My experiences with electrolysis and request for comments.

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

I started Electrolysis three weeks ago. I would like to relate my experiences and get comments from the experts. First, a few of the details.

The treatment area is my face.
I have had three treatments so far (once a week), for an hour each.
We are using Flash thermolysis

The first day my practitioner treated a concentrated area around my chin. During treatment the pain was perfectly tolerable without using anything for to numb the area. The area was swollen and red for a week. The area still has a bit of scarring and soreness heading into week four.

The second treatment I discussed the problems with the chin area and she said she would treat smaller sections around the mask area in the hope that it wouldn’t cause as much irritation. Once again no pain medications and not too uncomfortable. We did try some topical pain relief on one side but I found that it made things worse. This maybe because it wasn’t on long enough (she put it on at the start of treatment) and it only numbed the surface. This time the soreness cleared within 48 hours, the redness lingers a few days more.

Third treatment on the upper lip, the pain brought me to tears. Not much soreness and only slightly red for a few days. I do have some flaking of the skin in this area.

My aftercare has been to clean with witch hazel and aloe with vitamin E immediately after getting home and several times the first day. followed by the same two or three times a day the rest of the week

I have had some oozing of yellowish stuff from the first area and barely any in the other areas. This would only be the for about 24 hours.

For the next appointment I plan on using a topical prior to treatment.

I am still a bit worried about the problems with the first area. The redness and soreness persist.

Any comments appreciated

Dee Dee

#2

Hey Dee Dee, I like your name.

I must tell you that I really don’t like what I’m hearing about your after effects. I do a lot of facial work, especially on the chin area where the hairs can be as thick as cable wire, and persistant reddness, soreness, oozing, flakiness, etc. just doesn’t happen to 99% of my clients. I do recall one lady who had some soreness and reddness for about two days, but not any longer than that. Please don’t take this as a bragging point, but I have truly worked hard to perfect the art and skill of doing electrolysis so I don’t have to face problems like this. Electrologists are not in business very long if they persistently create huge side effects or worse, cause scarring. I’m wondering about her equipment and skills at this point. Can you sample someone else’s work? I could surmize that you have sensitive skin, but I really think there is more to this.

Any skin effects you have now should heal with time. I wouldn’t keep assaulting an area that is struggling to heal,though. Just postpone treatment on your chin until it looks and feels like it’s back to normal. When treatment resumes, hopefully with another electrologist or with your present electrologist using a different strategy to protect your precious skin, the work should be scattered. Treating thick hair in a small area results in the outcome you describe.

Good luck to you,

Dee

#3

I noticed you said you do alot of facial work. I’ve received 6 treatments on my face of laser hair removal. One week before the sixth treatment, the clinic had me wax my face prior to treatment. I immediately noticed a reaction. Now sixth months later my face is still breaking out and is scarred. I was wondering if you knew of anything I can possibly do to help me. I have been receiving chemical peels and microdermabrasion, but neither are signaficantly working. I am feeling very frusterated and depressed over the situation. Again anything you know of to help me please

#4

I am only a consumer and not an electrologist but to put it my two cents on reactions after electrolysis, I agree with Dee that it seems like something is up. It doesn’t seem like you’re particularly sensitive since the other areas didn’t react that way. My own skin after a treatment is perfectly normal in about 30 mins to an hour and I also have Flash Thermolysis on my entire face for an hour each week. We always start with chin and then she kind of moves in a circle around my face getting the upper lip, cheeks, sideburns, and eyebrows. Sometimes certain areas swell up a little and my face is always red afterwards in the treated areas but like I said after about 30 mins or at most an hour, it’s normal. She puts a homeopathic gel for burns on the treated area after she’s done and I leave it on until the evening usually. I use witch hazel and polysporin cream for 2-3 days afterwards. Good luck with your electrolysis and I hope your chin clears up soon!
Jessie

#5

Hey Dee Dee, I l ike your name.

I must tell you that I really don’t like what I’m hearing about your after effects.

---------snip-----------
Dee

Thanks for the comments. I like your name as well, mine’s a nickname.

I am not sure what to do at this point I have payed for the first four appointments already. The next is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. I am trying to give my Electrologist the benefit of the doubt. It took me a while to find someone and I don’t like the thought of having to start over.

That said, I am curious about getting another professional opinion and I think that I will do that.

Dee Dee

#6

Hi Dee Dee:

I have had 9 laser treatments and am up to 90 hours of electrolysis.

I find the electolysis to be painful at times so take some tylenol 3’s ahead of time and numb my face with Emla cream. Afterwards if there is swelling which I used to get, then I would apply ice immediately. For several days afterwards I apply zinc oxide, aloe and tea tree oil.Lavender also seems to help.

I found that when I first started electrolysis and the hairs were densely packed that the area could get quite red and swollen if a lot of work was done in a specific area,
such as the chin or lip. That is due to the overlap of the heat from the thermolysis. It may help if your electrolygist spread the treatment out over the whole face for instance and did not do a full clearance at first. Once you get to my stage that is how it works, since the hairs are spread out and less dense. Now I do not get any swelling whatsoever and we clear the full face each treatment.

Alicia

#7

Feeling extreme pain when the upper lip is treated is par for the course. I was unable to do that area without anesthetic cream, so I am impressed how you stuck it out!

Oozing yellow stuff from the pores is not a good sign. It sounds like there may be an infection there. You should definitely use some antibiotic cream as part of your aftercare.

My experience was similar to Alicia’s. I had swelling because I had very dense hair. I used an icepack when I got home and that helped a lot.

If your chin was not treated again in sessions two and three, but is still red and sore, then it sounds like overtreatment and you should definitely leave it alone till it gets back to normal. The skin is very very resilient and will heal.

It sounds like your electro toned down her attack in appointments 2 and 3, but maybe not enough. Tell her about the continued oozing yellow pus and the redness and that you find those reactions unacceptable. Hopefully she will tone it down further. And don’t prepay for any more block appointments until you are confident in her abilities.

Lastly, I wonder if flaking of the skin is due to it being dry? Electrolysis does dry out your skin and you can use mild lotions/moisturizers 24-48 hours after a treatment.

best wishes to you!
–susie

#8

asdfghjkl –
have you consulted a dermotologist? because six months’ worth of reaction seems like very long. It would also be good to find out if the chemical peels and microdermabrasion are actually causing this continued reaction.

When you say “scarring” what do you mean?

#9

The yellow ooze is blood plasma. Your electrologist needs to either turn down the power, shape up her insertions, or stop treating hairs too close together.

Please use Tea Tree Oil at least overnight, and if you can, more often, to close up the wounds.

#10

Hi asdfghjkl, (did I get all those letters right?)

I don’t do laser, only electrolysis, but I do know that one should not wax an area before laser as you’re taking away the hair with color that the laser needs to target. The laser beam cannot treat a hair “it” cannot see. Same goes for electrolysis.

Since your breakouts still persist and you describe scarring this is something that belongs in the capable hands of a dermatologist. Did you already see a derm who advised you to try a chemical peel and microdermabrasion or did you do this on your own.

How is the hair situation on your face after 6 laser treatments?

Dee

#11

Had my fourth appointment today.

I treated the area with a topical to numb it a hour before. I should also add that at the recommendation of others in this forum, I have eliminated caffeine entirely and have been drinking as much water as I can manage the days before appointments.

In spite of this the pain was intense. She treated small sections around the upper and lower lips. Her work was a hampered by lack of growth I was sporting. This despite the fact that I hadn’t shaved in over 48 hrs.

The ice suggestion helped with the swelling this time. Thanks <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Dee Dee

#12

Hi Dee Dee:

I agree with James on using the Tea Tree Oil overnight for at least a few days after treatment, especially if some pores are oozing as you say. Also make sure you don’t have any ingrowns in the ones that are like that.

For the pain you may want to try some tylenols beforehand and some Emla Cream or equivalent topical anesthetic before your treatment.

If you don’t have enough hair at 48 hours, you may need to grow it as much as needed, maybe 4 days. I am living full time and have to let my hair grow for 4 days for it to be visible enough and easier for them to remove. Of course I hate doing that, but eventually I won’t have to since the hairs will be gone.

Alicia