If you’ve ever suffered from red and irritated skin after waxing the bikini area, you know how uncomfortable it can be. Especially if you have sensitive skin!
Understanding why it happens and how to manage it can make the post-waxing experience more comfortable.
Red and Irritated Skin After Waxing the Bikini Area: Why Does It Happen?
Those unsightly and uncomfortable red spots show up because of the following factors.
Hair Removal
Waxing involves removing hair from the root. Though it’s a common experience for us, it’s a traumatic experience for the skin, especially in sensitive areas like the bikini line. Pulling the hair out temporarily damages the hair follicles surrounding the skin, which can trigger a cascade of inflammatory responses. This leads to redness, bumps, and sometimes, rashes.
Improper Technique
How the waxing is performed can also make a difference in how your skin responds. If it’s not done correctly, it can lead to skin damage and subsequent redness, burns, infection, pigment changes, and even scarring.
If you or the esthetician pulls the strip too forcefully, for instance, or in the wrong direction, that can cause more damage than is necessary.
Type of Wax Used
Regardless of which wax you use, if you have reactive or allergic skin, make sure that the wax doesn’t contain any allergenic ingredients. Chemicals in the solution could contribute to contact dermatitis. This is why it’s wise to always do a patch test first.
There are various types of wax available for hair removal. Choosing the right kind for a bikini wax can mean the difference between a comfortable and irritating post-waxing period. Traditional waxing methods, such as strip waxing, involve applying a thin layer of wax and then removing it with a strip. This can be too harsh for delicate and sensitive skin.
It might be better to use hard wax or stripless varieties, as they adhere more to the hair than the skin. Using them can result in less trauma to the hair follicle, and thus, less redness and inflammation afterward.
Red and Irritated Skin After Waxing the Bikini Area: How to Prevent It
You may not be able to completely avoid irritation, but you can help reduce the negative effects and promote a faster recovery with the following steps.
Choose the Right Product (wax)
The wrong type of wax can make it more likely that you’ll suffer from irritation, especially if you have sensitive skin. Choose a product that is made for sensitive skin—cream-based formulas work well—or talk to your esthetician about your concerns before the appointment. Tell the technician anything you are allergic to.
If you’re waxing at home, avoid formulas that contain artificial colors, fragrances, and harsh chemical ingredients. Be sure your skin is clean and dry before you start. Then apply the wax in the direction of the hair growth, and remove it in one swift motion in the opposite direction. If the wax requires heating, be sure it is not too hot to avoid a burn.
Take Care of Sensitive Skin
If you have eczema, psoriasis, or other skin conditions, you’ll want to take extra precautions. Having sensitive or eczema-prone skin can make you more susceptible to irritation after waxing. If you’re getting the waxing professionally done, ask about the products used, and make sure you feel comfortable with the esthetician’s knowledge before proceeding.
Preparation (Exfoliation and Cleansing)
Regular exfoliation a few days before waxing can help remove dead skin cells and reduce the likelihood of ingrown hairs after waxing. Do use gentle products, however. Avoid exfoliating immediately before waxing—and never right after waxing—as either can make your skin feel more sensitive, weaken the skin barrier, and cause potential problems.
Prior to waxing, cleanse the skin with a gentle cleanser to remove any dirt, oil or bacteria. Do not apply any lotion before waxing.
If your hair is long, trim it to about a quarter of an inch before waxing. This ensures better adhesion of the wax and reduces discomfort during the process.
Red and Irritated Skin After Waxing the Bikini Area: How to Treat It
Freshly waxed skin is super-sensitive. It’s essential to treat your skin gently. Make sure you use soothing ingredients to calm, soothe, and help heal skin. Post waxing on delicate skin makes it prone to redness, irritation, bumps, and pigmentation, so it’s important to care for skin carefully.
If you end up with red spots, redness, irritation, or a rash after a wax, take these steps to soothe it.
Cool It Down
If your skin is red, hot, stinging, and inflamed, the first step is to cool it down. You can apply a cold compress if you have time. If not, spray on some of our Rescue + Relief Spray, then reapply as needed. This is a soothing, heat-removing, redness-reducing spray that will also soften skin.
Apply Aloe Vera
Did you know our Rescue & Relief Spray ingredients are blended in an Aloe emulsion? Aloe is well-known for its soothing properties, and can provide relief from redness and irritation while giving the moisturization skin needs.
Freshly waxed skin can feel raw and tender. Mist the affected area with this no-touch spray. It’s perfect for instant relief of any burning, redness, irritation, itching, or stinging. It’s non-comedogenic and has natural anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, which means it won’t contribute to bumps or breakouts. We are proud to say that this Rescue + Relief Spray is often recommended by dermatologists and won several awards for best after-skin soother!
Avoid Irritants
While your skin is recovering, avoid using products that contain harsh chemicals or fragrances. These can further irritate your skin. Stick to gentle, fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, and hypoallergenic products to promote healing.
Gently cleanse the waxed area with mild, non-irritating cleanser to keep it clean and free from bacteria. Avoid using harsh soaps or scrubs that can further irritate the sensitive skin.
It’s essential to have proper post-waxing care for the smoothest problem-free results. Redness and irritation are normal, but sensitive skin can be extra vulnerable to irritation, bumps, breakouts and flare ups. It’s important to use soothing ingredients to calm skin and help maintain and condition skin as it recovers.
Moisturize
A clean hypo-allergenic moisturizer like our Body Repair Lotion can help shore up the outer layer of skin, promote faster healing, and keep skin supple. It’s specifically designed to soothe, fortify and moisturize skin, and will help prevent dryness and flakiness.
It also contains aloe, glycerin, beta-glucan/oats (gluten-free), St. John’s Wort, and other natural skin-soothing and anti-inflammatory ingredients that can help tame redness and keep skin healthy and radiant all summer long.
If the skin becomes cracked and chapped, dermatologists recommend our Restorative Skin Balm: a staple at spas and waxing centers for post waxing! It’s a petrolatum-free, breathable, healing ointment that will help the skin heal quickly, reduce inflammation, and protect from further irritation. Apply after misting with Rescue & Relief Spray.
Avoid Tight Clothing , Sun, Exercise
After waxing, tight clothing, friction, or heat from activities like exercise can exacerbate skin irritation and lead to a red, burning rash, or breakouts and ingrown hairs. Rubbing, scratching, or sweating in the area can further irritate the skin and make skin more prone to invasion by bacteria or pimply bumps. Wearing loose-fitting clothing until the skin heals is the best approach.
Skin is especially vulnerable to ultraviolet rays from sun after waxing. Try and avoid sun but if you must, it’s crucial to apply sunscreen on the area to avoid more irritation and hyperpigmentation.
Have you struggled with post-wax irritation and redness?
Featured image by Armin Rimoldi via Pexels.