Few quick questions...

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Hello! I just have a few quick questions for you all, I hope you don’t mind answering them even though you’ve probably answered them a million times before!!

  • My skin around where I received electrolysis is very dry. After my treatment, I put a bit on ice on it for a few minutes, witch hazel, and aloe. I don’t put anything else on it for two days, and even then it’s just cover-up. Is there any way to prevent this, or is this just a temporary side-effect for my skin?

  • I have read a few posts on this site regarding clearances and how many you might need. I noticed, for example, when researching how many treatments I would need for the bit of hair on my toes, that the general consensus is about 3 clearances. So, if that essentially one clearance, wait a few months or so, second clearance, wait a few months, then third? Or is that going in between clearances too?

Thanks everyone!!

#2

The “3 clearance method” is a specific technique developed by a very few electrologist here who specialize in doing full clearances . I can tell you, that completely clearing, especially a very dense area, is very difficult and time consuming. And the pro’s who do this, will be the first to tell you it’s not completely accurate, that sometimes they even clear an area mostly after two such clearances.
In general, and I can say this from personal work experience, it isnt practical to do a complete clearance on a very dense area, constraints such as fatigue, pain tolerance, and just plain time, get in the way. Outstanding electrologists like Josefa are able to overcome these issues, but it’s not your everyday electrologist who can.

In general, I and many others, work up to a clearance over time, sometimes weeks to months depending on how often we get to treat a person getting eletrolysis, and for how long and the hair density in the area.

In general terms, if we are getting to treat someone often enough we see the majority of reduction in about a year, perhaps more depending on circumstances and just have some minor cleanup after that. This has a lot to do with hair growth cycles and the hair being visible to remove.

So whether you are doing complete clearances, or thinning down a bit at a time until the job is done, doesnt matter as much. Hair still gets gone.

As for aftertreatment, if you used Teatree oil at all,that does have a drying effect on the skin.I’m not certain if witch hazel does as I dont use it. The Aloe vera is good to keep up with as I dont believe it dries the skin.Your best bet in the area is plain old soap and water.

Seana

#3

I know I used to have this problem with a different practitioner, but these days my routine is very simple and my skin is always fine.

  1. The night of the treatment, I don’t touch the area. My electrologist cleans the area before the treatment and applies a product after the treatment.

  2. The next morning, I tend to wash my face but skip the treated area so it probably just gets water. I do apply sunscreen to the area and it is a moisturising one. I will use a dab of tea tree oil on any whiteheads that have formed.

  3. That night is the first proper clean, which I do using a very gentle face wash (Paula’s Choice natural in the green bottle) and afterwards I moisturise using a simple moisturiser, for example Cetaphil moisturising lotion.

  4. The morning after that I assess the area and tend to resume my normal routine.

#4

Just for “hell of it” (experimentation), try the following.

After your treatment, have your electrologist simply wipe the area with alcohol or witch hazel. No “product” applied to the area.

The next morning (or the same evening) wash your face and DO wash the treated area with “soap & water.”

After that don’t put anything on the area: no moisturizer and no sunscreen and no tea tree oil. “NO NUTTIN’!”

Wash with soap & water whenever you wish … again, no “products.”

Then, get back to us and let us know if any whiteheads formed?

#5

Thank you all so much, again, for your replies and your support! I know for a fact that this journey would be so much harder without this website to come and ask the pro’s these questions.

I might invest in an aloe plant, I feel like getting it ‘right from the source’ might be the best thing ever for my skin. My grandmother used to have one and I remember her putting it on me whenever I’d scrape myself, it always helped the healing so much. Plus that way I know I am just getting ‘the good stuff’ rather than whatever random stuff is put in the bottled gunk. I dont know, maybe that’s being picky? Haha.

I’m lucky - after my initial consultation, I had a few whiteheads that went away fairly fast. The past two ‘real’ treatments I’ve had, there has been none. I dont know if it’s because I am getting used to aftercare, or what, but - knock on wood - some mild scabbing and dryness are my after-effects. I can work with that.

I also find now that waiting as long as I possibly can before putting any sort of makeup on has helped - at least 48 hours.

As for the clearance question I had, Seana, you are completely right. Even if it’s full clearances, or shorter appointments that just get a little bit of hair, it’s all going to work and I just have to be patient. Thank you for your advice! Invaluable.

#6

Thanks for your honest response Seana.