When I first started using retinol, I faced a bit of a conundrum which was the combination of retinol and waxing. I wondered if it would be ok to keep with facial waxing whilst using retinol and if not, what else could I do instead to remove unwanted facial hair? To exist honest, up until that first waxing visit, I hadn't given it a second idea and only subsequently booking my usual six weekly appointment did it occur to me that waxing could be problematic to my now more than delicate skin.

So I did what I always do and went on a research mission only to detect that certain enough waxing while using retinol isn't e'er the best mix and can potentially cause some unwanted issues. Prescription-strength retinoids are particularly troublesome just fifty-fifty over the counter retinol can have its issues. This left me somewhat conflicted because retinol has mode too many anti-aging benefits for me to ever consider giving it upwardly completely but at the aforementioned time I don't specially want a face full of unwanted hair either.

So what'due south a girl to do? Exist hair complimentary and wrinkly or be wrinkle free and hairy. Neither ane is an acceptable option to exist honest so surely there must be a way to have the best of both worlds right? So what kind of bug tin can the retinol and waxing mix cause and what other alternatives are at that place?

Why information technology can be a trouble

using retinol and waxingThe problem with waxing is that information technology not only removes the unwanted pilus only also a small layer of expressionless skin cells at the aforementioned fourth dimension. This is particularly problematic to those using retinol because retinol removes dead skin cells leaving the pare with a reduced number if any at all to proceed the living cells protected underneath. This, in turn, can exit yous with a thinner outer layer of skin.

When the wax is stripped off this newly exposed fresh skin, it can take living peel cells with it which can lead to irritation, raw skin, excessive redness, skin discolouration and in some cases, scarring. Call up nigh what happens when y'all over exfoliate and remove also much peel, it's somewhat similar. For me, even the slightest possibility of any of these side effects is enough to have me reconsidering my whole de-fuzzing routine.

Only what if you lot really can't alive without your waxing? Well, in that location's always the stop-start approach in which you lot discontinue the use of all retinol products for about a week before your waxing visit and for several days afterwards until whatever redness and irritation have subsided. My only upshot with this though is the constant stopping and starting. I would prefer an selection that didn't involve me having to put my retinol away for nearly two weeks out of every iv to half dozen so what other options are there.

Threading

threadingThreading is a very effective and very pop manner to remove unwanted facial fuzz past rolling a thread over unwanted hair in a twisting movement and trapping it similar a mini-lasso and removing it completely from the root. Dissimilar waxing, no skin is removed at the same time which makes it an ideal alternative for those using retinol or prescription strength retinoids.

The pain is said to be somewhat similar to tweezing but with numerous hairs being removed at the ane fourth dimension, however, some say they find information technology more than painful than waxing only I judge everyone's pain threshold is different. One matter that is often said is that the results are much improve and much more precise than any other hair removal method particularly when it comes to the brow area.

This is the method I'one thousand well-nigh interested in, although I had been atomic number 82 to believe that unless you lived in a big urban center, yous may have bug finding a technician that'southward trained in threading. I can only guess that the technique has become much more popular recently considering fifty-fifty living in a very rural countryside expanse like I do, I've managed to observe three local salons that practice it. Perchance I just got lucky but hopefully, that's a sign that information technology'due south non as hard to find a technician as it once was.

Tweezing

tweezersAnother pop way to remove unwanted facial hair is to apply the good quondam fashioned tweezer. The hair is however existence removed from the root just no skin is being removed at the aforementioned time. The only major downside is that it takes a seriously long fourth dimension to tweeze every little unwanted hair and trying to tweeze all those smaller effectively hairs could prove to be quite the incommunicable task.

If your skin isn't suffering likewise badly from the side effects of retinol, then you could consider the mass plucking approach past investing in a facial epilator. Facial epilators remove multiple hairs at a fourth dimension from the root making it a much quicker option than regular tweezing, notwithstanding, this too makes it a somewhat more painful option too.

This is some other method that I'd like to try and I'll exist sure to share my experience once I've tried it. However, I have had a rather unpleasant experience with a body epilator in the past and if that'due south anything to go by then I'1000 expecting this to be just every bit unpleasant and eye watering. Hopefully, I tin get by the discomfort this fourth dimension around just enough to at least written report back on its effectiveness.

Permanent Hair Removal

facial hair removalAnother option is permanent pilus removal although you'd need to put the retinol abroad throughout the entire class of the treatment but in one case it's complete you lot could start using your retinol once again condom in the knowledge that you lot'll never need to worry about hair removal ever again.

Unfortunately, this technique doesn't conform everyone and for those of u.s.a. with fair hair, this may not be a viable selection. Saying that, permanent pilus removal has come a long way over the years and there are some treatments that are said to be suitable for even the fairest of hair so I'll spend some time researching this to meet what options are available for us fairer haired ladies.

Either fashion, if the cost and time don't put you off and you're a suitable candidate, it's a nifty way to solve the whole hair removal whilst using retinol dilemma fifty-fifty if it does mean putting the retinol away for a while until the treatment is complete.

Final Thoughts

All in all, information technology'south looks like we don't have to choose betwixt hair gratuitous or wrinkle free afterwards all. Nosotros can still have the best of both worlds, we may just need to make a few adjustments to our hair removal technique to avoid any possible side furnishings.

What'due south your preferred method of facial pilus removal? If you have any stories, good or bad nearly your adventures in facial hair removal whilst using retinol or retinoids and then I'd love to hear all about them so please feel free to share them in the comments below.

Jessie