Whatever hair removal technique you use, you don’t want to be left with hundreds or thousands of pimples and bumps on your freshly shaved or waxed skin.

It’s normal to experience a little redness right after hair removal, but sometimes you can get a rash, or bacteria can get into the open follicles. When this occurs, you might have hard red bumps, commonly known as ‘folliculitis’. This typically occurs within 1-2 days of waxing or shaving.

Thankfully, hair loss problems after hair removal are fairly simple to avoid or control. Just a few quick and simple things around the house will make a huge difference.

Let’s take a look.

The first 24 hours

In the first 24 hours after removing hair, it’s all about the gentleness. After shaving and/or waxing, you will be more sensitive, so be careful.

Keep things cool (literally)

You can make a huge difference and relieve inflammation with a cool shower rather than a hot one or even with a cold compress on the affected area. Try to avoid hot baths, saunas or steam rooms for around 48 hours—Heat can aggravate your skin even further, and make those red bumps even angrier.

Don’t touch your skin!

Freshly shaved, or waxed skin will feel wonderful, but don’t touch it right after the shaving or waxing process. There’s so much bacteria on your fingers and palms, and you are giving them a ride into the newly opened hair follicles.

Skip the tight, sweat-trapping clothes

You don’t want the fabric of your shirt or pants to rub against your skin and hold on to sweat. This is particularly the case with exercise clothing! Rather, wear loose, breathable cotton attire to allow affected areas to breathe and heal peacefully.

3 Tips for post-waxing care

Waxing pulls hair directly from the root, which means your follicles are left temporarily open and vulnerable. So if you want to avoid folliculitis after waxing, you should follow a dedicated aftercare routine.

Tip 1: Time your exfoliation right

Once the redness subsides (typically after 2 days), you can start incorporating exfoliation into your program again. However, if you can wait a few days more (5-7 days) until it has healed well. The gentle exfoliation allows you to steer clear of ingrown hairs – that’s because you’re getting rid of old skin cells that can trap new ones as they slowly grow back.

Tip 2: Choose gentle skincare

After waxing, proceed carefully with any skin care products. The first few days use sensitive skin products that are free of perfume. Use these even though your skin typically isn’t sensitive and can take a lot of products. Even the best smelling lotion is better suited to be used when your hair follicles aren’t in battle for survival after a particularly severe treatment.

Tip 3: Keep friction to a minimum

Consider what you do every day in your life. If you intend on doing much activity that will rub against the waxed surface, it’s best to rearrange the day or the procedure.

3 Tips for post-shaving care

Lane Change: Shaving Talk. It generally takes less recovery time as compared to waxing, but it’s still a bit irritating to the skin. Consider the possibility of razor burn, nicks, and itchiness that may occur when the hair regrows.

Tip 1: Master your shaving technique

Avoid shaving on dry skin. Always have a good shave cream or shave gel to keep a layer of protection between the razor and your skin so you are able to get a smooth shave. Oh, and please use a sharp, clean razor: A dull one will just pull the hair, and that’s how irritation will occur. When shaving, cut the hair “with the grain” – this means shaving in the direction of the hair growth” for your first pass. For a closer shave, you can make a second pass against the direction of hair growth (keep in mind that going in the opposite direction can increase the risk of ingrown hairs).

Tip 2: Hydrate immediately after

Rinse off the last traces of shaving cream and pat dry. Don’t rub! After that, use a mild and non-fragranced moisturiser to support your skin barrier to repair more quickly. If the list of ingredients includes ceramides, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera or centella asiatica, they can help here.

Tip 3: Exfoliate regularly

The waxing process can begin a little earlier, approximately 48-72 hours after you have shaved. Again, this helps to avoid blockage of the hair follicles by dead skin cells while new hair begins to grow back. Try to do 2-3 times each week.

Choose your skincare wisely

Use mild formulas for the first couple of days after either hair removal technique. When choosing a skincare product, read the label ingredients or use an app to check the ingredients in the skin care products before using them on your post-hair removal skin.

Your objective: To avoid fragrances and preservatives that may irritate and prioritize hydrating.

A note on safety

All skins are different. Each step can be taken responsibly and one can be responsible for all the things that would seem to be accounted for, and still the irritation can occur. To prevent that, “Listen to your body. Don’t use it if it causes itching or irritation. However, if it stays for a longer period than normal or you begin to develop symptoms of infection it’s best to get some medical advice.

Bottom line

Smoother, healthier skin comes down to a simple, No matter what you use to get rid of the hair, you need to have a consistent routine. Maintain cool skin, loosen clothing, gently scrub and apply moisturizing products on the affected areas. Another benefit of taking the time to review your skincare products is that you’ll avoid any unpleasant surprises.