Overtreatment? constant redness and changed texture of the skin

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Hello Everyone!

I’ve been doing the electrolysis (exactly thermolysis, flash method) for past 3 months. First with 1 specialist but she was extremely slow. Now I found the second one, much faster but I am really worried about post treatment effects. My skin is red, burned, scabbed. I do those sessions every 2 weeks and I really had no time to see if my skin comes back to normal because over this time my skin stays red… I am really worried it will not come back to normal colorit and I will have to use chemical peelings to get rid of those hyperpigmentation. After sessions with the first electolorist my skin was only red for 1 hour and then a little bit swollen for 1 day. The day after my skin was back to normal. With second electolosist I am always red and scabbed. She tells me that every patient had the same side effects as I have right now and it’s nothing unusual.
Both of them were ussing the same method - Flash and “Apilus” machines. Apilus Junior 3G (1st one) and Aplius Cleo (2nd specialist). Same method but very different side effects on my skin.

I have no idea if I should stay with current specialist. She does my whole face (upper lip, chin, neck) in 3 hours. It seems way too quick. Maybe that’s why I am always burnt… First specialist had time for only my upper lip and a little bit of chin in 2 hours but after that I had no skin scarring.

I have no idea if I am overreacting and those sideeffects are normal to If my currect specialist is going too fast and hurting my skin and changing the colorit of it for life.

I attach photos of my face 2 days after the treatment and 1 week later. Face is still really red, the scabs starts to fall off but redness still stays (maybe little bit brighter) + when I put makeup on I can see this “orange peel” skin effect. Little dots on my upper lip and whole chin. Is it normal? Will it come back to normal texture after few month since I stop doing the treatments?

Waiting for any of your feedback.

1IMG_20181125_114649
1IMG_20181125_114649.jpg729×877 108 KB
1IMG_20181201_105052
1IMG_20181201_105052.jpg681×805 79.8 KB
1IMG_20181201_105521
1IMG_20181201_105521.jpg1040×780 200 KB
1IMG_20181201_110955
1IMG_20181201_110955.jpg1040×780 284 KB

Feedback 1st Electrolysis Treatment
#2

I just started my electrolysis journey a little over 2 weeks ago and so far have had 4 and a half hours and my face is almost cleared up. I’m half black so my skin is darker than yours and doesnt get as red but I have little scabs on the recent treated areas (last appointment was 11/28) my tech is very fast and I barely feel any pain. I don’t think it’s normal for you to be that irritated and red after a week. The scabs are normal and they typically take a few days to fall on their own but I am a little concerned about the redness on your face. Are you using aloe vera or any special cream given to you by your tech?

1 Like
#3

Also does your skin hurt when you touch it? It appears as if you’ve been burnt. And those look like ice pick scars which are very hard to get rid of.

#4

Yes, I am using aloe vera gel and panthenol cream. I know the redness is normal from few days but on my face it doesn’t go away almost at all. I’m scared that it changed the colorit of it forever. My skin doesn’t hurt when I touch it. She said that when we will finish the electrolysis we can do the chemical peel but I am not sure If should go on with her just to make my skin look “burnt” so she can then try to repair it by chemical peel. And we are not even sure if this can help me later + I will spend extra money for the peel.

#5

Were those indentations (pitting) by the sides of your upper lip present prior to electrolysis? I am wondering why your skin is taking so long to heal. Electrologists develop their own techniques - you might need to work with someone who has a technique where there is less unnecessary trauma.

The epilator is not the issue, IMO. Keep in mind that when high current and short timing is used, (you mentioned Flash), an insulated probe is a good choice. Do you know what type of probe is being used?

#6

I had no pitting before I started the electrolysis. I know that she did my upper lip/chin/neck without insulated probe 4 times (?). Only last time she got insulated probe but I am still red as usually. At this point I am not even sure if the redness is from my last appointment or from previous ones. I am really concerned she is burning my skin and it never will be the same or I will have permanent pitting. The problem with 1st electrologist was that I had no side effects (I was pink for 1 hour and a little bit swollen the same day) but at the same time I did not see any progress… No idea if I should find 3rd one or just maybe suggest the lower settings on my skin. I think she was usuing Flash level 5, 89% on neck and level 3 on upper lip (I am sorry, I have no idea If I am using the correct therminology). I think she uses probe no. 5, maybe it’s too big and leaves those marks? Also she bends the needle.
I know that nobody can tell me exactly what to do and what’s the best but I am really losing my sleep over the redness on my upper lip. It looks like the same part of skin was treated too many times and it’s gonna be red forever :frowning:

#8

With normally occurring skin renewal where surface cells slough off and are replaced with new skin cells, skin will look better.

I think it is a good choice to finally use the insulated probe with such high thermolysis settings. You want to see what happens with the current electrologist? Your call - but I would not stay if the tissue trauma persists to that extreme and duration.

Electrologists have information and training and then we develop our own techniques.
Personally, if I wanted to administer flash, I would only use an insulated 2 piece probe and avoid bending it and in one session, might use 2 or 3 different probe sizes based on the hair characteristics and its location.

You have choices. You want to take a break and just shave for awhile?
You want to visit with other electrologists and ask them how they would approach your situation?
I like that idea.

Don’t lose sleep! I need 7 hours of sleep and about 7 glasses of water to keep my skin looking good!
Also, there are so many treatments available to address skin trauma. When you are ready, visit with a dermatologist and research choices.

2 Likes
#9

Lina, just wondering, do you drink much water?

#10

Definitely less than 7 glasses, maybe 4-5. Thank you so much for your opinion :slight_smile: I will try to get an appointment with different specialist, ask what method she will use, probe etc. and what she thinks about my side effects. How long do you think should it take to clean whole beard/neck area?

What really surprises me, how come the same method give such a different side effects on my skin. From 1st and 2nd specialist is like 0 to 100% redness. Maybe my skin is extra irritated by using the wrong probe and needs “a break”. But I will deffinitely see another specialist just to check my options.

#11

I stopped sending potential clients to one electrologist in a nearish city because they were turning up back in my office with results that look like that, from you guessed it a gold uninsulated probe and flash thermolysis. Not one of them has felt the urge to go back to that person, and I’m in agreement with their decision. I’m also in agreement with Arlene, I would look for someone else.

2 Likes
#12

Thank you! I will definitely look for another electrologist. From my understanding the uninsulated probe harmed me and not exactly the flash method? You suggest taking few weeks off or just changing the specialist to one with insulated probes + thermolysis? When I was doing my research I’ve noticed that almost every electrologist was using thermolysis, didn’t even want to hear about blend on the face.

#13

I stress that you go for 15 minute treatments and then determine which is working for you.
There are 3 modalities, thermolysis and blend and galvanic.
They can all be done perfectly or not.
The decisions the tech. makes is critical as there are some variables to consider.
SO, it matters not that electrologist #1 and #2 both administered thermolysis. Of course your experience will vary. Does every chef or dentist or accountant provide the same exact experience for you? Even if the chef works from the same exact recipe there are other variables to consider: climate, water also differs from place to place. You have to discover what is best for you and that is why the 15 minute treatments are a good idea - giving each new electrologist a different area to treat.

Also, you are now getting the idea that the noninsulated probe is bad. It is not bad. It depends on what other decisions the electrologsit is making as some of those decisions will require that a non insulated probe is best. If it were that simple to be a good electrologist, there would be more of us doing it.

#14

I wish there were more of good electrologists. Sadly in Poland this treatment is little known and in my area of 100km only 5-6 people are doing it. From what I know everybody is doing flash thermolysis… I will try a new specialist on Friday but I am not sure if she will want to touch my upper lip/neck or want me to wait till the redness disspears. But it doesn’t seem to fade away

#15

Maybe if so many Jews weren’t murdered in Poland, you’d have some good electrologists there today!

#16

very strange comment… For any murder in Poland during WWII you can blame Nazi Germany. Thanks for help tho

#17

You’re welcome, glad to be of service and hope you get some good treatment. I have met Eastern Europeans at Dectro seminars in Canada. If you contact Dectronics International, they might have a contact for you.

#18

Thank you! I will try to reach them asap. Maybe they will want to help me :slight_smile:

#19

Dectro site:
http://www.dectro.com/en

Lina99,
My suggestions are:

  1. You should look for electrologist who uses good vision aid (the best is a surgical microscope).This will help her to make precise insertion of the probe (for thermolysis modality precise insertion is crucial). I suspect that your electrologist does not have good vision aid therefore make bad insertion and to release the hair she increases the energy, which creates skin overtreatment. I am using a microscope and what my client have after the treatment is only redness which last maximum 2 days (even on man beard hair).
    2.Look for electrologist who can use both modalities-thermolysis and blend. Ask her to make test with both modalities and check for the skin reaction.
  2. It is preferable for face to be thinned instead to make full clearance especially when the hair is coarse and dense. The most problematic areas are chin and upper lip.
  3. Every type probes will work in the hands of skilled electrologist. The most important thing for the probe is to be the same diameter as the hair size or bigger.
  4. The best electrologist is that electrologist who can kill the hair at first time with the least skin injury and treatment time possible.The machine, probes etc. are only tools.There are not many electrologist in the world who can work very fast with high kill rate at the same time.
#20

Hello! can i ask if it has gotten any better?
I go treated myself a few weeks ago and it looks really really bad… idk if the redness will ever dissapear :frowning: