Your safety is paramount. It’s the primary assessor of whether or not you feel comfortable in any situation. If a procedure or treatment is unsafe for you and your well-being, it’s important to have the support of licensed professionals who can identify and offer solutions, while keeping you, and your skin, safe in the interim.
If you’re curious about whether certain medications have an impact on your skin, creating contraindications, you are not alone.
Contraindications for facial waxing
If you've ever booked a facial waxing appointment, you know just how crucial it is to your physical and mental health. A contraindication is a signal that a person should not receive a particular procedure or treatment because it could be harmful and have a poor interaction with a medication or condition that they are navigating.
If you are taking certain medications
Certain medications, like Accutane for example, prevent people from being waxed. Oral isotretinoin, the main ingredient in Accutane, creates functional and structural changes in your skin. The skin becomes increasingly sensitive to any type of external stimuli, making epidermal stripping, or lifting of the skin an increased risk in clients taking isotretinoin-based medication.
Always let your esthetician know if you’re taking other medications that may have similar side effects. They’ll be able to decide whether or not you’re a good candidate for waxing.
Those using retinol in their skincare routine
Retinol is an absolute “holy grail” product in the skincare world. Known for its ability to shrink pores, speed skin cell turnover, and address fine lines and wrinkles, every skin care guru has at least one, if not more retinol based products in their medicine cabinet. And as incredible as retinol is, it can also trigger skin irritation, creating a more fragile infrastructure.
Waxing while using retinol products can severely damage the skin, causing trauma to the upper layer, your epidermis. Halt use of retinol-based products in the week leading up to your appointment, and you’ll be good to go!
Within a week of receiving a chemical peel or microdermabrasion
Chemical peels and microdermabrasion also fall into the holy grail treatment category, and for very good reason. If you've recently undergone either treatment, waxing will have to wait. You can chat with your esthetician about alternative methods of body hair removal, and check in with them when the timeline they provide is approaching.
Contraindications for body and Brazilian waxing
The body is built to protect us from the elements. The skin on our arms and legs is a little tougher than our faces, but it requires the same consideration when it comes to contraindications. Contraindications in body and Brazilian waxing are common, especially given the nature of creams, skin conditions, and ingredients like salicylic acid that play an enormous role in skin health.
Skin health means not only nourishing your skin from the outside but taking into consideration the preventative steps that will help you reach your goals even faster, with more consistency.
Medications with skin-weakening side effects
Whether it’s prescription blood thinners or topical and oral corticosteroids, long-term use of particular medications can contribute to weakened skin, making getting waxed unadvisable. The level of sensitivity and subsequent pain derived from getting waxed and suffering contraindications from medication takes a toll.
Psoriasis or eczema
There are quite a few skin conditions that people should take into consideration, and refrain from getting waxed, especially psoriasis and eczema. The surface of the skin in a state of stress can create open lesions and raw, red irritation. This combination is less than favorable, and any esthetician would tell you that you’re going to harm your skin if you continue to wax at home or seek services from someone willing to ignore those contraindications.
Sunburns and open cuts
Sunburns and open cuts are big time culprits. Sometimes, we don't even realize we have a cut on our finger until we’re slicing some limes for a tasty margarita.
To put it simply, SPF is your bestie. SPF is there for you 24/7, providing coverage that can save and preserve the supple, bouncy nature of your skin. The least you can do is apply it to avoid burning your skin, making you a candidate for non-waxing purgatory. Sunburns and injuries are two examples of contraindications that can severely impact the skin, and harm the very thing that keeps your body protected.
Talk to an esthetician at Stripped Wax & Beauty
If you’re taking oral or topical medications, or have a skin condition and would like to discuss the prospect of waxing with a licensed esthetician, we’re happy to help! Connect with our website and schedule a consultation. We can’t wait to help you begin or continue your skincare journey.