Electrolysis offers permanent hair removal compared to temporary solutions such as shaving, tweezing and waxing. Electrolysis involves having an electrologist insert a thin wire into each hair follicle before sending an electric current through it – effectively damaging its growth center and leaving no trace.
Electrolysis treatments often result in redness, swelling, small blisters and scabs forming after treatments; these side effects are completely normal but can be minimized using soothing gel.
Ingrown Hairs
If you have undergone electrolysis, chances are you’ve felt some pain during or immediately following a session. While discomfort varies depending on several factors – other people’s experiences, how sensitive your skin is and whether or not you were adequately prepared – ultimately your skin will adjust and you won’t even notice the slight discomfort from each hair removal session anymore.
Some patients can experience serious scabbing after receiving an electrolysis treatment, an unwanted side effect which may arise from over treating one area or using settings that are too strong for their skin type. It’s vital that patients use only reliable electrologists who possess up-to-date training so as to avoid permanent damage to the body from electrolysis treatments.
Ingrown hairs are another potential issue, caused by weak or curled strands that don’t push through the skin easily. Though difficult to get rid of, ingrowns should be treated carefully – regularly washing the area and using tea tree oil or oatmeal-based lotions may help.
While ingrown hairs may be an irritation for those with long locks, they can also appear after electrolysis scars have formed on your skin. While this can be frustrating, the issue can be addressed using gentle exfoliation techniques or applying an antibiotic ointment like Melfil Calm Balm in order to keep the area moist.
Ingrown hairs may be an indicator of an infection, so it’s crucial to treat any suspected infections as soon as they surface with antibiotics. Furthermore, it is best to refrain from trying to remove ingrown hairs yourself as this could further harm the follicle and result in further ingrowns.
Pitting is a rare side effect of electrolysis that may appear for some patients after treatment, occurring when dead space left by hair follicles is filled with scar tissue (wounded collagen), leaving skin looking pitted immediately following electrolysis treatment. Over time this will diminish as wound collagen matures and matures into smooth skin.
Inflammation
Electrolysis is an efficient and safe method for permanently eliminating unwanted hair from the face or body. Electrolysis works by breaking down growth cells within hair follicles to stop them producing new hair growth; however, treatment may lead to temporary side effects, including redness, swelling, scabs and bumps around treated areas; however, these reactions should subside by following your electrolysis technician’s aftercare advice.
After an electrolysis treatment, inflammation can be an expected and necessary part of the healing process. It results from needle penetration into skin layers, but using a soothing cream containing hydrocortisone may reduce it further. For optimal results it should be applied post treatment as well as between treatments to the area affected.
Electrolysis treatments often cause pinpoint scabs to form at the opening of treated follicles, acting as an invisible protection for their healing process. If this is happening to you it’s important not to pick at these scabs as picking could lead to infection; in most cases the scab should fall off by itself within several days without leaving any visible marks behind; otherwise consult a healthcare provider about purchasing triple antibiotic ointment for added assurance.
Pitting-Pitting of the skin may occur after electrolysis in some people and is caused by dead skin cells closing with scar tissue (wounded collagen), leaving gaps open for dead cells to fill with scar tissue (wound collagen). Over time this condition will improve, taking anywhere between six months to one year for all wound collagen to transform into smooth tissue.
After receiving electrolysis treatments, it is advisable to stay out of direct sunlight in order to prevent hyperpigmentation of your skin, since electrolysis treatments tend to make skin very delicate and vulnerable. Exercising may also increase sweat production which could allow bacteria into open follicles and lead to infections or minor breakouts.
Damaged Follicles
Electrolysis differs from shaving, waxing and depilatories in that it penetrates deeper to permanently disable hair follicles at their source, taking longer but ultimately providing much longer term hair removal solutions than any other option. Electrolysis was developed over a century ago and is FDA-approved as one approach to permanent hair removal.
Electrolysis scars may not be as prevalent as its more familiar side effects – ingrown hairs, scabbing, or welts – but they do occur. Scarring may be caused by poor quality electrodes; thermolysis, galvanic or blend electrolysis; client skin sensitivity issues or incorrect application techniques and aftercare practices. For best results follow your provider’s recommendations regarding application and aftercare to avoid scarring from electrolysis treatments.
If you notice scarring on your skin, consulting an electrologist familiar with its treatment would be prudent. They could suggest an alternate method or setting at lower voltage and help prevent further scarring by changing frequency, duration and activities such as sunlight exposure and using abrasive scrubs on the area between sessions.
Electrolysis often leaves its mark by pitting some areas of skin, as dead spaces left from hair follicle destruction are filled with wound collagen which tends to contract, pulling downward on it and making it look lumpy and bumpy. While it can take up to one year for this tissue to “mature”, your complexion should continue improving gradually over time if left alone without disturbing it.
Important to keep in mind when considering electrolysis treatments is that any reactions experienced may only be temporary and not indicative of its success. Long term results should become visible if an experienced electrologist is chosen and skin care is practiced between appointments as recommended in their aftercare protocol.
Pustules
An electrologists may create minor lesions in follicles after treating hair, which is part of the natural healing process for skin. While most lesion heal without incident, occasionally they become inflamed and may develop into scab-like structures as they heal; in such instances it’s important to notify your electrologist in order to avoid complications.
Electrolysis typically produces few side effects for those seeking permanent hair removal, although occasionally this treatment may lead to overtreatment or poor skin care before and after treatments – this includes using harsh scrubbers, not scheduling appointments with enough recovery time between sessions, or overzealous tweezing of root sheath remnants which may result in ingrown hairs.
Electrolysis often produces ingrown hairs as the primary side effect, although redness and swelling are also possible after treatment. Ingrown hairs appear when weakened hairs become trapped beneath the surface of skin; painful removal is possible; for optimal results it’s best to keep skin moisturized with an aloe vera gel that’s fragrance or menthol free after each session of electrolysis treatment.
One or two days following your session, it is not unusual for small pustules to form near the follicle openings as part of the healing process. Although this should not be cause for alarm, you should contact your electrologist if there are an unusually large number of these or they seem particularly painful. Pustules can usually be dried up using warm compresses and occasionally sparing amounts of salicylic acid can also help your skin recover faster.
Electrolysis’ only other serious side effect is post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or the loss of pigment at the site of the follicle on melanin-rich skin types, known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which typically lasts around one year after irritation from electrolysis treatments has subsided. Sun exposure, hormones and genetic predisposition all play a part in this phenomenon and a dermatologist may prescribe Alpha-Hydroxy Acids or chemical peels to minimize its appearance.
