Papules and irregular reactions to electrolysis

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Hi all,

Currently, I’m still waiting for some troublesome PIH to go away. It’s been 5 months and it’s still there.

The other thing I’ve been noticing is that I am left with some darkish colored papules from where my electrologist treated me. For example, around my elbows. It’s so strange.

I can post a pic later.

Basically several months ago when I was still seeing my electrologist for regular tx, I requested they zap some hairs on my elbow.

The hairs all came back (of course) and a little while after, the treated areas have a bumpy dark appearance. They seem like ingrown hairs.

Josefa (correctly) identified some papules on my arm from where my electrologist used too much energy in a sensitive area.

Do papules resolve on their own? Can they be treated in any way?

#2

Yes, the sebaceous papules go away by themselves. Do not worry. These secondary lesions are triggered due to a repair process of the skin itself. They can occur from any type of burn, or repeated trauma.

#3

thanks for the response, Josefa!

#4

Bump.

New question.

I think I also have some really stubborn ingrown hairs as a result. The problem is that these are kind of in the area of my elbow. They look like they are really toughly embedded too…

Can simple daily exfoliation get rid of these?

#5

I have to respectfully disagree. I’ve had the same issue in certain spots and they haven’t gone away. It’s been almost a year and a half since they showed up after a treatment without improving at all on their own. I went to three different dermatologists and got the same answer from each one: the papules are broken (dilated) capillaries, and they rarely fade over time. Apparently the only effective treatment for them is laser removal (IPL or V-beam).

#6

wow… great

#7

I googled ‘broken (dilated) capillaries’ and my papules do not look like that.

Are we talking about the same thing?

Can electrolysis cause broken capillaries?

#8

They can appear either as “spider veins” (which I’m guessing is what you saw when you googled it) or as more roundish dark red spots.

Any kind of skin trauma can cause it. The capillaries dilate with blood that the body sends to the area to heal it, but the blood stays put instead of draining away.

#9

Holy Mackerel!

#10

Can LHR cause broken capillaries too?

#11

At the risk of getting chastised by Seana, let me say with great “humility and trepidation” … PLEASE people; don’t search for new things to worry about!

Look up “telangiectasia!” That should keep you busy for a while!

Neither laser nor electrolysis causes “broken capillaries.”

#12

I have never and I mean NEVER seen spider veins or broken capillaries as a side effect of electrolysis. I’m not a laser specialist, so I don’t know about laser. I have never had a laser client complain about broken capillaries as an outcome of laser reduction either.

Just my two cents worth, but in this age of inflation, I should say just my dollars worth to be accurate.

#13

I don’t want to get into a dissertation on this subject (I have already done that in my book on the subject). But briefly …

Blood never “stays put” [in the blood vessels] following inflammation, and it does not “drain away.” (Well, I suppose you could say that.)

Those with telangiectasia (“broken capillaries”) have “diseased” end-vessels (capillaries and venules). This malady is caused by a number of factors that influence the structure of the vessel itself: mostly age and sun damage. It’s all about the structure of the vessel, not the “blood flow.”

Even in a person with extensive telangiectasia, electrolysis (or laser) will not exacerbate the condition. Only the vessels that are already diseased will appear to remain “dilated.” The healthy capillaries will react normally. Yet, even if the resident “teles” expand, they return to their pre-existing formation when inflammation subsides.

If you are young and healthy … DON’T give this another thought! Okay?

#14

In March of last year I had some hairs treated on my lower lip line. Immediately after that treatment a noticeable red spot appeared. I figured it would go away in time, as most do. After two weeks with no improvement I began to worry. Some time after that I saw a dermatologist, who told me it’s a blood vessel, not PIH. A few weeks later I talked to his partner, who said the same thing: it’s a blood vessel issue. I then went to an entirely different dermatologist, with the same diagnosis: blood vessel. A few months after that, with the spot not having improved one bit, a fourth dermatologist agreed with the other three: it’s a dilated blood vessel. The fact is, it wasn’t there before my treatment, it showed up immediately after the treatment, and in the year and four months since then, it has not gone away. My aftercare routine was and is perfectly normal with no special creams and lotions. I don’t spend more time in the sun than it takes to walk through a parking lot. I’m not old (not yet 40). I don’t know what more evidence you want that this was caused by electrolysis.

#15

Nothing is impossible, there are always exceptions to the rules, but your case does not fit into what we regularly see and experience. Besides, the derms could be wrong … sorry, gotta say it. All four of them? Yeah! You went to four dermatologists for this red spot?

The fix for this, of course, is to get the tiny dot-telangiectasia zapped with … oh my … thermolysis (NOT laser and not the hyfrecator or bovie)! Those who know how to do this can get 100% results. It’s a simple fast and safe procedure. A super close-up photo would be helpful.

I think I’d best stop responding to this thread … unless I want Seana to “clean my plow” again. I’ll be back in a few days …

#16

I will go further, and I will not put my two cents, but four pictures that show not only that Electrolysis does not cause broken vessels, but this contributes to the visible capillaries disappear without impinging directly on them.

The first two photos show the face of a woman of 28 years. Before the first complete clearance of all visible hair, including vellus hairs. In these first two images we can clearly see a small telangiectasia on her left cheek.

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TELAN+%2528antes%2529.jpg642×577

The second pair of photos show the same area just before the third clearance. 18 months after the “BEFORE” photos.

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TELAN+2+%2528despu%25C3%25A9s%2529.jpg571×577

Where is the dilated vessel? OMG, hard to see, eh? . This woman claims there was no treatment to make it go away, so we have to think it was due to Electrolysis (Thermolysis-Flash). Yup! it probably was. My guess is that the treatment of all those tiny follicles in telogen (most of them located almost at the level of epidermis) have coagulated the small blood vessel. To be totally honest, I made sure to put a special emphasis on all hairs located above the path of the capillary. I was hoping this would work, as it was. And that’s it.

Oh, just add that this woman exists and can attest to this fact. Although the girl is very thin, she is still too heavy to appear off the cuff from my hat. :stuck_out_tongue:

#17

I’ve actually read (after my last post, furiously googling) - that electrolysis is a TREATMENT for these agitated capillaries.

I think I just have ingrown hairs. Thank you for the comments, Michael, Dee, Josefa. Ty for those pictures Josefa.