Overtreatment or normal healing depressions?

[Geraldine]

I’ve been getting electrolysis for a male beard for a little while.

Mostly I’ve been doing this in intensive two day sessions of 4 hours each day.

This is my second session and we worked on my upper lip, chin, sides of chin, cheeks and sideburn area.

I’m slightly worried about some possible Overtreatment on the upper lip and sides of chin as there as some slightly divoted scabs (? I think there’s scabs, they look a little like holes )

There was a very small amount of yellow accumulating on my skin also, since I did very little to it in the first 24 hours.

I’ve attached photos with flash 48 hours after, it looks worse in the image than in real life.

I have more photos I can try to post also

I’m going to ask my electrolysis to thin rather than clear but do I need to be worried?

Thank you

[Geraldine]

My upper lip 48 hours after

[Geraldine]

!

In indoor lighting 48 hours after treatment

[Geraldine]

And finally in sunlight 24 hours after

Thank you!

[Thermo]

Yes, this is overtreatment.

The leaking yellow fluid is plasma and is not an acceptable result from electrolysis. The little holes could be from the current reaching and burning the top layer of skin. They could also just be a result of hyperpigmentation making the skin appear dented. Since they don’t appear close together, I don’t see that there are any long-term concerns.

Based on the remaining hair on your chin, I don’t think that thinning versus clearing is the problem here. I would feel comfortable clearing this area. The issue is most likely the energy settings. One or two overtreated follicles isn’t a big deal, but potentially hundreds of overtreated follicles on the face is not good at all. Your electrologist needs to rethink the approach here.

However, this result is not even close to some of the worst I’ve seen. I don’t think you’ll have long-term problems so far, but your electrologist really does need to make some changes.

[Geraldine]

Thank you so much for getting back to me.

It’s good to know that there is unlikely to be long term effects from this singular treatement.

I will speak with my electrolygist about levels and settings. I have had seriously bad Overtreatment with a lot of yellow leakage from a 30 minute session on my cheek with a different electrolysis and that has mostly heeled but it’s good for o know a change of tack is needed here.

I’ve only ever gotten any yellow this time on these areas (lip and chin) so perhaps using blend rather than thermolysis on these areas would be best even if it took a little longer?

I can’t think of anything else that could be done. Only on few occasions did insertions feel painful, so I believe the insertions are done well and without this much current my electrolygist couldn’t get the hairs out without tugging. I will also try and hydrate even further to help deal with this. She’s also using a good modern electrolysis machine.

I do have skin that is very sensitive to heat so perhaps blend is just best for these areas for me?

Thank you for your time and expertise

[fenix]

Energy levels should be adjusted to eliminate plasma leakage. 4 hours a day on face is pushing it. Go slower, with gradual thinning instead of rushed clearing strategy. Chin and upper lip are prone to over-treatment so I would slow down on attempting to clear the areas rapidly. Fair skin tends to be more sensitive and delicate. Give your skin plenty of time to heal before you continue sessions.

[Geraldine]

@fenix

Thank you for your suggestions. I will definately push for a much more gradual thinning from now on. I will show the photos and ask to adjust the settings also.

My next session is intended to be in a month. If I avoided the lips and chin would this still be ok?

Lastly is the two day sessions of 4 hours a bad idea? It’s been the main thing making the likely 100+ hours of electrolysis seem tolerable but if it’s doing more harm than good I could rethink things.

[fenix]

Hopefully your skin will recover in 4 weeks for the next session. As for how many hours per week, I’d say start cautiously and see how well you respond and heal. Maybe 1 hour to 1.5 hours per session max and see how your face handles it. Give it several days of recovery in between sessions. Each session should not be on one side of the face but scattered so you don’t treat a lot of hairs in one dense area, that will help reduce reaction, swelling and help with faster healing.