Part of our “lexicon” of post-treatment concepts is that “lymph” leaks out of an overtreated follicle. That’s probably not the case. Well, not lymph anyway.
The complex wound-healing mechanism releases chemical mediators (from the Mast cells) that initiate the miracle of healing. Capillaries in the area are made to expand to carry more blood to the healing site (that’s why you get red). More importantly, the wound area needs lots of macrophages to gobble up the rubble and to assemble the wound-module. Problem is, there are not enough in the area.
As the capillaries expand, they become “leaky.” In this way monocytes (and other white blood cells) squeeze themselves out of the capillary (between the separated vessel cells) to get into the wound. As they “gobble up” dead material they transform themselves into giant macrophages. So, now there are lots of them in the area.
One tiny “mistake” is that blood serum and plasma also leaks out of the stretched out capillary. The serum (and plasma) is largely water — about 90% — and clear to yellow in color, but also has clotting factors. And, that’s what you see “leaking out” of the wounded follicle. These factors also form a “crust” which is a “clean cap” for the healing skin.
Lots of serum and plasma does indicate overtreatment. In a normal situation, you still have this phenomenon, but you don’t notice it. I don’t think that actually lymph leaks out. But that is what we normally believe and it’s printed (incorrectly) in most electrology texts. What’s the best treatment when you get the tiny crusts? How about: “just leave it alone!”