I think I'm allergic to leg waxing (with ugly photo)

[RampAhead]

I've been to several salons and often, but not always, I develop a rash and incredible itching exactly 24 hours later.
I followed all advice, no exercise, hot showers, sun exposure and took a antihistamine.
Can you be allergic to the process of having hair ripped out rather than the lotions or wax?

I get this too, big red swollen welts which take between a few hours to a couple of days to disappear.

I think it's a reaction not to the wax but to the waxing. The immune system perceives it as a threat and releases histamines which cause the bumps/redness.

For me, this started about 4 years ago despite waxing/epilating for nearly 20 years and is why I don't wax 24hrs before a holiday just in case I look like Syphilis Sally with an angry rash peaking out of my bikini bottoms

I take an anti-histamine but I don't think it helps and the bumps just go on their own...eventually.

Glad it's not just me Mae.
Odd that it's quite a recent thing. I can cope with the rash but the itch drives me mad.
Good point about holidays, getting on a plane in an itchy state would be awful.

I am not allergic to leg waxing but I am allergic to tea tree which is the usual base of post wax lotions. I always take my own if having a salon wax.

Do they use a fresh spatula with every strip applied?.

It started around the same time I developed an allergy to methylisothiazolinone* which is also a sensitizer, meaning I now find myself reacting to loads of things.

With the itchiness I find the best thing is to keep my hands off! Seriously it only takes one sneaky scratch and to kick it off.

*anti-fungicide added to everything from shampoo to bathroom cleaner.

I thought this was just me! I don't get waxes because it honestly looks worse than the hair. And by the time it goes down the hairs back!

I'm super hairy, and it grows super fast (an inch a month on my head), I hate hair removal.

I get those red bumps after waxing too, for 2-3 days usually. It's worse when the salon uses the opaque green or pink wax, the old style beeswax coloured clear one seems to be less irritating for my skin. Veet strip wax at home also seems to be mostly ok.

Maeb that's interesting about the methylisothiazolinone. I wonder if I have a similar sensitivity, because lots of personal care and household products make me itch.

The only bit that gets waxed is the area around my eyebrows.

It depends on the type of wax for me.

The first time I got waxed (beautician persuaded me after weeks of plucking) this happened.

I looked like I was mutating. The rash lasted for days!

The second time was at a different beautician and she used unscented and 'virgin' wax. I just went a bit red around my eyebrows for a few hours.