The hair removal aftercare process is a very important, if not painful and potentially awkward, component of the overall hair removal process. While the complete process does vary depending on your budget, personal needs, type of hair removal performed, and geographic location, there are a few steps that need to be adhered to regardless of circumstance.
What do you need to know about the hair removal aftercare process?
The process takes time
You will be completely bald for weeks or even months. Don’t expect results overnight, or even in 2-3 days. It will take about 3-4 weeks for your skin to fully recover. Give it a chance to heal, and don’t be discouraged if the results aren’t there right away.
Be sure to use hair removal cream before you shave, especially if you are doing it on your sensitive skin areas. If at all possible, avoid waxing during this period and only wax after you have shaved for a few weeks.
If you are planning on waxing, you mustn’t do any bikini waxing at all. That is a very painful experience. Your skin will still be healing for weeks after that one.
The process
Step 1: Soak
Let’s start with a cup of warm water and a good quality patting (NOT rubbing) alcohol. Let your skin be exposed to the hot water for as long as you can stand it, at least five minutes. This will help to sterilize the area and soften up your skin before you shave.
After the warm soak is done, get a cup of that rubbing alcohol and use it to cleanse the area again. Pat your skin dry but DO NOT rub.
Step 2: Apply the cream
After you pat yourself dry, take your hair removal cream and apply it in an even layer all over the area. Then rub it in to ensure that there are no clumps or end pieces to be found. This will give you a smooth, clean shave that reduces the potential for ingrown hairs or bumps. According to (http://www.musee-sg.com/treatment/), you mustn’t exceed this amount of cream on any given area. We recommend that you apply anywhere from half an inch to an inch of cream to your legs. More is not always better, and if you go overboard (which is extremely easy to do) you can damage your skin.
Step 3: Wait
Do NOT shave for at least 24 hours. Some people may find this annoying or unattractive, but your skin must have time to heal throughout the entire process. Do NOT shave any sooner than 24 hours after the application of hair removal cream. It is just not worth the risk.
Step 4: Shave
After 24 hours your hair should be about as soft and ready for a shave as possible. The cream will help to soften things up, but you will still want to use a regular shaving cream or gel that you would use normally to get the job done.
Step 5: Moisturize
After you have shaved you need to take some time to moisturize your skin. This will help to soothe it and make sure that any redness, bumps, or rashes disappear. Make sure that whatever moisturizer you choose is fragrance-free, and always apply in small amounts. DO NOT go overboard and apply the moisturizer just to the skin. You should always apply it to your legs, and then rub it in very lightly, not in big patches of confetti.
Step 6: Wait
Another 24 hours. And by “wait” we mean ” patience” for your skin will be stinging, burning, itching, and all kinds of fun stuff. Once again, DO NOT shave until 24 hours after you applied the cream.
Step 7: Shave again
This will be your last shave with the application of hair removal cream. It had better be, or you are going to have a lot of issues to solve. Your skin should have fully healed after at least one week of hair removal cream application, if not longer. Keep in mind that if you are using waxing, it is much more important that you wait for a few weeks after waxing and not shave for at least 3-to 4 weeks.
Step 8: Wash off cream
If you are regularly applying your cream (with the shaving brush), you simply need to thoroughly wash it off with water. If you are using a brushless application method, like waxing or electrolysis, then be sure to wash your area VERY WELL. The reason for this is that the cream is applied directly onto nerve endings that may have been damaged or caused irritation.
The cream should be easily removable, but not washed away in a water/alcohol solution. If there is any remaining cream at all, you can use soap and water to help get rid of it.
Step 9: Finish Shave
After you have thoroughly washed off the cream, your skin should look like it normally does. You may still have minor redness and bumps, but if you have followed the directions closely these will disappear within a few days of regular shaving.
Conclusion
As you can see, the hair removal aftercare process is not that hard to do, and a little work goes a long way. It is well worth the effort if you are planning on removing hair for an extended time.