Question:
I've booked my summer holiday and so I start dreading the bikini wax - can anyone advise please?
I have sensitive skin. Every time I have a bikini wax I spend 5-6 days in agony afterwards - the skin stays bright red (a bit like a nappy rash) and very tender and any clothing coming into contact with the skin is torture - even sitting seems to aggravate the skin in the crease of the leg. I've tried various soothing remedies - aloe vera, kiwi fruit gel, and so on - to little relief. I had a beauty therapist who said that if I had it done regularly the hair would weaken andthe effects would diminish so I booked a course of 6 - still in agony after the 6th one, I was persuaded to book another 6 - I stopped after the 4th (or 10th) session as I really couldn't take any more. I've tried NADS - same result as the waxing. I've tried epilating - similar result but only for 4 days. Last summer holidays I just shaved, but of course you don't get such a smooth result and you need to shave every day.
Does anyone have advice for a sensitively skinned soul, or do I have to go continental and accept my body hair?
Thanks,
Amber
I've got sensitive skin too and have only had this type of reaction once (I think). I do think it depends on the therapist and the wax used, maybe it would be worth giving someone else a go. Calomine lotion might help, but I do think if you have sensitive skin nothing is best. I do my own waxing now, but I'm not a trained therapist, I'm sure others will be able to give some more professional advice.
best wishes.
i hope its not a reaction to the wax, did she patch test you?
look for somewhere that does sugaring as it is a little nicer to sensitive skins. does she use hot wax or warm wax? (hot shud b used on bikini as it grasps the stronger hair better +the heat helps open the follicle better but as u are sensitive it might not b too good![&:]) i also find a hot compress applied just before treatment is good as opens follicle!
again calamine lotion or aloe vera gel is good as after wax lotion,
make sure: not 2 wear tight clothes, not to put on perfumed or alcohol based products, not to over stimulate area by friction, rubbing etc, no heat treatments or hot baths or showers: all for 24(maybe even 48) hours! you could also buy your own lotion to use after!
failing that- try to go to france, u might get away with a little extra hair;)
xx
j
Hi Amber
A neighbour of mine used to have a similar problem with her legs, she bought one of those machines that are like a pair of tweezers that you grab the hair with and it runs a small electrical charge through it. She said that on the first treatment the hair took ages to grow back and was a lot finer. She said that after the 2nd or 3rd treatments most of the hair was killed off and never grew back.
Hope you find what works for you.
Best wishes
Angie
Hi Amber,
As Flower Happy suggested, you might want to give sugaring a go - the all natural ingredients and low temperature of the treatment make it ideal for sensitive or highly reactive skins. Also the new-generation hard waxes melt at a lower temperature and are often used in combination with an oil - this prevents the wax sticking to the skin and so is much kinder.
Another suggestion to reduce heat and inflammation: crush two asprin in a glass and mix with a little cold water to create a paste, then apply this to the area. Obviously, if you are allergic to aspirin this would not be appropriate!
Andy :D
[sm=hidesbehindsofa.gif]Oops! I forgot that I'd posted this! Thanks for all you kind answers.
In answer to the points raised
- I have seen several therapists so I know it's not down to the one person.
- I've had various coloured waxes with various types of applicator used but of course I'm not an expert so I couldn't tell you which ones they were.
- I didn't have a patch test but then I didn't have any problems when I was having my legs waxed regularly - I now epilate my legs as I can't afford the regular waxing any more.
- Epilating gives the same result, but for 4 days instead of 5 or 6.
- I don't use products with alcohol or perfumes in them so that's not a problem, and as for not wearing tight clothers - any fabric even slightly brushing the area is painful so tight clothes are a definite no-no!
- I haven't tried sugaring. I have tried NADS, which in case you haven't hear of it is an all-natural sticky stuff that is applied in the same way as wax (although not warmed) and taken off with strips. This was a little better than waxing, but not much. Is this the same as sugaring, or is that something completely different?
- I haven't heard of using an aspirin paste, but that sounds interesting! If I can pluck up the courage for waxing again then I might just give that a try!
I know others that have a similar reaction, but no-one where it lasts as long as it does for me - 5 to 6 day, honestly it's beyond a joke! I just want to look good around the pool, and good at other times too if I'm honest. Ah well....maybe I'd better start practising that French accent!
Thanks
Amber
Hi Amber,
Sugarcan be applied and removed with strips as you described above, but you may have better results with "hand sugaring" - this involves a small ball of paste being rolled over the skin in small sections and then "flicked" quickly to remove the hair. Although this method must be administered by a trained therapist, there are several benefits:
[ul][*]The paste is applied at body temperature - no chance of a reaction caused by heat[*]The paste genuinely only sticks to the hair - less traumatising for the skin[*]Natural ingredients - reducing the possibility of an allergic reaction[*]Most importantly: hair can be removed in the direction of hair growth if necessary (as opposed to wax or strip sugar, which must be removed against the grain) - again, this is less traumatising for the skin and the hair follicle itself[/ul]It sounds like yourskin is highly reactive to hair removal by the root,but the above might be worth a try as it is generally considered to be more gentle than waxing or even strip sugaring.
Andy :)
Hi, I know how you feel, its awful but i have to be honest once its done for me im grand. I know my therapist, my boyfriends sister, she uses tee tree oil and applys it to the skin as soon as she takes the strip of. I also take a pain killer 30 minutes before i go in and the odd glass of wine helps too.
I would advise tryin someone else also as this may sort it out for you.
All the best.
There's some excellent advice there but if all else fails you could try an epilator. It will give the same long lasting results as waxing. Let me know how you get on
I have sensitive skin. Every time I have a bikini wax I spend 5-6 days in agony afterwards - the skin stays bright red (a bit like a nappy rash) and very tender and any clothing coming into contact with the skin is torture - even sitting seems to aggravate the skin in the crease of the leg. I've tried various soothing remedies - aloe vera, kiwi fruit gel, and so on - to little relief. I had a beauty therapist who said that if I had it done regularly the hair would weaken andthe effects would diminish so I booked a course of 6 - still in agony after the 6th one, I was persuaded to book another 6 - I stopped after the 4th (or 10th) session as I really couldn't take any more. I've tried NADS - same result as the waxing. I've tried epilating - similar result but only for 4 days. Last summer holidays I just shaved, but of course you don't get such a smooth result and you need to shave every day.
Does anyone have advice for a sensitively skinned soul, or do I have to go continental and accept my body hair?
Thanks,
Amber
Answers:
I've got sensitive skin too and have only had this type of reaction once (I think). I do think it depends on the therapist and the wax used, maybe it would be worth giving someone else a go. Calomine lotion might help, but I do think if you have sensitive skin nothing is best. I do my own waxing now, but I'm not a trained therapist, I'm sure others will be able to give some more professional advice.
best wishes.
Answers:
i hope its not a reaction to the wax, did she patch test you?
look for somewhere that does sugaring as it is a little nicer to sensitive skins. does she use hot wax or warm wax? (hot shud b used on bikini as it grasps the stronger hair better +the heat helps open the follicle better but as u are sensitive it might not b too good![&:]) i also find a hot compress applied just before treatment is good as opens follicle!
again calamine lotion or aloe vera gel is good as after wax lotion,
make sure: not 2 wear tight clothes, not to put on perfumed or alcohol based products, not to over stimulate area by friction, rubbing etc, no heat treatments or hot baths or showers: all for 24(maybe even 48) hours! you could also buy your own lotion to use after!
failing that- try to go to france, u might get away with a little extra hair;)
xx
j
Answers:
Hi Amber
A neighbour of mine used to have a similar problem with her legs, she bought one of those machines that are like a pair of tweezers that you grab the hair with and it runs a small electrical charge through it. She said that on the first treatment the hair took ages to grow back and was a lot finer. She said that after the 2nd or 3rd treatments most of the hair was killed off and never grew back.
Hope you find what works for you.
Best wishes
Angie
Answers:
Hi Amber,
As Flower Happy suggested, you might want to give sugaring a go - the all natural ingredients and low temperature of the treatment make it ideal for sensitive or highly reactive skins. Also the new-generation hard waxes melt at a lower temperature and are often used in combination with an oil - this prevents the wax sticking to the skin and so is much kinder.
Another suggestion to reduce heat and inflammation: crush two asprin in a glass and mix with a little cold water to create a paste, then apply this to the area. Obviously, if you are allergic to aspirin this would not be appropriate!
Andy :D
Answers:
[sm=hidesbehindsofa.gif]Oops! I forgot that I'd posted this! Thanks for all you kind answers.
In answer to the points raised
- I have seen several therapists so I know it's not down to the one person.
- I've had various coloured waxes with various types of applicator used but of course I'm not an expert so I couldn't tell you which ones they were.
- I didn't have a patch test but then I didn't have any problems when I was having my legs waxed regularly - I now epilate my legs as I can't afford the regular waxing any more.
- Epilating gives the same result, but for 4 days instead of 5 or 6.
- I don't use products with alcohol or perfumes in them so that's not a problem, and as for not wearing tight clothers - any fabric even slightly brushing the area is painful so tight clothes are a definite no-no!
- I haven't tried sugaring. I have tried NADS, which in case you haven't hear of it is an all-natural sticky stuff that is applied in the same way as wax (although not warmed) and taken off with strips. This was a little better than waxing, but not much. Is this the same as sugaring, or is that something completely different?
- I haven't heard of using an aspirin paste, but that sounds interesting! If I can pluck up the courage for waxing again then I might just give that a try!
I know others that have a similar reaction, but no-one where it lasts as long as it does for me - 5 to 6 day, honestly it's beyond a joke! I just want to look good around the pool, and good at other times too if I'm honest. Ah well....maybe I'd better start practising that French accent!
Thanks
Amber
Answers:
Hi Amber,
Sugarcan be applied and removed with strips as you described above, but you may have better results with "hand sugaring" - this involves a small ball of paste being rolled over the skin in small sections and then "flicked" quickly to remove the hair. Although this method must be administered by a trained therapist, there are several benefits:
[ul][*]The paste is applied at body temperature - no chance of a reaction caused by heat[*]The paste genuinely only sticks to the hair - less traumatising for the skin[*]Natural ingredients - reducing the possibility of an allergic reaction[*]Most importantly: hair can be removed in the direction of hair growth if necessary (as opposed to wax or strip sugar, which must be removed against the grain) - again, this is less traumatising for the skin and the hair follicle itself[/ul]It sounds like yourskin is highly reactive to hair removal by the root,but the above might be worth a try as it is generally considered to be more gentle than waxing or even strip sugaring.
Andy :)
Answers:
Hi, I know how you feel, its awful but i have to be honest once its done for me im grand. I know my therapist, my boyfriends sister, she uses tee tree oil and applys it to the skin as soon as she takes the strip of. I also take a pain killer 30 minutes before i go in and the odd glass of wine helps too.
I would advise tryin someone else also as this may sort it out for you.
All the best.
Answers:
There's some excellent advice there but if all else fails you could try an epilator. It will give the same long lasting results as waxing. Let me know how you get on
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