Waxing contraindications and safety

Waxing questions split cleanly into two kinds: the ones where you adapt the service, and the ones where you do not perform it at all. The second kind is where points are lost, because the tempting answer is always a gentler version of the same service.

Absolute contraindication	Sunburned skin in the area to be treated
Refer, do not adapt	A prescription topical retinoid — send the client back to her prescriber
Refer, do not adapt	An open or inflamed lesion on the treatment area
Direction	Applied with the hair growth, removed against it
Removal	Skin held taut; the strip pulled quickly, close and parallel to the surface
Temperature check	A small amount on the operator's own inner wrist
Applicator sticks	Discarded after one application — never returned to the pot
Hair length	Long enough to be gripped, or it breaks instead of releasing
Aftercare	Avoid heat, sun and heavy exercise for about a day
Hard wax versus soft wax	Hard wax hardens and lifts off without a fabric strip

Where the point is lost: A chemical depilatory works differently — it dissolves the hair's protein at the skin's surface — so it carries its own rule: a patch test before first use. If a client reports stinging and visible redness minutes after it goes on, the product comes off immediately and the area is rinsed with cool water. Waiting to see whether it settles is how a chemical burn happens.