Post Waxing Care Tips to Remove Skin Red Bumps
June 14, 2017

There's nothing more discouraging than recently waxed skin covered in red bumps, ruining the fuzz-free and smooth appearance; it's not the kind of outcome clients who attend professional waxing salons expect. As much as we try to prevent red bumps—medically referred as folliculitis— there is still a high chance of them appearing every now and then. Red bumps happen when a hair follicle, the skin organ that produces hair, gets blocked or irritated by substances like sweat, makeup, and oils or damaged by shaving or wearing tight clothes. In response, the hair follicles swell up, causing pain, itchiness, and embarrassing red spots.
Waxing may cause red bumps. Applying wax and pulling it off traumatizes the skin, so after a wax, the skin will always turn red and little bulges will appear. However, thanks to the development of high-quality, safe waxing products, this condition will only last a few days, hours even, enough for the skin to recover from the stress of the procedure. You should be concerned when the bumps do not go away after several days, when they become infected, or when they re-appear weeks after the waxing session. The latter, for example, might indicate the presence of ingrown hairs or infection, which in some cases requires medical treatments by a dermatologist.
How to minimize red bumps right after waxing
As we stated before, little red bumps appear instantaneously after waxing; it's just our immune-system's reaction to repair the damage. These types of bumps mean no harm since they disappear hours later. However, there are some tricks and treatments that licensed estheticians can perform at their salons or that clients can do at home to reduce the inflammation:
- Apply cold compresses. Ice is preferred when dealing with inflammation. It will reduce the swelling considerably and quickly, easing the recovery. Salons should always have clean cold compresses in case the client asks for one. It works great for people with sensitive skin.
- No tight clothes. When attending a waxing appointment, comfortable clothes are a must. The skin needs space to breathe and recover. The friction tight clothes create could irritate the area.
- No makeup. After waxing, the skin is sensitive. Makeup will cover up the pores and deprave the follicles from breathing.
How to prevent red bumps from appearing later on
A week or two after a waxing session, the skin looks great; it has recovered from the procedure healthily and now the client has a fuzz-free skin to show off during bikini season or for a special occasion. However, unexpected red bumps can still show up. They can appear everywhere, although the most common waxing areas that suffer from it are the bikini line, the underarms, the back, and other zones that sweat often or where there is a lot of friction from clothing.- Exfoliation. Removing dead skin cells periodically reduces the chance of obstructed follicles. The members of the American Academy of Dermatology explain that exfoliation should be done anywhere from once a day to twice a week, depending on the skin type.
- Good hygiene. Normally, we wake up, take a shower, go to work, spend the whole day in our clothes, sweat if it's hot, touch the doors of the bus or subway, work out at the gym, go to dinner or the movies… in short, we spend all day in contact with elements that can harm the skin. Good skin hygiene is key.
- Do not remain in your gym clothes. Those sweaty fitness clothes can trigger yeast infections on the skin. Whether you practice CrossFit, take a yoga class, or a 3-mile run, clothes should be removed and the skin should be cleansed as soon as possible.
If you own a beauty business or a professional waxing salon, it's essential you add post-waxing treatments to your services. Calming oils, tonics, or gels refresh and soothe the skin. Search for products like our creams that come with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and moisturizing properties so that the skin recovers faster. If a client comes to you for advice when red bumps do not disappear or become filled with pus, the best thing to do is refer them to a doctor who can examine the skin and prescribe antibiotic or antifungal medication if necessary.
Beauty Image feels proud to be one of the world leaders in hair removal; we manufacture our products from a state-of-the-art factory in Barcelona, Spain, to the best waxing salons in the U.S. If you want to purchase our post-waxing care products or our hard and soft body waxes through our website, follow the steps explained in this video. To know more about the products we offer, navigate through our online store on this website.
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