Electrolysis Scarring
I am hesitant to write anything on electrolysis scarring because I don’t want anyone to think that electrolysis scarring is a genuine risk. My sense is that many people mistake post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation for scarring, when in fact PIH is a temporary and expected side effect of electrolysis treatment on the body (and in some cases it may occur on the face if hyperpigmentation is already present around the hair follicle).
Electrolysis Scarring Is A Very Rare Occurence
I’ll give you a few personal anecdotes to illustrate that electrolysis scarring is truly rare. Even when the skin receives a very strong electrolysis treatment it has the ability to heal completely if you are patient.
When I was a client of electrolysis I had a woman who caused what I thought was scarring above and between my eyebrows. I already has an inkling that this woman was a terrible electrologist so I was happy to have an excuse to stop seeing her. Looking back I’m really not sure what caused the marks. Perhaps it was from a bad insertion, or perhaps it was a surface burn on my skin. In any case, my skin healed completely and I don’t see any irregularity between my eyebrows now.
The image below is my big toe magnified several times.
Image of toe after electrolysis overtreatment – skin healed completely with no evidence of previous trauma to the skin.
I performed electrolysis on my own toes several years ago using my surgical microscope for magnification. The surgical microscope has a fixed working distance that made it so that I had to position myself with my foot up and my back bent over so that I could stay focussed on my toe. The position was extremely uncomfortable and I wanted to clear my big toe completely so I wouldn’t have to repeat this experience several times over. Clearing 30-40 hairs in a small area where the skin is very thin is bound to cause some irritation. My insertions weren’t perfect since the positioning was so awkward and I compensated by increasing the energy and timing to get a good release.
I overtreated my skin on purpose and I had the reaction I expected but I knew my skin would heal. I also knew I would have to return the area only once more to clear the hair that wasn’t on the surface during this treatment. My big toes both had blisters in the entire area I treated. Not only that but it was sandal season so my criss-cross sandals irritated the area while it was healing. The point I’m trying to make is that I didn’t take any special precautions with my skin (except to avoid the sun) and yet my skin still healed completely after an especially aggressive electrolysis treatment. As you can see there is no difference between the skin on my big toe and the other two toes that did not receive any electrolysis treatment.
If You’re Still Concerned About Electrolysis Scarring, There Are Some Best Practices You Can Follow
There are some best practices for both electrologists and clients to follow to ensure a minimum of skin trauma during electrolysis treatment. Clients should avoid tight fitting clothing or jewellery that can irritate the treated area. Exposing the skin to direct sunlight should also be avoided. Do not use any abrasive scrubs or exfoliating serums on your skin around your appointment dates.