WARNING!
***This post contains graphic pictures and are NOT CUTE!***
Before I show you the pictures though....let me tell you all about the title of this post. Fonzy and I had a date night scheduled this past Saturday. We try to get a night out whenever we can without the boys and Saturday was the night. In preparing for our date, I got me a new outfit and was going to get my face waxed so I would be all cute. Now, I mentioned in this post, that I'm taking Accutane for my face. The dermatologist gave me this long list of side effects and what I can and cannot do....waxing was not one of the things she mentioned. Now I did notice something about waxing on the information that comes with the pills, but I didn't really pay attention to it...who really reads all that anyways. So off I went to get waxed. Now, I don't just get my eyebrows and upper lip waxed, I get my whole face waxed. I'm Puerto Rican and we tend to be hairy. I've been doing this for about a year or so with no problems and I didn't expect any this time. I go back into the little room(torture chamber), lay down and prepare my mind for the pain I am about to endure. The girl puts the hot wax on my eyebrows, smooths the strip of cloth on the hot wax and RIPS it off. It hurt like heck! I really wanted to put the other word, but people who know me in real life, know I do not cuss, but man, I wanted to! It hurt worse than it normally does. OK, so on to my other eyebrow, same thing, hurts like heck. Next is my upper lip.....hot wax on, cloth smoothed over hot wax, RIP! I swear this was hurting worse than it ever has. The girl says she's sorry, and she would be right back. She leaves the room and I'm am lying there, like what the heck? She comes back and asks if I have sensitive skin? I should of taken this as a sign. I ask her why? I'm thinking my face is bleeding or something. She says I am really red. Oh...OK, I am normally red, and tell her so, so she continues with the torture on my face.
Hot wax, smooth cloth, RIP!
Hot wax, smooth cloth, RIP!
Hot wax, smooth cloth, RIP!
Hot wax, smooth cloth, RIP!
You get the picture. I was in agony! It was hurting worse than it ever has, but I continued on. I had to be cute for our date, and by gosh I would suffer through this and be cute. After I got my face ripped off, I'm was looking forward to the nice, cooling lotion that will be applied to my face. I hear the tech getting the lotion, and as she applies a small amount to my cheek, I start to holler! Oh my gosh....it felt like someone had poured acid on my raw skin! the girl quickly wipes it off and keeps saying she is sorry, but my face is REALLY red. So I look in the mirror, expecting to see the normal redness and it looked like someone has tried to skin me alive, just like Daddy use to threaten to do to me. (Now I know what it would of felt like) I got a paper towel, soaked it in cold water, pressed it to my face bandana style, like I was going to rob a bank and went to the front to pay. The ladies in the spa were looking at me all crazy, but I didn't care. I drove home with the AC full blast on my face. When I walked through the door, Fonzy was standing there and I told him I didn't think I was suppose to get my face waxed. I peeled off the paper towel and the look on Fonzy's face said it all. I went to the bathroom and wanted to cry. It really looked like someone had ripped my skin off and it hurt so bad. My main concern was scaring. I have enough acne scars, I do not need to add burn scars to it. Fonzy went and got me some aloe vera gel and vitamin E oil. I seriously thought about staying home, but Fonzy and I were going to Brasa, a Brazilian steak house and I was looking forward to it. So I slathered the oil on my face, put on some make-up, actually LOTS of make-up and out we went. Have you ever been to a Brazilian steak house? Well, they have a hot and cold bar with salads, sushi and sides. You have little coasters on your table, one side is green, the other red. When you have the green side showing, waiters bring over fire-roasted meats, and fruits to your table. When the red side is up, they will not come to your table. They had lamb, steak, chicken, shrimp, pork, pineapple, amongst other things. The garlic steak was off the hook! Everything was pretty good, except the chicken hearts. Well, I don't know if they were good or not, but we were not going to find out. Fonzy and I really had a good time, and I don't think anyone noticed my burnt up face.
OK, now for the pictures...they do not show how bad my face really was, but where ever you see red, that is where I was burnt.
Wonder what this is a picture of....Uh, that would be my skin that peeled off of my face. Nasty huh?
Oh...you know how I said I read something about waxing in the pamphlet that came with the pills? Well, it said...Do not wax your face during or for six months AFTER taking the medication. SIX MONTHS! I will be on accutane for 6 months, and then I have to wait 6 more months before I can get waxed! Did I mention I am Puerto Rican and hairy! And they want me to wait a year to get my face waxed?! Are they crazy! This is what I am going to look like in a year......
OMG!!! Girl i hope you're doing better then that picture.. Bendito!! I feel so bad for you.... Feel better girl!!
ReplyDeleteThat is horrible, just horrible. What a traumatic experience! Seriously, you should get your money back or something. Is that normal? io don't know what is worse, hair or burn marks..that is a toughy. Thanks for delurking on my blog, I really really appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteOh My Goodness! No you cannot wax while on Accutane ... OR GET PREGNANT! (I'm a pharmacy nurse).
ReplyDeleteYou really shouldn't put oils or makeup over those raw spots either ... ouch! Hope everything is getting better.
I've pretty much read your blog this evening. You're a funny gal! I'm adding you to my favorite list if that's okay with you.
Take care of that face!
Tanya
so did your face scar? n how often did you put the aloe vera gel and vit e oil?
ReplyDeleteHi Heena,
ReplyDeleteThank God, my face did not scar. I put the Vitamin E on my face for about a week. I really didn't use the aloe vera gel because it stung. The oil felt a lot better.
good..good..so vit e oil should work jsut as well huh? u put in throughtout the day? how lng did it take b4 it got totally clear--w/o scarring?
ReplyDeleteThanks SOOO much!!
Goodness! Same thing happened to me! My doctor told me it was safe to wax though!! That jerk! It was right before my beach vacation too, so I couldn't go in the sun with the burns caused by the waxing!!!!! I had to stay in most of the time with prescription medicine caked all over my face.
ReplyDeleteI decided that is is more important to have a non~fuzzy face then it is to be on those meds!!!
Mine didn't scar, hope yours didn't either!!
Do you think the waxing makes it grow back any faster or thicker?
I recently tried threading, it's ok, not as awesome as everyone said.
This same thing happened to me and I'm on accutane as well. On Friday I went to get my eyebrows done and skin ripped off. I was so scared of scarring. I've been applying neosporin on it since Friday. And a thin layer of scab formed and it was starting to peel on its own but then I peeled it off. It looks like the skin pieces in your picture! When did your scab peel off? I'm afraid I am going to scar myself now that I peeled off the scab.
ReplyDeleteHi Pink...I peeled my skin off the following day...luckily it did not scar. I have been keeping up my eyebrows myself with a eyebrow razor, but I cannot wait until I am able to get them waxed. It's just not the same. I am on my last month of Accutane and my face is sooo clear! I hope it works for you too.
ReplyDeleteMine didn't scar. I went to the dermatologist the next day, that night I used vaseline (it worked so well), and then he gave me a steriod cream. It didn't even scab. Two days later the worst parts peeled like a sunburn then that was it. Because of the vaseline and the prescription cream everything was healed in about a week.
ReplyDeleteDon't pick scabs off anymore though!! You will be amazed how fast your face heals itself.
Thanks for the reassurance! This blog is sooo helpful! I'm on my last couple of days on Accutane and it has helped me although I still get a big pimple occasionally in my problem area (doc said to monitor it for a month), but I had a lot of blackheads that are gone! I'm glad its working for you so well!
ReplyDeleteHi Dear!
ReplyDeleteJust want let you know you are so beautiful, hairy or not :) I don't know why us brunette girls have to deal with such problems! but thank god we are so beautiful and we must be thankfull. I burnt a little side of my upper lip area while waxing two days ago. I decided that I will avoid that wax thing and just thread. Kisses
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI know this is so late, your last post was in 2008. But I just read this blog, and its so helpful to see someone else out there had the same problem.
I got my upper lip waxed and it had the same sort of peeled skin that you had! That skin has peeled off, but its left behind some noticeable reddish marks.
Did you have that too? Will they go away? I've been using Vaseline only, but am wondering if I should try something else?
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI just came across this blog becuase iv been frantically searching for some advice on the net since a similar thing happened to me this morning. I have been suffering from acne for about a year now and my GP prescribed me some Duac gel. Since using the gel i went for my facial wax in a new salon. While the lady was waxing my face i noticed it stung more than usual (I have this done about once a month and could tell something wasnt right!) but i let her carry on and when she had finished i realisd my whole skin on the side of my face had been ripped off! It looks very much like your pictures. The lady kept saying its because i have sensitive skin but Iv always had bad skin and got waxing done but never had my skin ripped off!
Anyway I went to the hospital immediately and they said to keep putting vaseline on it. I was just wondering if aloe vera gel is good too and if the burn will leave a scar on my face??
I used vaseline, it worked fine. And my dermatologist recommended staying out of the sun until it healed. It left no permanent marks. You should heal just as well :) Skip the waxing while on these meds, even when just on antibiotics, plus the waxing always made my acne worse. It's so fun being a girl!
ReplyDeleteHi there Mami,
ReplyDeleteI came across your entry when I was searching for info on upper lip waxing. I am partly Indian and we can be quite hairy too, so I totally get your beef with face fuzz. I also have sensitive skin, so now I am not sure if I should wax my upper lips or not.
I would like to suggest you go for threading instead. It's an old Indian hair removal method. I thread my eyebrows, no adverse reaction because all they use is a thread! You can get full face threading too if you like.
Hope this helps!
Hana
I have to say reading your post made me both laugh and cringe. i too am very hairy and Puerto Rician and am considering taking accutane.
ReplyDeleteAs i was reading the pamphlet about not waxing ehh it brings back memories of thick hairy eyebrows that i first had waxed when i was 13! and to think i get my eyebrows waxed every month...and I've had some bad waxing experiences in the past.
As much as i love having gorgeous and thick hair the maintenance part is a pain especially now that I'm growing my hair out and i see strands of it everywhere..lol its like the hair migrates everywhere i go..
I just want to say thank you for making a post like this! I was a bit nervous because I had my upper lip and eyebrows waxed while on acne medication and am suffering from red marks right now. I thought it was just something I had done but I feel slightly reassured that I'm not alone!
ReplyDeleteWell I hope that you healed up nicely considering this was years ago, but your post is still very useful. I also found the comments and suggestions useful as well. Thank you!
Omg the same thing happened to me! I'm on my last month of Accutane (Claravis) and I was going out on a date so I wanted to look good and went to the nail salon to get my eyebrows waxed. Normally I will get them threaded at the mall but its a far ride from my house and I didn't have time. I know your not suppose to get any cosmetic procedures done like chemical peels but I never knew about waxing. Besides I did it during my 2nd or 3rd month and I was a lil red as usual, but fine. When I did it this time I knew something wasn't right. Everyone in the nail salon was looking at me and my skin was burning but a lil more than the usual pain I feel. So he hands me the mirror so I can see and around my eyebrows are like realllyyy red. Almost as if someone burned or scolded me. I was so embarrassed. It was like a nightmare. They put aloe vera on it and I took an Advil when I got home to decrease the inflammation. Also I put iodine on it to make sure I won't get infected. I covered it up with makeup pretty good and went on my date. I don't think he noticed cause he was telling me how gorgeous I was all night lol but I will never wax again for a year!
ReplyDelete