1. Previous treatment. This can tell you a lot about the quality of prior electrolysis or self-administered treatments. Plucking, waxing and shaving can result in ingrown hairs, pustules and other abnormalities. It is important to record these carefully. If there is any damage, which resulted from tampering with the hairs, document it. The patient should then initial this. By doing this electrologists protect themselves by making the patient aware of pre-existing skin damage.
   
2. Skin Damage. Always record skin damage such as scars, burns, birthmarks, and pitted area. Carefully record any anomalies. Doing this saves future disputes and protects you from false malpractice claims.
   
3. Pitting from previous electrologist. Like all questions in this case history, documentation is most important. Don't assume the blame for another practitioner's poor treatment.
   
4. Hairs: Recording fine, medium, course, heavy and endocrine. Document the actual condition of the hairs to be treated. Endocrine hair problems grow in particular hair patterns and one should be most observant. This particular type hair problem is most resistant to treatment. The electrologist in charge of treatment should record every detail.
   
5. Condition of skin and areas to be treated. Overall skin condition must be recorded before treatments start. Look for scarring from acne, injuries, surgery, home electrolysis units, or other problems.
   
6. Has there been damage to the skin from other conditions?Shaving, plucking, waxing, and using depilatories over a period of time cause damage.  Always document these pre-existing facial flaws. 
   
7. Have you ever had a serious form of acne or other skin condition? Acne leaves permanent scars, from light to serious lesions. Document all skin conditions.
   
8. Moles and warts and skin tags. Suspicious moles with hair (nevus peli) have a tendency to be precancerous, especially if they have a very dark shiny blue-black appearance. Never work on a mole unless you have a note or letter from a physician indicating it is safe to do so.  A physician should only remove skin tags and warts.
   
9. Skin reaction to previous electrolysis treatment? This is important and enables the practicing electrologist to evaluation intensity, timing, and programming with computerized equipment.

Electrologist’s comments. Electrologist’s comments are an excellent way of recording a patient's overall reaction to treatments as well as documenting emotional and nervous disorders and characteristics. Electrologists that work in a cooperative endeavor can be informed about a patient's personal preferences and likes and dislikes prior to beginning treatment.

Diet and stress. Often patients do not consider diet and its relationship to a hair problem. With the exception of organic beef and poultry and some organic pork and raw animal flesh, all meats contain hormones, antibiotics, and steroids. When people who have a low tolerance for them ingest these chemicals, it may cause imbalances in their bodies, which will create noticeable deposits on the skin and hair follicles.

These hormones, steroids, antibiotics and preservatives such as red dye can cause side effects such as unwanted hair growth through the stimulation of the human endocrine system. Patients who have a borderline endocrine disorder are most prone to react adversely to these substances. Over a period of time, these chemicals accumulate in the body and can trigger hormonal imbalance and other side effects, causing unwanted hair growth, a male secondary sex characteristic of hormones and steroids.

You can see how important diet is. It is most important to realize that these chemicals can make an already diagnosed endocrine disorder much worse. If the intake of certain foods is reduced it can improve the endocrine condition. The most noticeable positive effects will be improved well-being and improved electrolysis results with the reduction of the amount of hair. The result is finer instead of coarser hair, and increased skin softness and suppleness is noticeable. Also, self-confidence is boosted, which creates an improved social life.

Weight loss and weight gain is evident in cases of hypothyroidism. Diet plays a key role in our lives. It is difficult to believe that most doctors overlook the dietary habits of their patients, and how much of a factor they can be in the patient's health care. Medications would not improve their condition, and many do not believe in a follow-up on these types of tests when the results are in the normal range.

Stress. Everyone experiences stress and is adversely impacted in different ways. High blood pressure, migraine headaches, muscle pains and spasms, ulcers, but most relevant, the obvious hair problem.  "No," the patient explains, "No one else in the family has a hair problem. Why me?" If you have done your case history correctly and questioned the patient regarding diet, endocrine, heredity, and medications, you can deduce the reasons. Look for obvious signs of stress such as impatience, nervousness, fidgeting, headaches, family and work pressures, and so on.

DISCLAIMER

The Five Star Diagnostic Case History© is not 100 percent infallible. This case history provides general guidelines for the practicing licensed and registered electrologist. All recommendations are precautionary in nature and each electrologist should tailor these recommendations to fit his or her own practice and seek legal and medical advice when in doubt. We assume no liability for errors or omissions on the part of electrologists utilizing this booklet and case history card. 

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