How do I avoid pitting?

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Hello! I recently joined this forum and this is my first post.

I’ve just started electrolysis and I’m extremely concerned about pitting and scarring. Here’s some background information about me to help you understand my particular case.

I’m a 32 y/o cis female with thick dark hairs on my face and also my arms and legs. The facial hair is the worst…the hairs are extremely thick… more thick than my leg hair. I’ve been tweezing my facial hair for 17 years and it has gotten thicker/darker/etc. over time. If I were to tweeze all the noticeable hairs on my face it would take me about an hour and a half to remove all of them. I’ve been tweezing daily for at least 10 years. Before that I’d tweeze every few days or something.

I read that tweezing can actually cause a lot of damage. And that it can raise the chances of pitting after electrolysis?

Is pitting inevitable for me? Can I avoid it? If so what steps can I take?

I’m in the process of finding a good electrolygist. I’ve had 2 electrolysis sessions…one with one practitioner and one with another. I decided to get a patch test done on each arm because pitting or scarring on my arms is much less depressing than on my face. I’m essentially trying out these electrolygists to see if I can trust them to not damage my skin.

This seems very tricky though as I’ve read that it can take a full year before scarring or pitting will even show up. Would my best bet be to get a very small patch test done on my face and wait an entire year?

What advice do you have and what would you do in my shoes?

Thanks in advance your your replies. I deeply appreciate them.

#2

Can you link us to where you saw this information?

I don’t agree that tweezing can cause a lot of damage. Tweezing does not raise the chances of pitting after electrolysis. Tweezing coarse hairs over and over again can strengthen the hair if the blood supply gets more robust.

Pitting is NOT inevitable when electrolysis is performed by a skilled practitioner, with the best tools of the trade. Some of us do different forms of thermolysis. Some us do blend and a few practitioners do multi-probe galvanic. All modalities under the umbrella of ‘ELECTROLYSIS’ work and have worked for over a century and a half.

The practitioner should watch and read the skin. The hair should always slide out without resistance. If you feel like you are being tweezed, then you are being tweezed.

I always advise consumers to check out as many local electrologists as they possibly can and get short treatments. Doing this helps them make a good decision about who they should entrust their hair removal journey / goals with to ensure a satisfying outcome.

2 Likes
#3

Deedra, I took a screen shot of a HairTell pro talking about tweezing causing damage but I can’t find the link now although I know the post is still there. I’m sure I saw other posts as well about it here on this site. I’d post the screen shot but can’t figure out how to do that on this forum :upside_down_face:

#4

I did a video on tweezing. When a hair is tweezed out, there is tissue tearing and bleeding. The skin repairs this, as it would any wound in the skin. Although scar tissue forms … the scar is never visible; and, it’s well below the skin. The “scar formation” causes the returning hair to become distorted and usually more strongly anchored to the skin. Tweezed hairs are STUBBORN!

Furthermore, every electrolysis and laser treatment technically causes scar tissue … however, this is never visible and deep in the skin. Dr. Perkins did a biopsy of skin that had had years of treatment. Actually tissue left-over from a face lift. A trans client who had had beard removal. Under a microscope, you could see the minuscule (invisible) “threads” of scar tissue from the old successful electrolysis treatments.

To answer your questions: 1) do not worry at all about visible scars forming from electrolysis … because of years of plucking. 2) at worst, years of plucking will cause some “roughness” or irregularity in the skin … but, hardly visible, 3) just “go for it” and don’t worry AT ALL about scars forming.

Interestingly, there is a visible difference in the deep-skin post-op “scar” formed from thermolysis and from straight electrolysis … but, that’s another topic that deserves a long explanation. Hinkel did micro-photos of this and I believe I still have the photos in the gigantic treasure trove of Hinkel’s materials.

3 Likes
#5

Thank you both for your replies. They’re very appreciated.

If you were a client who wanted to be 100% certain that no pitting or scarring would happen, what would you do? How would you choose your electrolysist? What things would you look out for during/after treatment?

Is over treatment the only thing that would cause pitting/scarring? What are the immediate signs of over treatment?

I’ve heard repeatedly that there shouldn’t be plucking… the hair should slide out after the zap. So I know that’s one thing to look out for.

I’m hesitant to ‘just go for it’ carefree without doing all the necessary research. Especially because the diameter of a lot of my chin hairs…well it’s thicker than most men’s beard hairs. These hairs are not going to come out easily and I don’t want over treatment.

I have no interest in trading hair for scars.

I’ve seen so many posts where a client is like “Everything was fine and now all of the sudden I have these scars and/or pitting after 3 months (or 6 months or a year or whatever). And then everyone chimes in saying “It takes 2 years to heal! It might not be permanent.”

I’m not interested in any pitting or scarring or pigmentation that will take 2 years to heal either.

I’m not interested in permanent scars and I’m not interested in temporary ones that last years.

#7

Hm? Did somebody else withdraw a post? Or did I accidentally click something to have my post be deleted?

#8

Your concerns are noted. You should stick to temporary methods to control your hair.

Many of us electrologists have seen and treated hundreds of women and men with very coarse hairs on their face and the results were dramatically life changing and uplifting for them. If I did a consult with you, I would politely have to decline working on you. It takes a certain level of trust and instinct as a consumer to start with a plan and stick to a plan. If you are not sure what to do, then don’t do anything.

Maybe you can request to talk to a client of an electrologist, who you may want to hire, that is finished to find the reassurance you need so you can move forward.

1 Like
#9

I want electrolysis. I just want to know how to find an electrolygist that won’t leave me scarred is all.

Deedra, it’s totally ok that you’d decline to work with me. Not everyone is a good fit for everyone. I’d probably politely decline to work with you as well. I need a practitioner who can answer my questions. Sure, trust is needed but trust has to be earned!

Anywho.

This is what I have so far for things things to look for:

-An electrolygist with a license
-No tugging or tweezing sensation when the hair is pulled out
-No oozing or heavy scabbing afterwards

That’s all I have so far but I’m sure there’s more pointers out there.

#10

That’s actually a really good idea about making a point to find a previous client to talk to. Thanks for the idea. I appreciate it!

#11

Also, sorry if my tone was off putting or something.

I can get kind of intense sometimes :grimacing::sweat_smile:

#12

Gosh it’s been a busy day. I started to reply to this this morning, and I swear Dee, you and I must be on the same wavelenght , because I got as far as saying " I dont think you should do electrolysis" before clients and life intervened. Honestly Dee Nailed it right on. The nervousness and lack of trust in the process will not serve you well, and most electrologists I know would feel the same way. The issue isnt scarring. You completely glazed over the evidence Mike presented to you as well.
The answer as to why you shouldnt do electrolysis is because you are not ready. Take some time and look through the Healing Skkin Video series on the channel Electrology Now on youtube, its a 4 part series listed on Michaels channel under “lectures” . It explains the healing process .When we are doing electrolysis we are causing “damage” to the skin. That damge is intentional. There will be evidence, in a biological level, but this does not mean you will have “scarring” Scar tissue, and scarring are two very different things. But above all this, I think any experienced electrologist will listen to you for 5 minutes and com to the conclusion that it isnt worth the risk to treat you. Because you are not ready, you need to have more trust in your electrologist and in the process of electrolysis, and that will only come from educating yourself further. Speak to some people who have had successful electrolysis, and you will become more comfortable with the process perhaps. But right now, honestly, you are a disaster waiting to happen for any electrologist who ever works on you and most, wont be willing to take that risk.

I think Dee said it more politely than I did . I think I maybe just took Michaels asshat crown away.
Seana

3 Likes
#13

Then schedule several 15 minute to 30 minute appointments with several electrologists and judge the outcome with each.

There are licensed and unlicensed states in the United States. Going to a licensed electrologist does not assure you of anything. There are skilled practitioners who are required (forced) to have a license and there are skilled electrologists that are not required (not forced) to have a license by their particular state. Certification is more important. Showing that they were trained for X amount of hours in theory and actual performance from an accredited program is what you look for.

Start off slower with someone and have them treat the same small area, like a 2"x2" area every 6 weeks for about a year to eighteen months, and you will have your fears allayed or your concerns validated. Did I answer your question well enough?

1 Like
#14

I could not agree more with Seana and Dee. I think you are asking for a guarantee? Indeed, we could post a long list of “things to look out for” … but, I get a sense that it would not be enough …

Consider that All medical procedures have unforeseen risks/problems that absolutely no professional can guarantee won’t happen. For example, if you’ve ever had surgery, you must sign documents with your understanding of the risks. Indeed, I have seen procedures that went perfectly … and, well, the body did something unexpected. You can have everything perfect … and still have problems. Dee and Seana gave you a very honest answer … and, I agree with them.

Recently, we had several voluminous posts from somebody wanting to become an electrologist … with a multitude of “what if” questions that ended up negating any suggestions. At some point, you are going to have to just jump in and test the water. Sometimes getting too much information only muddies the waters and you can’t make a decision. Indecisiveness is, actually, a decision.

3 Likes
#16

People confuse temporary skin reaction / healing to scarring and pitting. Scarring and pitting is very rare. Do you have any quality pictures to show us?

I never advise doing laser on a woman’s face. I’ve seen and corrected too many stimulation cases. They took many, many hours to correct at great expense. Very depressing that this can happen.

2 Likes
#19

You are misinformed to think “stimulation cases can be corrected with the right kind of laser.” This is simply NOT true. How long has it been since the last electrolysis treatment on your upper lip?

1 Like
#20

Nope. Must disagree with you, with respect, of course. Laser hair stimulation on a woman’s face is not corrected by more laser. The women that have come to me for help have hair structures that are mostly too thin and lack deep, dark color. When they finish with electrolysis, their skin is cleared, with utter precision, of all bothersome hair and the skin is beautiful.

1 Like
#21

Without photographic evidence, I can’t respond to this post. I will say, however, that “research” is not reading articles on the internet … and conclusions cannot be based on one or two treatments.

I’m offended, however, at the following comment: “ … every electrologist in this forum tends to ignore (or maybe has no idea about it), which is the feeling of tightness … “ Indeed, I certainly could address this nominal issue; but I don’t think I will … recriminations are never an invitation to dispassionate dialogue.

#22

Nominal signs of inflammation of the skin:

  1. redness (heat), 2) swelling, 3) tenderness (pain), 4) itchiness, 5) loss of mobility (stiffness). All of these signs are normal and transient.

That’s all I have to say on this subject … so far.

#23

Some time ago, an electrology client had a negative experience … and ferociously castigated an entire association and the entire profession. I’ve been thinking about this.

15-years ago, I ruptured a tendon in my ankle. I interviewed six surgeons. All of them, except one, said I would have to wear a metal brace for the rest of my life. Finally, I met a surgeon (from Iceland at UCLA) who was a true miracle-worker and fixed-me-up perfectly.

My point is that within every profession there are great differences in skills and patient outcomes. Frankly, anyone who says “electrology is terrible” or “electrology is wonderful” is totally missing the point. Like all hands-on procedures … success depends ONLY on the skill and knowledge of the practitioner. Take your time, and choose wisely.

#24

I agree with you michael to a pont, that is right up to the last sentance “success depends ONLY on the sklill and knowledge of the practitioner” . It doesnt. An equal portion of the success depends on the client regularly and without fail getting their treatment,.IT is those that are persistent, that see success where many others fail. This has nothing at all to do with electrologist skill.