odd waxing reaction

[stampy]

I have a client who suffers with large red spots on the skin after waxing. They can appear almost 'boil' like, quite hard, sometimes with a head. She has always suffered with ingrown hairs but lately the spots seem to be worse. They tend to be on the front of her thighs and up towards the bikini line and appear the following day after waxing.

Obviously I am keen to try and help her and am racking my brains as to whether or not I am doing anything to cause them, hopefully not!! I use Clean & Easy sensitive skin roller wax, with sterilized roller heads. The wax isn't too hot and I always check the temp.

My waxing technique has not changed (I have waxed her many times without this reaction) and I give her written aftercare advice which particularly states not to use ordinary moisturisers afterwards for 24 hours. I always leave her a sachet of afterwax gel to use. I use an aloe vera gel as an afterwax gel.

I always cleanse my hands throughly before waxing.

I also tell her to exfoliate and moisturise.

Any ideas please?! x

 

[Kim Lawless]

Maybe try not putting anything on after as people can develop allegies to anything, totally out of the blue. Another thought..........do you think that she may be getting adult acne?

 

[Gelly]

It's hard to say, as I'm sure you have probably thought of and covered most things already, but I'll try!

Are the hairs quite short / trimmed before being waxed?
Does she put on fresh clothing after her treatment?
Have you changed the type of strips you use? ie gone from muslin to paper strips?
Have you changed anything else!? Type of talc or oil, gloves, wax...?
Is it close to her menstral cycle? Some clients skin reacts differently to normal around this time.

I advise my clients to use an anticeptic cream like sudocrem or savlon on their sensitive areas after waxing... I tend to find this very effective, maybe this could help her?

Lol, I've probably not been much help.... but I've tried
Good luck - hope it gets better.

 

[gillian w]

Does she have almost an extended bikini line so the hairs on the thighs are almost pubic.Does she bleed when you wax area ?
You have to consider every aspect of what goes on her skin pre treatment,wax and after care (i would only go with honey if you think it may be an allergic reaction) Try using diluted surgical spirit for prep and wiping after (dilute with boiled cooled water).
Is she a tight jean wearer? There are quite a few things to consider.Hopefully between us we can help.

 

[Kim Lawless]

I've just double checked and I think that it may be Folliculitis. Google it and you'll see the sy,ptoms are the same.

 

[gillian w]

I've just double checked and I think that it may be Folliculitis. Google it and you'll see the sy,ptoms are the same.

Yeah looks like it but then why is she getting it.

 

[Kim Lawless]

It's a bacterial infection so she could have got it from anything........her clothes, using a towel that had been used by someone else. There's no way of knowing for sure.

 

[gillian w]

So what is probably happening is that she has an infection in the follicle it starts to heal then she is waxed again which starts it up again so maybe a period of time is needed to allow the infection to pass.Maybe its a case for the doc.

 

[stampy]

Thanks for your comment so far, some interesting thoughts I hadn't considered there.

Re adult acne, possibly although elsewhere on her body and face seems fine. Folliculitis seems more like it.

The hair is not short or trimmed. She has however been using Veet cream during the summer in desperation as I was off on maternity leave. She turned to this after experiencing a couple of 'bad' waxes with another therapist which left her legs sore. The therapist told her she'd trained in a day and it ended up taking her over two hours to do a full leg and bikini.

I wondered if she had become infected then and it had laid dormant under the skin, only to be 'brought out' by the heat of the wax?

Not sure regarding the fresh clothing but she does put her jeans back on straught afterwards and sometimes goes out. Could be that. I know from my own waxing and my legs that jeans can cause the hairs that rub to become shorter and thinking about it, with her, the spots do correspond with the areas that rub.

No other changes have been made regarding strips/gloves etc.

I could ask about the menstrual cycle, something else I hadn't really considered.

The hair although dark is medium to fine in texture. It grows very fast and she has a wax every three weeks. She never bleeds, the hair isn't that coarse. Interestingly the spots are worse on the legs than the bikini line, I'd expect to see it the other way round.

I know a couple of months ago she put a thick balm with lavender and camomile on her freshly waxed legs that evening (despite my aftercare advice). It was a natural product so she thought it was OK but it was shea butter based and very rich.

Anyway, please keep your thoughts coming, it's great to hear what you think. Am determined to crack this for her!! x

 

[Kim Lawless]

Am determined to crack this for her!! x

My gut feeling is that she could crack this for herself. I bet she puts perfumed lotions on when she gets home. xx

 

[Gelly]

Right, I think we probably have the answer here.

The hair is not short or trimmed.
Start trimming the hairs in these areas before waxing - this will limit irritation to her sensitive folliculs!

She has however been using Veet cream during the summer in desperation as I was off on maternity leave.
Veet chemically dissolves hair - she could have sensitised these delicate areas over the time your were on maternity.

I wondered if she had become infected then and it had laid dormant under the skin, only to be 'brought out' by the heat of the wax?
Possible I guess, but I don't think so.

Not sure regarding the fresh clothing but she does put her jeans back on straught afterwards and sometimes goes out. Could be that.
.........with her, the spots do correspond with the areas that rub.
Advise her to change into fresh, soft trousers - this shouldn't be a problem for her as you are mobile, so she will be at home.

I could ask about the menstrual cycle, something else I hadn't really considered.
Still worth asking

The hair although dark is medium to fine in texture. It grows very fast and she has a wax every three weeks. She never bleeds, the hair isn't that coarse.
So she probably used Veet ALOT!

Interestingly the spots are worse on the legs than the bikini line, I'd expect to see it the other way round.
This is easy to explain - and the main reason why I think this is the cause.
* We change our underwear everyday.
* People tend to try and get more than one wear out of Jeans.

Therefore, her bikini area is in contact with alot less bacteria, than the area at the top of her leg.

Next time, trim the hair shorter before waxing, get her to put on fresh clothes and use antiseptic cream on the area.... I think that will probably sort it out.

 

[stampy]

Thanks a lot for all your help folks, am going to follow your advice and will report back. x