Red, pink, and bumpy upper lip...

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Good evening,

I’m about 35 hours into thermolysis electrolysis for my face & neck. Of this, about 3 and a half hours at most has been spent on the upper lip. The last session I had on my upper lip was a month ago. I took two pictures to compare and I hardly see any improvement. It’s very red and rough to the touch. Was this area overtreated somehow? I’ve stopped electrolysis to tend to this first but I’m not sure if it’ll ever improve.

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A week post upper lip treatment.

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A month post upper lip treatment.

#2

I’d like to know more about your upper lip treatment. Was the 3 1/2 hours done all in one session? Over how long and how often?
Was there visible skin reaction before this occasion or did this happen and you decided to stop electrolysis immediately?

I dont see anything horrible and despite the long period your skin is visibly improving. What I see most however is hyperpigmentation and that definitely will fade over time. How much hyperpigmentation depends on the amount of inflamation which tends to increase with intense treatment. Some electrologists have no issues working for 3 1/2 hours on an upper lip, I prefer to spead the treatment out because I dont see reactions like this one .

The hair that I do see seems a little course for upper lip/ Am I looking at a trans beard removal in progress? Courser hair often means slightly deeper hair, and invariably means more energy is needed to effect destruction of the hair follicle. I’ve had to use synchro before, on upper lip. Generally this is too much for that area, but on some trans beard removals the hairs can be that course and deep.Tht in turn, could lead to this kind of skin reaction. But some of the inflamation may also be from the growing hairs themselves, and may not be the treatment.

If I’m to give an honest opinion of this treatment, its a little on the rough side, but the skinreaction could well be warranted if that’s what it took to kill the hair. The one photo we dont see, is a before electrolysis was done photo. If it was me however, I would continue the treatment and maybe take a slightly slower pace on the upper lip. It sounds like your electrologist has a serious hate on for hair, which is a good thing!

Seana

#3

It was spread across multiple sessions with a few weeks in-between each time we did the upper lip (I’d go once a week for an hour per session). We usually only spent a half hour or so on the upper lip. I have some similar rough texture & hyperpigmentation on my chin and neck but this reaction was what made me pause electrolysis. Especially since it imitates a mustache without there being all that much hair left. In fact, she encouraged me to take a break and visit a dermatologist in the meantime to assess what’s going on.

This is trans beard removal. I am noticing a lot of the bumps are follicles in which hair is growing out of.

Thank you!

#4

its just as I would have done.Yes, course beard hairs can cause bumps and the hyperpigmentation could be caused by electrolysis or by the hair itself. The upper lip is the only area I see of concern, I would say you should be fine to continue. You will note that as progress is made , and those course hairs disappear, so your skin condition and quality will improve.

#5

Can you describe your after-care? Do you use moisturizers, aloe etc?

#6

I do a lot of upper lip trans cases, frequently clearing the upper lip on the sides and thinning in the middle, depending on the the number of hairs per square centimeter. None look like your post picture one month after treatment. NONE. In fact, the feedback I get is all looked well in three days to a week.

Leave it alone. Let it heal for as long as necessary. It is good you gave your electrologist feedback. I’m sure she appreciates you very much so she can re-think to make a better plan for you.

I don’t have the privilege of knowing the specifics about your treatment
( epilator, probe size, insertions, modality) and I don’t know what you were doing for aftercare? All those things matter as to why you are not back to normal a month later.

#7

That’s kind of what I was after/thinking as well Dee. Enlarging thepicture though shows as the client described, most of the bumps being growing hair follicles with thick hairs and a good dose of hyperpigmentation. What I dont see is the “burnt up”. It’s a rougher look than I see as well, but the upper lip is not a completely horrible mess either.
Tea tree oil and witchhazel use, will lessen the contaminated /infected follicles that are seen in the week one picture. So I stand by what my first thought was, it was just a lot of energy used on the upper lip to loosen tough trans mustache hairs, and as the treatment progresses the skin reaction should lessen.

#8

Yes, I agree, but I will say that using too much tea tree oil and using it beyond three days can contribute to prolonged redness and flakiness. Using a smaller probe, if the hair follicle opening is large, is not a good idea either. Use a large probe and get the probe situated at the bottom of the follicle before the energy releases. Watch the skin. It shouldn’t show too much of a reaction, or any at all.

#9

My after care was immediately icing it afterwards followed by Action de Gala’s Hydraplus (gel-like with witch hazel, aloe, cucumber). Then I would use witch hazel applied with a cotton pad and bacitracin twice a day for about 3 or 4 days afterwards. A few months ago after my first session I tried incorporating The Ordinary’s 10% Niaciminide and 1% Zinc for about a week afterwards. I stopped that after seeing no results. Admittedly, I have been shaving and using a lot of concealer & foundation that I would apply sometimes as soon as the next day after. At her suggestion, I went about a week and a half without shaving or applying anything to the skin. I saw no improvement through this. My current routine is shaving about 3 times a week with disposable razor and Paula’s Choice shave cream and makeup about 5 days out of the week.

She used Ballet brand disposable gold probes. I don’t know if this indicates a bad insertion but upper lip sessions were especially painful. I do know she went with a high enough setting (might’ve been Upper Lip 7 if that means anything) that tweezing the hair out afterward did not hurt. I’m wary of returning to her and would like to pursue electrolysis elsewhere due to this reaction. Do you think I could benefit from visiting a dermatologist prior to restarting electrolysis? I’m a little confused if continuing to remove hair from this area would improve it or make it worse.

#10

I really like gold probes, but I prefer an insulated probe for thermolysis expecially on sensative spots like the upper lip. I think that might be at least partly responsible for what we see here.
I dont think a dermatologist is particularly necessary, but your opinion is what matters.

I do suggest you have a look at this video series by Michael Bono called the Healing Skin:

The skin shouldnt get any worse. The electrologist is removing a LOT of hair.There is going to be some rough patches for a while but if you stick with regular treatments your skin will improve over time. 18 months after you finish the process, you will detect no trace of any damage. Pay attention in the videos to what michael says about the “orange peel effect”. You may elect to give the upper lip a little healing time and such is a good idea.

Seana

#11

Your after care sounds… okay, but you really don’t need some of the stuff you put on your face. Too much “stuff” can interfere with good and timely healing.

I probably would have used an insulated probe on your upper lip, but I have used gold as well, with little problem. Assuming you have coarse hair, I would have used a larger diameter probe. Lip 7 means little to me, though I assume that she was using an Apilus product.

It will heal. Give it as much time as necessary… AND I think a dermatologist is unnecessary.

#12

I believe working with insulated probes on sensitive skin is a must, especially in your situation. I had work done with stainless steel, insulated and gold probes. There is no question insulated probes reduce scabbing and skin reactions better than gold or stainless steel. I saw little difference between gold and stainless steel in terms of scabbing and skin healing.

For post treatment, try applying a thick layer of Bepanthen/Panthenol and occlude it with plastic wrap over night. Within several days of doing this, you should see changes. This diaper rash cream does wonders in hydrating skin and preventing scabbing. At worse it won’t make a difference so it won’t hurt to try. It helped me deal crusty scabbing.

#13

Skin can take 8 weeks to heal. Have your dermatologist give you a suggestion. Ask if steroid cream will help or maybe try using a less harsh face wash? I’m no expert but just thought I’d say I’m sorry what you are going through. This sucks so bad :frowning:

#14

Burnt Up ,
I’m presently accumulating some photos on my site in an image gallery to demonstrate certain concepts. I’d like to use your photo to demonstrate hyperpigmentation which your photo shows very well. May I use your photo with your permission?

Seana Richmond C.E.

#15

I use a very gentle cleansing balm to remove makeup and either apply the Hydraplus or nothing at all as my night routine. I considered trying a chemical exfoliant but I don’t know if that’ll help or prolong this. I’m noticing a marked improvement where I previously had hyperpigmentation on my neck and chin but absolutely none on my upper lip. I am still going to a dermatologist and simultaneously going to continue my electrolysis (elsewhere) and suggest they use an insulated probe.

Yes, you may use my photos.