I’m really worried about this scabbing. I have hundreds of scabs on my upper lip. I chose the place because it was rated 5 stars, but it was extremely painful even with numbing cream. Had it done on Wednesday (2 days ago). When will it resolve? I haven’t been given much instructions on how to care for it or any creams. Have been applying Neosporin since yesterday. Will I have remaining hyperpigmentation? I have been avoiding the sun and just hiding in my room. Wore a mask yesterday for short trip to get advil and took one yesterday. I may take another today to help with swelling. Will I at least be able to cover it with makeup in a few days? Will it be okay if I don’t continue with electrolysis? I don’t feel comfortable with the pain or side effects.
Allow the scabs to fall off naturally. You can continue to use water and soap to clean the area. A simple skincare routine is fine. Avoid any chemical or physical exfoliants. There’s no need for any first aid or medicated creams.
Scabbing resolves around two weeks after treatment, at which point you may have hyperpigmentation or an unusual skin texture. This will take longer to resolve.
Scabbing is normal in some areas but never ideal on the upper lip or face in general. This doesn’t necessarily mean you will see permanent scarring. This is not the worst I’ve seen, and I expect it will look much better (but not perfect) after two weeks, at which point it would help to have a clearer photo of the area to share.
You should not continue electrolysis for now. If you chose to continue at a later point in the future, it’s important to find someone who can produce results without scabbing the upper lip like this.
My scabs got significantly worse (darker, and larger) then better (smaller, falling off). It’s painful because any facial movement from eating, talking, smiling, sleeping causes the skin to pull. Some pulled off prematurely due to this and left behind slightly lighter skin. The electrolysis lady said this is normal (the photo I attached above). But I don’t feel comfortable continuing the treatment if I have to have scab moustaches afterwards, I don’t really trust this procedure for me anymore.
I was using medicated treatment but I’ll stop for now. I think scabbing will fall off in 1-2 days. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to do anything about the lighter skin. I attached a picture of the scabs now. I will add a follow up once they all fall off as well as in 2 weeks.
It is difficult to tell what is going on with your skin because your photos are out of focus.
Hi Sai, please do as Thermo has suggested. Allow the scabs to heal and allow them to fall off naturally. If you prematurely pick them off, you will scar. The tightness you are experiencing on your upper lip is plasma. It is the fluid that may leak from the skin after getting electrolysis (which eventually turns to a scab). It is a normal part of the healing process. This plasma is rich in white blood cells that fight off infection and trigger the body’s immune response and the healing. Stay hydrated and drink lots of water. Also you may want to make a baking soda and water paste (also known as a poultice). It will help with the hyperpigmentation. Also splash cold water on your face or if you have some face cloths, run the face cloth under the cold water and apply the cloth onto your upper lip. If you have extra face cloths run them under the cold water, and squeeze out the access water. Then roll the face cloths and put them in a ziplock sandwich bag and keep them in the fridge. Do NOT use ice for more than 2 minutes on 10 minutes off. Ice tends to leave the dermis red for a longer duration, and it slows the healing process. Think of what happens when one gets frost bite. Please contact your electrologist and explain to them everything you are experiencing. It’s important they note everything down. Sai, how long of an electrolysis treatment did this person do on you? The reason why I ask. You have a darker pigment and your skin is definitely more sensitive. Did they do a patch test prior to see how your upper lip would react? Also rule of thumb, on average the upper lip should only be treated per side not more than 10 -15 minutes per side. 20-30minutes max. The upper lip is a very small area and it has a lot of nerve endings. Which tend to react to pain a lot more quickly. When your body is experiencing pain. Your body will resist the treatment and not allow you to heal as easily. Please speak with your electrologist ASAP!!! All the best to you.
Don’t exfoliate or pick and let the scabs fall off on their own. The picture is blurry so hard to confirm but it looks like the scabs are not round which tells me incorrect insertions.
So she did not do a patch test and she spent 20-30 minutes on my upper lip overall. I have a feeling she used more power after applying more numbing cream. I have fully black hyperpigmentation in some spots. I feel very hopeless because I came to get electrolysis so I wouldn’t have discolouration from shaving in my upper lip and I’ve instead ruined my previously perfect skin 
. I am not sure what to do. I am going to discontinue electrolysis but I have no idea how to fix this hyperpigmentation. I agree I acted less than perfect but I was constantly applying ointment, didn’t leave my house for four days, applied sunscreen when I left the house afterwards 
. Everyone told me it would be okay and my skin would be okay, but I shaved just now and I look so awful. It’s been two weeks at this point. The scars are darker IRL (I’m not sure why my pictures are so bad I have a decent phone, maybe because of dim light).
Hi again Sai, I would also avoid shaving in the meantime. Your razor is counter productive. It is chaffing your upper lip. Refrain from doing anything for now except for cutting with a small pair of scissors please. Hyperpigmentation is caused by an increase in melanin. Do not confuse it with scarring. It will eventually go away. You may want to consider going to a pharmacy and asking if they have a topical cream that contains zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or iron oxide. This will help speed up the healing process. Give it time. Things will get better. 
Oh wow . My electrologist told me I could shave by now. I will stop taking her advice. Can I use acidic skincare products? Like salicylic acid face cream? Or should I wait longer? I have been using very moisturizing skincare products to avoid irritating the area. I will look into the products you mentioned 
Absolutely use the salicylic acid face cream!!! This will definitely help your skin tremendously!! No need you buy anything else. And yes, keep your skin hydrated and drink lots of water.
I think it is not hyperpigmentation but a darker healing because of your darker skin. Were pinkywhite (and thin) skin heals with dark red spots does your skin also heal with darker dots but as your skin is thicker and not as transparent als a pink skin your spots seem darker. Stay using sunscreen to avoid pigmentation and be kind to your skin.
In general, even though the first photo is blurry and probably obscured with Neosporin, I will say that no electrologist should be okay with this skin reaction / amount of scabbing EVER! The upper lip can be treated without this scary reaction. Five star reviews online doesn’t always mean what you think, so use your best gut instincts.
The other photo’s show that you are healing, which is excellent and usually predictable.
I don’t like Neosporin. If people have a reaction, we don’t know if it from the neomycin in the Neosporin or the treatment? Seven to ten percent of the population are allergic to Neosporin. Soap and water do fine and a few dabs of tea tree oil, with REFRIGERATED cold-pressed organic aloe vera gel is great for the first three days after treatment.
Hyperpigmentation will clear slower as the skin cells slough off and new ones come to the surface.
Food is medicine. Do some research and make a short list of foods that help with skin healing. Vitamin C rich food is one example.
Don’t repeat treatment with this amount of aggressiveness. May your electrologist learn from this to refine some strategies.
Sai, Deedra has made some pertinent comments that are worth noting. 
Can I ask how to tell the difference between hyperpigmentation and scarring? I cant tell if I have pitting or not. I’m trying to be diligent about sunscreen, salicylic acid, but I can’t tell the difference right now. I will try to incorporate better stuff on my diet
Sai, having permanent scarring versus prolonged redness (hyperpigmentation) are two completely different things.
Hyperpigmentation, is technically not scars. It is flat. It is usually darker patches of melanin surrounding the skin. Hyperpigmentation is common in people with darker skin as the spots are darker than usual after electrolysis treatment.
Looking at the pictures it doesn’t appear you have pitting or the area is depressed. There’s no overgrowth of tissue that leaves a raised scar. Honestly, I believe you’re upper lip is going to be fine.
I just wanted to update for anyone who comes across this: I have both pitting and hyperpigmentation, it’s been a frustrating experience trying to fix it, the hyperpigmentation got worse but got better, the pitting seemed to fill in somewhat but not quickly, I started using silicon scar gel twice a day which has improved the texture somewhat. I don’t know if I’ll ever get rid of the texture or hyperpigmentation, I think the texture will stay longer than the hyperpigmentation, and the silicon gel has been aiding quite a bit with that. I was told by the electrologist that I can fix the pitting by using mendalic acid but I didn’t trust her and used scar gel instead. Hopefully this can help anyone who might come across this and has similar issues
If the pitting has started to fill in, it will get better over time. Hyperpigmentation is a temporary condition but with some individuals it can take approximately 18 months before it fades away.