Waxing is more effective than shaving with it comes to removing undesired hair. However, it’s important to prepare your skin before, during and after a waxing routine.

If you don’t, there’s always the risk of redness and inflammation, pimples, ingrown hairs, bumps, bruising, burned skin, changes in skin colour and pain, especially if the waxing routine was not done professionally.

Here are some tips on how to care for your skin in the event it is inflamed after a waxing routine.

1. Take a shower

Soothe the affected area by taking a lukewarm shower. If the water is too hot, it may leave your skin dry and even redder.

Use hydrating cleansing products instead of exfoliating products to eliminate any wax leftovers.

2. Apply a cold compress

Placing ice cubes or a cold compress against inflamed skin will help reduce post-wax redness and pain.

Use the cold compress several times a day. If using ice cubes, wrap these in a thin cloth first before applying it to your skin. Do not place the ice cubes directly on the skin as it might stick with the skin’s surface and make the inflammation worse and more painful.

3. Use a soothing gel or ointment

Use a natural product or a topical one to treat any inflammation of the skin.

For a natural route, products like Centella Asiatica, grapeseed oil, aloe vera gel, Vitamin E oil or tea tree oil will help soothe irritated skin.

For topical ointments, consider products with polymyxin B sulfate and bacitracin zinc but avoid products that contain neomycin.

You may also use hydrocortisone cream, an effective topical corticosteroid to treat inflamed skin. It is available over the counter without any prescription.

4. Wear loose clothes

Wearing loose clothes help skin breathe and prevents rubbing and friction between the fabric and your skin.

Also minimise any direct contact with surfaces as it may cause additional irritation. Irritated skin is usually broken and exposed, so change your clothes regularly to prevent any infection from germs.

5. Avoid physical activities

Some activities might worsen the condition of inflamed skin after waxing. Exercise, sexual intercourse, tanning, sitting in a sauna or a hot tub can make the irritation worse.

Irritated skin is also sensitive to heat and sunlight, so stay indoors. If you have to go out, use a sunscreen.

6. Avoid perfumed products

Perfumed products, lotions or creams contains ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, alcohol denat, methanol and benzyl alcohol to act as preservative substances and help the products penetrate the skin.

However, these alcohols can cause dryness and breakouts and irritate skin further. As such, use mild odourless lotions or creams to soothe skin or one with a natural fragrance.

If skin is getting more inflamed or painful, seek medical care immediately. A doctor will give proper advice on how to take care of your skin and suggest the best products to heal the skin.

This article first appeared on Hello Doktor and was medically reviewed by Panel Perubatan Hello Doktor. The Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.