually scarring but can still take many months resolve. If it is true scarring, then the tissue can take 18 - 24 months to mature fully. At that point, youāll know more accurately how permanent it is. At that point, there will still be cosmetic medical options for you to consider if necessary.
Itās disappointing that the clinic hasnāt taken responsibility here since itās clear this was overtreatment based on your description of the treatment.
Thank you so much for your reply.
Is there a chance the appearance could worsen as the scars mature? At the moment they look like boxcar scars with defined edges, hard to see in the picture.
They are very obvious in the daytime, especially when itās bright outside.
I am distraught by their lack of accountability and also their lack of responsibility in helping me correct the scarring caused by them.
The BIAE also did not help, the electrologists treatment record said I left with slight erythema. My pictures taken a few mins after leaving the clinic (I attached at the beginning of the post above) demonstrate this was NOT just mild erythema. Despite the photo evidence I have, the BIAE are unwilling to look into it and put it down to an adverse reaction with no fault.
They also did not contact my previous BIAE provider who would have reported that I didnāt react this way to her treatments, disproving the āsensitive skinā argument.
I am left confused by the actions of the BIAE as well as the clinic.
I spoke to many local electrologists, and after showing them my photos, they also agree that this is overtreatment and it should have been noticed at the time of treatment. They are also shocked by the BIAEs judgement.
Anyone reading this, one short treatment can absolutely leave you scarred. BIAE membership and years of experience does not mean you are in safe hands.