James mentioned keeping the area clean and dry after electroysis for 24-72 hrs. Does that mean you have to go 3 days with out any make up (specifically concealer or foundation if there are scabs or redness that I would want to conceal)?
No. It would be good to leave this stuff off your face for 24-48 hours, but if you must use it, buy medicated makeup or brand new makeup. Wash your hands well for 15-20 seconds with actual bubbley soap if you use your hands to apply or get a clean sponge each time you apply the makeup. Make sure you are applying the makeup to a clean face.
Have a discussion with yhour electrologist if you get scabbing that is bigger than a pencil tip. Do good aftercare, too.
the area i had electrolysis done on went white straight after the treatment - it is still white now - thats what i meant by hypopigmentation
most of mu upper lip is dark but there are areas where it looks like my normal skin colour - this maybe because there is no hair there - i know it sounds silly but i dont know what else to think
Your posts are confusing. We were talking about dark areas and now you say the electrolysis caused white spots. Okay. Then I would advise you to not have anymore treatments with this practitioner if she is causing HYPO pigmentation. I would also call her and describe your skin condition and have her take a look at what she did to you.
Post-inflammatory hypopigmentation is caused by damaging the melanocytes (cells that make color) from injury to the epidermis (skin). The melanocytes stop making pigment for weeks to months. It’s very uncommon. Your electrolysis treatment may have been too excessive. Hypopigmentation usually corrects itself within a few weeks to a few months.
As for hyperpigmentation, it is a given that dark skin marks and pigments more readily. Intensity has to be lowered and work needs to be scattered. The chin is more vulnerable than other areas to HYPERpigmentation. No matter what precautions the electrologist takes, some people will hyperpig, but it all fades after electrolysis treatments are over.
So, now you are back to square one. Your choice is IPL or finding a skilled electrologist with quality tools to take you where you desire to go. I’m sorry that your electrologist can’t give an effective treatment without causing hypopigmentation. Please share your healing outcome with her. It may help her to learn not to do this again on someone else.
What is medicated make up? Do you mean buy new make-up EVERY time you need it within 2 days of treatment or just right before you start electrolysis? Apply to a clean face without moisterizer or even aloe or tea tree oil?
You can google ‘medicated makeup’ yourself and read about it. Noxema, Liquimat, Carolina make medicated makeup. All I am trying to point out is, you must apply makeup that is clean and you must apply it with clean hands and sponges. If you contaminate a new bottle then don’t use it. If you care for a new bottle of makeup so that dirty hands or sponges do not introduce bacteria, then it should be okay for 60-90 days.
The less put on your face after electrolysis the better. I am a proponet of witch hazel during the day and tea tree oil at bedtime for three days. Some people do well with a simple cleansing with a mild soap. Clean and dry is the rule. That’s simple enough, don’t you think?
Avoiding makeup for 24-48 hours is the best way to go. Many of my clients look as though nothing happened within hours, so they don’t need makeup. Maybe that will be the case for you.
Could you have possibly had too much sun exposure after your treatment? If your skin is sunburned soon after electrolysis, the treated follicles can become hypopigmented. A tanning too soon after electrolysis can cause hyperpigmentation.
Alli, just make sure to be careful and clean when using makeup and keep the makeup clean. I use some concealer the day after treatment and even a few hour after the treatment with no problems. Your skin will also get used to it after a few treatments. After a couple, I never have any reaction at all anymore. One of the best things you can do is buy some witch hazel at the drugstore and apply that twice a day to the area for a few days after the treatment.