Waxing can be your go-to hair removal method if you’re looking for smooth skin and long-lasting results.
However, everything doesn’t always go according to plan. Sometimes, no matter how careful you’ve been, you end up with patches of burned, lifted skin from waxing.
Whether it’s a small patch above your eyebrow or a section of your leg, you no longer have to worry about wax burns.
Our guide on how to treat lifted skin from waxing will cover everything, including what lifted skin is, the causes of wax burns, prevention methods, treatment options, and best practices when waxing.
What Is Lifted Skin From Waxing?
Before we discuss how to treat lifted skin from waxing, we first have to talk about skin lifting and how it occurs.
Skin lifting, also known as wax burn, refers to a circumstance in which waxing results in removing unwanted hair and the top layer of skin. This leaves the wound susceptible to bacteria, scarring, and hyperpigmentation.
While wax burns can occur on larger areas like arms and legs, they’re more common in facial and bikini waxing.
Eyebrow wax burns and Brazilian bikini wax burns are especially common. Wax burns and lifted skin are sometimes clear and resemble a skinned knee or similar abrasion.
Other times, they may not even be noticeable, and you don’t even realize you had one until it starts scabbing over.
Whether you suffer from the former or the latter, we’re here to teach you how to treat lifted skin from waxing.
How to Treat Lifted Skin From Waxing
Is your skin left red, slightly shiny, and stinging after waxing? You may be suffering from a wax burn.
Follow these steps to learn how to treat lifted skin from waxing. They will minimize scarring and hyperpigmentation while speeding up the recovery period.
Step 1: Cleanse the Skin
Wax burns can be extremely painful, but cool water has been known to provide some relief.
You can either submerge the burn in cool or cold water or soak a washcloth in cold water and hold it up to your face. This should be done for at least five minutes before addressing treatment.
An important part of how to treat lifted skin from waxing is remembering you need to apply ice to a burn directly.
If you want to soothe the pain, you can use an icepack and wrap it in a cloth before holding it against the wax burn.
Whether you ran the affected area under cool water or iced it, the next step is to thoroughly cleanse it so that there’s no risk of dirt or bacteria remaining.
You can use gentle, alcohol-free cleanser for this. However, make sure that you avoid scented products because they might cause irritation. Dermatologist-approved brands like Cerave and Cetaphil are safe to use.
Step 2: Manage Pain
If you’re in a lot of pain, use over-the-counter oral painkillers like ibuprofen for some relief. Not only does this help with pain management, but it can also reduce the swelling that accompanies wax burns.
Step 3: Treat the Skin
Once the affected area is cleansed, it’s time to treat it with antibacterial cream like Neosporin (bacitracin) or mupirocin and seal it with an occlusive layer or moisturizing salve like Vaseline or Aquaphor.
Bandaging and dressing the area is also advised, especially to prevent unnecessary touching.
Over the next few days, it’s essential to keep the area moisturized. Whether you use 100% pure aloe vera, a regular moisturizer, or a facial spray, you should keep the affected area moist until the healing begins and new skin starts to form.
It’s also important to note that you shouldn’t follow your regular skincare routine if the affected area is on your face.
Exfoliation through skincare products like retinols and acids can aggravate the situation. You should keep your skincare simple and gentle, avoiding unscented products.
Step 4: Use Sunscreen
Post-burn, avoiding the sun is critical. Regular use of sunscreen will help prevent both scarring and post-inflammatory discoloration.
Unless you want to deal with hyperpigmentation, sunscreen isn’t an option – it’s mandatory. A mineral sunscreen is preferable over a chemical sunscreen if your skin is especially sensitive.
Step 5: Avoid Makeup
When you’re learning how to treat lifted skin from waxing, it’s important to know when to leave your skin alone.
Scars and abrasions make using makeup very tempting, but this should be avoided when your skin is still raw and healing.
This isn’t just to keep you safe from potentially irritating ingredients and risk of infection or inflammation.
Even makeup tools like makeup brushes and sponges can harbor bacteria and spread it to the affected area, disrupting the healing process.
Also don’t forget to checkout who to make sugar wax in the microwave?
Potential Causes of Wax Burns and Skin Lifting
When learning how to treat lifted skin from waxing, it’s also important to learn about the causes of wax burns.
Keeping these factors in mind can help you better understand how you can avoid wax burns and why specific treatments are important.
Wrong Type of Wax
Everyone’s skin is different, and what works for one person may not work for another. Because of this, it’s important to keep your skin type and sensitivity in mind when waxing.
For example, those with sensitive skin may prefer sugar wax because of how gentle removal can be.
The area you’re waxing also plays an important role in choosing the right type of wax. Larger areas such as arms and legs are usually waxed with soft wax, while more precise work around the eyebrows and on the upper lip area is waxed using hard wax.
Skin type can also determine ingredients, which can be important if you’re waxing from home.
There are hundreds of wax recipes available, and not all are right for you and your skin type. Using the wrong type of wax or wax with questionable ingredients can result in wax burns.
Skincare and Medication
Certain skincare and medications don’t mix well with waxing. Exfoliating acids like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) and ingredients like retinol and retinoid remove the top layer of skin and make your skin more sensitive to waxing.
Acne medication like Accutane and prescriptions like adapalene (Differin) can also lead to damaged skin and wax burns.
In fact, those taking medication like Accutane should not get waxed until a year has passed since they have been off the medication.
Waxing also shouldn’t be performed on irritated, sunburned, or inflamed skin because of the likelihood of damage.
The same is true for waxing over moles, rashes, and body piercings. That said, tattoos are completely safe to wax over as long as they’re fully healed.
Other medications and procedures to avoid before waxing include taking antibiotics, birth control, hormone replacement pills, blood thinners, and getting Botox.
Wax That Is Too Hot
No matter the kind of wax you’re using (hot wax, cold wax, sugar wax),extremely hot wax will damage skin and result in burns.
Instead of just removing hair, it may also remove the top layer of one’s skin. In order to make sure that the wax you’re using is the perfect temperature, follow the instructions and ensure that the consistency is always thick and honey-like.
Testing the wax on a thick patch of skin can also help you gauge the temperature.
Repeatedly Waxing the Same Area
One of the most common reasons for wax burns and skin lifting is waxing over the same area more than once. While repeatedly waxing one area should be avoided on the body as well.
This is especially harmful when waxing your face. The delicate skin on our faces is easily damaged and repeatedly waxing the same area accounts for many facial wax burns, such as those around the eyebrows and on the upper lip area.
Not going over the same area multiple times is also essential when it comes to more intimate areas such as the bikini line and Brazilian waxing.
Those using hot wax may have heard that multiple passes with hot wax are acceptable. While they are certainly possible, they’re not always recommended, especially in delicate areas.
Multiple passes should never be made when using soft wax as this easily sticks to the skin. When using soft wax, some say that making multiple passes with the same wax strip is acceptable.
While this does not always result in lifted skin and burns, it depends on every individual’s skin.
Using your judgment is of the utmost importance here – if your skin feels fine, another pass may not hurt. However, if your skin is red and stings, it’s best to move on to another area.
Low-Quality Wax
Low-quality wax can damage skin and lead to skin lifting due to several reasons. In addition to uneven warming and different wax melting points, low-quality wax may not remove hair in one go and may require wax to be used in the same area repeatedly. This can damage skin and result in wax burns.
Retinol
Retinol and retinoids are derivatives of Vitamin A that are excellent for skin turnover. However, because this very reason, they can be extremely harmful when waxing.
Using retinol makes skin more prone to damage and waxing should never be done on those who have used retinol in the past five days.
It’s essential to double-check this before going to get waxed or waxing yourself since retinol is a common ingredient in skincare.
Check your labels for Retin-A, retinol, retinylpalmitate, retinaldehyde, Retin-A micro, tretinoin, isotretinoin, and adapalene before getting waxed.
If you are using retinol-based products, discontinue use approximately five days before you get waxed to avoid wax burns and skin lifting.
Skin Conditions and Diseases
Certain skin conditions like rosacea and varicose veins may not be compatible with waxing. Skin thinning and skin sensitivity can result in skin lifting even when there’s nothing wrong with the waxing technique or the type of wax.
This is especially harmful because open wounds like wax burns are at risk of being infected. Diseases such as lupus, AIDS, and even cancer treatments can affect waxing and result in wax burns.
How to Prevent Wax Burns
While this article focuses on how to treat lifted skin from waxing, the best course of action is to prevent wax burns in the first place.
The following tips can ensure that future wax burns and skin lifting are not problems that you’ll have to fix.
Patch Testing
Before waxing, always test out the wax on a small patch of skin first. This ensures that the temperature isn’t too hot and that the wax won’t burn your skin.
Technique
Following proper waxing techniques will reduce the risk of wax burns and lifted skin. Instead of lifting the wax strip or wax, make sure that you remove it parallel to the skin’s surface. This way, you’ll remove unwanted hair without damaging your skin.
Wax Type
Unfortunate accidents like wax burns can also be prevented by choosing the right type of wax, both in terms of skin type and area waxed.
For example, hard wax is a great option for smaller areas such as bikini lines and eyebrows, while sugar wax is suited to those with sensitive skin.
Conclusion
Whether you’re a fan of salons or prefer at-home waxing, accidents are bound to happen.
Everyone experiences a burn/skin lift at least once in their waxing hair removal journey. Instead of focusing on how the accident happened, it’s important to focus on how to treat lifted skin from waxing.
Wax burns take approximately five days to two weeks to fully heal. By following our tips and tricks, you can cut this time short and recover faster.
Additionally, you can eliminate any potential hyperpigmentation and scarring by acting on the wound right away and being mindful when going out in the sun.