I try not to touch the area. I don’t know if I am doing it without realizing it. I do wear makeup. Maybe it’s the makeup? I have been wearing makeup the entire time I’ve been doing electro (2-3x week for 2 months) but have only recently had this issue. And the whiteheads only last a day, two at the most. I would love to not wear makeup and I realize how much it is stressed on this forum that you must let your skin breathe and heal but I just can’t go without it in my line of work. I try to just use the mineral powder makeup and a bit of concealer.
Regarding whiteheads: I have not seen them associated with ingrown hairs. Sometimes they just happen. I encourage keeping hands off and skin clean and cool immediately after treatment to avoid this type of breakout. The white material in the follicle is pus - the stuff of infection. It is very important NOT to mess with these.
Regarding the tiny red pinprick marks: Pin point scabs occur on the lining of the follicle. Since the follicle is an indention in the skin, the injury to the follicle will sometimes show us as a tiny internal scab. You will see the very top of the scab on the surface of the skin.
The treatments can cause some swelling that result in that tight feeling skin. My favorite coolant for newly treated skin is witch hazel with some wintergreen alcohol. The alcohol increases the antiseptic level of the witch hazel without being so drying. Ice can be overused and result in harming the skin.
Vickie: This is just my opinion, and might not be the belief of others, but using the current to insert deeper into the follicle (past the bulge) might actually cause the needle to break through the follicle wall. Have you had a chance to watch the Schuster videos? These videos show actual insertions and how the needle can move around in the follicle - before any current is applied.
I agree with your ice comment, Barbara. I give certain clients a small ice pack wrapped in gauze before they leave my office. The ice only lasts 5-10 minutes before it melts. I make smaller bags on purpose so it can’t be overused.
I’m also thinking that it is possible the follicle wall being punctured. I guess it would be a good idea to describe this sensation with your electrologist, so if you continually feel this, she can correct her insertions.
Dee
Thanks guys! Barbara, your explanation of the marks I see makes perfect sense. Dee, thanks for your input.
Interesting, can tiny whiteheads be caused by shaving (and some sort of infection from the shaving) alone? I only seem get them a couple days after shaving, or after electro or laser (maybe that is from the shaving of the area a few days later?)
Barbara, I haven’t seen the Schuster videos, but I remember someone mentioning them here a while back. Does anyone know where I can find them? I couldn’t find them on T.E.S.
I am not sure if the push/op sensation I feel is pushing past the bulge, or I am breaking through the follicle wall or bottom of the follicle. I feel the push/pop as I insert but I do not feel any kind of pain or pinprick feeling, like I would feel if my insertion was way off (would I feel any kind of pain if I did break through the follicle?)
Shuster video’s can be purchased at Prestige Electrolysis. Texas Electrolysis Supply should have them??? , but I haven’t looked on their site for a long time.
Yes, you may feel pain after you break through the wall of th4 follicle as the energy is applied. There could be some bleeding/bruising as well.
Dee
From Prestige site: www.prestigeelec.com
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Texas Electrolysis Supply has the videos as well.
The truth is, their web site does them little good, as it is not very functional, and doesn’t even come close to showing all the products and services they offer. For that information, one has to call them on the phone and talk to a real person. Their catalogues are not all that complete either, mostly because they always have new stuff coming in, and they don’t even try to put all their products and services in one place.
On these things, they are very unorganized, however, I have never received the wrong part, or the wrong product, or any mistakes on my orders with them. ON THE OTHER HAND Prestige has always had a better web site, and a much prettier catalogue (and higher prices) but I have repreatedly received the wrong items, or errors on my orders, and the so called customer service never owns up to their mistakes. This means the customer ends up having paid for something he or she did not order, but needing to re-order what was actually wanted in the first place! That is all well and good if you actually have use for the erroneous item, but I have been sent things by them that I still don’t even know what they are, and they never refunded me my money, and I could just SCREAM!
They even sent me a FEMALE LAB COAT with my name on it, and swear that I specifically ordered it that way, instead of having special ordered a MALE LAB COAT with my name and business name on it. I guess they think I am either a tranny or a cross dresser.
At a convention, I purchased two probe holders, but they only had one left on hand, and said they would mail me the other. So I took one in hand, and for my $50, I was sent in the mail some plastic bags with little pieces of plastic squares. They again would not make good. So I was out $50, and I still needed to pay ANOTHER $50 to buy another probe holder cord from Dectro, or Texas Electrolysis Supply.
Either way, ordering with them is a gamble, and I just don’t even deal with them any more for that reason. My advise is to get a prestige catalogue, and call Texas Electrolysis Supply and order what you found pictured in the Prestige Catalogue from TES. In many cases, they have the same product for less, and in the case of some products, they have even lesser priced equivalents for even more savings. Just let them know that you want that type of product, but not necessarily that brand name.
Hi James:
You said:
“They even sent me a FEMALE LAB COAT with my name on it, and swear that I specifically ordered it that way, instead of having special ordered a MALE LAB COAT with my name and business name on it. I guess they think I am either a tranny or a cross dresser.”
Tranny, such as a transmission on a car?
I’m not sure that would be a politically correct term
to use for an MTF transsexual?
Also if they were a TS they certainly wouldn’t go by a
male name such as James.
Alicia
James, they couldn’t have used that excuse. If you were transgendered, you would not have ordered a female lab coat with your male name on it. Would make it hard to pass 
I think you both get the picture.
They were so wrong, and would not own up.
If my wording genuinely offended you, I apologize, but it was said for effect.
Hi James:
I don’t think there are too many transwomen
who would care to be called a tranny.
I’m just trying to help you and others who
might not realize it to undestand
that many of us find it offensive
and demeaning.
I know you meant no offense though since I know you
treat trans clients all the time, and besides that
I’ve been exposed to your humor enough.
It’s a lot less controversial than someone saying:
“lipstick on a pig”
Hi there,
Everyone has done a great job of explaining where these marks come from, but there are a few factors during the treatment that could make a difference. Sometimes the current will travel faster due to conditions of the skin and perhaps the current needs to be adjusted. Is you skin healthier (more hydration especially) or greasier (an oily skin type will commonly react this way).
Interesting. I make sure to drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water per day. I also have normal to oily skin. I definitely have an oily T zone.
Vickie, Shaving can result in those little whiteheads. I don’t know what causes them to happen…a little nick of the skin on a hair that’s growing 45 degrees (or less) out of the skin, maybe? I also don’t know why they sometimes occur with electrolysis…my guess would be several things. Too much current on moist skin; skin wasn’t clean enough; introduction of bacteria immediately after treatment - there could be other reasons.
Regarding: Prestige Electrolysis and Texas Electrolysis - I have had excellent experiences with both. Most (but not all) of my Texas purchases have been at conventions, but I order from Prestige almost monthly, and my one return was no problem - it was taken care of immediately.
I have had a few minor problems with Prestige at the beginning of the 21st century, but it’s been smooth sailing since then. I just received supplies from Prestige today and everything was in order and wrapped so very carefully. In fact, employee Sue, called me to check on something I ordered that didn’t jive with my last order just to make sure she got things right. I think their customer service has improved greatly since my first encounter with them years ago when I was sent a sterizer without a gasket, the wrong probes and a bent laminated hair poster. They are doing great today and they now carry Thayers Witch Hazel in lavender, peach, lemon, medicated and rose!!! That get’s my thumbs up 
Dee
Although it is controversial to some, the 64 ounce figure is actually a MINIMUM. Asians drink 2 and 3 gallons of water a day without problem. A person should attempt to get an amount of water that is equal to the number of pounds in ounces to have good hydration. (a 128 pound person would drink 128 ounces of water before the day was over, or 8 ounces per hour. That would equal a gallon by day’s end. Put in this framework, one can easily see why a 250 pound person would be drinking about 2 gallons a day.) Of course, in order to do this, one must also make sure that the water is of good quality, ideally free from impurities like chlorine and fluoride (which compromise the immune system) and the electrolytes are balanced with proper injestion of fruits and vegetables, and a proper amount of salt.
I put my clients on a hydration scale in early appointments, and I find that most of them score an average of 40 out of a possible 70 when we start. Later after nagging from me, and an extra painful treatment when they score 32 out of 70, they get on the program and score in the 50’s and 60’s and all is well. We can even turn the power down on the machine, as their internal hydration is so much better that we can get more treatment from lower inputs.
James, speaking of hydration meters, how accurate is the skin moisture test built into some of the Apilus machines (the SM-500 specifically)? It gives me a fairly consistent reading (“moist”, almost all of the way to the right) each time I use it, and it with bars doesn’t seem to matter which area on the body I use it on. I am sure there are times I am more hydrated than others when I use it.
In my years of working, I have had only two people who were so dehydrated that the electrolysis machine said send them home.
On the other hand, my trusty hydration scale tells the difference between, “You can work on them, but the settings will be higher than they could be otherwise” and “WOW, such moist skin! We can use the lowest possible setting and still get great epilations”
Does that answer your question?
James, it does, thanks. I kind of suspected that was the case.
Speaking of the tests, is the self diagnosis program very exact? I mean I have a needleholder I tested that passes but I am beginning to wonder if I am getting the full amount of energy out that I set the machine to. The sensation is the same at a given setting, but the performance at removing hair seems to be decreasing. I suspected there is something wrong with the wire (frayed or splitting) inside the rubber jacket and resistance has been increased. Can the machine say, ok, the operator set the dc to 0.90mA and I am getting 0.90mA back, or can it just say whether or not current is returning and completing a simple circuit?
The best case situation is with you holding the inactive pole with a sponge soaked in salty water, or an electrode gel (like an EKG gel) applied to the contact.
The wires can, and do fray, and break and that causes the power to be unreliable. A new set of cords may be in order.
The Apilus machines and the Silhouet Tone VMC do have some power correction built in, but they don’t overcome broken contact cords.