My thigh: PIH or ingrown hairs? With pictures

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Hi all. I’ve been looking for help here but am just now posting. I started electrolysis on my thigh (top to outer area) February of 2017. I had 10 sessions ending in July when I got sick. It has been 7 months since I stopped and my thigh has tons of dark dots on it. Just last week I started again with a new operator. I think the results will be better but I am very very concerned about the old spots.

The first pic is my thigh. The red spots are fresh from last weeks session. The brown spots are from the former operator. All over. Some look like they have a small hair in the middle but not all.

To compare, the second pic is my other thigh that has never had electrolysis. Sorry about the different lighting.

I have “strawberry” legs naturally as you can see from the untreated leg. Any thoughts or advice? I don’t know if I’ve been mistreated and its hopeless. Or if it is just fine. Or should I start fresh with the other thigh? This will be donor tissue for an upcoming surgery I’m having.

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#2

Your leg having electrolysis looks perfect post-treatment. If you notice, your untreated leg shows PIH, presumably from shaving (?)

Once done with electrolysis, you will have no marks whatsoever and no more PIH. Electrolysis may initially cause PIH, but in the long-run it CURES the condition.

Stop worrying.

#3

Thanks for the reply. I don’t shave or anything. I believe the untreated leg has follicles where hair is slowly coming out. Because it may be relevant I am transgender female to male so my body hair growth is still sprouting later in life in my mid 30s as it is akin to a second puberty. I am not sure but I do think that is why my thigh looks that way.

It is reassuring that I don’t have to worry. The former electrologist said the dark spots are hairs coming in but she’d already zapped those areas which really confused me.

#4

Sure!

Few of us truly understand the amazing ability of the skin (include doctors in this category). Indeed, we see the skin every day and because of this familiarity we think we know what’s going on; especially with healing. We don’t.

Just hang in there and “get 'er done!”

#5

Hello FTM!

I will take some time to address your treatment concerns in a bit, but your post really caught my attention. I’d like to inquire if the surgeon performing your procedure is perchance Dr Clark( Clarke?) in austin? I’ve got really important information for you if that happens to be the case related to your electrolysis procedure.

Seana

#6

Seana, could that be Dr. Curtis Crane in Austin TX?

#7

No not Dr. Clark. I’m in the northeast so that’s a bit far for me.

#8

You are correct Michael. I often get those names mixed up.As they are not seeing them, it doesnt matter.I will say this having sent 2 of my clients there for FTM surgery, neither case has gone as expected as far as the donar skin area . One went massively awry , and will take several supplemental surgeries to correct . I feel very badly for the patient who could probably least afford such complications. And he’s starting from square one for electrolysis of the donar skin, but that appears to be the least of his worries right now.

Seana

#9

In case someone out there is reading this, an update. I had another session last week. A lot of the dark brown dots are tiny hairs trapped under the skin. Ingrown I suppose. So my electrologist used tweezers to open the follicle and then inserts the probe. I still am covered in spots though. It is very depressing because this area will be the donor tissue for gender reassignment surgery in August. I can have electrolysis post op though which is good.

I don’t understand why my thigh isn’t clear looking like most pictures of others I see. I’ve had a total of 13 or so sessions and I am covered in brown dots. I still am tempted to start over with the other leg. Maybe I will have him do a small test patch there. Maybe my skin does not respond well to this.

#10

“Dark brown spots,” could be a number of different things. “A lot of ingrown hairs” could mean from, say, 10 to 1000 ingrown hairs.

The estimated number of ingrown hairs would be helpful to evaluate the work … and, a photo of the spots would be necessary to tell what you are talking about. Your earlier photos looked nominal.

#11

It’s hard to get a pic that captures it well but here is one: https://imageshack.com/i/po60iGLej

I’ve been told it’s either hairs trapped under the skin or open comedones. The technician did find tiny hairs under some. I’m not sure if electrolysis is even effective for either of these things. I can see areas that are 100% clear. Not sure if they always were that way or if it is a result of the treatment.