Electrolysis scars using a higher setting

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Hello,
After doing electrolysis on my face with a new lady she aggressively pulled two of my hairs on my upper cheeks and i remember said afterwards “that might leave a scar since i used a higher setting” I thought the worst that would happen was it will just leave a red mark but instead that same red spot keeps coming up to yellow lesions/boils and drains a week later and ever since, it has been repeating this cycle on the same scars every few weeks. plus acne has spread other areas of my cheeks that leave a scar/pigmentation behind. I don’t understand what has occurred and neither do doctors/dermatologists.

I told them i suspect its infection and they put me on tetracycline antibiotics for 2 weeks before i found out i was allergic to it. they keep thinking it is just typical acne and afterwards put me on tretinoin atm which just makes the spot leak and bleed the morning of if there is lesion present. Can someone tell me what it could be? Could electrolysis potentially trigger acne? If a hair is damaged and not killed is this the result? My derm said the machine the electrologist used could have caused it… ?? since i have done electrolysis before and my skin was perfectly fine and hairs zapped properly and never had skin issues.

#2

“I don’t understand what has occurred and neither do doctors/dermatologists.”

Without photos, without “machine type” (as you mention), without power levels used and a host of other unknowns (such as aftercare), I don’t think anyone here can offer a suggestion or remedy. I mean, your dermatologist is stumped; and none of us here are physicians/dermatologists.

Her statement, however, is shocking, “that might leave a scar since I used a higher setting.” She said THAT in a nonchalant off-handed manner? That electrologist needs a “Will Smith!”

#3

I put pictures here before in my other topic posts. i do not know the machine type because every where I’ve done research people said the machine doesnt matter it’s the electrologist that matters so i did not bother to ask the type all i remember is it was white and old looking. I’ve also remember putting on nothing to the area as suggested by her. The only thing i did was put make up on 2 days later. And yes lol i very wish so i could give her a “Will Smith” she ruined my face.

#6

All I can say is, good electrolysis care does not cause a prolonged response like I see in the picture above.

I don’t know what I am seeing and why it is there. Let time pass and whatever the cause, it will heal. It appears that there are acne scars on your lower face or am I wrong?

#7

electrolysis does not cause acne to form. Acne is from a hormonal influence.This very much looks like acne, and from what I see of your face, you appear to be susceptable to acne.
Electrolysis CAN cause infection if conditions are not clean enough and precautions are not taken, but as Michael said we dont have enough information to determine this to be the case. It could be caused by a staph infection but it would take a doctor to confirm this.

I also find that electrolysis consumers often take comments out of context.They hear mark and immediately translate that to “scar” in their heads. I had a really good example of this yesterday. a young pakistani client who had sat through my consult, where I advised her IF we removed all the bothersome hair in every single session, then after 3 consecutive cycles of growth , this is the minimal time we can permanently remove all the hair.I always follow this up with “If you dont get enough treatment to accomplish this goal it will take longer, also if you are shaving the hair repeatedly we will only see anagen hairs to be removed” which will also extend treatment duration.
Somehow, in this process, she translated this to “a total budget of $2000 will remove all the hair permanently forever” . Not at all what I advised them, but people "optomize " what is communicated to them to fit their chosen narrative …

#8

Many years ago, when I was writing my “Blend book,” I communicated with Dr. William Montagna. When we discussed these issues, he SPECULATED that the increased blood flow from an electrolysis treatment might cause an acne flare-up. He also speculated, that an electrolysis treatment could cause resting hairs (exogen) to rapidly go into anagen … for the same reason. However, over all my years in practice, I have not convincingly seen these results. Not saying it couldn’t happen.
(Montagna included this supposition in his book “Skin: Your Owner’s Manual.”)

#9

I have noted that aggressive electrolysis on the upper lip (heat and swelling) can cause a herpes condition; only in person’s who are already carrying the virus. It’s especially important not to work on an upper lip that is already showing herpes lesions … makes it worse. A “long shot,” but I wonder if that’s what going on with this client?

#10

it’s scars from here, my face was clear before going to her. and i have let time pass it keeps reoccuring and spreading slowly on areas she treated

#11

Thanks for replying and being truthful that acne flare ups could happen. I didn’t know it was possible and thought it had to be infection. Doctor has swabbed my skin to test and i didn’t have infections. What you mentioned about increased blood flow makes sense as she herself said she used a higher setting. Again i want to mention i had CLEAR skin before going to her and never had acne problems (not even in my teen years). The picture above is after 1 month after going to her, right now my face is worse than that with “acne scars” and big bright red inflammations coming and going.
Right after a session with her i had “scars” that i thought would go away as time passes but instead it did the opposite. Got worse and ongoing flare ups/lesions and it has been 4+ months. I myself am confused as to whats occurred and so are doctors. Since you’ve wrote a book it may doing this, what are your suggestions? Do i treat it like acne then? I’m in so much physical and emotional pain from this - i avoid living life like i normally did prior to going to her. Regret it very much and just want answers. Feeling helpless as even doctors can’t figure it out since they’re not electrologists and do not know what Other possibilities could happen aside from infection. Also i do not have herpes OR hormonal imbalances. I’ve tested for all that and am in the clear. This all began to unfold as soon as i finished my session with her. Might I add i remember there being dark coarse hairs in some of those places she zapped but see no hair there anymore? Suspected it might be trapped and will eventually come out but it’s been 4+ months

#12

I’m also stumped on this one. I would, however, consult an infectious disease physician and have a blood test (not just a “swab”). Since you’ve never had acne, I don’t think that your electrolysis caused acne … I think only people with active cases might have a stimulation … however, like I said, I have never seen this happen (only supposition from Dr. Montagna).

Years ago, I had a woman with a similar situation when I was trying to do her “bikini area.” With a blood test, Dr. Chapple discovered that she already was carrying Streptococcus “Strep” in her system, probably for a long time … and would get a flare-up like yours from electrolysis. (Electrolysis did NOT cause her to get the bacteria.) She consulted with an infectious disease expert and had to take two difference antibiotics at specified intervals. She cleared-up and I was able to finish her electrolysis with no difficulty.

#13

The thing is i’ve done electrolysis before with another person for months and nothing happened. My skin healed perfectly after few days and came back to a clear surface, no spots, nothing. So I don’t understand how I would have “Strep” in my system if i’ve done electrolysis before and i was perfectly fine. Only reason i even came to this lady temporary was because my regular electrologist was sick for weeks. I have before and after pictures she definitely triggered something i just do not know what. I thought she just did a poorly done job but it’s getting way too much to bare with. (pain and itchiness on the spots too) I also have done a blood test after going to her but i’ll go again i guess just to be sure.

#14

Yep … that really is a mystery. Please let me know the findings.

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#15

First I want to say that even if the Electrologist’s work was not the greatest, one treatment would not cause on going infections unless there a systemic issue with the client. This case reminds me of a patient we had at my plastic surgery clinic. The patient had a tummy tuck done. When she came in for suture removal (I was removing her sutures) she had a sickly sweet smell which can indicate infection. When removing the sutures pus was running out of a small opening every time I pressed on the suture line. The plastic surgeon came in and agreed that it was definitely an infection. The patient swore up and down she did nothing and of course blamed us. We did a swab to be sent for a culture and in the meantime got the patient started on IV antibiotics. 2 weeks later the culture came back as a bacteria normally found in the mouth. On questioning the patient she had dental work done the month before the tummy tuck which had become infected. She had been on antibiotics and thought the infection had cleared up….obviously not, and had neglected to inform us. It was determined that the lingering bacteria somehow travelled through her system and attacked the surgical site as bacteria will find wounds. It took 3 months of IV antibiotics to get rid of the infection and a revision to the scar line. We also had to switch the antibiotics to one appropriate for the type of bacteria.
I know this sounds totally out of the context of your concerns, but over the years, I have learned the unusual healing is not so much a problem with the practitioner as the clients own body and what it is doing. Perhaps a swab for a bacterial culture might give you some answers.
I am not defending the Electrologist, if the area was over treated, it will normally heal. On going infections are not usual and are a concern that requires medical intervention to find out why.
Just my opinion.

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#16

I agree …

#17

I understand where you’re coming from and i was almost certain it was bacterial infection because from what i knew electrolysis can only give scars or infections. The thing with my situation is that i have done electrolysis prior to this and had no issues, hair was getting lighter and skin healed perfectly fine. It’s when I changed electrologists that this issue occurred. She herself said "this might leave a scar i used a higher setting on this one - which was my upper cheek. Right after the 1 session with her i noticed raised scars on spots she zapped and overtime (weeks, months went by) the areas got worse with lesions and i DID ask for a infection swab and it came back negative, no infections. So my doctor told me to see a dermatologist where he assumed it’s acne and gave me tretinoin. I have never had acne and still dont believe it is unless there is a slight chance of electrolysis triggering acne which idk about OR my hairs are trapped (something like folliculitis). Again, I’m only getting pimples on places she zapped i just cant figure out what happened and neither can doctors.

#18

Idiopathic acne. Have you had your testosterone levels checked. It’s the main cause of excess hair and acne. If your levels are within normal ranges, you may be highly sensitive to the testosterone.
Worth a little investigation.

#19

So, you are under medical care … that’s good.

None of the people here are physicians. What do you expect to discover from “us poor souls?” We can, of course, guess … but, none of this should be taken as solving your mystery.

Continue with your dermatologist because none of us are experts and cannot diagnose this forensically. I mean, it’s like asking a plumber to do brain surgery. You have a medical situation that must have a medical solution.

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#20

yes, i checked all my hormone levels and it all came back normal. (I have dark coarse hairs from doing laser 2 years ago) It’s super frustrating to not know the cause of what happened to my face after electrolysis. I’m under a dermatologists hands who admitted they don’t know much about electrolysis thats why i thought i’d ask on here if anyone had any guesses since infection was ruled out. Thank you everyone for all the advice , it’s appreciated