Some skin reactions are very common from epilating, and usually subside within a few hours after epilating, for example: some pain, redness, bumps, swelling, and blood spots. However, some skin reactions can last longer, and form after epilating: like whiteheads, bruising, and ingrown hairs.
When you remove hair from the root, the follicle is exposed, and bacteria on the skin can enter the follicle causing an infection resulting in a whitehead. If you experience whiteheads after epilating, these can be reduced by making sure you properly cleanse the skin before and after epilation. Try to avoid touching the area to prevent transferring oil and bacteria, and for 2 days try to avoid activities which cause a lot of sweating (i.e. saunas, hot showers, exercise). Wearing loose fitting, non-synthetic clothing can also help minimize irritation.
Bruising after epilating is not normal. To avoid this, ensure you hold your skin very taut while epilating, so that your skin does not get pinched. If this doesn’t help, consider using a gentler speed setting, as the force of the higher speed setting may be too strong for your skin. If bruising continues to occur, epilation may not be right for you.
Epilating removes hair in the opposite direction of hair growth, which can cause ingrown hairs and distorted hair follicles. One of the main reasons ingrown hairs occur is due to hair that breaks instead of being removed at the root. When hair breaks, it has a blunt tip, which makes it difficult to break through the skin and can result in an ingrown hair. Prevent hair breakage by using the right speed setting, and not moving too fast with your epilator. Exfoliating the days before and after epilating can also remove any dead skin cells and sebum that might clog the follicle and cause an ingrown hair. You might read online that chemical exfoliants such as salicylic acid or alpha hydroxy acids can help with ingrown hairs; however, these chemical exfoliants are, like any other depilatory or hair removal cream, not compatible with IPL treatment and should not be used on areas you plan to use Lumea. Remember, you should never use Lumea on inflamed follicles or irritated skin, so we advise not to use Lumea until your skin reactions are solved. Luckily, after regular Lumea usage, your hairs should stop growing, and you won’t need to worry about skin irritations from hair-removal anymore. In studies conducted with Lumea, 58% of women agree to the statement “By using Lumea I can say goodbye to ingrown hairs.”