Is this reaction normal - I'm scared of scarring!

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#41

Hi Guys,

It’s been just over 2 months since I posted so I just wanted to check-in and give an update.

I’m happy to say that my neck is now back to normal :slight_smile:
2 pics below, one without flash and one with.

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View large here: http://oi42.tinypic.com/x6a00l.jpg
I wish it was the same news for my upper shoulders and around the lateral area. Below is how part of my back looks today, 3 months from when I had it treated:

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View large here: http://oi43.tinypic.com/jgjdiw.jpg

The treatment was carried out by a BIAE certified lady which makes it even more depressing. As soon I read the reactions on this board I stopped going to her and will never do so again. It is a lot better than it was but it’s going to take time I think to completely clear if it does at all. There’s also a lot more hair than this picture is revealing. These snaps were taken with my camera phone.

I’m still desperate to have the hair removed. I thought I give it another shot with someone else so I decided to go to Parkside and see Sharon; 1 of the 4 electrologists that works there. They had an offer giving 12 hours for £600 which after a consultation I decided to take.
The reaction that I’ve had from Sharon is so much better than I got from the other lady. I’ve had 8 hours so far using thermolysis and her insertions are great, with no tugging at all.
I scabbed but they weren’t as big as before. Plus the scabs fell off exactly 2 weeks after with only slight hyper-pigmentation. Definitely a better reaction. I’ve highlighted the bits she did below (she does not want to touch the areas carried out by the previous lady in order to give it time to heal.)
The hyper pigmentation from the previously lady is evident higher up my arms.

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View large here: http://oi43.tinypic.com/2mi449.jpg

Even though Sharon seems to be good, I don’t think I will be going back after the 12 hours. Her pace(5 or so hairs per min) is quite slow considering how much work I want done. Plus the pain is quite unbearable, I initially had 1.5 hour treatments but I couldn’t last that long. It absolutely kills! I’m now having 1 hour treatments but even these are tough to last through. I think it’s because of the duration of the zapping which is dependent on the machine she uses. The needle goes into the follicle, stays in for 3 excruciatingly long seconds or so getting very hot!
I also think she may be getting frustrated when I mention the pain but I don’t know what to do. I’m doing my best to suck it up. We tried raising the energy and having the bursts for 1 second max which worked great and was a lot faster too. She was averaging 10-12 hairs per minute but then the next session I came in, she said that she didn’t feel that method was going to be effective as her machine cannot do flash. She wasn’t sure if the heat was really killing off the follicle so we went back to the 3 second duration’s much to my dismay. I thought it strange she didn’t mention this during the day we tried it but I trust her judgement. If it’s not being done correctly, whats the point right?

I think at this point Josefa is my only hope. I would quite literally be on a plane tomorrow to come and see you if you could fit me in. Hopefully one day, in the not so distance future, one can hope.

As always thanks for reading and I’ll update you on the result of the 10 hours on my back when the scabbing goes and on the condition of the hyper pigmentation.

#42

Hyperpigmentation always fades with time. It takes 6 to 12 months to completely clear. I am sorry to hear that you are having a difficult time with this.

#43

You’re not getting good information from your electrologists.

First, your skin-type is going to get hyperpigmentation! Welcome to the “PIH club” (yeah, me too).

Hyperpigmentation is NOT a scar. There is nothing I see on you skin that is going to become a SCAR! Just take your “scar-fear” and throw it out!

The upper shoulders tend to get more PIH than the lower arm … and in the patterns you present.

Going back and treating the shoulders will diminish the PIH. Furthermore, the area has healed well enough after 3 months. Electrolysis re-activates the macrophages to “gobble up” the existing hyperpigmentation. (Your electrologist, who won’t treat the area, is expressing “fear” about the hyperpigmentation herself, and that is nonsense.)

I can’t address the pain and speed but don’t get yourself into “self-induced” confusion. Confusion will get you bouncing all over the place seeking “just the right treatment” (and micro-managing?) based on scant non-factual observations.

You use the following terms: “depressing, desperate, scar, scab, I won’t go back again, my only hope … "

WAY to much angst for a pretty normal situation. I suppose your next “phase” will be scrutinizing the “re-growth?” Gosh, maybe the first electrologist killed-off more hair than the second? Now what? After all the PIH has resolved maybe the “first one” will start looking better than the second one? Just saying.

If you had all the information about (normal) treatments you wouldn’t have to get “depressed” about “nuttin’!”

Electrologists need to be strong and factual, without equivocation, about their advice. (If you don’t know what’s happening, how do you expect the client to know?) With no understanding, clients end up “confused/desperate” … all unnecessary.

#44

I’m south asian. Extremely prone to PIH. It’s been almost 3 months since my extensive electrolysis treatments and I still have PIH and it is going away veryy slowly- It’s worst on the upper arms and chest. (Of note…forearms hardly had any PIH and what was there is gone). The good news is that it WILL fade away. Give it a year. Personally, I am not worried. I know how my skin reacts…I know how long PIH takes to fade away.

Bottom line: Don’t worry. It WILL go away.

#45

Thanks for the reinforcement Zaphairzap. I also get “crazy” PIH. BIG dark patches, and as you said, more on the shoulders.

The interesting thing is that the pigment “bundles” are not just a one-time-thing. Once the melanocyte is stimulated (by the inflammation), it produces its pigment package over and over. The cells “sucks it up” and organizes it over the nucleus of the cell (for protection). The idea here is the little dark “umbrella” (over the nucleus) protects the cell’s DNA from harmful effects of the sun (UV).

However, the melanocyte continues to make pigment for many many weeks … actually until the inflammation goes away completely. However, as I suggested, another “zappage session” will clean up a LOT of the PIH … so don’t be afraid of getting zapped again. It actually helps. It revs-up the macrophages … gobble gobble gobble!

The “fade creams” are sort of a waste, unless you want to do it for a year! They only “bleach out” the higher-up pigment and do not stop the process: remember new pigment is being made for the next 6 months to year after the treatment. PIH finally “fades” because the melanocytes stop producing the pigment when there is no more inflammation.

#46

Thanks for the explanation michael.

I’ll also say londongeeza, make sure you’re wearing long sleeves that cover the PIH areas. I’ve been wearing full sleeves every day since my electro treatments 3 months ago. However, I drive everyday and therefore my left hand (not arm and forearm because they are covered with sleeves) gets exposed to sun. Guess what? The PIH in that 3 X 3 inch square area of my hand is much more prominent and slow to fade than PIH in the rest of my left wrist and forearm and my entire right hand, wrist and forearm. I might post pics at some point depicting this.

The upper arms, despite minimal sun exposure, have been healing at snails pace. Sun exposure on top of the natural pace would’ve surely worsened it. But again, I’m not worried because it will fade in another 6 months or so.

#47

As already said, PIH is a normal effect for many people.

Maybe your immediate reaction after treatment was more extreme than is normal and perhaps that’s what you’re referring to.

I found that PIH is connected to scabbing. Maybe that’s obvious… but I’m not sure if Michael will tell me it can occur without scabbing as well! So in my experience, the larger and ‘thicker’(?) the scabs, the more PIH can be expected.

As Josefa and others have demonstrated, reducing reaction and scabbing through using different probes for example, means there is less PIH to deal with afterwards.

The more important question is whether the treatment is effective. If it’s not very effective, then why would any one put up with such a reaction!

In regards to Sharon, when she is doing about 5 hairs/min she’s using Blend. When she did 10-12 hairs, that was thermolysis and I know she’s always said thermolysis is not as effective because it’s not with her machine and technique.

I wasted a lot of hours treatment time trying to get my underarms done with her with thermolysis, with very little reduction. I finished Laser about 6 months before trying to finish with electrolysis then had a year with Sharon. About 10 months after stopping with Sharon, I subsequently had two clearances (a year apart) with Josefa totaling less than 2 hours treatment time and have hair free underarms.

#48

I think your observations are correct.

Since the melanocytes (pigment cells) are very high in the skin (the basal layer itself), probably when a scab is noted, that also means more damage was done “higher up” … thus, there is more inflammation” at the level of the pigment cells … so, more PIH. Of course, PIH can also take place anyway with a susceptible person. But yes, you are right … as far as my observations too.

All of this is about “balance”: dispatching the follicle and leaving minimal difficulty for the client.

#49

Exfoliate and apply rosehip oil…I started doing this for the last two weeks and noticed a huge difference already. Our skin is prone to hyperpigmentation. Be patient and it will dissapear. Alternatively retin a can help speed things up too. On my arms its completely gone just waiting on back. I tend to mark from spots on my back and the blemishes take ages to dissapear!

#50

Exfoliate and apply rosehip oil…I started doing this for the last two weeks and noticed a huge difference already. Our skin is prone to hyperpigmentation. Be patient and it will dissapear. Alternatively retin a can help speed things up too. On my arms its completely gone just waiting on back. I tend to mark from spots on my back and the blemishes take ages to dissapear!

#51

Hi all, I’ve just started electrolysis after 10 terrible years of the worst facial hair on a woman I think has ever been seen on this board. I literally had a beard (I have heard ppl saying this about me behind my back). I’m in east London and going to an electrologist in harrow who is charging roughly 60 an hour and the trial session wasn’t too bad. I had no scabs but after the first clearance of an hour and half I have scans everywhere on my face and swelling - I look like a chipmunk!
Is this normal? Will the swelling stay for a while (it’s been 3 days so far)? Please if ppl have had bad experiences can they please at least forwarn ppl? Not blacklist but mention specific problems they had? It’s so hard to find a good electrogist- even years of experience cant be any garauntee!

#52

The initial treatment is when we usually treat the strongest and toughest hairs, and can be the the most irritating to the skin. If you can post an image, we can assist you better. If your problem is as bad as you say, and if your skin is ultra sensitive this could be normal for a first treatment.

#53

I agree heartily with Christine! Yes, we love quality pictures here and may be able to offer specifics after seeing them.

#54

My 1st appointment on my face was 4.5 hours… Yes I was swollen, a bit scabby but they were tiny tiny scabs. I also got quite a lot of whiteheads in the days immediately after treatment. I was also pretty red for a good few days after…now I only need cleared every 12 weeks or so and it takes about 30 mins if that… As the hair density is reduced and the thickness of the hairs also you will see a huge reduction in after effects. When I think back each clearance I’ve had the reaction has been less and less. I personally found that the Laurier Kelly probes helped also. Now I only get mild redness for an hours or so, no whiteheads etc.

What is your aftercare???
I like to wipe my face with thayers unscented witch hazel then dab a small amount of tea tea tree oil on the area followed by pure aloe Vera from the fridge for 3 days post treatment.

I know lots here don’t like tea tree and don’t react well to it but I found that it keeps the area clean for me and I stopped getting whiteheads, I also love the smell!

Good luck!

#55

How do we add photos? Do i have to upload them online at a separate website? Thanks for all your help and advice your kindness is much appreciated!

#56

Upload photo’s to a site like photobucket. Copy the
IMG code tag and paste it here in your post.

#57

Before: not for the faint of heart and yep, its pretty much a beard.


#58

After first clearance: 1.5 hrs

#59

After 3 days:


#60

God that was depressing to post!!