If you are tired of shaving your underarm hair every other day, waxing can be a good alternative for you. Unfortunately, hairlessness for a longer duration is not the only thing it promises, there are also many side effects of waxing underarms.
But you could not avoid the benefits of waxing because of its side effects. The best part is that all the side effects of waxing underarms can be prevented by following a few preventive measures. If you don’t know much about its side effects, here are all the details you need.
Table of Content
Side Effects Of Waxing Underarms
The main side effects of waxing underarms are:
1. Painful Process
The significant side effect of waxing is that it is a painful process. Many people avoid waxing mainly because they think they cannot endure the pain. Although the pain is present only when removing hair, it is still difficult to deal with, specifically in sensitive areas.
Pain occurs due to damage to the muscle. In most cases, the person keeps the muscle tight and pulls the wax strips in fast motion, which causes damage to the muscle and hence the pain.
Tips:
You can control the pain level by taking a painkiller one hour before the waxing. It will reduce inflammation and pain during the process and even after. But it is not well recommended; you can endure pain by preparing yourself mentally. You can also use a water-based moisturizer which softens the underarm skin and eases the pain from waxing to some extent.
2. Redness and Irritation
Redness is also one of the common side effects of waxing underarms. The skin becomes red after waxing; the severity depends upon the person and the area being waxed. It is more severe in people with sensitive skin. And it will also be severe in a person with more thick underarm hair. Redness occurs because of the heat that arises from wax. The heat causes the dilation of blood vessels and more blood flow in the affected area, resulting in redness.
In addition to redness, irritation is also caused by waxing in the affected area. It may be because the wax applied is hot while the strip used to pull is cold. But you should not be worry; both the effects are temporary. It will be automatically gone within a day. It may last for more days in people with super sensitive skin.
Tips
You can use a soothing lotion and ice on your underarms which helps you get rid of redness and irritation of the skin. Aloe vera gel is also a good option as it has an anti-inflammatory property and provides a cooling sensation to the affected area.
Learn to reduce redness through rose water.
3. Ingrown Hair
Ingrown hairs are the one that grows inward within the skin rather than growing up from it. In waxing, hairs are removed in the opposite direction of their growth, so there are chances of acquiring ingrown hair. Such ingrown hair can pop up from any process of removing hair.
Although shaving is the primary cause of ingrown hair, it can also result from waxing. It is more prominent in the area with ticker hair or in people with curly hair.
Tips
You can avoid this problem by preparing the skin correctly and taking care of your skin after getting rid of your hair. Exfoliation is a good solution. Exfoliate1 to 2 days before and after the Waxing and repeat it three times per week. Use a post-care serum.
4. Burned Skin
Not all experts, especially the beginners who do Waxing by themselves, can safely use wax without burning skin. Different temperatures are required for different waxes, so you must watch them before applying them to your skin.
Even when the temperature is average, it could also cause the skin to burn when an individual’s skin is extra sensitive to heat. Other elements such as the quality of wax used, drug interaction, certain health situations, etc., can also result in burns on the skin. The spots of black or reddish-brown color appear on the skin when it is burned.
Tips
You should follow the instructions given in the letter to avoid any mess happening. You should use a thermoregulator wax heating kit to maintain the temperature properly during melting wax. You can also use antiseptic cream and avoid heat for the next few days.
5. Darker skin
Constant use of wax can cause your skin to damage due to the heat. Your skin can become scaly and dry, which leads to the darkening of underarms. It is because of the minor injury it sustained during the procedure. The change in the skin color is named post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which occurs due to the heat of the wax.
Tips
It took patience and time to treat the Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The whitening products that contain hydroquinone can be used to treat this problem.
6. Bruising And Bleeding
Bruising is very common and normal for sensitive skin. In this situation, the skin looks red and blue after waxing. The skin is held tighter during waxing which can cause bleeding in the hypodermic area, i.e., under the skin; this ultimately results in bruises.
Tips
Be gentle with your skin when you wax by yourself. This condition is challenging to treat; you can use a high CBD (cannabidiol) cream to reduce pain. You can apply a cold compress to the affected area.
In Conclusion
There are pros and cons of waxing, just like other hair removal processes. But the main advantage is you don’t have to worry about the rapid regrowth of hair. With the proper knowledge and using the best wax products, it is the most convenient way.
Book an appointment now to answer all your queries. You can book an appointment with the top dermatologists in Pakistan through Marham by calling the Marham helpline: 0311-1222398 or by an online appointment booking facility through the website or Marham mobile app.
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Writer: Saher Mehmood
