Waxing with acne?

January 17, 2013 7:11 AM

I have been looking forward to today's bikini wax for over a month. Yesterday, I noticed a large pimple down there. Is is still ok to get waxed?

A few details: my aesthetician does not have a receptionist or answer her phone, and she charges full price if you cancel within 24 hours. I would be out $70, which would really hurt - this is my one luxury right now, and I could really use it. (I just left an abusive relationship, am battling PTSD and depression, and finances are right after moving away from my ex hastily and stressfully - please trust me when I say that I need this right now, as silly as that sounds.)

The pimple is on the outside upper labia and is near where my leg and thigh touch. It is very big and cystic, much like the acne on my face. Warning - this is gross: it popped easily in the shower yesterday and leaked a ton of pus (I washed with antibacterial soap after that), but is still red and swollen and slightly painful to the touch.

Is it safe to wax anyhow? If not, any tips for talking to the aesthetician about not charging me? I can drive in for the appointment to talk with her.

posted by sockermom to clothing, beauty, & fashion (8 answers total)

It's an open wound, it is not safe to wax plus JESUS OW OW OW.

What you can do is invest $3 in a round or square Bandaide and she can wax around it assuming a 1" bandaide will provide enough margin so she is not touching any irritated skin.
posted by DarlingBri at 7:16 AM on January 17 [1 favorite]

You might have better luck reframing this as a reschedule than a cancellation. As in, "I woke up with a skin condition in the area to be waxed, can we reschedule for next week, when it will have healed?"

Give her more time rather than less -- call right away. Definitely don't just show up for the appointment to cancel it. She may have someone on a wait list, or another client who could come early, or she could have a late lunch with a friend instead of seeing you.
posted by apparently at 7:28 AM on January 17 [1 favorite]

I imagine that since she works with skin, she also has some definite ideas how to proceed. (Also: note that sockermom says that the aesthetician doesn't answer her phone.)

I'd try an adaptation of DarlingBri's advice; get the BandAids, but don't put them on. Show up. Tell her that "look, here's the thing. I know that your time is valuable and I also didn't want to cancel, HOWEVER, here's what it looks like and that just happened yesterday. I brought THESE BandAids if you think they will help, and we can either go ahead today if you think it's okay, or we can reschedule. Whatever you think is best." You've shown good faith in keeping the appointment, and you're also proving that you really really want to do this, but you've also let her know what the situation is and are leaving the choice hers and offering to work with her.

And I'm sure this is the sort of thing that has happened often enough before that she's got ideas. It's probably not an everyday thing, but...human beings can get cysts, and sometimes those cysts are in places that get waxed, and sometimes the timing just shakes down that they happen at the same time. She probably has ideas for what to do.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:35 AM on January 17 [7 favorites]

I agree with EmpressCallipygos: if there really is no way to contact her in order to cancel/reschedule, I sure wouldn't throw $70 down the drain.

Show up, armed with bandaids, and state your case. I'd be surprised if she can't (quite literally) work around it somehow.
posted by Salamander at 7:51 AM on January 17

Another good point about showing up anyway: she may even have some ideas for how to speed healing on the cyst, and tips for how to prevent them.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:58 AM on January 17

That sounds more like a boil than a pimple. I think rescheduling is in order.
posted by hot soup girl at 8:00 AM on January 17

Yeah, I would reschedule, because waxing around open oozy wounds is nasty for everyone. However, I don't really think you should expect her not to bill you for the time; maybe you could ask for a 20% discount or something on your rescheduled appointment?
posted by elizardbits at 8:17 AM on January 17

Thanks, everyone! I did what EmpressCallipygos suggested and it went well. I feel bad, but my aesthetician was super nice and did not make me pay a cancellation fee after she saw how bad it looked. I didn't ask her to waive it; she's just really nice.

I did call about four times and left two messages, but she's not good with the phone. Good thing it's only a 10 minute drive and not an hour away or something.
posted by sockermom at 12:44 PM on January 17