Waxing disaster

[Lorraine95]

Hey everyone

so I’ve had a really unexpected accident. I’ve been a therapist for 5 years and I’ve never done this on a client (thank god) and I’m really annoyed it’s happened on myself

so I’ve been waxing my chin for years myself and I did it yesterday and it was a little bit more stingy than normal - my wax pot is set to the same temp all the time so I know the wax won’t be too hot and I check it just in case. It was red for quite a while afterward and this morning I’ve woken up with this.... help me pls

 

[RosieR]

Ouch that looks really sore! I am glad it was on yourself rather than on a client, but i am sorry you are suffering.

Did you have to go over the area more than you would normally ?

If you normally perform the treatment on yourself without any problems and all the variables like wax temperature and consistency are the same then the reasons could be as follows:-
Maybe your skin is more sensitive due to hormones ? Time of the month or due to other hormonal stresses.
Have you been on a recent course of antibiotics or have changed your medication ?
Have you been outside more than you would normally and made your skin photosensitive prior to the treatment ?
Were you very hot when you did the waxing ?
Did you use talc to dry the area ? Some geeks apply oil onto the skin , but I am talc trained girl.

Recovery will be quite slow but you should really pamper your skin and use calming products like sudacrem/savlon antiseptic cream to prevent infection.
Very important to wear factor 50 if you have to be outside, and with a wide brimmed hat. Also make-up could be applied - but only if you need a trip out which will camouflage the area , stipple it gently over the savlon- clean fingertips obviously.

It will go with time, but maybe consider just cutting the hairs down until the skin is fully recovered. Then patch test the day before rather than committing to do the whole area would be my advice.
RosieR

 

[Lorraine95]

Ouch that looks really sore! I am glad it was on yourself rather than on a client, but i am sorry you are suffering.

Did you have to go over the area more than you would normally ?

If you normally perform the treatment on yourself without any problems and all the variables like wax temperature and consistency are the same then the reasons could be as follows:-
Maybe your skin is more sensitive due to hormones ? Time of the month or due to other hormonal stresses.
Have you been on a recent course of antibiotics or have changed your medication ?
Have you been outside more than you would normally and made your skin photosensitive prior to the treatment ?
Were you very hot when you did the waxing ?
Did you use talc to dry the area ? Some geeks apply oil onto the skin , but I am talc trained girl.

Recovery will be quite slow but you should really pamper your skin and use calming products like sudacrem/savlon antiseptic cream to prevent infection.
Very important to wear factor 50 if you have to be outside, and with a wide brimmed hat. Also make-up could be applied - but only if you need a trip out which will camouflage the area , stipple it gently over the savlon- clean fingertips obviously.

It will go with time, but maybe consider just cutting the hairs down until the skin is fully recovered. Then patch test the day before rather than committing to do the whole area would be my advice.
RosieR

No I only went over the area once as I don’t really get any stubborn hairs anymore because I’ve been waxing it for so long.
And yes it is super painful and feels really tight. From what you suggested the only thing different is I have been outside a bit more than normal due to this lockdown so I’ve been in the garden nearly every day where as usually I’m inside a salon from 8.30am to sometimes 8pm.
It looks so nasty my boyfriend bless him keeps telling me it’s not that noticeable... oh the lies lol

 

[RosieR]

Hi Lorraine95,

Was it strip wax that you used I forgot to ask?
Hot wax/hard wax is a little kinder to the skin and because it shrink wraps around the hairs the skin is less affected. I keep a small hard wax pot for my mobile brow/lip waxes and maybe try that if you haven't already.

Bless him with his comments...so funny
RosieR

 

[House Beauty]

You poor thing!!

This doesn’t look like a normal reaction to me.

I am the poster girl for weird reactions though. I get severe redness for 2 days after a wax and then the next time nothing. With no change in products. So it could just be heightened hormones with the stress of the current situation causing something that would normally be mild to be worse.


If it’s painful as opposed to generic afterwax discomfort I think it could either be skin removal, allergy (they can happen anytime even when using a product ongoing, even if used before) or even as simple as having spent time in the sun or waxing too soon since last time. With facial hair that’s easy to do. A burn is unlikely but can actually happen without realising if it’s already been waxed within the last 2-3 weeks as it takes 28 days for your skin cells to get from basal to corneum so would not be ready and more likely to blister. Facial hair is so noticeable maybe you’ve done this?

If it doesn’t go away with the below advice it could well be some type of fungal infection or bacterial, not to say you have a non-hygienic practice but that you’ve unknowingly touched something somewhere along the line and it’s just ended up in this area that is more susceptible as it’s been waxed. You can get GP appointments and could even get a video appt or ask a pharmacist as go in to speak to one as a last resort but do try at home first to limit your exposure as you really don’t want to have to go into either of those places right now.

So using what you know about your body and how this feels to you try either or both of these that I have written to advise a client in an emergency.

Skin removal -
To treat: clean the affected area and apply a cold compress for 10 minutes, then dry the skin and apply a clean, fluff-free dressing to prevent infection. Remove after 3-4 days. Minor grazes can be left to air-dry after application of a cold compress, but advise the client to visit their pharmacist who will be able to recommend an appropriate product to assist the healing process. In all cases, clients should seek the advice of their doctor if the injury shows any signs of infection.

Burns and scalds -
Mild superficial scalding can be recognised by sore, reddened skin; more severe burns may also be accompanied by skin removal, swelling and blistering.

To treat mild inflammation: apply a cold compress and avoid heat, friction and UV exposure to the affected area until the redness has dissipated. **Seek medical attention if any inflammation lasts longer than 48 hours or is accompanied by severe discomfort or infection. **

For severe burns: Rinse with cold running water or apply a cold compress to the affected area for at least 10 minutes, then dry the skin and apply a clean, fluff-free dressing or clingfilm to prevent infection. Do not apply any creams or lotions, nor break any blisters that form. **Seek immediate medical attention.

I had a weird spot for weeks that just got bigger and after home care and using dettol soap I got some GP help and it turned out to be a staph infection and I am a total germaphobe so it can totally happen and that can only be cleared by antibiotics so you do need to ask for help if you can’t clear it at home. You can get infections from things as simple as eating eggs so it doesn’t mean you are dirty if it is an infection.

Let us know how it goes x

 

[Lorraine95]

You poor thing!!

This doesn’t look like a normal reaction to me.

I am the poster girl for weird reactions though. I get severe redness for 2 days after a wax and then the next time nothing. With no change in products. So it could just be heightened hormones with the stress of the current situation causing something that would normally be mild to be worse.


If it’s painful as opposed to generic afterwax discomfort I think it could either be skin removal, allergy (they can happen anytime even when using a product ongoing, even if used before) or even as simple as having spent time in the sun or waxing too soon since last time. With facial hair that’s easy to do. A burn is unlikely but can actually happen without realising if it’s already been waxed within the last 2-3 weeks as it takes 28 days for your skin cells to get from basal to corneum so would not be ready and more likely to blister. Facial hair is so noticeable maybe you’ve done this?

If it doesn’t go away with the below advice it could well be some type of fungal infection or bacterial, not to say you have a non-hygienic practice but that you’ve unknowingly touched something somewhere along the line and it’s just ended up in this area that is more susceptible as it’s been waxed. You can get GP appointments and could even get a video appt or ask a pharmacist as go in to speak to one as a last resort but do try at home first to limit your exposure as you really don’t want to have to go into either of those places right now.

So using what you know about your body and how this feels to you try either or both of these that I have written to advise a client in an emergency.

Skin removal -
To treat: clean the affected area and apply a cold compress for 10 minutes, then dry the skin and apply a clean, fluff-free dressing to prevent infection. Remove after 3-4 days. Minor grazes can be left to air-dry after application of a cold compress, but advise the client to visit their pharmacist who will be able to recommend an appropriate product to assist the healing process. In all cases, clients should seek the advice of their doctor if the injury shows any signs of infection.

Burns and scalds -
Mild superficial scalding can be recognised by sore, reddened skin; more severe burns may also be accompanied by skin removal, swelling and blistering.

To treat mild inflammation: apply a cold compress and avoid heat, friction and UV exposure to the affected area until the redness has dissipated. **Seek medical attention if any inflammation lasts longer than 48 hours or is accompanied by severe discomfort or infection. **

For severe burns: Rinse with cold running water or apply a cold compress to the affected area for at least 10 minutes, then dry the skin and apply a clean, fluff-free dressing or clingfilm to prevent infection. Do not apply any creams or lotions, nor break any blisters that form. **Seek immediate medical attention.

I had a weird spot for weeks that just got bigger and after home care and using dettol soap I got some GP help and it turned out to be a staph infection and I am a total germaphobe so it can totally happen and that can only be cleared by antibiotics so you do need to ask for help if you can’t clear it at home. You can get infections from things as simple as eating eggs so it doesn’t mean you are dirty if it is an infection.

Let us know how it goes x

Thank you for the help... I think it’s more than likely skin removal, I just can’t believe it’s happened nothing like this has ever happened to me before! how long do you think it should be before it starts to clear up? It looks so nasty

 

[Lorraine95]

Hi Lorraine95,

Was it strip wax that you used I forgot to ask?
Hot wax/hard wax is a little kinder to the skin and because it shrink wraps around the hairs the skin is less affected. I keep a small hard wax pot for my mobile brow/lip waxes and maybe try that if you haven't already.

Bless him with his comments...so funny
RosieR

Yes it was a strip wax, I’ve only ever been taught to use strip wax for the face

 

[House Beauty]

Thank you for the help... I think it’s more than likely skin removal, I just can’t believe it’s happened nothing like this has ever happened to me before! how long do you think it should be before it starts to clear up? It looks so nasty

If it is that then it could be as low as 14 but the top layer of skin has over 15 layers of its own so it could take up to 28-30 days. So if it gets worse or isn’t improving after a couple weeks do get some help.