What are the risks associated with waxing?

I want to talk a little about the risks associated with waxing, as there are some. Most people like to think that there will be no negative side effects from any beauty procedures they undertake, but that's simply not true. Just as with eyelash extensions there is the risk that you might be allergic to the glue and have a negative reaction, with waxing, your skin may react to the wax, and there is a possibility that the skin can burn or tear. You are having hot wax placed on your skin and ripped off after-all!

Wax Burns
Wax burns are the least likely side-effect of waxing, especially if you go to a reputable salon. It tends to happen more often with at-home waxing. If the wax is so hot that it causes a burn on the skin, then you should rethink going to that salon again! This simply should NOT happen, but just in case it does, here's what you need to do:

• Cool the skin: Submerge the burn in cool water, or allow cool water to run over the affected area. If you’ve suffered a facial burn, soak a flannel in cool water and apply it directly to the burn. You should allow at least five minutes for this process, but closer to twenty minutes will yield better results.
• Apply ice: You must never apply ice directly to a burn, but instead, wrap a cloth or flannel around an icepack or ice cubes. The cloth should then be pressed against the burn, reducing swelling and soothing the pain.
• Put Aloe on the skin: The gel should be gently dabbed on with your fingertips and reapplied several times a day.
• Keep it clean: Make a conscious effort to keep any dirt or unnatural products away from it, and always keep it clean.
• Treat the pain: Ibuprofen can not only eliminate pain, but also reduces swelling, and is a very effective tool in the treatment of wax burns

Skin Tears or Lifting
Skin is sensitive, and everyone's skin reacts differently to waxing. Certain products, such as Retinol can make the skin thinner and more prone to lifting or tearing, but unfortunately, it is a risk for anyone undertaking a wax.
Skin lifting happens when both dead and live skin are pulled off with the wax, creating an abrasion similar to scraping one’s knee.  The client may not realize that they have an abrasion until a day or two later when a scab begins to form. Here are some reasons why the skin lifts:

• Medication/cosmeceuticals such as prednisone, aspirin, retina A or blood pressure medication.
• Compromised skin such as dehydrated, dry or flakey skin. 
• If the skin isn't pulled tight enough, or if the hand slips as the strip is pulled off.
• Over heated wax or too cold wax.

Older women who have lost collagen and elastin due to age have a tendency to have sensitive skin which can be more prone to skin lifting.  Age coupled with a prescription medication can be really hard on the skin.  Add waxing to the mix and skin lifting can occur.  Regular exfoliation can help maintain the integrity of the skin and there are fewer problems.

The good news is, with proper treatment, skin damaged by lifting or tearing will heal and not leave a permanent scar:

• Use a cold compress: Take a soft cloth and dampen it in cool to cold water. Then apply it to the affected area. A 1/1 mixture of water and milk (milk soothes burns) is an alternative to water. An ice pack can work well, too. Keep the cool compress in place for anywhere between 5 to 20 minutes. Allow the moisture from the compress to dry out on its own. Do not rub it dry. Try not to run extremely cold water or ice directly on the skin, as this will feel uncomfortable on sensitive skin.
• Apply a topical antibiotic: Antibiotic creams such as Neosporin can keep the area from getting infected. A thin coating of cream should be enough to protect the area. However, do not attempt to use this type of cream on raw or bleeding skin. Your skin might start scaling anywhere between two to seven days after the wax burn. If it does, do not peel it off! You should only remove the hanging edges, which is dead skin that is no longer in contact with the new skin. Be sure to not peel the rest of the skin off too soon.
• Apply soothing lotions or oils: Once you have repeated the above steps for at least four days, the burn should have subsided considerably. However, you may want to continue applying special skin treatments in order to protect and nourish your skin until it fully recovers. You can apply pure essential almond, coconut, or rose oil—all three have emollient and moisturizing properties.

Redness, Rash or Bumps
Waxing not only pulls the hair out of the follicle; it pulls at the skin too, which can lead to skin irritations.

• Skin Redness: Redness after waxing is common in almost every client. If the redness is superficial, it should subside very quickly—usually within minutes or hours after waxing. One thing that helps is using an aloe-based gel moisturizer to calm the skin.​

Immediately following a cheek and lip wax

1 hour post-wax

• Rash: Skin pores may get swollen for reasons similar to the ones mentioned above. A rash might also indicate that there is an allergic reaction to the ingredients of the wax that was used. Rashes and allergic reactions usually include itching and/or burning. 
• Red bumps: Unfortunately, there's a chance this will happen even if you go to the best technician and you're not prone to acne. It happens when hair follicles have an inflammatory reaction to hair being pulled out during the waxing procedure, and because open follicles are more susceptible to the presence of bacteria. Hair is attached to living tissue, and this tissue can get inflamed when hair is pulled out. This should not last longer than a few hours or a few days. Don't apply moisturizer if pimples develop in an attempt to make them go away. In fact, you want to avoid the area becoming particularly moist—that's when bacteria spreads the most easily, and it can make your situation worse. If irritation persists for more than three days, it needs medical attention. If your skin feels hot and the red bumps turn into larger pustules with white centers, the inflammatory reaction may have turned into folliculitis, an infection of the hair follicle. This medical condition must be treated by a dermatologist.

Other side effects of waxing

• Burning sensation: This uncomfortable sensation usually means that the skin is overreacting to the procedure. The outer layer of skin is pulled and tugged when hair is ripped out, and the deeper layer of skin contains hair follicles which can also become sensitive when hair is pulled out by the root.
• Allergic reaction: Sometimes, the ingredients of a particular wax may cause an allergic reaction on your skin, which can result in a burning sensation.
• Scaling: The outer layer of skin can start peeling off; this is a sign that it has been damaged. After all, it is dead skin coming off. However, it is important not to peel it off before it comes off on its own. If you do this you are unnecessarily exposing the newly formed layer of skin, which is still tender and fragile, to exterior threats.
• A rise of skin temperature (locally): this can be the normal symptom of skin swelling.
• Ingrown hairs: These painful invaders seem to pop up a lot after every single kind of hair removal. Shaving and waxing are big offenders. Ideally, waxing is supposed to remove the entire hair follicle from the root, but sometimes the hair breaks off instead. This breakage is an ideal breeding ground for hair to pierce the skin, leading to an ingrown hair. Check out this post on how to avoid and treat ingrown hairs. 
• Bruising: Slight bruising can result from the skin being pulled in difficult to reach areas such as those that are waxed during a Brazilian wax.  It should only be minimal, and will disappear on its own in a few days. 
• Bleeding: Sometimes waxing can cause bleeding, but this is completely normal. This has to do with parts of the epidermis being removed along with your hair during the waxing process. You should only see a small amount of blood though.

Every method of hair removal has some potential side-effects and waxing is no exception. Waxing remains popular because it is quick, inexpensive, and provides longer lasting results than shaving or hair removal creams. However, it's important to be fully educated on the potential side-effects of waxing before you book an appointment, and understand that these side-effects could happen to you. In most cases, the chances of anything very negative occurring are low, however, the more common side effects are more likely, so you need to be prepared.