The Hair Removal Product You Should Stop Using, According To A Dermatologist

April 11, 2017

The Hair Removal Product You Should Stop Using, According To A Dermatologist

With bikini season approaching, it's time to think about every woman's least favorite activity: body hair removal. It's a necessary evil come summer. However, there's one hair removal product that can really ruin your beach body. In fact, dermatologists recommend avoiding this product at all costs because it can severely damage your skin. 


You should always avoid using hair depilatories or hair removal creams. Depilatories work by dissolving hair with chemicals, such as calcium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide. However, these chemicals can also irritate skin, sometimes for months at a time. Gervaise Gerstner, MD, a dermatologist based in New York City, told Prevention, "Contact dermatitis (inflammation of the skin) from hair removal creams can be like a second-degree burn." Ouch.

Dr. Rebecca Baxt, another dermatologist told the New York Daily News that hair depilatories are her least favorite of all the hair removal options. She warns, "Irritation can show up immediately in the form of red, raw skin, or can take a few days."

There are some true horror stories surrounding the use of depilatories. According to the Daily News, one woman suffered from third-degree burns when she hit the beach after using Veet. However, Dendy Engelman, a dermatologic surgeon in NYC, told the Daily News, "Even without sun exposure I've seen people who have been burned or irritated from the product just because it is fairly caustic to the skin."

Dr. Gerstner recommends using either laser hair removal or simply shaving instead of using hair depilatories. After all, wouldn't you rather shave a few times a week opposed to having irritated, red skin all summer?

Bibliography: Holland, K. (n.d.). The Hair Removal Product You Should Stop Using, According To A Dermatologist. Retrieved April 11, 2017, from http://www.shefinds.com/collections/the-hair-removal-product-you-should-stop-using-according-to-a-dermatologist/#slide-5





Leave a comment

Comments will be approved before showing up.


Also in News

Is Seasonal Hair Loss in Men Real?
Is Seasonal Hair Loss in Men Real?

April 03, 2018

Most men have more symptoms of hair shedding and other issues between September and November because the hair follicles enter their resting (telogen) phase mid-summer. This causes more hair than normal to fall out. The follicles will stay in this phase for several months, but the hair will begin to regrow in winter when Mother Nature thinks you need it most.

 

View full article →

What Is Better To Skip Dinner Or Eat Right Before You Go To Bed?
What Is Better To Skip Dinner Or Eat Right Before You Go To Bed?

March 27, 2018

We've all heard the warnings over the years: Your metabolism goes on strike overnight, so you shouldn't eat too close to bedtime or that food will sit in your stomach like a rock (at least until it migrates elsewhere on your body and refuses to budge). And yet I’ve done it. You probably have too. So, how bad is it to eat right before bed? And is it smarter to skip a meal altogether if you miss that dinnertime window? Here's what the experts have to say.

View full article →

Benefits of Egg Yolk for Your Hair
Benefits of Egg Yolk for Your Hair

March 26, 2018

The nutrients that are naturally contained in an egg yolk are the same ones that are in healthy, glossy hair. Some people apply egg yolk to their scalp as a treatment for hair loss, brittle hair, or to try to make their hair grow faster.

View full article →