Is this place damaging my skin?

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Hello. I made an account to ask if my experiences/reactions to electrolysis are something I should be worried about.

I live in a small town and wanted to get electrolysis done on my face. There don’t seem to be many places to do it here, but my spouse’s mother recommended one place she goes to so I went there.

It started a few months ago. I had weekly sessions at first, then every two weeks, and now every three weeks. I think (but am not completely sure) that it is working as far as hair removal goes, though I have also had some laser hair removal done there so that might be it.

However, I do notice that my previously perfectly smooth face is now bumpy along the jaw, and a little on the lip. In short, in all the places I had elecrolysis done. I have been bumpy ever since I started and the electrologist said it was just ingrown hairs that would disappear after enough exfoliating.

I do think at least some of the (largely flesh-colored, by the way) bumps might be ingrowns, but I’m worried that there might be something else going on. They haven’t gone away. I do have very sensitive skin, but I’m not sure this is normal.

On top of that, I have something that looks like either enlarged pores or pit scars to the right of my mouth. They are pretty much invisible, you need to be very close and specifically looking for them to see them, but I don’t think they were there before. I might have some above my lips as well.

There is also a sort of thin, also barely-visible black line next to these. It is under the skin and looks a bit like a hair, but I’m not sure what it is.

I never picked at the scabs I did get from electrolysis, by the way.

Also, I should point out that later on I discovered that it is standard procedure to conduct an interview before starting treatment, as well as cleansing the area before treatment. Neither of these things ever happened in my case.

I also don’t know that machine or method is in use.

#2

A picture would go a very long way towards helping people here help you

#3

I took one now, but I worry that it may not be clear enough.

Same picture zoomed in and with the scars/pores circled.

#4

Question first. Before you had electrolysis, did you spend seconds, maybe minutes looking at your skin in the mirror? If the answer is no, then you are more than likely over thinking and causing panic and unrest to yourself. Being on the board for however long ive been here, I’ve seen countless posts just like this one. I’m not trying to be a dick, and you have a valid concern… But in my opinion it’s unhealthy for people to obsess over this stuff.

I think it’s more of a personality charactertistic that some people have the tendency to do this more than others. I know, I was one of them who combed over every little detail, but at the end of the day … What’s done is done.

So here’s your answer in a nutshell, if it is indeed electrolysis induced it will heal over time, maybe months maybe years. If it’s just open pores, relax. Everything is fine.

#5

No offense taken. I do know I have a huge, huge self-image problem.

However, like I said, I do think those tiny holes are new. I did look at my face a lot before electrolysis as well and didn’t notice them then.

Still, I trust your answer on that. I’ll just hope that it’s nothing important and will fade in time.

Can you expand a bit on what you think it is and why, though? As well as what you think regarding what I described in my first post?

#6

All I could tell you with confidence is that the bumpy region you are feeling is due to inflammation of the tissue, it’s pretty common and heals. I read on the board previously that the skin works from the bottom to the surface. That’s the logic here, I think it takes somewhere between 1-2 years for the skin to go through this cycle. Don’t worry, I’m sure one of professionals who’ve been doing this for a while will pop a message on this thread tomorrow morning.

#7

Cleansing the area, unless you’ve walked through radioactive sludge and have been living in the sewers for a couple of days while throwing contaminated blood on the treated area … I wouldn’t be to worried about it. As long as they’re swapping electrolysis needles like a barber sanitizes his razor, swiping a pad of rubbing alcohol across your face should be at the bottom of your list; we all shower daily. Hopefully.

An interview? Yeah probably to screen out the crazies, you should’ve signed a waiver of some form to release liability in that interview but if you didn’t, oh well.

#8

Thank you for the reassuring advice. I am kind of prone to panic and self-loathing when it comes to my appearance so having knowledgeable people tell me that I’m not suffering permanent damage from this really helps.

Hopefully exfoliating will really help me go back to normal much faster…

#9

The electrolysis wound is like no other wound: it’s the full depth of the skin and yet as thin as a hair. An amazing wound really.

I’m working on a video at the moment (one of three) that will answer and illustrate these questions that EVERY patient has … you are absolutely NOT alone in your concerns. (Another week and then post-production on it.)

Very quickly, there are cells in the wound that CONTRACT the wound: pull it down and “together.” Because the electrolysis wound is so deep, these cells almost always give you very tiny “holes.” This is magnified because the surrounding skin is swollen as well. So, you have a “pull down hole” surrounded by swelling. So it can look like “hell.”

How sure am I that it’s going to resolved perfectly? Well, I guarantee it 100%. Furthermore, there is really nothing you can do to make this “better” … you just have to go along for the ride.

#10

The point of “exfoliating” is that you can ONLY remove epidermal cells (super-thin top layer). What’s going on is DEEP in the dermis … way down in the reticular dermis. You cannot “exfoliate” that deeply … unless you use a wire brush! Not a good idea.

#11

Interesting theard, I am also skin obsessed which unfortunately let to dozens of permanent scars while experimenting with all kinds of exfoliating methods.

After making my personal experiences, can just advise everyone to let the skin do it’s job first before interrupting the cycle with things like exfoliations.

Surprisingly a lot of skin tissues just disappeared over the time of 12 months. Actually can just laugh about your little concerns, when I look at old pictures of my damaged skin.

But thumps up for skin addiction.

#12

Update: I calmed down a lot since last time I posted but am growing concerned again.

I went for another treatment recently and the electrologist said more things that make me doubt her knowledge somewhat. She warned me against shaving, not because it might make hairs harder to find, but because she thought it would “reactivate” hair follicles that had been treated with electrolysis. As far as I know, shaving does not actually affect growth like that?

She also said the hairs on the sides of my face were too strong for electrolysis and suggested lasering them instead. I thought electrolysis worked on any hair?

Also, my face is still pretty bumpy and has a few of those small dark dots in some places along the jawline, and many above the lips. Some people call this scarring and some don’t and I’m kind of getting nervous about it again…

#13

mmm indeed you have some valid concerns!

Yes, electrolysis can remove any type ( or size of hair) and once a follicle is disabled it stays dead! forever! Shaving would NOT affect it , there isnt even any hair to shave coming froomt he follicle. Dead is dead!

The small dark spots you refer to sound as if they might be post-inflamatory Hyperpigmentation ( PIH, or some just call it hyperpigmentation) These can be unsightly, but they do not last forever. Hyperpigmentation is NOT scarring, it is a normal part of the skins healing process and they fade over time. Sometimes hyperpigmentation can remain for months , up to a year and a half, but it always fades and heals completely. It doesnt happen on all people and can vary, but it is also not uncommon either. Really, nothing to worry about, it will fade on its own completely given enough time.

Seana

#14

I was kind of worried that they might be pits, it’s kinda hard to tell, really… even the picture I posted doesn’t show them very clearly.

What are some reasons why a hair would not stay dead after being treated? I’m still not entirely sure they’re doing this right.

#15

You’re correct that the picture isnt very clear. I can make out the smallish dark circles though but the surface of the skin does not seem to look irregular to me more like there is a slght pigmentation to the area. It looks like there is some very slight hyperpigmentatioonn that should pass.

If a follicle does not recieve enough treatment energy in the right place to kill the germination cells at the hair root and in the bulge, then another hair will grow, typically in 8-12 weeks time.They usually grow in thinner if this happens but it’s unlikely to take more than 8-12 weeks, unlike laser where a follicle may go stagnant for a year or more. When an electrologist is working you will sometimes hear them refeence “kill rate”. That is the percentage of the time that a follicle is killed the first time around. Very good electrologist have very high kill rates but I dont know of many electrologists that can claim a 100 % kill rate. Some follicles may need to be treated a second time, but usually most will not if the electrologist is working with great skill and has a high kill rate.
I want to say that some electrologists dont have enough faith in their own work. Often they are killing more hair than they think they are.
Seana

#16

Interesting Question and informative answer Seana.

It’s a very important topic, especially because clients expect a certain kind of result.

I have treated my upper arms with extremely high energy, the pain was really unpleasant but about 70-80% of hairs didn’t grow back after now 2 months.

Now compared to the neck which was treated by a bad electrologist, most hairs came back. Thinner mostly, but I don’t even know if he managed to kill even one hair root properly.

Personally I think the permanent hair removal rate should be higher than 60% after the first clearance, especially when the hair haven’t been plucked out for months.

Some pros talk about hair freedom after 3 complete sessions with the wait & clear strategy or successes of 80% after the first clearance.

#17

The neck can be a difficult spot to work. The hairs are deep. They have excellent blood flow to the follicle.Often I find I’m putting in 3/4 of a regular shank probe into the skin. I like blend for this area over thermolysis because I think it stands a better chance of killing the hair( maybe just my thought and opinion) , but it is time consuming and pain tolerances can be an issue.

Remember that not all of the hair you see in 3 months will be hair that has regrown. Quite a lot of it will be hair that was not visible to be treated.I know of only a few electrologists who do a 3 clearance method because most cannot get a clearance of an area in one sitting and stay within the clients pain tolerances . The people you see advising, and practising this method are in my opinion amoung the best electrologists in the world for being able to accomplish it in the first place.

Seana