Waxing problem-help needed please!

[airhead]

Ok had a client at beginning of march for half leg including top of backs and bikini line she has just come in to tell me her legs were a mess after l waxed them, was gutted waxed them on the fri morning with berins ease her legs were quite dry but everything seemed ok, l haven't waxed her legs before but says she has had them waxed for years.
She says by sat night/sun legs had started to come up red with spots then she went to portugal where she said she had to get creams as the spots were weeping to dry them up and has just come back and doc has put her on antibiotics.
Had a look and legs now look excessively dry and scaly she said she couldn't hardly straighten her legs as the skin was so tight everyplace we waxed was affected. She said she thought she should tell me and that it ruined her holiday, l felt awful this has never happened to me in 16 years of waxing have offered for her to come in for a pamper when her skin is ok as a goodwill gesture anyone know what this could have been? could it be a reaction to the wax or somehing she has done at home, she said she just did what she always does after waxing and that she isn't an allergic person?????

 

[gillian w]

I would do a patch test on her with the wax and see what happens at least you will then know if it is the wax if her skin reacts to the test.If not then obviously you are looking for another reason.

 

[tog]

Check to see if she was taking any medication, also see if she has ever had any reaction to waxing previously, even if not with you.
Was it the first time you waxed her legs or have you done it before with no problem?

I had a client who had had waxing with me for years, then last year started getting a slight reaction after each leg wax which became more and more severe each time and took longer to go away, so I stopped waxing her legs. Strangely, she is fine having underarm waxing though, so don't think it can be an allergic reaction to the wax. She wasn't on medication, I wondered if it could be her skin changing as she is going into the menopause.

I also had a client years ago who had a bad reaction which we concluded could be to do with her changing her contraceptive pill, as there seemed no other reason. I had waxed her legs with no problem a number of times prior to this.

Could it be a reaction to your afterwax lotion?
Maybe do 2 patch tests if you can - one with wax + afterwax lotion, and one with wax alone, no lotion.

It's horrible when this happens and you are an experienced waxer. . . I hope you get to the bottom of it.

I am sure she appreciates your offer of a pamper treatment anyway.

 

[airhead]

thanks for replying this was the first time l have waxed her but has been waxed for years with no reaction she said, l recently changed to berins wax as l found it was much kinder on the skin with my clients just my luck that this has happened

 

[weezie]

Possibly also she may have exposed her legs to the sun/sunbed straight after? If the reaction did not happen on the bikini as well then it is highly unlikely she is allergic.

 

[airhead]

the skin did react on bikini also am baffled...

 

[gillian w]

Did you use oil on her which you wouldn't normally before you used berins.I know both berins and perron rigot have their own oil both which are quite perfumed mineral oils.I only have the perron rigot one but have had one person have quite a pronounced reaction to it.

 

[wowbb]

If the client has got dry skin I would have recommmended to defenetely use a Jasmine Oil before applying the wax at it helps to prepare the skin and create a protective barrier between the skin and the wax and also aids the easy release of the hair which will make it a lot more comfortable for the client. If the skin looks red-ish or you can feel that it is getting hot after the treatment I would recommend putting a bit of Platinum soothing mask on as this draws the redness away and calms and soothes the skin.

Has she maybe used fragranced body lotion or creme which could cause a reaction on the waxed skin?

I agree with the others though that it is strange that she seems to have broken out if that has never happened to her before. Depending on when she went in the sun it could have to do with that, as its best avoiding heat/sun etc for 48 hours but it might just be something totally different - maybe she has developped a sun allergy and it was been worsened by the wax treatment before her holidays? I know this sounds strange and out of the blue but those allergies come sudden and you get little spots that break open so it could just be a combination of different things - medication, dry skin, sun?


I have not heard of anyone reacting to the Ease as it is so gentle but there is always the chance of someone being allergic to any of the ingredients so its defenetely worth doing a little patch test to find out whether it was the wax or any of the other influences?

 

[airhead]

thanks for the reply, the skin looked fine after we had waxed no obvious reaction, which is why l changed to the berins ease as found people who normally react don't. Personally l think it may have been something she has used without realising with the combination of the sun but will try and get her to come in for a patch test.

 

[wowbb]

Hi, Yes I would think that is the case as I have never heard of anyone reacting to the wax itself but would be very curious to hear when you have found out what she has used or what could have caused the reaction :hug:

 

[Kim Lawless]

If you've been waxing for 16yrs without this happening before, then my guess is that you are an excellent waxer, so don't take this as being your fault.

People can develop allergies for no reason at all. Although we all know that she should have followed aftercare advice about sun and pools etc, most people dont.

Sadly, clients also tell fibs, so who know if she may have put some fake tan on straight after as she was going on holiday. Reading this again, I think she went on the sunbed straight after her waxing so she'd have a tan for her holiday.

Maybe you should switch to a hypo allergenic wax for strip waxing. That's all I use.

Just one of those things so try not to worry too much. xxx

 

[Tracey Park]

Ok had a client at beginning of march for half leg including top of backs and bikini line she has just come in to tell me her legs were a mess after l waxed them, was gutted waxed them on the fri morning with berins ease her legs were quite dry but everything seemed ok, l haven't waxed her legs before but says she has had them waxed for years.
She says by sat night/sun legs had started to come up red with spots then she went to portugal where she said she had to get creams as the spots were weeping to dry them up and has just come back and doc has put her on antibiotics.
Had a look and legs now look excessively dry and scaly she said she couldn't hardly straighten her legs as the skin was so tight everyplace we waxed was affected. She said she thought she should tell me and that it ruined her holiday, l felt awful this has never happened to me in 16 years of waxing have offered for her to come in for a pamper when her skin is ok as a goodwill gesture anyone know what this could have been? could it be a reaction to the wax or somehing she has done at home, she said she just did what she always does after waxing and that she isn't an allergic person?????

In my salon I use Caron strip and hard waxes which contain Titanium Dioxide to reduce skin redness and are perfect for delicate and sensitive areas of the face and body. They are the most advances waxes on the market today and are recommended by Dermatologists. Some of the newer generation waxes available use inexpensive Chinese gum resins which create an inferior wax that can cause skin irritations.

Essential Oils are highly allergic especially Organic, They have a very little shelf life. They cannot stay in wax as once it is cooked at high temperatures as it would evaporate out, they use Chinese Gum Rosin in most of their waxes which makes it cheap & highly allergic. Pain Free Removes by the Root - well we all know that’s unfounded! hence jasmine oil would cause a reaction on someone with sensitive skin so you must patch test oil really unless you are a qualified aromatherapist and yes most people are allergic to jasmine anyway

If you had pre-cleansed the skin before waxing then you would of actually wiped the skin clean removing any lotions or crèmes on there!!!!!
It could possibly be medication or just that she has never been waxed before, its best to air on the side of caution and do a patch test and it is what most insurances companies will ask if a claim goes in.

 

[wowbb]

Isnt it a shame that we spend time and effort in the consultation explaining the why, where, when, ifs and give advice on aftercare and all the DOs and DONTs and the clients either forget or may think its not as important to follow this.... Then they come back and try to blame the result on the product and/or on you or us as therapists obviously oblivious to the problems they have caused not only for themselves but also others?
But I guess we can only do our best in trying to educate and outline as best as we can and hope they follow our recommendations......

 

[airhead]

thanks everyone for the replies hopefully her skin has recovered l have asked her to come in for a patch test

 

[huberella]

It sounds like a case of Folliculitus to me (especially if the doc presribed anti-biotics). If this is the case, you are NOT at fault. It is a fungal infection. She would have either had to have the fungus present on her skin when you waxed her, and the procedure then allows for an entry port into the skin), or she could have picked it up on the plane on her way to her holiday (airplanes are aweful for this), or from a tanning bed (before or after). I wouldn't let her get you upset.

 

[trusim]

OMG.....you poor thing, are you sure this lady isn't after a few freebies? It is amazing considering that she has been waxed for years, then bang all of a sudden this happens. And for her to say "weeping" & "anitbiotics" makes me think of Staph, and that she has had this before, and you are getting the blame.

I use Caron Brilliance, it contains "titanium dioxide", which is a very soothing wax, and reduces redness etc.

Please don't take this personally, I think she has done this before to other beauticians.......just my thoughts.

it would be interesting if you can find out what salon she has been to before...just to see.

Good luck with this lady... i think you will need it.

 

[Coco Beach]

hi, sounds to me like a reaction! wat type of wax was it ? which has become infected as shes gone away ! dont feel bad hun its not ur fault, depends wat she done wen she gone home ! x

 

[airhead]

the mad thing is she went to the girl who rented a different room to me in the salon she was asked not long after l started to leave, due to a drinking problem and the salon being filthy l have never seen a wax pot and trolley like it, so how come she has it it done in unhygenic circumstances and been fine and then l do them and they react argh..... l was using berins ease which is normally brill on the skin.

 

[Kim Lawless]

the mad thing is she went to the girl who rented a different room to me in the salon she was asked not long after l started to leave, due to a drinking problem and the salon being filthy l have never seen a wax pot and trolley like it, so how come she has it it done in unhygenic circumstances and been fine and then l do them and they react argh..... l was using berins ease which is normally brill on the skin.

Don't take it all on your shoulders. As I said above, she probably went straight onto a sunbed to get a colour before she went on holiday. xxx:hug:

 

[huberella]

It sounds like a case of Folliculitus to me (especially if the doc presribed anti-biotics). If this is the case, you are NOT at fault. It is a fungal infection. She would have either had to have the fungus present on her skin when you waxed her, and the procedure then allows for an entry port into the skin), or she could have picked it up on the plane on her way to her holiday (airplanes are aweful for this), or from a tanning bed (before or after). I wouldn't let her get you upset.

I need to correct myself... I did not mean to say fungal infection... Folliculitis is a Staph infection.... which was most likely already present on her skin at the time of waxing.