Immediately after treatment, Rhonda applied some aloe vera gel. In the evening, after washing my face I applied an antibiotic gel prescribed for my acne.

Thanks. Is the prescribed gel working well for you? If you want, you can use tea tree oil at night if you are prone to pustules.

You're going good. Check back!

Dee

It doesn't work at all for the acne, but it works well for the electrolysis. I probably only have enough left for a couple more treatments.

Are benzoyl peroxide or Retin-A any good for after treatment?

I don't know. Why don't you try spot dabbing some on a small area and see what happens? I'm thinking that these products are too harsh for most skin types.

Benzoyl peroxide and Reten-A are not electrolysis post treatment products, they are skin sloughing agents, and alpha hydroxy acids. That is why we suggest things like Tea Tree Oil and Aloe Vera, and even Witch Hazel, they all have sanitizing and healing properties.

I had another session yesterday. It went faster, cleared everything again, and a few other spots around my neck, in an hour and ten minutes. We remembered to check the insertion count this time- 779.

So, everything seemed to go pretty well, but today, I woke up to this:

(Click for bigger version)

What happened?

Whoa Doggy! Better ask her if you can come in and show this outcome or take the picture with you. Please, please inform her and let her comment. Use some cold aloe vera gel carefully applied, since it's around your eyes. Spot treat with a little tea tree oil at night.

It will heal, just don't get treatment until it is completely healed. I don't know if this overtreatment is caused by probe selection, shallow insertions, intensity and timing issues, but she will know since she treated you. She'll want to correct whatever she thinks got you to this outcome, so do tell her so she can change her strategy. She'll know what to do. You'll be fine.

Dee

Zhentar- how long does it take the redness on your neck to subside and not look noticable? I am doing my neck as well but most of my hairs are shallow, blonde, vellus hairs. I find the neck the most painful and sensitive area to treat. Also- what kind of antibiotic is topical gel you use that you say helps with the aftercare? Does it help the redness and/or pustules go away?

I would say that especially since this result is in the place between the eyes that it is very likely that what happened was you scratched yourself while you were sleeping due to itching in the treatment area. This is why we say, Tea Tree Oil overnight to speed healing while also protecting from bacteria, virus, fungus and so on. Aloe-Cortisone to stop itching if needed, and Aloe Vera during the day to speed healing and to have something that has no scent working for you during the day.

James- I doubt it was scratching, I've never had any itching from treatment areas.

I had another round of treatment on saturday. I made a longer appointment this time, and it was only two weeks since my last appointment, so I figured we'd have plenty of time left over to work on my chest. Nope, spent 1:45, and 1050 hairs, all on my neck and brow. After going two weeks straight without shaving, a lot hairs that had always been shaved off before they were big enough to be seen showed up, and two weeks was still long enough for some regrowth to start poking through.

I mentioned the scabbing to Rhonda, and she adjusted the settings this time. No scabbing.

I tried tea tree oil this time, and it does seem to be working a little better than the clindamycin gel.

Alli- the redness is pretty much cleared up today, two days after treatment. And I certainly find the neck to be more painful; I can barely feel it at all on my brow, but the sides of my neck and the crease between my neck and jaw are quite unpleasant. I hope next time doesn't have so many new hairs, because spending so long on sensitive neck hairs this appointment had me ready to bolt when my appointment was wrapping up.