If you would ask any woman, you’d know that all of us want to get rid of that unwanted hair from our bodies with minor pain and effort. Why are women, even men, not behind when it comes to having hair-free skin? While waxing at a salon may have been a routine for you, it does not work when there is an urgency, or the growth is less. Add to that the hassle of visiting a salon and all the pain and red bumps later. This is where depilatory creams, commonly known as ‘hair removal creams,’ come into play and offer a quick, easy, and effective solution for your hair-removal woes. But are they safe? What chemicals do they contain? Do hair removal creams have side effects? Let’s find out.
Hair removal creams might help in getting rid of hair temporarily. However, if you want permanent removal of body hairs, you might want to check out the prices for laser hair removal in India.
Side-effects of using hair removal creams on skin
While removing hair and flaunting clean, shiny, smooth skin is considered a basic need for attractiveness. Convenient, easy, and cost-effective, using hair removal creams in the comfort of your home scores over the most acclaimed solution for removing hair- surgical methods. But the fact remains that every time you use a hair removal cream to get rid of unwanted hair, you expose your skin to harsh chemicals. These chemicals can have some side effects on your skin, such as.
- Skin irritation: Sensitive skin is most prone to irritation and other side effects of depilatory creams. Some people report a tingling sensation in the skin even after washing the cream off. For some people, stingy skin can be an issue even after hours of using hair-removing creams. To minimize skin irritation caused by depilatory cream, choose the one for your skin type and always use the mildest formula available
- Dryness and itching: The strong alkaline chemicals that make hair removal creams all that effective also affect the skin cells adjoining the hair compounds. The chemical reaction affects the coating of essential and protective oils from the skin, making it dry and rough. Regular use may make the body parts look parched
- Inflammation: It is not uncommon to see women facing inflamed skin after using depilatory creams. Rashes and red, sore inflammation are immediate side effects of using hair removal creams. When the cream is left on the skin for longer than the recommended time, or it is not rinsed properly, it causes damage to the skin resulting in inflammation and rashes
- Early aging and wrinkles: Excessive dryness and overuse of depilatory creams can also result in damaging skin cells. This happens because regular use scraps the skin of essential and protective layers of oil and other secretions. This can further increase the chances of early aging and wrinkles on the skin
- Chemical burns: Hair removal creams contain alkaline chemicals that break down proteins to make hair weak and then come off the skin. Both the skin and hair are made up of the same amino acids and proteins, but the hair breaks down more quicker. Because there are chemicals involved, keeping the cream on the skin for more than the recommended amount of time can result in burning the skin
- Smelly skin: The alkaline chemicals lend the hair removal creams a pungent and unpleasant odor. Though many manufacturers add masking agents and other chemicals, the chemical reaction still releases an odor. This unpleasant odor can linger on for hours sometimes too, and covering it up with sweet-smelling lotions does not help much
- Allergic reaction: All hair removal creams recommend users take a patch test at least 24 hours before the actual application. This is advised to minimize the risk of any allergies. If intense burning, redness, swelling, or any other skin reaction is observed at the site of application of the depilatory cream, it is best to seek medical advice
What are hair removal creams made of?
Who would have missed the Veet or Anne French ads showing flawless hair-free skin? It is not surprising that many women would have tried using depilatory creams at home to get rid of unwanted hair. Hair removal creams comprise alkaline chemicals like sodium thioglycolate, strontium sulfide, and calcium thioglycolate. While our skin has a pH level of 5.5 to 5.6, depilatory creams have a pH of about 11-12. This high pH levels affect the skin’s texture and the keratin of the hair to work as a quick solution to get rid of unwanted body hair. Though the chemicals are generally foul-smelling, additional ingredients are now added to depilatory creams to make them smell pleasant. However, it is not uncommon to see allergic reactions on the skin due to exposure to chemical irritants and harsh alkalis.
How do hair removal creams work?
The chemicals in hair removal creams break down the hair proteins, dissolving the base of the hair. The sebum from the hair is stripped, and hair bonds gradually break off due to the action of swelling-accelerating agents. This is what the application time is suggested for. Finally, the chemicals in hair removal creams break down the sulfide bonds, making the hair weak that getting scraped from the skin with the cream remover. When you rinse the cream, hair comes off as a broken mass of proteins, leaving you with shiny and smooth hair-free skin.
Do hair removal creams cause darkening of skin?
Though there has been no scientific evidence to claim the same, there is a possibility that using hair removal creams frequently can cause some damage to the skin. Leaving the product on the skin for a longer time can wash the skin off its natural layers of oils and a protective coating. This can make the skin look dry. It is advised to follow up with a light massage using an excellent moisturizing cream. Some women use baby creams for this purpose.
Precautions to take when using depilatory creams
Though using hair removal creams has many points over regular waxing, there are a few precautions that need to be taken to avoid any side effects whatsoever-
- Always read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully – they are there for a reason
- Follow the instructions to the T – this is for maximum benefit and minimum risk of side effects
- Go for the mildest formula specifically formulated for your skin type
- Always do a patch test on a conspicuous site 24-48 hours before application
- Never keep the cream on the skin for more than recommended time
- Rinse and wash off thoroughly
- Follow up with a hydrating and moisturizing cream