Ingrown hairs coming back within weeks?

[TheSasquatch]

Hi all,

Ive recently started electrolysis. Im 28 year old male, and I grow body hair and facial hair pretty rapidly.

To date I’ve only had 3.5 hours (1 hour a session plus first session half hour, over 4 weeks) of electrolysis. I am having treatment done initially on my upper arms and shoulders and will expand treatment areas once im convinced its actually doing something permanent.

The electrologist im dealing with has about 15 years of experience. I believe shes using “blend”. She is using an Apilus (im unsure what model). She told me she is using “medium” power, with 0.5 seconds per hair.

I have asked her to first target the darker, coarser hairs as they are the most visually obvious.

Im not so sure she is treating me correctly though. I don’t know a ton about electrolysis but heres been my observations; I started treatment about 4 weeks ago doing 1 hour sessions at a time except for the first session which was just half hour. It seems everytime I am treated, about 1-2 weeks later I develop ingrown hairs where treatment occured. I asked her about this and she was stumped. I have tweezed hairs on my body before and anytime I do they comeback within a couple weeks, with 50% or more of them coming back ingrown. It seems to me this is what is happening with my electrolysis. Sometimes when she removes the hair there is a tugging feeling more in line with tweezing. She has already re-treated some of the same hairs that cameback ingrown from the first treatments, I can usually get my ingrowns out of the skin by scratching them, which I did so she could treat them again.

To those experienced in electrolysis does this sound right at all? It seems many of the hairs she has “treated” are coming back ingrown within weeks, ive got many ingrown hairs in the treatment area at the moment, I had none when we started treatment. This to me says they are just being tweezed rather than actually treated?

Im not sure what to do. Should I continue seeing her or should I switch to a different electrologist? Is it too soon to tell ANY result? Does a properly treated hair grow back within 4 weeks? Because I know my hairs when tweezed certainly do, and they often comeback ingrown, and this seems to be whats happening here but ive no prior experience with electrolysis.

After treatment I get a bump similar to a hive at the site of treatment. I get red dots in the days after, and by the end of the week theres no visible sign remaining.

Any input on my situation is appreciated!

[Bono]

Q. “ [Blend] … with 0.5 seconds per hair … ”
A. Actually, too fast on the HF for blend (top speed per hair is 1.0 - 1.5 seconds with blend).

Q. “I develop ingrown hairs where treatment occurred.”
A. Classic sign of “instant regrowth.”

Q. “To those experienced in electrolysis does this sound right at all?”
A. No!

Q. “I’ve got many ingrown hairs in the treatment area at the moment, I had none when we started treatment. This to me says they are just being tweezed rather than actually treated?”
A. YES, you got that right. (Actually, hair is being “burned off” at the top — missed or shallow insertion — epidermis quickly grows and “closes over” the skin, lower part of the hair keeps growing … classic “instant regrowth.”)
Q. For YOU: Does the ingrown hair look BLUNT? If it does, there is no other answer here … “instant regrowth.”

Q. “Does a properly treated hair grow back within 4 weeks?”
A. If it’s ingrown, it’s “instant regrowth” and was improperly treated.

(This was a real post, right? Not playing fun games with the old folks on Hairtell?)

[impossable]

I’ve learned that the number of years cited as experience doesn’t have to mean anything.

“with 50% or more of them coming back ingrown”

A small percentage of “instant regrowth” might be acceptable after a large job but not 50%!

@Michael Unfortunately that does happen! I’ve had a treatment, that resulted in severe instant regrowth, by a lady who claimed “10 years of experience.” It quickly became apparent that she was mainly a beautician who did some occasional zapping.

A couple of weeks later I was tempted to call her up and tell her that having the machine for a decade is not the same as having 10 years of experience!

[Bono]

For those of you that have my book "Treatment Strategy … " the following appears on page 73. I would place the illustration here, but I’m still a bit fed up with Photobucket (I have to re-register again since the “knuckleheads” decided to do another needless “upgrade.” I’ll get around to it. (Jossie, you may post the illustration if you wish!)

TRUE REGROWTH “Instant” regrowth

Rather than argue about unprovable theories, questionable regrowth charts, and fantastic follicle shapes, electrologists should focus on true regrowth. Certain forms of “returning hairs” appear only after electrolysis treatments. These are genuine regrowth hairs! Recognizing true regrowth allows you to candidly evaluate your skill.
True regrowth is caused by a shallow insertion, a missed insertion, HF blow-out or not enough current. In most regrowth cases, only the anchor is coagulated. Thus, the hair and entire root easily epilate. (In some cases, the lower root structure separates and remains.) As the coagulated upper follicle heals, the undamaged lower target area regenerates and produces one of three types of true regrowth (Figure 6).
“Instant” regrowth is properly named because it shows up about 2 - 4 weeks after treatment. Typically, this form of true regrowth is seen with body work, such as on a man’s back. (“Instant” regrowth is only verifiable on unshaven areas.)
Even though the patient may never have shaved, “instant” regrowth appears as a stubby shaved hair. Usually, the hair pushes up the epidermis and forms a tiny bump. Sometimes the follicle is slightly inflamed and debris from the earlier-epilated hair root is present in the infundibulum (Figure 6-C).
If you see “instant” regrowth, you have made several specific errors. You either missed the follicle or did not insert to full anagen depth. You did not use sufficient current and, most likely, you epilated the hair too soon—you tweezed. Thus, the lower root separated and was left intact. The hair growth was uninterrupted and the hair shaft easily funneled through the barely damaged follicle opening. “Instant” regrowth requires no specific after-care, just treat the hair again—correctly.

[Bono]

BTW, I want to commend “Sasquatch” for his keen powers of observation. Well done dude! The good thing is that you have only done 3.5 hours, and in only that tiny amount of time you “got it!”

One of my clients didn’t “get it” until he’d spent nearly $10,000 on his back. (Mostly, it didn’t work!)

And yes, electrolysis CAN fail! And, just like laser, it all depends on the skill of the operator.

If you live in B.C., I know an awesome operator that will totally KILL your hairs! She took a private seminar with me and I know her procedures are excellent. It’s all about killing hairs. Let me know!

[system]

For those of you that have my book "Treatment Strategy … " the following appears on page 73. I would place the illustration here, but I’m still a bit fed up with Photobucket (I have to re-register again since the “knuckleheads” decided to do another needless “upgrade.” I’ll get around to it. (Jossie, you may post the illustration if you wish!)

TRUE REGROWTH “Instant” regrowth

Rather than argue about unprovable theories, questionable regrowth charts, and fantastic follicle shapes, electrologists should focus on true regrowth. Certain forms of “returning hairs” appear only after electrolysis treatments. These are genuine regrowth hairs! Recognizing true regrowth allows you to candidly evaluate your skill.
True regrowth is caused by a shallow insertion, a missed insertion, HF blow-out or not enough current. In most regrowth cases, only the anchor is coagulated. Thus, the hair and entire root easily epilate. (In some cases, the lower root structure separates and remains.) As the coagulated upper follicle heals, the undamaged lower target area regenerates and produces one of three types of true regrowth (Figure 6).
“Instant” regrowth is properly named because it shows up about 2 - 4 weeks after treatment. Typically, this form of true regrowth is seen with body work, such as on a man’s back. (“Instant” regrowth is only verifiable on unshaven areas.)
Even though the patient may never have shaved, “instant” regrowth appears as a stubby shaved hair. Usually, the hair pushes up the epidermis and forms a tiny bump. Sometimes the follicle is slightly inflamed and debris from the earlier-epilated hair root is present in the infundibulum (Figure 6-C).
If you see “instant” regrowth, you have made several specific errors. You either missed the follicle or did not insert to full anagen depth. You did not use sufficient current and, most likely, you epilated the hair too soon—you tweezed. Thus, the lower root separated and was left intact. The hair growth was uninterrupted and the hair shaft easily funneled through the barely damaged follicle opening. “Instant” regrowth requires no specific after-care, just treat the hair again—correctly.

What picture? this one maybe?

he he he, just kidding… I love this photo.

I think this is the correct image:

[Bono]

Dank U Jossie!

Yeah that’s the illustration. Gosh that photo was around the time that Juliana abdicated to Beatrix … and now, Beatrix has abdicated to Willum … time marches on! How did Beatrix get so old, and I didn’t? (he he he)

Is that now “King Wim?” Gott Allemachtig!