I have sensitive skin. I break out in a rash using the strangest things. For instance, everyone else in the universe apparently can use Mary Kay cleanser because it is hypoallergenic. Well, not for me! My face gets bumpy and swollen. Very attractive. I also am a woman of a “certain age” and have developed an upper lip hair issue. No, I am not joining the circus but still it is annoying and unattractive. Generally I wax my upper lip once a month or so and it if anything appears in the interim I yank it out with tweezers. One of my sisters uses a Nair product for her upper lip. 
I gave it a shot. OMG! I now have chemical burns on my face. It is so bad that there are places with a layer of skin missing. Did I mention you cannot wash Nair off with soap – water only? I used ice to reduce the swelling and redness but that hurt like the dickens! I tried an aloe cream and that made me scream. I tried first aid burn cream. Holy smokes! The only thing that gave me any relief at all was petroleum jelly. Sooooo soothing.
Until morning.
Now I have a redness and swelling where the Nair had been located, spots of raw skin AND little break out spots from the Vaseline. I cannot leave this house. Seriously.
I am now going to dig around for some scarves that I might be able to wrap artfully around my head and lower face. If you see someone walking around looking like one of Michael Jackson’s kids (only taller) it will probably be me.
Oh Suzan....what a mess this has developed into...your poor face...I am sure time will cure this but in the meantime you must be miserable...do let us know how you are healing though.
ReplyDeleteOUCH.... I too suffer from facial hair (I've got chin wiskers too.) & only tweeze. (Every once in a great while I will get waxed at the salon. I just don't trust those dipolatories & am not interested in the wax mess at home...
ReplyDeleteDamn! I KNEW I should have blogged about this two weeks ago when I got my own chemical burn! I truly do know what you are going through. :(
ReplyDeleteOh Dear!! I have the same issues and some chin stuff too! I'm so sorry. Hope you heal up really soon. My friend used the wax on her chin once and couldn't get it all off. She called me just about screaming. Then she used a cotton ball with something and wound up looking like an older Abe Lincoln. I used to work in the cosmetic business and suggested that oily substances remove sticky ones. All she had was olive oil. It worked.
ReplyDeleteI'm super sensitive myself and have made an appointment to get the wax at my salon. There is a woman here who does threading. I would like to try that-no chemicals.
Loved the comment you left me.
If you decide to run through the hills nekkid I would appreciate a phone call or e-mail. We need to get that down for posterity....with musical accompaniment...lalala...laa
Seriously, I am praying your misery goes away very soon.
How's the little darling doing? All is well I hope.
Shaving my mustache has been a daily shower routine for me, for years. NO, it does NOT come back thicker or courser. No lotion or cream, just a razor.
ReplyDeleteyikes Suzan! i have super sensitive skin too; i even react to waxing. if you have a place near you that does threading, i highly recommend it.
ReplyDeleteafter Emily called to tell you I waxed my eyebrow off, you do this?? Go figure :) Brian says that he thinks he married his mother sometimes, could this be one of the reasons why?!! LOVE YA DIL
ReplyDeleteI don't wear makeup because of sensitive skin, but I can't imagine what you are going thru!
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for what you are going through. I hope things resolve soon and I would definitely be letting the company know of your plight....that is just wrong.
ReplyDeleteSorry Suzan.....
ReplyDeleteI have sensitive skin as well but not quite as extreme as you do.....so sorry....how long does it take to go away?
oh OW
ReplyDeleteHi Suzan,
ReplyDeleteSensitive here as well. I use an all Australian product called Moo Goo which I swear by. Also their shampoo and stuff too. You probably can't get it there. I react to everything else.
(And while we're on the subject why does NOBODY warn you , you're going to turn into an ape in middle age?) I get waxed once every six weeks. Sometimes I react and sometimes not. It's a lucky dip but one I'm happy to endure rather than looking like a bearded lady.
Before you go and get threaded, you need to read this post. I laughed so hard!
http://aninchofgray.blogspot.com/2010/01/by-thread.html
Hope your pain doesn't last long.
I'm so sorry. Hope you feel better soon. I have facial hair because of seizure meds so I know what a pain it is to try to take care of it.
ReplyDeleteOoh, poor baby! That sounds terribly painful. Can you get your doctor to give you a prescription for Silvadene creme? It is for burns but should hasten healing for this too.
ReplyDeleteI can fully understand the sensitive skin thing. With the rosacea and psoriasis issues the only thing that touches my face is Noxzema, which is very soothing, by the way. When I was younger and overzealous, I once used an apricot scrub and peeled a layer or two off my whole face.
Oh my. This happened to a friend of mine so much so that her upper lip swelled so much that she looked like a monster(well, not really), but definitely like Lisa Rina on steroids. And it happened Christmas Eve. So you get the holiday photo problem. What a mess! I think we all have that upper lip issue and no one talks about it. ha
ReplyDelete