Skin reaction to electrolysis treatment - PICS

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Since in many posts we discuss skin reactions and looks after treatment, I feel that the best way to “show and compare” is to post pictures.

If anyone would like to post theirs, but does not have a place to host them on the web, PM me and I will upload them on my space and you can post them from there.

This is the area from my belly button down. It was treated on 1/25/205 with Thermolysis at aproximately .8 seconds automatic setting and a size 3 probe.

[image]http://www.cs.drexel.edu/~ti24/electrolysis/1-25-05/central_pubic_1_25_05_detail.jpg[/image]

Left side of bikini. Same day as above.

[image]http://www.cs.drexel.edu/~ti24/electrolysis/1-25-05/left_pubic_1_25_05_detail.jpg[/image]

Byt the way, the pictures look A LOT worst than it actually is. The color and contrast rendering of the camera exaggerates the redness and bumps. It does not look as severe in real life. It certainly does not hurt. And the major one or two bumps are entirely my fault from digging at ingrown hair.

#2

Wow, how long did it take to get that much done? The electrologists I go to always take 30 minutes to get rid of such a small area as the eyebrows.

I have to say though, that it is rather red and more bumpy than I thought thermolysis would be. Maybe blend is better for the skin. Did the bikini hair slide out easy with thermo?

Just out of curiousity, do you know what probe number and brand for the bikini area? Thanks Ivelina.

#3

Each electrologist has their own techniques. I would be interested in seeing tissue response from using a #4 probe.

#4

Like I said guys, it does not look like that in real life. the camera has a really good lens and zoom so it’s capturing details (bumpiness) that you would not detect with the eye by just looking at my skin. In addition to that the flash shows blemishes more intensely. Have you ever been in a tanning bed? You don’t want to look at yourself while in there. You’ll get so disgusted with your skin <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> It’s something like that in this case.

Now it’s been two days and my skin looks just like it always did after I would pluck. I put vitamin E oil on everything and it really helps skin heal fast. I’ve been using it for years on my cuticles and all other areas that i want to look smooth and soft. It works wonders for me.

My guys is extremely fast. He uses a high and fast setting (.5 seconds, but sometimes he zaps the hair 3 or 4 times) He clears that area (the upper pubic part that you see) in an hour, but we usually do and hour and half b/c he always goes over the new growth on chin, throat, chest and belly as well.

He used #3 and #2 probes on me. I can’t convince him that he should use anything bigger on the thicker hairs.

The bikini area hairs do slide out very easily. I will take my camera with me next time and will post pictures of the hairs that he takes out. The sheath that slides out with the hair is so… how should i describe it??? cool looking! I don’t know how to call it, but i ADORE seeing it. It makes me want to clap every time <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> It’s a little retarded of me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> but I can’t help thinking “YOU my friend are DEAD, DECEASED, DEPARTED… bye bye !!!” <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

#5

Method: Thermolysis, .5 to 1.5 seconds
Equipment: Instantron, #3 UniProbe needle
Time: 1.5 hours
Areas treated: chin, left jaw, right sideburn, and troat (very few were out, a total of about 20 for all those areas); both nipples and chestplate (about 30 or so), belly (A LOT), and upper and left bikini area with EMLA

Belly, day after treatment

[image]http://www.cs.drexel.edu/~ti24/electrolysis/1-27-05/belly_1_27_05_detail.jpg[/image]

Left nipple day after treatment

[image]http://www.cs.drexel.edu/~ti24/electrolysis/1-27-05/left_nipple_1_27_05_detail.jpg[/image]

Left bikini line, day after treatment. This area was treated for the very first time.

[image]http://www.cs.drexel.edu/~ti24/electrolysis/1-27-05/left_bikini_1_27_05_detail.jpg[/image]

I applied EMLA for 30 minutes and it worked great. I felt a few of the hairs and some of the ones I felt were painful but the cream worked great overall.

I get it for $5.00 with my prescription plan through my dermatologist.

#6

thanks for sharing the pics!! your skin reactions look just about how my skin looked the first few times i had electrolysis done. red and bumpy and some pimple like things… but after a couple of treatments, things like that dont show up as much.

i wish i could do below my belly button… but i dont have the courage. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> and i also want to do my underarms, but i dont want to spend 3-4 hours each time. i got alot of hair there and the money would be too much. It took my chin and side burns half an hour to clear (and not even that much hair)… imagine my under arms!! yikes! i dont have the patience. plus my mom would go bizerk on me. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

later.

#7

ivelina,
what an awesome idea to post pics!

you mention emla—did you use it on all the areas you treated? or just bikini?

i’m thinking now of doing the nipple area and was wondering:
–does that area hurt worse than lip and chin?
–would i need to get emla for it?
–can emla even be used there?
–does the nipple area take longer to heal up because of having a bra/clothes over it?

thanks for any answers you or anyone else can offer,
susie

#8

The sheath that slides out with the hair is so… how should i describe it??? cool looking! I don’t know how to call it, but i ADORE seeing it. It makes me want to clap every time <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> It’ a little retarded of me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> but I can’t help thinking “YOU my friend are DEAD, DECEASED, DEPARTED… bye bye !!!”

When I epilate I feel like I am removing tumors.

The resulting skin, after healing is complete, is hard to describe. Far softer than shaving, chemical removal, or even waxing. I think the follicle walls are tougher than the rest of the skin; epilated “bikini” areas are softer and more supple than before. The skin is also visually smoother: Often, growing hairs, on the legs at least, have a little spot of redness surrounding them. Epilated follicles are gone; smooth, soft, wonderful skin.

An amusing side effect of bikini epilations: My wife wore a low-cut front bikini. After getting out of the pool, she was a bit chilly. There were goose bumps down her belly, but where the pubic hairs had been, the goose bumps stopped. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

#9

VespaSusie,
I had my nipples done. I didn’t have too much hair, just several strays. I didn’t use anything on that area, but I ALWAYS have to use something on my upper lip. I use LMX 5. Maybe I should get the Emla.

#10

Although I do have clients who use topicals on their upper lips, I don’t have a single client who uses numbing agents on the breast. None of them have felt they needed it.

#11

i wish i could do below my belly button… but i dont have the courage. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

what do you mean you don’t have the courage??? The main reason why i wanted electrolysis was exactly the belly button and happy trail. I put a lot of effort in staying healthy, fit, toned and …well, good looking… i love to wear delicate and skimpy things in the summer BUT I HATE… HATE the fact that i can’t show off my work in the gym sometimes b/c i have bums and scars from plucking my chest, throat and happy trail. I think that’s pathetic… it’s a terrible joke from God and it’s just gross and not fair!

#12

ivelina,
what an awesome idea to post pics!

you mention emla—did you use it on all the areas you treated? or just bikini?

i’m thinking now of doing the nipple area and was wondering:
–does that area hurt worse than lip and chin?
–would i need to get emla for it?
–can emla even be used there?
–does the nipple area take longer to heal up because of having a bra/clothes over it?

thanks for any answers you or anyone else can offer,
susie

To answer your questions:

  • I only find the need to use EMLA for the bikini, and even there only on the inside of the thighs.
  • The nipples do not hurt much. The chest plate hurts a lot more, but i hear from others that the lip hurts a lot. I don’t know though b/c i have never had that done. But i do know that the nipples are very bearable at least for me. You should try it without and if you can’t take it, THEN apply EMLA next time.
    -EMLA can be used on the nipples, yes.
    -I don’t know, but i have not noticed clothing interfering with healing. Then again, most areas I’m having done have clothing over them, but compared to my chin, i would not say that they take longer.
#13

VespaSusie,
I had my nipples done. I didn’t have too much hair, just several strays. I didn’t use anything on that area, but I ALWAYS have to use something on my upper lip. I use LMX 5. Maybe I should get the Emla.

They are really the same thing. From everything that i have read they have the same strenght although a different chemical compostition. I get EMLA b/c i can get it for $5.00 whereas the LMX is $45 or more.

#14

The resulting skin, after healing is complete, is hard to describe. Far softer than shaving, chemical removal, or even waxing. I think the follicle walls are tougher than the rest of the skin; epilated “bikini” areas are softer and more supple than before. The skin is also visually smoother: Often, growing hairs, on the legs at least, have a little spot of redness surrounding them. Epilated follicles are gone; smooth, soft, wonderful skin.

I’ll send this comment to my b/f who is all worried that my skin will look like this forever <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Of course he knows better but he is still not sure how it will look when it’s all done.

Oh, I just had an idea. DIY’er can you PLEASE PLEASE post pictures of areas that are done…[image]http://www.cs.drexel.edu/~ti24/electrolysis/smilies/useless.jpg[/image]… like your wife for example… please please…

#15

I’ll send this comment to my b/f who is all worried that my skin will look like this forever <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Of course he knows better but he is still not sure how it will look when it’s all done.

Oh, I just had an idea. DIY’er can you PLEASE PLEASE post pictures of areas that are done… like your wife for example… please please…

I’ll post or send some. We just did a cleanup pass, so want to wait for those to heal.

#16

I had another treatment last night and now the skin is looking really angry at me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> hehehehe

well, i know that it will get better in a few days, but this is the worst that i have seen as a result of the thermolysis sessions.

I am planning on stopping for a couple of weeks just to give the skin the chance to regenerate b/c it’s not pleasant to see yourself looking like that.

Method: Automatic Thermolysis (Flash), .5 to 1.5 seconds
Equipment: Instantron, #3 UniProbe needle
Time: 1.75 hours
Areas treated: chin, left jaw, right sideburn, and troat; both nipples and chestplate, belly (A LOT), and mostly the whole left thigh and bikini loine with EMLA, some of the top and a few hairs here and there on the left side.

[image]http://www.cs.drexel.edu/~ti24/electrolysis/2-1-05/2_1_05_belly.jpg[/image]
2-1-05

[image]http://www.cs.drexel.edu/~ti24/electrolysis/2-1-05/2_1_05_left_bikini_line2.jpg[/image]
Left Bikini line

[image]http://www.cs.drexel.edu/~ti24/electrolysis/2-1-05/2_1_05_inner_thigh.jpg[/image]
Inner right thigh

Also, this is a different digital camera and it cannot handle close ups well, so everything is a little bit out of focus this time.

#17

James, you often mention that your clients do not get irritated skin and scabs. What do you think of the bumps that I get[image]http://www.cs.drexel.edu/~ti24/electrolysis/smilies/ANIMATED/banghead.gif[/image]? Do you really not see your patients looking like this if you treat them, let’s say, the next day again?

#18

When working on the face it is possible to avoid scabbing and have the client look like normal in a small period of time. When working on the body, it is more difficult to do the same. So a person doing body work, might have temporary bumps, or maybe even scabs if one is doing fast work. Slower work can be more cosmetically pleasing, but since the skin heals quickly, it doesn’t matter too much in most cases. Most people are willing to trade the short healing time for more hair cleared per visit.

Your experience is well withen the normal range for thermolysis. Blend would look different, as would galvanic.

#19

Yes, I know that I’m reacting normally to the treatment. I was just curious if you see this b/c you had been saying that patients walk way from your office not showing that they have had a treatment, but now i realize you were only saying that for the face. I don’t show anything on my face either. why is that by the way?

#20

Hair on the body is often at a shallow angle, and some hairs are even visible through the skin.

It is like taking out, or blowing out an area that leaves an open space that is holding up the surface above, instead of simply taking out a structure below that is not at an angle, and therefore doesn’t compromise the smooth texture of the upper dermis.

Since you asked, here is a picture of the bikini area just seconds after I have done the last hair in the session. There has not yet been any post treatment. It looks even better after post treatment pherisis, aloe, and tea tree oil.

This is what I am talking about when I say that higher end vision equipment, Up to date computerized machines, and a high level of skill make all the difference.

I give thanks to the owner of the skin shown in this image for allowing us permission to view it, however, she won’t be named, as agreed.

[image]http://www.cs.drexel.edu/~ti24/electrolysis/James_work.jpg[/image]