In case of sensitive skin, formation of red bumps after waxing may occur that might last for as long as 3-5 days. During this period, the skin bearing red bumps are quite prone to infection. The occurrence of bacterial or fungal infection can make the skin condition even worse.
Waxing can surely produce many adverse effects but the percentage of such sufferers is quite low. Not many women have to bear the aforementioned negative effects of waxing. Usually, all such ill-effects get resolved on their own within a couple of days without heading towards further worsening of the skin condition. Also, waxing is painful but the pain is surely within the limits of tolerance. However, if you have a sensitive skin and you fear that you may develop bumps on skin after waxing, you can try some preventive and treatment measures for it.
How to Prevent Bumps After Waxing?
- Around 1-2 days before and during menstruation and during pregnancy, your skin becomes more sensitive, and thus is quite susceptible to cuts and bruises. Thus, it is better to avoid waxing under such conditions.
- In case, you are on medicines such as accutane and Retin A, you should avoid waxing your skin. This is because these drugs tend to increase the risk of lifting-off of the skin. You need to be stop taking accutane and Retin A for at least 6 and 2 months respectively to wax your skin safely.
- Skin exfoliation also tends to increase the risk of lift-off of the skin. Therefore, you should avoid waxing on the day you have exfoliated the upper layers of your skin.
- Take a non-prescription pain killer and antihistamine a half hour prior to waxing. This will lessen the chances of pain and swelling.
- When you panic, your hair follicles contract. Shrunk or contracted hair follicles are more susceptible to damage by waxing. Therefore, try to keep yourself calm and relaxed. This will help you in preventing yourself from negative after effects such as bumps after waxing.
- Removal of coarse hair from their follicles often result in bleeding. It is quite normal, so don't worry. You may try rubbing ice cubes to get some comfort.
- Many beauty salons apply an after wax lotion to reduce the discomfort and pain. Make sure that the lotion does not contain mineral oils as they clog skin pores, which in turn results in acne breakouts. If possible, take a grapeseed oil to apply on the skin after waxing to provide comfort to yourself.
- Wash the waxed skin gently and softly. Do not use abrasive body scrubs and chemical-based body soaps as they may irritate the affected skin even more.
- Keep the affected body part always covered with cotton clothes to minimize the chances of it getting dirty and dusty. This will reduce the need to wash your skin frequently.
- Stay in a cool place to avoid sweating which can make the matter even worse.
- Take non-prescription medicines that are painkillers, non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory to reduce pain, redness and swelling from the waxed body part. Some examples of such medicines are Ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin or naproxen. Follow the usage directions given on their packs.
- Immediately after getting your skin waxed, dip a cotton ball in witch hazel and rub it on. It is a topical liquid that produces a soothing effect and reduces irritation and inflammation on the skin. For better results, apply aloe vera gel on the waxed skin after rinsing off witch hazel.
- Use a quality moisturizing lotion for sensitive skin to keep the waxed skin hydrated. This will speed up the natural process of healing of reddened and swollen skin.
- You may use a cold compress to get some relief from pain, skin irritation and inflammation.
- Take a warm shower fro the next 3-4 days. This will produce a soothing and comforting effect on the waxed skin. Make sure that the water is warm and not hot or you will end up with other skin complications like burns.
- Always wear a sunscreen lotion before going out. This is necessary to protect the waxed skin as its sensitivity to sun light has been increased to some extent by exfoliation.
In spite of all these side effects of waxing, majority of women who go for hair removal from different parts of body, consider waxing as the best bet. This is because, it enables you to enjoy smoothness, softness and freshness along with a hair-free skin for a time period longer than other methods of hair removal like shaving and depilatory creams. In addition to this, waxing produces longer lasting effects, i.e., waxing the skin on a regular basis tends to retard the rate of hair growth over a period of time. It means that waxing gradually works to impart you a skin that is naturally free from hair or has less hair. Thus, you see that the benefits of body hair removal by waxing are amazing, and you should consider opting for it to get rid of unwanted hair. Hope, the present article on 'bumps after waxing' comes to your help in keeping your skin free from hair as well as discomfort.