Many people develop folliculitis — a bumpy, pimple-like rash — after hair removal. It’s usually caused by inflammation. Inflammation typically goes away on its own without treatment. If you have white or fluid-bumps that last more than a few days, your folliculitis may be the result of a mild infection.
In this post
How do you tell if you have an infection after waxing?
Know the signs of infection
Check yourself with a hand mirror (look for inflamed ingrown hairs, rashes, or raw, open sores or cuts). “See a doctor ASAP if you develop redness or swelling in the area, an itching or burning sensation, peeling of the skin, or a fever,” Robinson says.
How do you know if you have an infection after a Brazilian wax?
Those who have been infected from a Brazilian wax experience pain around the pubic area and thighs. Nausea and vomiting can also be expected and is a sign that you should take a trip to the emergency room sooner rather than later.
Can waxing give you a bacterial infection?
While waxing, you can remove too much skin creating a gateway for bacteria to enter the body. With this and the inflammation caused by the waxing process, bacteria can become trapped underneath the skin and into the follicles which set the stage for any skin infection such as staph and folliculitis.
What kind of infection can you get from a Brazilian wax?
The STIs with the strongest links to waxing are HPV, herpes and molluscum contagiosum. A new report published in peer-reviewed medical journal, JAMA Dermatology, found that waxing can increase a client’s risk of contracting certain STIs by creating micro-tears in the skin, leaving it more susceptible to viruses.
Can you get BV from waxing?
Risk #1: Infection
The hair also traps bacteria trying to get in, which could otherwise cause infections like bacterial vaginosis and urinary tract infections. Removing that barrier is simply going to put you at additional risk for infections.
Can waxing give you a yeast infection?
It is possible that pubic hair removal could, through microtrauma, allow yeast that is normally on the skin to cause a vulvar yeast infection, although this hypothesis has not been studied.
How do you treat a bacterial infection from waxing?
Gels, creams, and washes: Use over-the-counter antibiotics that you rub on your skin. If you’re itchy, you can try oatmeal lotion or hydrocortisone cream. It also helps to avoid shaving, scratching, and wearing tight or rough clothes on the infected area.
How do you prevent infection after waxing?
If you go to a salon or spa, a professional will use a pre-wax cleanser. If they don’t, however, make sure to ask them to—or start looking for another provider. Keeping all areas clean is important as well. If you’re at home, scrub your hands and nails thoroughly with warm water and soap.
Can a Brazilian wax give you a UTI?
You get waxes. While a lot of people cite “hygiene” as their reason for getting bikini waxes, it turns out waxing can actually cause UTIs. That’s because your pubic hair acts as a defense for your vagina, trapping unhealthy bacteria that’s trying to get in — so without any hair, the bacteria has easy access.
Can you get syphilis from waxing?
The verdict: Almost any hair removal technique can result in skin damage that makes you more susceptible to STIs—but as long as your skin is in good shape, infection is still pretty unlikely. When it comes to waxing, stick to a sanitary salon to further reduce your risk.
What to put on VAG after waxing?
Waxed skin is compromised skin, so condoms, lubricants, spermicides, bleached panty liners, soaps, and sexual activity can irritate a freshly waxed area. Use a barrier cream such as Aquaphor on the labia area if you must use such products and always use natural, unbleached panty liners and tampons.
How often should you wax your vag?
every 4 – 5 weeks
We recommend that for the first few waxes, you return every 4 – 5 weeks. At this stage in proceedings, you want to be trying to get all of your hairs into the same growth cycle, so that they are all breaking through the skin at the same time.
Is it normal to itch after a Brazilian wax?
Occasionally, clients will experience some peeling or itchiness a few days after a wax. These are very minor side effects to waxing and usually occur when some minor inflammation or trauma is inflicted on the skin.
Can shaving your pubic area cause a UTI?
Removing pubic hair may therefore make a person more susceptible to common infections, such as UTIs, vaginitis, and yeast infections. Hair removal can also irritate your skin, leading to skin infections such as cellulitis and folliculitis.
What does folliculitis look like?
Folliculitis is a common skin condition in which hair follicles become inflamed. It’s usually caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. At first it may look like small red bumps or white-headed pimples around hair follicles — the tiny pockets from which each hair grows.
Why do I get boils after waxing?
These boils or eruptions are termed as folliculitis and are due to the traumatic pull of the hair shaft leading to inflammation of the hair follicles and pustule due to secondary contamination of the open follicles with bacteria in the presence of sweat says dermatologist, Dr Shefali Trasi Nerurkar.
Can wax hold bacteria?
Bacteria can contaminate an entire container of wax and seed it with infectious organisms. Don’t let anyone fool you by saying that hot wax can kill germs because of its high temperature.
How do you know the difference between a UTI and a yeast infection?
UTI symptoms typically affect urination. They may cause a burning sensation when you urinate, or you may feel a need to urinate more frequently. Yeast infection symptoms may include pain when urinating, but you’ll also experience pain and itchiness in the affected area.
When should you not get a Brazilian wax?
Timing matters. Avoid scheduling a wax five days before your menstrual cycle, during it, or immediately after. “Your body is especially sensitive during this time,” says Exhale Spa aesthetician Angela Marinescu.
Is it better to shave or wax your vag?
If you have sensitive skin, it’s best to avoid waxing, tweezing, depilatories, and even laser removal or electrolysis, which may be too harsh and cause long-term damage. Trimming or carefully shaving are the best options.