hair follicle Archives - Vogue Beauty

What to do about post-waxing irritation

pre post waxing irritation at Vogue Beauty

Sometimes, clients report post-waxing irritation after a wax treatment. For men, chests and backs are usually more sensitive. For women, a common area is towards the inner thigh or groin areas. Delicate spots, like the brows, are also prone to irritation.

Lydia Evans, a dermatologist, explains it this way in Real Simple magazine, “Since coarse and thick hairs are more stubborn to remove, you’ll probably experience more redness in areas where they grow,” such as the bikini line and the underarms.

A great therapist can do a lot to lessen or prevent irritation by mastering the application and removal technique. The following are some tried-and-true methods. Compare the tips to your technique, and give the points that are new to you a try!

How to minimize post-waxing irritation

The force it takes to pull hairs out from the roots can inflame skin. To minimize the possibility of breakouts happening, it is very important to give attention to the direction that the wax is applied and pulled off the skin.
Application: Strip wax is applied with the hair growth and hard waxes are applied against the hair growth.
Removal: With all types of wax, pull the wax against the hair growth, unless you are in an area that makes it difficult to pull off this way.

If the hair is pulled off sideways, it can dig into the side of hair follicle and scratch the follicle or break off. This can cause follicle irritation, or an ingrown hair which can sometimes progress to folliculitis.

After Waxing Techniques To Calm Skin

Here are some recommendations to follow after waxing areas like backs, chests and legs:

1. Cleanse skin with Lycotane Skin Cleanser.

2. Apply a cool wet towel compress on the skin

3. Apply Ingrown-X-it spray all over the area and massage in gently.

4. Apply Tea Tree Soothe Lotion.

5. Recommend that client uses Ingrown-X-it spray or cream at home on clean skin, 2 times per day for 2 weeks or longer.

6. 3 days after waxing, client can also use Tea Tree Soothe daily after using Ingrown-X-it.

If a little more support is needed, the client can apply a 1 percent hydrocortisone cream.

Just a pea-drop size of the cream, applied directly to the red zone can calm the flare-up. Hydrocortisone cream calms inflammation and reduces redness and any itchiness. Advise the client to follow the directions on the package.

Quick tip: Many clients say that they do not schedule a waxing within three days of the start of their period, because the skin tends to be extra sensitive.

Lycon productsto prevent post-waxing irritation — Shop Vogue Beauty for all of the Lycon product suite

For more Lycon application tips, order Lycon’s instructional DVD here.

Watch this Lycon video on underarm applications

Happy Waxing!

The Unique Challenges of Male Waxing

Male waxing challenges on Vogue Beauty Blog

Male waxing is growing in popularity, doubling clientele in the last 3 years. From backs to chests, toes and knuckles, sideburns and even the ‘Bro’zilian, men are becoming regular customers. Fighting unwanted body hair is as important to men as it is to women.

As a therapist, there are a few considerations to keep in mind for your male clients. We are happy to share with you the following tips and recommendations from each of our wax line manufacturers, with excerpts from Lycon’s Lydia Jordane and more.

Male waxing and pain sensitivity

Men may seem more sensitive to the pain of waxing than women because their hair tends to be rooted more deeply. The hair shaft is also larger, which means that the follicle can become irritated when hair is removed. Males newer to waxing may experience some inflammation following their first wax. Discuss the potential reaction with your client if he is new to waxing.

Also keep in mind that there are more hairs per patch when waxing a male client. As each hair follicle is attached to its own nerve ending, waxing can seem more painful than it is for women.

It is more comfortable to remove hair in smaller patches, although this will extend the total treatment time. Remember to apply pressure longer after each pull to reduce swelling and irritation.

What areas are the most sensitive?

The answer may vary from client to client, but we would pick the back of the neck and the Lats.
Why is the back of the neck so sensitive? There are clusters of nerve-endings on the back of the neck designed to warn a person of an attack from behind. The pain response is often quick and sharp, so apply additional pressure after each pull.

The “Lats” (Latissium Dorsi muscles) have the most nerve endings. The Lats run under the arms and towards the spine, forming the widest part of the back.

Preparation goes a long way

Use a pre-waxing oil before wax application and follow the treatment with a skin conditioning lotion afterwards.

Hard wax is best on the more sensitive areas, such as the center of the chest, widest part of the back, and nape of the neck.

Lycon:

Lycon recommends to use Manifico or Azulene hard wax to grip tough hairs, not skin. Cleanse the skin with Lycotane Cleanser before treating the area. After waxing, use the Soothing Cream to re-moisturize the area. Send the client home with Lycon’s new Anti-Bump Foaming Gel for an easy way to prevent ingrown hairs.

Mancine:

Mancine has several recommended hard waxes, the most popular is Pure Olive Oil hard wax, followed by Mancine’s Ingrown Zone cream or spray. This formula is designed to lessen the inflammation and swelling of the hair follicle.

Harley:

Harley designed their Harley Gold Strip Wax specifically for larger areas, like the back, arms, legs and chest. Use Harley Cleanser and Toner pre-wax, and then end the treatment with Harley After Care Oil.

How To Treat and Prevent Ingrown Hair

*An abbreviated version of this article was published first as a Linkedin post 6/15/15

Ingrown hair- man or woman, we all experience them from time to time. For men, the problem is most common at the chin line or neck. Women seem to have the most trouble on the back of the legs, folds of skin or underarms. To understand how to prevent ingrown hair, it helps to understand the reasons why ingrown hairs form, and what to do to inhibit their development.

Overview: Skin facts related to ingrown hairs

The top two layers of the epidermis (Stratum corneum and the Stratum lucidum) are made up of mature or flattened cells and dead skin cells called Keratinocytes. These cells are constantly shed and replaced by cells from the lower layers of the epidermis.

The hair follicle is a little pocket of epidermis embedded deep the dermis. Hair itself is made up of the protein keratin. Hair and skin are protected by oils and cooled by sweat that are produced in small glands found throughout the skin and hair follicle.

So, shedding dead skin cells and buildup of keratin deposits, and also sweat and oils all contribute to a clogged hair follicle, or ingrown hair.

What is an ingrown hair?

Razor bumps, boils, ingrown hair….are they all the same thing?

Yes, in fact, all start out the same way. An ingrown hair is usually a coarse and curly hair that has looped back on itself and grows back into the skin. This can happen when the hair is cut, and then has a sharpened, beveled edge that can poke back into the skin. The result is a red bump, or bumps in an area. If the skin becomes infected, a boil can result.

Infected ingrown hairs could become quite serious, as this Cosmo article relates. If you notice that a client has many ingrown hairs, especially if the bumps are red, painful or pus filled, recommend that the client see their dermatologist for treatment right away.

What causes ingrown hairs?

Dull razors that cut the hair leaving it with a jagged edge, and a buildup of dead skin cells or oils and dirt that clog the hair follicle are a few reasons. Using fresh razors, or an electric razor can lessen the chances of developing razor bumps. Treatments such as waxing, electrolysis or hair removal creams are a good way to avoid ingrown hair.

At times, a client will ask if waxing causes ingrown hairs. The answer: Instead of causing ingrown hairs, a good wax treatment is a great way to exfoliate the skin. Exfoliation removes the debris that can clog the follicle and prevent the hair from growing out.

Is waxing better than shaving?

As a therapist, you know the benefits of a complete waxing treatment. Explain to your client each step:

Pre-waxing treatments cleanse and hydrate the skin of the dirt, oils and dead skin that could cause ingrown hair.
The wax removal exfoliates the skin, leaving the skin refreshed. Certain waxes have anti-inflammatory ingredients to help reduce any skin irritation. It is a good idea to have several choices of wax on hand to address different skin and hair types.
Using a post-wax treatment finalizes the skin, giving it much needed moisture.
The final step is your client’s best friend- using a product like Ingrown X-it by Lycon or Ingrown Zone by Mancine. Both formulas contain ingredients to reduce inflammation, clear pores and fight bacteria and are available in a cream or a convenient spray. You can send them home with a bottle for use in between treatments!

Your clients will appreciate your expertise on the subject and the knowledge you share with them. No doubt, many will become regular clients when they see the results of your treatments on their own skin!