The options for hair removal are pretty vast; there’s threading, plucking, lasering and one of the more popular choices, waxing. While all of these options offer a way to get rid of stray hairs fast, waxing can actually pose quite a few risks, with burns being the most common.
Sure, it’s relatively rare to be left with burns after waxing, however, it’s certainly not unheard of. Recently, one women took to Instagram to show off her experience with an eyebrow wax appointment gone wrong:
Typically, hair removal wax is heated (not scalding) when applied to the skin before being pulled off of the face. Usually the area that’s been treated is a bit red afterwards, but that generally disappears shortly afterwards. However, the image posted by Instagram user, Cathy Rapier (@cathyrapier), shows bright red burns between her brows, meaning the wax was far too hot when applied to the skin.
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“This burn on my face happened yesterday getting my eyebrows waxed,” Rapier captioned the photo, later adding that she needed to see a dermatologist even after a few weeks of healing. “Healing it wasn’t easy, I went to a doctor first to get antibiotic cream and from there I just kept soaking it in aloe vera,” Rapier explained in an interview with NewBeauty.
According to board certified New York City Dermatologist, Dr. Debra Jaliman, burns like this can easily occur if the wax is applied to the skin straight from the pot without allowing it to cool first. “You have to be extra careful with the temperature of the wax,” Dr. Jaliman explains. “Room temperature waxes are best.”
To avoid this happening to you, it’s vital to ensure you’re going to a salon with licensed estheticians who specialize in brow waxing. However, if you suspect that you’ve already been burned and the skin is sensitive to the touch, Cathy swears that immediately applying aloe vera will prevent the burn from worsening. The good news? She’s right. “Use an aloe vera-based product that’s both unscented and anti-inflammatory to soothe the area,” confirms Dr. Jaliman. The sooner you treat it, the quicker it will heal.
