Wax burns are quite unpleasant and painful. It can be a burn during waxing, or just a drop of wax from a candle.
As soon as you get a wax burn, you should immediately place the affected body part under cold water for 20 minutes. You can fill a basin or bathtub for this purpose. If you get a wax burn on your face, you should put a towel soaked in icy water on it. You can also simply use a cold compress. In this case do not use soap or other cleansing agents. After all, they will only increase irritation on burnt skin.
After that, you should check if there is any wax left on the skin. If so, gently remove the residue. You don’t have to pull it with force, otherwise you risk skin damage. Also, do not remove the wax from the blister. New sores and even festering are inevitable.
Next, you need to understand whether you can cure a burn yourself or you will need the help of a doctor. Light burns with wax can heal without additional intervention. But with whitened or blackened skin, when you can see the bone or muscles, and the area of the burn is larger than a coin, you should consult a doctor.
The remaining wax should be removed with Vaseline. If there is any wax left on the burn, apply a thin layer of Vaseline. After 10 minutes, the wax itself will move away from the skin, you can use a soft wet towel.
How to treat a wax burn?
After you have washed the burn with water, wash your hands with mild soap and then rinse again under cool water. Wipe your hands with a towel, but do not rub the burn area. Some soft tissues may separate from the burn site with wax, so don’t be frightened. Keep burns clean, as they are very sensitive to infections.
Apply clean aloe vera or an ointment with antibiotic to the affected area. You can buy them at any pharmacy. They’re applied in a thin layer. You can also apply the juice from aloe leaf. If you do not have such products on hand, you can apply a liquid vitamin E, and to prevent infection you should apply an ointment with silver sulfadiazine (for example, “Dermazine”).
Ligate gauze on the damaged skin, especially if you have cracked skin or blisters. An adhesive plaster can be used to fix it. The bandage should be changed once or twice a day, or if it is wet or dirty.
If it is very painful, swelling occurs, ibuprofen can be used.
Later on, do not touch the wound, do not peel off the crust, brush off the burn. This will only worsen the condition and increase the healing process. Moreover, there are many bacteria on your fingers, which can penetrate into the affected area and lead to infection.
Also, forget about tanning, going out into the sun, tanning beds for a while. After all, burnt skin is very sensitive, it does not tolerate sunlight. Either close this skin to the sun until the wound is completely healed. It is advisable to use SPF 30 sunscreen.
If there are signs of infection on the wound – pus, unpleasant smell, increased redness – you should immediately seek medical help. This should also be done if the burn with wax does not heal for more than two weeks.