My Skin Years After Last Session

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#21

When I think of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), the word PATIENCE runs through my brain. Epidermal (surface) postinflammatory hypergpig can take 6-12 months to fade. Deeper pigment PIH may take YEARS to fade, thus, the need for constant reassurance that TIME and PATIENCE is required to manage this condition.

Some quick points:

  • PIH does not require treatment and will likely improve with time.

  • Focus on treating the underlying inflammation - Once electrolysis or laser
    is finished, the skin can be left alone to heal in peace.

  • SUN PROTECTION - use a minimum of 30 SPF to prevent PIH. It is especially
    important for people of color to use SPF or even a block.

  • Avoid possible irritants: irritating topical medications, alcohol,
    witch hazel, astringents, fragrances

  • There are medical therapies such as, topical hydroquinone (4% is better)
    retinoids, kojic acid, azelaic acid, corticosteroids, chemical peels
    combination therapy (a topical steroid + a retinoid + hydroquinone cream).
    With hydroquinone, there has been concerns because some lab rats
    were given the stuff orally and developed malignant tumors. In humans,
    darkening of the skin can occur, so that’s not helpful. I believe it was banned
    in Europe?

  • Having acne is a big contributor to PIH and that’s where the benzoyl
    peroxide comes in handy, along with topical retinoids and chemical peels

Any trauma to the skin, slight insult or huge trauma, from acne, bug bites, any type of boo-boo to a zebra kicking you in the knee can cause PostInflammatory Hyperpigmentation. Time and lots of patience is the best cure, but there are some other approaches that may speed things up (or prolong it?). Who knows for sure because individual skin types and immune systems vary so much.

I’m sorry to know about your exposure to the sun, but glad to hear that the majority of hair is gone.

#22

Thanks for all the information Dee … appreciated.

#23

Most welcome, Michael. I cleaned up some grammatical errors just now. It is not good to write anything while watching tv late at night. One of my favorite series is Outlanders and I was catching up on that. There is lots of war (with the British), torture, raiding clans (and sex) and just plain hard, hard living for people in 18th century Scotland. I can only imagine the gross amount PostInflammatory Hyperpigmentation people walked around with from that time period. Battle scars, nonetheless, are very real, whether it be from the conflict or war with other men or the conflict of war with hair.

#24

I have a question about this. As you know it’s been well over 18 months since I finished electrolysis. So when do I reset the clock? What new timeline am I looking at? Assuming I’m taking all the necessary precautions now with regard to sun and not inflaming the skin…

#25

anywhere from a few month, to 18 months, starting from when you cease causing inflammation to the skin

#26

I was speaking to a family friend who got an open chest procedure done almost 10 years ago and developed PIH. And the hyperpigmentation and scarring are still prominently there.

A lot of people in this thread seem confident that PIH fades on its own, but the experience of this gentleman is telling me otherwise.

I went to another dermatologist and he prescribed a tranexamic acid toner with vitamin C serum to rub twice daily. It’s already an improvement over hydroquinone because it’s not burning my skin and making it red! Going to see if it helps

#27

An open chest procedure causes DEEP dermal post Inflammatory hyperpigmentation that may never heal. Electrolysis and other superficial injuries, aren’t as deep and the hyperpig will fade if one is patient and leaves it alone.

Thanks for the information about the serum. Hope it helps.

#28

You seem pretty sure we are somehow misleading you. I promise we arent, but as this is where you seem t be headed…prove us wrong.

#29

It’s actually ridiculous (in the true definition of the word) to equate “open chest surgery” to electrology. That’s like comparing a fire-cracker to a stick of dynamite.

I have had several clients that went paranoid about their PIH and nobody could convince them otherwise. After some time, they just forgot the whole issue and MAGICALLY the PIH was gone as well.

Maybe that’s the remedy: just forget about it and it goes away?

#30

Being very politically incorrect let me add that the only clients that “lost it” regarding PIH have been men … and usually ethnically from India or other areas with skin that commonly creates PIH … Such as Italians (like ME; and YES I also get PIH “big time.”)

Before I start work on anybody with PIH-sensitive skin, I do lots and lots of “vetting” and most of the time I won’t work on them. At my advanced old age (ready to drop dead), I don’t need the grief!

#31

And sometimes longer. I have a PIH spot from an accident with my inline skates close to my left elbow. This occured more than three years ago, and the PIH spot is just fading away (meanwhile only visible if You know its place).

During the recent past i had to take oral cortison against a sudden and massive breakout of Neurodermitis. That also helped with the hyperpigmentation. But to me PIH is never ever any reason to take drugs i might need in the future agains something really serious.

A slight addition to the causes of PIH: even new hairs breaking through the skin can cause PIH, and it can also occur immediately outside of an epilated spot. I see this from time to time when i do fine hair on the upper lip (but one time also in the throat area during a beard removal): hyperpigmentation just outside the area i actually did.

#32

Me too, Beate. 3-years ago I have a large skin cancer on my face that required a skin graft. The surgeon cut out a 6-inch long piece of skin from my belly … after 3-years, I still have “PIH” but it’s slowly going away.

A surgical incision is not the same as the minuscule “dot-like” injury from electrology.

#33

Thanks for the responses so far. I can understand now that it’s different for each person.

What I can’t understand is why it looks sooo drastically different in different lighting.
Sometimes I feel like the hyperpigmentation is under the outermost layer of skin even, if that makes sense.

#34

Are you sure its hyperpigmentation though? If it’s just dark skin, there could be other causes, such as ingrown hairs.

#35

It’s definitely hyperpigmentation. It’s a reddish dark brown patch all across the treated area that wasn’t even remotely like that before I started electrolysis

#36

What do you guys about chemical peels done by a professional? I was reading that it’s best to do superficial peels, because they are the least likely to have a negative effect on the skin, like increased hyperpigmentation. Though, with my situation of all those years having gone by since getting electrolysis combined with all that sun damage in the interim, do you guys think superficial chemcial peels can help? Or is the pigmentation likely too deep now for that to work?

#37

I have nothing. I’ve given you the sum of my thoughts on whats going on, and honestly felt that advice was disregarded, so, unfortunately, I’m unable to help you or theorize on results for your case. Perhaps someone else has the answer you want to hear.

Where’s"helen"when you need her.

#38

I just think you need to see a professional so they can assess your situation up close and personalize a treatment plan for you or perhaps they will offer no treatment plan. This not where you need to be. We can’t see you.

#39

I used the tranexamic acid for 8 weeks as recommended by a professional, and had no change to my hyperpigmentation. I was told in the follow-up appointment that It seems to have gotten too deep into the dermal layer of my skin for it to ever go away. Safe to say electrolysis was the worst decision of my life.

#40

dj355 it is the plucking ( that you are still doing) that is causing hyperpigmentation, not whatever brief electrolysis treatments you got 3 years ago. You’ve insisted that electrolysis “ruined your life” repeatedly, however the evidence you’ve presented, doesnt support such a claim.