Does anyone else here break out from this or get a weird allergic type skin reaction?
My eyebrows and upper lip handles it fine. I tried getting entire face threaded years ago but stopped b/c of the reaction. I tried it again last week thinking maybe it’ll be different. Nope. The day after getting threaded, my forehead, both cheeks (area all the way up to my ears) and chin was tiny little red dots all over…it stayed like that for 4-5 days. It was also itchy and very uncomfortable. Almost like a allergic reaction. It’s gone now thank God.
Okay so I may have something for you. I wax my face and when i used to do that, I’d end up breaking out the same way you do. I’d get small dots and little pimples with redness all around the area i would wax. So i read up on it and turns out when you pull out your hair, be it waxing or threading, the dead cells, dirt, grime on your skin settles into your open pores (empty hair follicles) due to the removal of hair and this causes break outs. So I looked into it some more and turns out, once you pull out hair, the body has an immediate action, trying to reduce the swelling and redness from hair being pulled and tries to counter act that by sending cells to protect your skin. That causes the little pimples. This is just me simplifying the science behind it. (I’m a pharmacist and the science behind it makes total sense)
The solution for this entire situation is… drum roll lol, exfoliation. I say this from experience. Ever since I’ve started exfoliating pre hair removal, i haven’t gotten a pimple or break outs since. A little redness remains but that goes away in no time. It’s not harsh exfoliation…just gentle enough for your skin. I like to use my trusted formula of one part sugar and two parts extra virgin olive oil and use that as my exfoliator. Just gently scrub on your skin for a minute and wash away with mild soap. Then go and get your threading or waxing done (i do mine at home so i can follow up immediately). Once the technician cleans your face with water, whatever THEN you take aloe vera gel. If it’s fresh, it’s better. If you don’t have fresh aloe, you can get it from your local pharmacy (which is what i use) and apply that over the threaded area (i use it on my full face) for like 10-15 minutes and voila. Three months going, no break out or small spots post hair removal to date Hope this helps, Inshallah.
Actually, what is happening when you pull out a hair is that the root sheath (part of the epidermis) is ripped out along with the hair… you are basically tearing out part of the follicle along with the hair. Obviously, this then needs to heal which is the cause of redness and itching (wound healing is itchy!). You have a wound, therefore the opportunity of infection is there which is why some people get pimples/whiteheads. Having clean skin before/after the process can minimise the risk of infection.
Aloe vera applied after would be calming and stop you feeling so itchy but what’s physically happening when you pull out a hair isn’t going to change.
I personally would just carry on with what you were doing if it was working for you.
Why not get laser? I don’t understand how people can go through the pain of threading and waxing…zap it off and you don’t have to worry about it again.
I’ve gotten YAG laser in other areas. However, the laser is not usually effective for fine/light hair. My facial hair is very fine. This is why I’m not willing to spend hundreds of dollars to laser my face if the odds of laser being effective are slim. Better for me to buy $4 Nair cream or pay $17 for face threading…both guaranteed to be effective even if short term.
I have very fine hair on my face and had Light Sheer on my face over 10 years ago and other areas too and it was perfectly fine and hasn’t grown back since. I needed more treatments for the face though but it worked really well because my hair is black and my skin is pale, so it worked really well.
Upper cheeks. It was in Pakistan, when we went for my brother’s wedding, they were offering me all kind of shyte - skin polishes, facials. I was like, I’m a man’s man - cut my hair and dry shave my beard. I go to an Egyptian barber who uses this stick thing to burn off fine hairs off my face. That actually doesn’t hurt.
Ha! I waxed the upper cheeks of one of my cousins once. Never seen a man scream that way before. Had be rofl. lol. I don’t know how guys do it. Go into male salons and have these other dudes so up close and personal doing these beautifying things. “cut my hair and shave my beard”…honestly that’s all that’s needed. Heck i can’t stand a woman so close to me. Do my own stuff, hair cuts, hair removal.. the whole shabang. Ain’t no stranger gonna get up close and personal to this lady. lol
The day after getting threaded, my forehead, both cheeks (area all the way up to my ears) and chin was tiny little red dots all over…it stayed like that for 4-5 days. It was also itchy and very uncomfortable. Almost like a allergic reaction. It’s gone now thank God.
Hope this helps, Inshallah.