For women who want to show off radiant skin, hair removal can be a tricky business. Classic hair removal techniques like waxing or using razor blades have the major drawback of irritation to your skin which can follow these procedures. It is common for red bumps to appear that are often painful and will distract from the initial intention of removing the hair in the first place, i.e. getting the look of fresh blemish free skin.
To combat this problem and prevent further growth of ingrown hairs, pay attention to this OneHowTo.com article in which we give you some tips on How to Avoid Spots After Hair Removal.
When spots appear or your skin becomes red right after hair removal, you are likely facing a case of folliculitis. A follicle is the tiny little pouch from which each individual hair sprouts and folliculitis happens when the output channel of the follicle is blocked and becomes inflamed, resulting in the emergence of some very annoying and unsightly spots. So, if you want to keep on using wax, a razor or cream to keep your skin free of hair, it is important that you follow the advice given below. In doing so, your spot problems should be solved.
Like many heath concerns, prevention is better than cure and the first and most important step is exfoliation prior to removal. There is nothing better than exfoliating the skin in the area where the hair will be removed to avoid spots after hair removal. This is also so that hair can emerge more easily. Furthermore, by removing all your dead skin cells, the pores will be more open and help prevent ingrown hairs which can become embedded in your skin.
Remember it is better to exfoliate the skin when it is slightly damp to avoid damaging its natural structure. Therefore, we suggest that you do so when you are in the shower. You can use commercial lotions or scrubs which you can prepare at home. If you have sensitive skin, using natural products is often the best course of action as chemicals in store bought scrubs can sometimes do more damage than good.
A neat trick you can also implement before hair removal which will help to prevent spots and is ideal for reducing pain during hair removal is to apply some ice on the area. First, you should pass an ice cube over the skin you will treat and then rub over a cotton pad with a little bit of talcum powder. This will ready your skin for hair removal to stop excessive suffering. It is important to bear in mind, however, that this little trick is not recommended if you are going to perform hair removal with hot wax. This is because the extreme cold numbs the skin and you can find it difficult to tell if you are being burned by the wax.
Although they do not provide a long-lasting finish, razors allow us to remove hair in seconds and show off hairless skin without feeling much pain or discomfort. However, if this is your chosen method of hair removal you should exercise caution as it leads to the most dryness and damage to your skin, with cuts and wounds easily occurring. This is why we recommend you always use a new razor blade that is especially for female hair removal and has several blades to facilitate shaving your hair. Otherwise dirt on the blades from your previous shave can get into the skin and follicles and cause infection. Today you can find blades that include moisturising strips with aloe vera or another product which are not so aggressive on your skin.
You also want to be careful how many blades you use on a razor. Recent 5 blade razors are great for getting rid of all those hairs, but, if you have sensitive skin, they can also remove a layer of epidermis which will promote irritation and infection. In this instances, 3 blades are probably best.
Once you've finished your hair removal it is essential to take a few minutes to moisturise the treated area. To do this you can use your usual body moisturiser or some natural products that are great for nourishing your skin and promoting regeneration. Some of the best allies to prevent spots, itching and redness after hair removal are olive oil, aloe vera, almond oil or shea butter.
If none of the above has been able to slow the onset of red spots after hair removal, it is crucial to not touch the area or try to pop them, as this could infect them even more. You can apply antiseptic lotion sold in pharmacies or go to a dermatologist if the infection gets worse. If it is a matter of a hair embedded under the skin, you can place a cloth soaked in hot water onto the spot several times a day to soften it and it will end up draining itself.
If you have chronic irritation to the skin after hair removal or it doesn't go away naturally after 7-10 days, you may need to seek advice from your doctor. If the infection is acute they may recommend an antibiotic, but reliance on antibiotics should be minimal so try out these hints and tips first.
If you want to know about how hair removal related treatments, read out articles on How to Care for Skin After Laser Hair Removal and How to Make Hair Removal Last Longer.
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