Please help me

I have some questions regarding electrolysis. Here is my situation, after searching for a good electrologist (a near impossible feat), I finally found someone who is very thorough and willing to put in the time needed to clear the area. I am disgusted that I have spent over $12,000 for little results, until I found the new girl. I know she is not tweezing and I think I see results after a month of treatment. However, she uses very, very old equipment and she leaves me with horrible scabs (bright red, like a blood dot). Problem is they take from 3-4 weeks to go away with little marks remaining, I am very afraid. I went from hiding the area because of hair to hiding it more now because of the horrible scabs and marks. I know she needs to use a higher heat to kill the hair, but I do not want skin damage and I fear I am getting pitted and/or scarred. So here are my questions:

  1. How long until pitting shows up and what causes it? I am noticing little marks, after healing at each pore.
  2. How can I fade the pigmentation?
  3. Would someone using newer equipment be able to treat at the needed heat with no skin damage (hers is a dial and she puts it on 5.5)?
  4. Treatment has “broke my bank” with not much results, does waxing increase hair growth and cause a longer treatment time (unfortunately before starting treatment I waxed for awhile)?
  5. Is there anyone out there that uses newer equipment, is willing to do multiple hour appointments and tailor treatment to clear me, located anywhere in Ohio or Michigan or Ontario?
    …I am so sorry this is long, but I feel so alone, I have nobody to talk to about this and it causes me great turmoil. I just fear that I could destroy my skin before finding someone good, and that would defeat the purpose. I am looking for someone in those areas that can work with medium to fine hair, be extremely thorough and get me clear without destroying my skin…I really think newer equipment is better on my skin, I once had treatment with an Apilus, I think that is how it is spelled, and my skin did much better, unfortunately the practioner was terrible and only tweezed. I also would like someone that can let me talk to individuals that are done and happy. I know how important that is from reading this site…PLEASE HELP ME, I FEEL SO ALONE AND UPSET, I WANT TO END THIS NIGHTMARE. Thanks for your responses.

Hi tootired.I don’t know the answers to your questions, I just wanted to tell you that I am here to talk!My name is Stephanie, I’m from Florida…and I have alot of problems too…and I often find it overwhelming just like you.I am also going to have electrolysis done in a few weeks, but I have no idea about it really.I have studied on it a little bit…but not as much as I should be.There are a few electrolygist here though, I think I am going to try Anita Seizmore or something like that… she is the only one in the phonebook so I figure she must be good enough.Ok well its really late Im going to get some beauty rest just email me at stephaholic95@yahoo.com whenever you need someone to talk I will give you my screen name too if you want just ask.
Lots of love xoxoxoxo Steff

Tootired,
U have got to switch! I had a similar experience to urs in which my electrologist was using older equipment and i would have little scabs all over my chin that would take at least a week to disappear and it was alot more painful with her too. (By the way try using aloe vera & ice to reduce the swellness & scabs) Also make sure not to pick them & be careful even when u r drying ur face off w/ith a towel cuz i guess they can leave some pretty shady scars. But i switched to an electrologist clinic that has much newer machines and since i switched i have not had a single scab or any redness or soreness. By the the time i get into my car after the appt. my skin is smooth and soft. So just from my personal experience I’d totally advise u to find an experienced electrologist that has up to date machines.

Tootired,
U have got to switch! I had a similar experience to urs in which my electrologist was using older equipment and i would have little scabs all over my chin that would take at least a week to disappear and it was alot more painful with her too. (By the way try using aloe vera & ice to reduce the swellness & scabs) Also make sure not to pick them & be careful even when u r drying ur face off w/ith a towel cuz i guess they can leave some pretty shady scars. But i switched to an electrologist clinic that has much newer machines and since i switched i have not had a single scab or any redness or soreness. By the the time i get into my car after the appt. my skin is smooth and soft. So just from my personal experience I’d totally advise u to find an experienced electrologist that has up to date machines.

Mona, thank you so much for the advice, I fear the scars and scabbing, I do want to destroy my skin, as that cannot be fixed. Would you please give me the name of the practitioner and clinic you go to, I do not care where it is, I just want to protect my skin from the damage, I have been searching high and low and have not had much luck…I appreciate it more than you know, if you do not want to post here, please email me…
tootired_16@hotmail.com or just click on the private email icon at the top of the message. God bless, I just want to be able to look in the mirror and not cry. I am so scared I destroyed my skin…

Is there anyone else out there with recommendations or answers to my questions, I would appreciate it.

Hi, totired!

I read your post and it reminded me my own turmoil with the electrology business. I didn’t answer right away because I was hoping that James would be able to suggest someone in your area, as it is always best to try out as many electrologists as you can. But let me give you a couple of tips, so you don’t feel as desperate as your post sounds.

  1. First off, who said that you’re getting overtreated? That one can usually tell by looking at your skins reaction some time after treatment. 5.5 is not a killer setting, but the first dial (time) is more important at determining that. The scabs are a natural healing process of your skin. You will get more on your lower body than your face, and even on the face you will scab differently in different places. It is true that it is more common on older machines, but it doesn’t disqualify them at all. You may be getting beautiful treatment with permanent results, and your scabs and the reddish spots, that remain after they fall off, will heal beautiffuly given a little time. So the older machine, in your case, is a trade off for a better electrologist. The older machines made many many bare and smiling faces over the greater part of the last century, with the newer machines being on the market for just a few years (relatively).

I didn’t say, though, that overtreatment was impossible. What I’m saying, is that an older machine could hurt more and require more healing on the part of the skin, but in no measure it is an obstacle to productive treatment without any permanent damage to the skin.

Relate your concerns to your electrologist and see what can be done. Some electrologists prefer using a higher setting even not really necessary. Another thing, is to try an insulated probe. Ask if she has them, or how you can buy your own box. I don’t really know your electrologist, because the is a ton of small details which go along with treatment, and I don’t know how well she’s versed with them, if at all. And unfortunately it’s not practical to get into all the details here. But make sure she’s not using the smallest probe available, unless your hair type dictates the opposite. Also, if you get insulated probes, you should use lower settings. If she has gold probes, try it first. Anyway, I can’t say much for sure, because I didn’t see your face before and after, and how she goes about treating it. Tell her your problem and see what she says.

  1. What pigmentation are you talking about? Did you get hyperpigmented? What does it look like?

  2. The core of the treatment is destroying tissue. So this is the part that you want. But what is preferable, is to treat the follicle under the skin with minimal damage to the surface. Newer machines are capable of this. But, ironically, you will find electrologists that will insist that the old method is more permanent than the new one. What’s even funnier, is that many clients want the older method because they’re convinced that “if it doesn’t hurt it probably doesn’t work”. And this is what keeps some electrologists from updating their equipment.

  3. Waxing can make treatment harder because it can distort some hair follicle. If this happens, the probe, which is straight, cannot be properly inserted. Nontheless, you will still see permanent results with electrolysis.

Don’t despaire and don’t give yourself over to depression. I’m sure your hair is not as noticeable as you think. And there are better electrologists out there. Look in the yellow pages, internet directories, etc., and give a try to as many electrologists as you can reach. It will pay off.

Good luck now, and keep us posted!

Thanks for your response yb. By pigmentation, I meant that at each insertion by the electrologist there is a mark and I cannot tell if it is a tiny pit, pigment, a scar, etc…it almost seems like a pit. What causes pitting??–Scabs, too big of a needle, poor insertion??? Anyway, I have asked her several times to address the scabbing and she always says she does not care about the scabbing, problem is, I have to hide the treatment area now because of horrendous scabs that last 2-4 weeks (I used to hide it from the hair…URG…). I mean, I look terrible like I have measles or something. It sort of defeats the purpose. Anyway, any other suggestions, I have had treatment before that did not do that, but I also have had bad treatment with people tweezing. I feel like it is impossible to find an electrologist willing to put in mulitple hours, using newer equipment, not damanging the skin, and to be VERY THOROUGH. That is very important to me, I have learned, if you do not clear an area and keep it clear you will never finish. Any other suggestions would be great. Thank you and any other responders.

I think You should try another electrologist. In my opinion this one will get his effects, but will leave You with scars.

I just wrote a post about my exp. before I saw your post has the same topic.

My last eletrologist is surely more delicate - her treatment does not leave me with scabs for more than a couple of days - if there are any apart from redness. After the first one the scabs were there for at least two weeks, and this was my back( so not a very delicate skin).
Surely you should try someone else.

If you don’t get anywhere and are still willing to travel to Ontario let me know, I am willing to put in multiple treatment hours if necessary.
Unfortunately I was only officially certified in October so I don’t have any clients that are done and happy.
The ones I used for practice are happy, but not done if that helps you.
I am using a Silhouet-tone Sequentium VMC which is one of the newest on the market now and is quite comfortable enabling longer sessions without skin damage or horrendous pain…lol

Send me a message if you don’t find someone closer.
:wink: