Treatment options for upper lip pitting & wrinkles

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

Hi all! A little over a year ago I had electrolysis done on the outer corners of my upper lip and was overtreated. This left me with pitting and fine lines, as well as hyperpigmentation that lasted for 6+ months. I have attached a picture (the other side of my mouth looks identical). It’s not the worst case - thank goodness it was only a 15 minute session, but boy, did she leave her mark where those “stubborn hairs” grew (and, for the record, still do).

What I’m looking for is advice as to what I should do to work on repairing the skin. I’ve tried rosehip seed oil (from mountain rose herbs) and Peter Thomas Roth unwrinkle peel pads. I cannot continue use rosehip oil too regularly because it clogs my pores and breaks me out, but I’ve still used a substantial amount over the past year. I’m not sure if the peel pads cancel the effects of the rosehip oil or anything, but I saw “unwrinkle” and saw it had rave reviews so I decided to give it a go. I’ve only used them about 20 times over the course of six months. I have seen minor improvement in the texture of the affected skin in the past year - or I just think that because my body dysmorphia over the ordeal finally lifted. Either way, I’m looking for other recommendations. I do NOT want anything that could be of real help to fly under my radar.

I’ve heard talk of vitamin C serum, matrixyl serum and microneedling/dermarolling (though that seems too risky). Should I invest in any of these? Is there anything else you all could recommend? Should I stop the peels or continue with them? I appreciate any input.

One last question - are these lines going to get more pronounced as the years progress (if I don’t find my coveted miracle treatment)? I am back to waxing my lip every 3 weeks, which is also said to cause premature wrinkles, and this is of real concern for me since I have otherwise flawless skin and am just 20 years old.

Thank you all so much for your help.

P.S. I am in Connecticut. If anyone wants to know the electrologist I saw, feel free to message me.

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#2

Hi there! I looked at your picture closely and couldn’t see any fine lines…just saw slight redness and a few red looking dots. I understand it’s very hard to show in pictures. I had the same problem as you…I was very over treated and suffered all the same things as you as well as hard pouches at the corners of my mouth. I recommend seeing a Dermatologist for treatment options…they will have prescription strength creams and other options to give you. Good luck!

#3

Here is the picture :

I encircled the area I think you are talking about?

#4

Yes Dee, those are the lines I’m talking about. I didn’t have them before treatment. The picture quality/lighting isn’t the best, but they do extend down to where the pitting is, and when I’m wearing foundation it’s really noticeable.

The redness is from pimples I’ve gotten in the area with rosehip oil and other products I’ve been trying. I don’t think any discoloration is left over from the treatment, besides the spots where the pits are.

I’ll call a dermatologist at some point, but money is tight and I’d like to try less expensive treatment options first. I’m skeptical that a dermatologist will be able to do much, but if you’ve had a successful experience with one I’d love to hear about it. Thank you!

#5

Figuring this out …

Your original post said that electrolysis was performed on the “corners of your upper lip.” The line Dee circled, and you are concerned about, is a couple centimeters from that treatment site. Did you also have electrolysis treatment on the skin where you are seeing the line that’s bothering you? (I have a couple products in mind.)

#6

That’s my question, too. This is an area where we typically do not see hair growth that needs to be removed.

I would like to see a picture of the other side, same area.

#7

The area where I got the electrolysis performed is where the dots & pitting are in the picture, to the lower right of what was circled. The lines extend down to where these are, but I think because of the lighting in the picture the lines look most visible closer to the nose. I didn’t get treatment in the circled area, the lines appeared because of the over treatment below. I’ll try to get another picture when I get a chance.

#8

Yes, Schroedingers cat … a photo of the other side of your lip was going to be my next question for you. (Seems that Dee and I are “on the same page.”)

I’ll contact your “zaperettes” when I get a better understanding of this matter. In the meantime, don’t get aggressive with this skin, i.e., harsh products.

#9

Thank you for the additional information.

These fine lines are not caused by electrolysis.

You didn’t have treatment in that area, so, electrolysis could not have caused those fine lines. It doesn’t look like your lip was over treated either. I see no pitting.

Please be reassured, s-cat.

#10

Thanks Dee … I agree with you 100%

If a person gets repeated, aggressive overtreatment … I mean, many hour of bad treatment … sometimes wrinkles will appear. However, these hallmark wrinkles are always vertical (at right angles to the lip).

Cat, you are showcasing normal age-related “laugh lines.” Everybody has a line, wrinkle or crease that forms a line from the outer nose to the end of the lip … just normal.

Sadly, aging starts at, well, an early age. A person doesn’t turn 50-years-old and BAM there are the wrinkles. Instead, the signs of age progress slowly. Yes, we all have had the “where did that damned thing come from?” surprise one lovely morning in our mirrors. That’s how it happens.

I also agree with Dee that you show zero signs of consequential overtreatment and there are no pits, dots or hyperpigmentation. When the inflammation subsides … it takes a year … your skin will look perfect. Well, minus the normal ageing process.

Don’t put “nothing” on the skin … gentle moisturizer is fine, but no “needling” or extreme measures: they will only make matters worse.

#11

Hi all, I’ve attached slightly better pictures. I’m anticipating getting laugh lines when I get older, but I can assure you that these lines appeared quickly after treatment and lead into the pitting. I don’t have lines anywhere else on my face. I can see lines going in every direction in these spots in good light. The treatment was in November 2013. Second thoughts? The last picture is the other side. Thanks again.

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#12

I think it would be impossible to establish causation in your situation. I don’t doubt that these imperfections appeared at the time of electrolysis. However, everything that I know about the skin (reasons already stated) would not lead me to conclude that one caused the other. Two events can happen simultaneously but that does not therefore establish causation.

The two photos you are showing are qualitatively different. The photo that show your lines, your left side, is lighted from the top and hence greatly highlights the tiny hairs, pores and bumps in your face, and the lines. Notice, in this photo, you seem to have a drooping corner of your lip? This developing “marionette line” is from the angle of the lighting.

Now look at your next photo (the right side). Because the light is coming directly from the front, all the tiny hairs are invisible, the lines and bumps are not visible and you have no drooping corner of your lip. Also, the saturation in photo #2 is many times what #1 is showing (again obscuring the details). Your left sidephoto is also reflecting no light and the photo of your right side is highly reflective (again obscuring details).

This typically happens in photography. I have fiddled with your photos to make them more similar. You can see (on your right side) I have circled your developing fine lines. These do not show up as well in this photo, but they are located in the exact same area as on your left side.


Furthermore, we do not “wrinkle” symetrically. In most cases, wrinkles show up on one side of the face before the other. My left side has way more wrinkles than does my right side. What was the cause? I have some theories … but nothing I could prove.

Give “the girls” a call and have them recommend some high-quality gentle products to “ease” what you are seeing.

#13

No one could have explained this better than Mike Bono. Very informative, Mike. Thanks for taking your precious time to educate the consumers and the electrologists that follow Hairtell postings.

S-cat, I think that if you remain unconvinced that these fines lines are not related to electrolysis, then you should not get future treatment. Just call it a day and be glad for the permanent hair removal you have already received.

You say you are waxing now. Do you wax this area with cold wax or hot wax? That is more traumatic to your skin than you know. It can also worsen the hair growth in the future.

#14

I am completely unconvinced that these are not from the result of overtreatment. I don’t have a DSLR and have spent a long time already trying to get decent enough pictures on my phone - I know they’re far from perfect and the lighting is different in the photos, I just tried to find the ones where you could see the issues the most (they still didn’t come out as much as they do in certain lights in person). There several pock marks on my upper lip that have lines extending directly from them (and I thought those were visible from the photos). I know for an absolute fact that they are from the electrolysis. The lines that developed are slightly below where my natural smile lines would be, and they developed almost immediately after treatment.

I don’t want to come across as a hypochondriac - I know my face. I’ve examined it in the mirror for the first 18 years of my life, and in the months following the treatment. I had absolutely no wrinkles, the area of concern looked identical to the skin in the center, below my nose. They didn’t spontaneously appear at age 18 in a period of 2 weeks with no relation to the treatment that also left my lip spottily discolored for half a year. It simply is fact. I’m sorry if the pictures aren’t ideal. I know it’s not the worst case in the world, but it’s real and it’s there. The wrinkles were actually deeper right after treatment, but like I said I’ve been using rosehip oil and the peel pads and I think they’ve been helping in addition to a reduction in inflammation.

Nevermind the pictures if they are too unsatisfactory. Say, hypothetically, that someone was overtreated in the same area that I am asserting and show signs of what you would agree to be slight pitting/wrinkling as a result. Is there any recommendation you can give for what they can use/do given the limited information? If not, that is fine. But that’s all I was hoping for, not a debate over whether or not this thread is the result of an overactive imagination. I would like to put that to rest now.

I’m using hot wax, and I’ve been getting electrolysis for years all over my body with no issues (different practitioners). But yes, I am done with upper lip work.

#15

I believe you 100%! We know our own skin better than anyone else. Pictures sometimes just do not show the gravity of it. I stand by my advice earlier to see a Dermatologist…I saw one a few times after my Electrolysis nightmare. They can prescribe prescription strength wrinkle creams and give you the best advice. If you can’t afford it at this time I would get a cream that has niacinamide in it…it’s good for fine lines and wrinkles. Get some glycolic acid peels…they are amazing. Good luck!

#16

Of course, you have to understand that our suggestions are based on what we know about the skin, the treatment … And thus, we base our suggestions on years of experience, and by looking at your photos and reading your explanation.

I remember (if correctlly) your electrologist told me you had three 15-minute treatments over a period of a year?

But as you say … this is “absolute fact” for you. And, you know what you know!

I totally agree with Mtricha that you must now consult with a dermatologist. I would not know what to tell you or what products to recommend without having done the work myself and seeing you in person. (I hope you can appreciate that aspect. Recommending the wrong product can make things worse!)

The products you select should be very specific to what condition the dermatologist diagnoses.

Good luck and report back! Thanks for your very detailed and interesting story!

Mike

#17

According to my experience, high definition pictures offer an aspect of the skin worse than it actually is. Believe me, I take lots of photos each day. Most of my customers can confirm this fact.

@ Schrodingerscat, everyone has a favorite side on which we usually sleep, what’s yours?

#18

I just don’t understand how wrinkles are blamed on electrolysis for an area where there was no electrolysis performed? In addition, three treatments over a years time, lasting 15 minutes? I still say - NO WAY!

One more thought: one way I can be convinced is if you tell me that you rarely laugh.

#19

First, this story has nothing to do with this or any other poster … but it did cause me to remember an interesting story. My client “Ruby” is great, just a bit neurotic … I really love her. She has some odd ideas about “beauty.”

For example, she wanted me to “do her eyebrows” at the top (only) so they would form a perfectly straight line … no arch and fuzzy BELOW the eyebrow. I wouldn’t do it.

She had Dr. Chapple remove excess skin from her upper eyelids: she needed this and it’s a simple procedure.

A few months later, she came crying to me that, “Because of this operation, I now have this funny ‘bump’ on my jaw line.” (It was, actually, just a crease … and she had one on the other side too … but she only saw ONE). There was no convincing her that it was not the doctor’s fault. So, she went to see Chapple.

Instead of causing any difficulty, he surgically fixed the bumps on both sides of her chin … and didn’t charge her anything. Amazingly, none of this bothered him at all! He never gave her an argument and just said, “Oh, I can fix that … come on in tomorrow.”

Sometimes it’s easier to placate the patient, suck it up and fix the problem? Anyway, that’s how the doctor handles these kinds of situations.

#20

Its called looking at the area a lot more than you would have necessarily done prior to the procedure.

I’ve had electrolyisis for 16 months now and most would say they are done.

When I stared I has so many questions and upsets and the electrolysis is causing more hair to grow I’ve got pitting ekk.

You for 1 get hair sight and pic up on things like this more I am a lot more beauty conscious then I ever was prior to starting this treatment although I always cared about my looks.

Prior to starting I would go in the bathroom in the morning brush my teeth wash my face look at my face in the mirror oh no dark hair on my chin pluck it out, a week later another one would appear oh no pluck it out.

I started electrolysis and discovered just how many hairs I actually had taken turns, I would stretch my skin to see more hairs underneath which are paler not black that annoyed me to begin with but thin brown hairs which now stick out to me.

The process becomes harder for the electrolysis because what you are now concerned about gets thinner and paler, you move onto other area once the top lay as they say is cleared parts that you wouldn’t have worried about before but now you know this works you don’t like them and want rid.

I suspect those wrinkles have been their for a while and you have only just noticed them because you are looking a lot more and in a lot more detail to the area in question.

Any marks I have had from electrolysis have all cleared up I still go because I have moved onto clearing my upper lip which has probably had about 8 months worth of treatment thus far.

See a dermatologist if you wish but like Dee I don’t think it was caused by electrolysis.