If you have sensitive skin, you probably dread summers. Summer means beaches, music concerts and the chance to show off your beach body. But it also means the monthly agony of waxing.
It’s a while before we get to enjoy the soft, smooth post-wax skin. We’re usually dealing with the pain of having our ripped out of their follicles. Next, we’re dealing with the little pimples, whiteheads and giant red bumps that our skin sends out in protest. It’s worse if these pimples appear on the face.
Does this mean you should cut back on your waxing regime?
No, say beauty experts. If you want waxing to be painless, you should brave through your monthly sessions. But there are things you can do to deal with the post-wax acne.
So, before your next session and afterwards, follow the steps we recommend, and you should have far less breakout to deal with. But first, some tips to bear in mind.
Things to Note About Waxing with Sensitive Skin
● Red bumps: The red bumps that you get after waxing are the red pores from where the wax has plucked away hair follicles. The process of waxing leaves your sensitive skin a bit irritated, sore and inflamed. These symptoms usually fade away in about three days.
● White pimples: If you don’t follow the proper after-care post-wax, the red bumps could possibly become even more sore and irritated. Bacteria in the pore could lead to the formation of a white infected pimple. The hair follicle that is empty now has trapped bacteria inside and developed folliculitis. You can treat this with salt or aloe vera at home and the infection soon clears up.
● Itchy bumps a week later: Itchy bumps can occur even a week after waxing. There are things you can do to prevent this.
● White pimples: If you don’t follow the proper after-care post-wax, the red bumps could possibly become even more sore and irritated. Bacteria in the pore could lead to the formation of a white infected pimple. The hair follicle that is empty now has trapped bacteria inside and developed folliculitis. You can treat this with salt or aloe vera at home and the infection soon clears up.
● Itchy bumps a week later: Itchy bumps can occur even a week after waxing. There are things you can do to prevent this.
Try to keep your waxing schedule regular, once about three or four weeks. Some people will tell you not to wax about a week before your periods because you’re more sensitive during that time and the experience will be painful. But if you don’t wax regularly to avoid your monthly cycle, the pain of waxing will be a lot more.
Regular waxing and proper hygiene before and after the session will help you have a relatively breakout-free waxing.
Preparing Yourself for Waxing
- Exfoliate before you wax
It is well-known that exfoliating your skin before you wax will remove dead cells that could be blocking hair follicles. A buildup of dead skin cells can lead to ingrown hairs during waxing. Instead, exfoliate once or twice during the week before your waxing session. This will remove dead skin cells. Hair will be able to grow out of pores that were blocked. Ingrown hair removal will be easier and waxing at the end of the week will remove all of your hair cleanly.
Important: Don’t exfoliate the day you wax or the day before. Waxing is also exfoliation. Over-exfoliating can create calluses and roughness on your skin.
- Use an anti-microbial cleanser
On your waxing day, use a gentle anti-microbial cleanser before the session. If you’re getting waxed at a spa or salon, the professional should apply a cleanser before the session. If they don’t, you should find another parlor to go to.
- Run if the room is dirty
If you’re waxing at home with hair removal wax kits, you should wash your nails and hands thoroughly with soap and warm water. Use disposable gloves for a more hygienic waxing session. If you’re getting waxed at a parlor, make sure the professional wears gloves on the hand that’s in contact with your skin. If the parlor is dirty, run. If you’re getting a Brazilian wax and you’re asked to help hold the skin, ask for a pair of gloves for yourself.
Tips for Pimple-Free Waxing
- Use hard wax over soft, if you’re doing it at home
Soft wax is the kind that is stripped off with meslin paper. Hard wax or blue wax hardens after a few minutes and doesn’t need paper to remove. It is peeled off gently like rind from a fruit. Hard wax, unlike soft wax, does a clean job without hair breakage and ingrown hairs. You get the best, even and pimple-free results with strip free wax hair removal.
- Use herbal rather than chemical wax
Waxes with chemicals in them can affect your skin adversely. Make sure to use herbal wax with natural ingredients. Tea tree oil-based wax is great because of its antiseptic properties. If you’re acne-prone, you’ll find the wax soothing for your skin.
- Don’t double dip
Don’t dip the applicator more than once even in your own wax pot. Always use a fresh stick every time you dip into the pot. Otherwise, you could end up introducing bacteria into the wax. Make sure your regular salon does the same, or it’s time for you to go somewhere else.
What to do Afterwards
- Wash with water
After a wax, your skin is more vulnerable and needs time and care to recover. The first thing you should do after the session is wash the waxed area with lukewarm water. Then wash with cold water.
- Rub ice cubes
Since your skin is still sensitive, wrap the ice cubes in a wash cloth and gently soothe the area and inflamed skin.
- Use an antiseptic and post-wax lotion
You can use an antiseptic like witch hazel to prevent bacteria as well. You can buy a post wax lotion to soothe your skin as well. Some creams will speed up the recovery of your skin’s pH balance after waxing, which will soothe irritation and restore skin moisture.
- Don’t touch
You may be tempted to touch the area and feel your new baby smooth skin. But refrain from the desire to do so. The rest of the day and the next, if you can, wear loose clothes to give your skin a chance to breathe. Tight clothes can also lead to accumulated sweat and bacteria in the pores, which will cause acne.
- Gently exfoliate
If you’re not red and sore the next day, use a gentle exfoliator to keep skin free of ingrown hair and pimples.
- Avoid sweating a lot
For a day or two after waxing, you may want to avoid intense exercises that make you sweat a lot. If you must, always wash carefully afterwards and apply antiseptic witch hazel or other home remedies.
- Never pop a pimple
If you do get a few pimples here and there, never pop them. Popping will only spread the bacteria and lead to more pimples nearby. Apply a little spot of tea tree oil or other pimple cream to the breakout spot.
Despite all these precautions, some people may continue to break out. If you’re one of those people, you may want to consider threading as an alternative for your face, and sugaring for the rest of your body.
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