When NOT to Wax
Posted on March 22, 2022
At Bee Waxed Cosmetics, waxing is our forte. In order to wax properly without harming the skin, we have to know a thing or two about what we can and can’t do when it comes to hair removal methods. Unfortunately, waxing cannot be performed on every individual all of the time…but why? It all has to do with what’s going on both inside and outside of your body.
When NOT to wax?
Sunburns
We have to look at the overall health of the skin. If somebody is healing a major sunburn, waxing is a NO GO. The skin is already in a vulnerable state, and by putting HOT wax on an already hot-to-the-touch burn, you’re going to end up looking worse than when we started!When the skin is trying to heal itself, whether it’s from an environmental factor or a healing wound, waxing can be extremely counterproductive. While of course, we love the outcome of freshly waxed skin, we don’t want to traumatize the skin further.
Medication
Another thing that can create a less than ideal situation post-wax is the medication being ingested or applied topically. For example, acne medication in any form does not mix well with the waxing process. Why is this? Science time! To rid your skin of the acne bacteria, this pimple helper thins the skin so that the infected layers are shed quicker. When your skin is consistently in a process of exfoliation, ripping wax off that already thinned skin exacerbates the exfoliation process even further. This results in the dead layer being removed before the skin underneath is ready to come forward. A similar outcome can happen when people are applying topical retinoids and exfoliating acids such as lactic acid or glycolic acid.
Does this apply to all waxing areas?
The short answer is, yes. We often get the question: “I don’t put any topicals around my eyebrow area though, why can’t we wax them?” Your skin is the largest organ in the human body. While you might not be applying the topical in the area of wax application, the medication sinks into your skin and distributes it to the whole organ. This means that even though you are taking an antibiotic for acne on your face, it is still very risky to wax the bikini line because that medication is being sent to all areas of your skin.
Long story short, waxing is a form of physical exfoliation (or getting rid of excess dead skin cell buildup). When your skin is currently undergoing the exfoliation process—whether or not that is physical OR chemical—waxing is a no-go.
We want you to leave our store happy and confident with your hair removal. Luckily, we can still achieve that cleaned-up snatched look with a pair of tweezers and good-ole elbow grease without putting your skin at risk. If waxing is the ONLY solution for you, please refrain from using any topical exfoliating products for a week or so, and internal exfoliating medications for a couple of months. Together, with an open line of communication, we can get you the best look possible without having any downtime or annoying scabs.