*Care Instructions*
Preparing for your appointment
Make sure the hair is long enough - for most people this is 3-4 days of hair growth.
Remove any makeup on areas to be treated.
Avoid stimulants like caffeine, chocolate or sugar on the day of your appointment.
Avoid sun exposure 48 hours before your treatment to avoid dilation of the blood vessels.
Do not use Retin-A, Tazorac, or any prescription retinoid for at least 1 week before your electrolysis treatment. Discontinue Accutane for at least 6 months before electrolysis.
Some clients may find that they are more sensitive during or right before their menstrual cycle and may want to avoid treatment during that time.
Many topical numbing creams are available either with or without a prescription. EMLA (by prescription and Greencaine (non-prescription) are commonly used.
Some find eating a meal before treatment helps reduce discomfort.
Drink plenty of water in the days leading up to your appointment and after treatment. Dehydrated follicles are more difficult to treat. Hydration will also help your skin heal more quickly. Keep in mind, that drinking alcohol the night before an appointment can dehydrate you.
Post-Care Instructions
Following your treatment, do not touch or scratch the area treated. This can cause bacteria to transfer to the treated area, possibly causing a breakout (whiteheads).
Moisturize the treatment area daily between sessions.
Do not wear makeup over the treated area for at least 24 hours.
Avoid perfume or alcohol-based products. Doing so will dry out your skin. You can wipe the area with witch hazel if needed.
You can apply aloe vera or Vaseline to the treated area the night after your treatment. This will help your skin heal even faster, especially facial areas. Apply with Q-Tips or clean hands. If your skin is irritated on the second day, apply an anti-inflammatory such as 1% hydrocortisone cream or hydrocortisone acetate to reduce redness and swelling.
Avoid sun exposure for 72 hours to avoid the formation of brown pigment spots. Your skin defends against UV rays by producing pigment, which deflects some of the harmful rays. If your skin is injured or traumatized, it can overproduce pigment in those areas. This can result in hyperpigmentation.
Do not swim in a chlorinated pool for the first 48 hours following treatment.
If small scabs appear, do not scratch them off. This can cause scarring. Allow them to fall off naturally. This is nature’s way of healing the follicle that we have treated. Keeping the area moisturized will often curtail the formation of scabs.
Do not tweeze or wax in between appointments. You can shave or trim, but DO NOT TWEEZE.
Remember, some re-growth is expected. If you reschedule when the re-growth occurs, the roots are shorter and weaker and therefore can be treated more effectively.
