I burned myself on hair removal. How long until it heals?

Question

So i used some hair removal cream, and used it all over my face except for my eyes, mouth and eyebrows. When i removed the cream, my face was stinging and bright red. Now i have some patches on my face that feels rough and stingy. It feels like really really dry skin, and kinda cracks when i move my face. Its now three days ago, and i have been putting some wound healing ointment on it, but it dosent help. How long until it heals? Should i get something for it, or will it go away by itself?

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

Healing can be variable and it's tough to tell without pictures. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a cosmetic dermatologist to go over wound care at this time. I recommend silicone gel with growth factors to help avoid scarring. Best, Dr. Emer

Hardik Soni, MD · Answer

It seems to me that you let your hair removal cream stay on your face longer than it is advised. It may take up to ten days for your skin to heal. Since you did not post any pictures, I cannot evaluate your case, therefore I recommend you to visit a dermatologist so you can get the right treatment to avoid scarring. I would recommend you to use antibiotic ointment to prevent the skin from getting infected and to speed up the healing process. You can use a analgesic gel to soothe inflammation

I burned myself on hair removal. How long until it heals?

Answers (2)