I just had an electrolysis appointment 2 days ago and am concerned about the red, bumpy marks I was left with. I know it’s normal to be left with red, bumpy marks but these look different to what I’m usually left with…
They seem darker than usual and the treatment really hurt (I was tearing up!)
Do you think it looks normal?
You shouldn’t have this 2 days later. Address with your electrologist so they can adjust the settings.
What aftercare are you using? You should be using witch hazel during the day and tea tree oil at night, and avoiding makeup and anything with chemicals until the skin heals.
Am I at risk of scarring from this? I have had similar results to this before but It does seem a lot worse this time…
I am using Thaglo Post Epilation cream. This is what they gave me and I have been using it for several days after each treatment.
Thanks for your advice.
Since you are in Australia, I don’t think I have to tell you that Tea Tree Oil used overnight will knock this out quickly. A little Aloe Vera in the daytime can help as well.
You seem to have had high treatment energy (higher than what was needed) and/or insertions that were off track, or too shallow. Another possibility is that the particular follicles you experienced problems with had more moisture than others close by, and the treatment energy that was good for the rest, was too much for those.
This will heal, but the Tea Tree Oil will speed the process.
Yes, I agree. This will heal. Please show this picture to your electrologist.
Insertions must be deep enough so the upper layer of skin is not affected like this. Too much energy for too much time that is used to treat a follicle can cause this back lash. We don’t need to treat a follicle longer than necessary, but sometimes that happens in our zeal to destroy hair. Tell her and hopefully she will not be full excuses, but rather, will simply say, let me try to change things up.
Tea tree (small dabs), aloe and witch hazel. Need I say more? :tired:
Dee
Thanks so much for the advice! I will get tea tree oil right away and talk to my electrologist.
One thing I want to point out here, working on the neck is very difficult. The insertions are hard, the work space is small, and if the client has a large chest… well, let’s just say, it makes doing the insertion even more of a challenge. Add to this the fact that electrologists are taught NOT to bend their probes to make such work easier (free your mind and the rest will follow) and you have certain things that can go better than they do, and yet, it is not so much poor quality work if some things don’t go perfectly. Of course, one should make a learning experience of it all.
Hi James, not understanding your last response. Are you saying the should not bend the probes or that’s it is okay? I did notice my electrologist doing that for the chin/neck
It is okay to bend the probes. Sometimes it’s the best way.
Yes, I’ve heard that the needles should not be bent, I think to remember that the reason given by these great instructors was that the flow was an obstacle when he reached the curve of the needle. The funny thing about this is that those who defend these theories almost never handle a needle or straight or curved.
James, do you think this would be very dramatic ask neurosurgeons straps to keep your head still and we able to treat the neck without the customer move down the chin constantly? :tired:
I cleared most of my arm with a bent needle (had to), and it worked beautifully. The bend was due to the device I was using, but it had the nice side-effect of making self-insertions pretty perfect. 
In the 1990’s, a bent needle was manufactured. I purchased some and when I realized that they were not going to be manufactured anymore, I saved a couple in its original shrink wrap as electrolysis memorabilia. I will locate it and upload some pics. Does anyone remember them? The company is noted as CTI in the EC. EC represents, European Community, a term that is no longer used.
Yes, Arlene, I remember. Most were made of two-piece. The curve is produced in the shank. The blade and taper was uniform throughout.
Someday I will submit the CPE take the exam, do you think I have any chance of overcoming it? 
For the record, my statement on the bent probe controversy is, “Free your mind, and the rest will follow.” A bent probe is a sight better than a poor insertion.
I too had the CTI’s and I really can’t go along with any of the reasons for not bending the probe. If the curve made a difference to the flow of current, we could not use flexible wires in the probe holder, and the whole sanitation excuse for not bending the probe is more mind control claptrap.
It is simple, there are some areas where the only way one is ever going to reach and get a good treatment is to bend that probe and make a tapping, almost sideways insertion.
At least, that is how renegade fools like me do it.
I must also be a renegade fool (more undisciplined than James) because I bend the probe on many occasions.
In the middle of the neck can not be made good with a straight needle insertions, unless you count with the help of Robespierre.
And I wonder who provides the things that are good or bad? Who would want to slow down a process that has a powerful enemy: the weather? I will never understand. 
Oh goodness gracious! A bent probe works wonderfully well. Today I made over 3,000 insertions on a client who presented with very coarse and curvy hairs that were at 5 degree angles! To make my job worse, almost all the hairs were under the chin and on the neck. If I were related to GUMBY or INSPECTOR GADGET, I could contort my wrist in all different directions and thus would not have to bend my probe. There is a proper way to bend the probe, so this must done correctly. So count me as a pile on renegade fool, too, in this regard.
Dee