Electrolysis Scars.. Pics within

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

I have spent around 2k on electrolysis, but stopped after a visit to a well known electrologist on this site. Before going, I had had 2 previous electrologists, as I move quite frequently. After my session, for the first time ever, I had tiny pustules all over my upper lip, and visible marks. It was the first time ever where I did not see a good improvement and joyous results after a session.

These photos are after 1 and 1/2 years of healing and not touching the hairs with anything but a razor!

It was soooo bad before. Still is. Constant black hyper pigmentation shadow that was never there before, pinhole and pit hole marks… wrinkles at corners of my mouth, uneven texture… people sometimes ask what is up with my upper lip, and I simply say I had electrolysis and the machine was too high, the session too long, and the strength of my skin over estimated by the electrologist.

At this point, I do not think it will improve much more… I was told to wait it out a year, but alas.

Sure, electrolysis works, but I seriously don’t trust anyone with my upper lip anymore. I still do my chin with good results.

another pic

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the scars

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#2

For some reason, I am unable to open your photos. Would you be so kind to send me the photos to my email address so I may be able to offer you some suggestions?

mikebono@cox.net

#3

Was there more than one person working on your upper lip during the same time? if so, pictures were taken before even touching?

I remember that you were about to come to Spain. That was when I still provided some time for new customers.

#4

Thanks Jossie for sending me the photos,

What I’m seeing, are termed “ice-pick scars.” Typically these scars take place after severe acne that literally destroys the full-depth of the skin, thus forming a vertical column of scar tissue. Because scars contract, you end up with a “dent” in the skin … almost as if someone had stabbed you with an ice pick; hence the name.

Here’s the definition:
“Ice Pick Scar: Dark, very narrow scars that extend into the dermis. The skin appears as if it has been pierced by a sharp instrument, which has left small deep holes in the skin. They typically develop after an infection from a cyst or deeply inflamed blemish.”

In your case, a sub-standard treatment resulted in a similar situation. After 18 months these are most likely not going away. Luckily, they are not all that bad. Unfortunately the location … right in the center of your lip … well, that’s the unacceptable part!

There are remedies for improving the look of these marks. You should make an appointment with a plastic (& reconstructive) surgeon to find out the best methods available for making this look better. Here’s the link:

http://www.newsday.com/business/acne-scars-truly-scarred-for-life-1.5853651

I always caution students to NEVER work too long or too “high” on the upper lip. This is the most vulnerable (and important) part of a woman’s face. Over the years, I have seen WAY too much of this aggressive treatment. Even when we use local anesthetic in our office, I never EVER exceed the recommended time (or speed). Hairs can always be removed … scars cannot.

I probably won’t sleep well tonight. I hate situations like this; we all do. Keep us informed of your progress. Best Wishes to you my dear!

#5

Let me add too …

I think you said that you had very fine hair originally? This type of case is something only a VERY skilled electrologist should attempt. Someone who does this all the time.

Our own Dee is the master of cases like yours. I won’t even attempt it! Seriously, I won’t do it! I think Dee will have some suggestions for you (when she gets some time).

#6

This is why I always take pictures before touching a client for the first time, especially if there was electrolysis before or small acne scars. Photos are “top secret” material and are only shared if the client agrees.

Michael is right, this type of vellus hairs should be treated with care. The roots have very little deep (1/1,5 mm) . Working in these low margins involves a very high risk.

The paradox here is that a proper treatment of electrolysis help improve those little marks.

#7

Yes that was me!

I do in fact have a before photo, from the week before I sent the electrologist a photo of the area to be treated.

It is either in one of my emails or some computer at home. ? Hmmmm. I have not done anything to it since that last appointment.

Once I saw the state of my u lip after a month, I thought it best to just leave well enough alone.

Photo or not, I know that it is from this particular electrologist, and it is especially sad because they are quite experienced and I had gone out of my way to get the best treatment. I’ll probably make a little “my electrolysis story” warning video on yt; leave well enough alone.

#8

I have some photos directly before the treatment that lead to the scarring. Hairs included! Just gotta find time to find them.

Yes, I tried light peels, but will likely seriously look into cosmetic surgery. How sad.

#9

I do not see any “surgery” in your case. However, there are so many interesting procedures to address your case. If you can find the right specialist I would say this can be greatly improved!

#10

I have no problem working longer than 15-30 minutes on an upper lip. Usually one hour is the upper limit. I know how to do this well, using the equipment I use and the probes I like. I understand the energy parameters for this area for women of any color. I tell the client that if they want most or all of the hairs removed then they must accept moderate swelling that may last about a day and half. Scabbing is not a complaint. So working a longer time is not the problem here. Given the right tools (epilator and vision aid) and strategies, it is not harmful. I have done hundreds and hundreds of fine hair on upper lip cases and it is not harmful to the skin.

Doing a longer time, with high energy levels is the problem, perhaps, but I don’t know what those energy levels were that your Electrologist used? Do you know perhaps?

#11

Dee has given some good overall suggestions and explained how she works. I want to emphasize again that your post-electrolysis situation can be made much better.

A couple years ago, I messed up big-time on a woman’s face; much worse than what you are showing. She wasn’t all that upset but I “lost it!” Luckily the difficulty was at the side of the face. (I remember crying to Jossie about this.)

Anyway, we got the woman on some excellent products immediately and now you can’t find the areas I was losing sleep over. (The woman is on our City Council too … so “everybody” could see this … or so I thought.)

Back to your problem. First, I am not recommending specifics. I’m only explaining a couple possibilities that come to mind, that the doctor might consider.

The “ice pick” look is accentuated by the downward “pull” of the contracted “thread-like” scar. MAYBE a product like Kenalog could help relax the tiny thread and render the problem less visible? (This product is administered several ways.)

Then, there are the treatments designed to fire-up the whole healing process again. If this can be done well, your own body will “remodel” the scar tissue (eat it up in a sense) and that can really be beneficial. Be careful with any chemical peel because of your skin-type and being prone to hyperpigmentation.

Look into the “Fraxel” laser. This procedure kicks up the healing process (as I mentioned) but does almost nothing to the outer skin. Perhaps the “skin needling” might be beneficial? You need to find someone with the real answers for you.

Anyway, I’m only saying that you should not give up and “all is not lost.” You might only need a tiny bit of intervention for a big result.

#12

Sorry, I do not know.

Thanks for the reply

#13

About “blame”

As an aside, I’m always stunned that patients almost always blame themselves for procedures that didn’t turn out well. They say things like: “I should have known better,” or, “Why was I being so vain?”

The woman I messed-up did it too. She said, “Oh I didn’t tell you that I’d had fifteen laser treatments before coming to you, that’s probably what caused the problem?”

I didn’t use her excuse because, in my opinion, when something goes wrong it’s always MY fault! To her point: I should have asked her about previous treatments; I didn’t. So my fault again. (But it didn’t matter anyway; this was a classic “overtreatment.”)

The surgeon I work with? Well, I learned from him: OWN your mistakes! (He’s a brilliant surgeon, but not every procedure goes perfectly either!)

Work with your patient and, yes, pay for any treatments they might require. (I paid for all the medications that my “messed-up” woman needed … it was money well spent!)

The list of excuses electrologists use is pretty long. Stuff like: “Did you go in the sun?” “Did you remember to put ‘pure chimp cream on your skin?” “Did you exercise afterward?” “Did you forget to take your ‘monkey beans’?” To me most of this is nonsense, if in fact a real overtreatment happened. Unless the patient rubbed dirt in the wound or picked at it, blaming the patient for a negative outcome adds insult to injury.

Just my opinion, of course. But then, I feel guilty about everything (former Catholic).

I also don’t know why patients seldom contact their electrologists immediately when it “doesn’t look right?” I am wondering if “Depuis” had any contact with her electrologist? Or did you just “suffer in silence?” If you don’t talk to us, how can we help you?

#14

Yes, cosmetic procedure is a more accurate word to use.

I did not see any suggestions in Dee’s post, but I did enjoy hearing about the possibilities of safe, prolonged upper lip work… but at this point, I’m too afraid to do electrolysis on my upper lip.

Thanks so much for the helpful suggestions.

I guess I’ll have to allocate some time and money towards fixing the issue.

The kicker is there is still tons of hair! Arg.

#15

I did contact them. Here is what they said last year re these photos

I see nothing out of the ordinary here. As we discussed, your pigmentation will not go away until you no longer have irritations going on in the treatment area. While the completion of your hair removal may be helpful in this endeavor, it is not the only thing your skin is reacting to. Your skin would react to hot water, scrubbing face washes and face washing pads/lofas and any other thing that would activate your restorative process. For a person like yourself, you must remember that melanin is part of your immune response.If you want to try something, you could wash with yogurt and rinse with warm water, nothing higher than 98 degrees (many hot water tanks are set for 110 to 130 degrees F.

#16

I didn’t suggest anything because that is out of my realm of expertise. Michael listed possibilities and I trust what he suggested.

I actually agree with what your electrologist said and I am thinking about that yogurt remedy?

Can you tell me about your healing reaction? Large scabs? Prolonged redness and swelling that lasted over a week? Did you pick off or rub off any scabs? Aftercare? What did you use and for how long. How many hours of treatment spread out over what period of time.

When we first see people, they present with hyperpigmentation and imperfect skin. Do you have a before picture, with hair that you can show us. Sorry, I may have missed that if you already talked about it, dupius.

#17

I also recommend skin needling. It’s much less likely to cause hyperpigmentation than laser is, and it’s one of if not the only treatment currently available that goes deep enough to reach the dermis and remodel skin. It’s also affordable and has little downtime. I have some skin wrinkling and pitting around my mouth from overly aggressive megasessions of thermolysis, and I’ll be starting skin needling treatments myself next month.

#18

Actually, after applying tea tree oil/aloe vera the pustules went away within 3-5 days.

No scabs that I can remember, the redness and swelling went away the next day or two.

If I remember correctly I used a mixture of tea tree and aloe for around a week until everything was looking relatively normal… Didn’t go outside…

I did 2 hours of treatment, including chin… So, maybe an hour?
If yuo mean of total electrolysis on lip, I would like to say, 10 hours? No idea, was not something I really kept track of, unfortunately.

I typically had a visible improvement after each treatment, and it was the only time that my skin reacted as it did, with tiny little holes/marks left afterwards.

I know my skin, and look at it everyday, so I know that the current state of my u-lip is from this particular treatment. I believe I had one small small mark at the very centre of my u-lip, but nothing like this.

Before pictures or not…

But I do have photos. It is just I am away at school, and it seems as though it is on my computer at home.

#19

I simply did not say anything because I am not one for conflict, and after the initial contact with this particular electrologist re my concerns, I decided to wait it out to give my skin time to heal and improve… Especially since this electrologist is well respected and it is headache enough being in this position, but having people doubt your claims because of the electrologist you are “blaming”/ holding responsible would just be too much.

So, I have no real intention of trying to get them to help pay for any treatments or products; call me afraid.

#20

There is nobody on this board (myself included) that can give you the answers you are seeking. You need to have a qualified professional look at you (in person), evaluate the situation and offer or perform a procedure if that’s your decision.

Dee said, “I didn’t suggest anything because that is out of my realm of expertise.”

She’s right. The answers you seek are out of all of our “reaches.” I think a few posts have pointed you in the right direction, but that’s about all of us can legitimately do.