Category: Hair Removal Cream

I’ve tried nearly every hair removal method in the world by now and this has included Nair hair removal cream. It has served me well at various stages of life, which I’ve talked about in the past. This has lead to many reader questions about using Nair on the face.

So can you use Nair on your face? Nair hair removal cream can be used on the face. It’s best to only use it on the chin, upper lip, and cheeks. Avoid the eyes and mouth. And make sure that you are using a product designed for the face, such as Nair Face Cream.

So you can use Nair on the face. But Nair isn’t right for everybody. Read on to learn the pros and cons of using Nair on your face.

Pro #1: Super Soft and Smooth Skin

Depilatory creams like Nair dissolve hairs both above the skin and below it, close to the root. So unlike with shaving, they tend to grow back thinner, with softer tips, and you don’t get that sharp kind of stubble that shaving causes.

Nair also has added ingredients that tend to soften the skin, leaving a super smooth dewy soft appearance. It’s a great canvas for applying make up.

Con #1: Potential Burns and Discoloration

The chemicals in Nair can easily burn your skin if you are not super careful. This sucks on most body parts, but is even worse on the face. Not only does it hurt like a mofo, but it can leave embarassing scabs and scars.

Also, irritation or burns from Nair can cause temporary or even permanent discoloration. This is most common for people with darker skin.

To understand all the risks, read Hair Removal Cream Side Effects.

Pro #2: Super Cheap

For a facial hair removal method, Nair is about as cheap as it gets. You can buy a bottle of Nair Face Cream on Amazon for under $10 (and even cheaper if you buy in bulk). One bottle will last you months and it never expires.

Compare this to salon waxing or threading and you are saving tons.

Con #2: Waiting 24 Hours

After using Nair on your face, you need to wait 24 hours to apply any products that contain perfume or your skin may become irritated. Some people need to avoid all products for up to 24 hours, including lotions and make-up.

In addition, you should avoid the sun for 24 hours after using Nair. If you have to go out for a short while, you can probably hack it by covering up with a hat or use an umbrella or something else to keep the sun off your face. But definitely avoid a day at the beach.

Pro #3: Pain-Free

Unlike many other methods that remove hair by the roots, Nair doesn’t hurt. Because it’s not ripping those hair out, it’s just dissolving them. If you are super sensitive to hair removal methods like waxing, this may make Nair more appealing to you.

Con #3: Not the Longest-Lasting Method

Although it hurts less, hair won’t be gone as long as with other methods that remove hair from the root, like waxing, sugaring, and epilation. Instead, you’ll probably see hairs coming back within a week.

Can You Use Nair on Eyebrows?

Nair recommends that you do not use their creams around the eyes or eyebrows. We are talking about serious chemicals that you do not want to accidentally get into your eyes.

Some women do use it to shape the top of their eyebrows or to remove hair from between the eyebrows (the unibrow). I would advise against doing this. However, if you are going to use it around eyebrows, those are the safest areas.

You should totally not put it under your eyebrows. The skin there is usually too thin to handle the harsh chemicals in Nair.

Plus, it’s really close to your eyes and eye lashes. Imagine how you’d look after dissolving half of your eyelashes off accidentally with the chemicals in Nair before you try this.

How to Apply Nair for Face Hair Removal Cream

1) Do a Patch Test. Apply a tiny amount of Nair to a small part of the area where you plan to use it. Follow the rest of the directions here and see how it works. Then wait 24 hours. If you don’t end up with any irritation, burns, discoloration, or other side effects, continue on with the rest of the area.

2) Cleanse your skin with water and towel or a gentle cleanser.

3) Carefully cover the hair with a thick, even layer of Nair, making sure that you do not rub it in.

4) Set a timer for 3 minutes. Wait patiently. Put lid back on your container.

5) After 3 minutes, wipe a tiny part of the cream off with a cloth and see if the hair wipes off with it. If so, wipe the rest of the cream off. If not, wait another 1-2 minutes and try again.

6) Depending on the product you have bought, you will need to have all the cream rinsed off within a total of 5 to 10 minutes. Check your product instructions to make sure which one you have! Some creams are stronger than others and must be removed within 5 minutes. Leaving Nair on for longer may result in burns.

7) Rinse your face thoroughly with lukewarm water. Use a soft cloth if necessary to get all residue off, but do not rub skin aggressively. Do not use any soap or other products on your face after using Nair.

8) Pat the face dry with a soft towel.

Tips for Using Nair on Face

• Make sure you are using a Nair product designed for the face. In the US, you should be looking for Nair Face Cream. In the UK and other countries, they have different names. But basically, just read the label and make sure it’s for the face.
  
• Using Nair incorrectly can result in irritation, burns, and discoloration, so heed carefully.

• Don’t go in sun for 24 hours. If you must go, wear a hat, scarf, umbrella, etc to avoid facial discoloration.

• After using Nair, wait 24 hours before you apply perfumed products or other products with harsh chemicals on the same area.

• Avoid contact with eyes. If you get in your eyes, rinse with water immediately and call poison control or your doctor.

• If you accidently ingest Nair, you should also call poison control

• You shouldn’t use Nair on skin that is damaged, broken, cut, or inflamed.

• If you feel any burning or stinging, remove the product imeedgately

What’s the Worst that Can Happen?

There is no shortage of horror stories on the web related to using Nair on the face. I’ve read tons of these and what I’ve found is that almost all of them could have been avoided if they had followed the directions I have listed above.

Pretty much no one does a patch test. Which I totally get. It’s a pain and we all want instant gratification. But we are talking about your face, here, so please don’t take any short cuts!

The second biggest mistake I see is that people are leaving Nair on too long. Never ever ever leave it on longer than recommended. Start checking after three minutes to see if hairs are dissolved and remove it as soon as possible.

To see what can happen if you don’t heed this advice, here’s an example in this video:

What’s the Best that Can Happen?

If you use Nair carefully and follow all the precautions I have talked about, you will prevent any major mishaps with Nair. If your skin continues to respond positively to patch tests and using Nair, you can expect super soft and smooth skin on a super tiny hair removal budget.

Here is an example of a woman who has used Nair successfully to look and feel more beautiful. Skip ahead to 2 minutes in to hear her thoughts on about Nair on the face:

What I Use to Remove Facial Hair

I used to successfully use Nair to remove body and facial hair, but I have always had lots of autoimmune issues and super sensitive skin. I began to experience mild irritation and a few burns, so decided to quit before I became more sensitive to it.

Since then, I’ve tried many other methods of hair removal for facial hair. I finally settled on plucking my eyebrows and using an epilator on my upper lip. I still have hairs on my cheeks, but they are light colored and since I don’t wear make up, they don’t really bother me.

I love using an epilator because it is even faster and cheaper than Nair. The only drawback for me has been ingrown hairs, but exfoliation tends to prevent them.

If you’re more interested on my thoughts about epilaton and facial hair, I wrote a blog post about that here.

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Being the lazy person I am, I love a hair removal method that takes a while before hairs start growing back. This is how I ended up looking into Nair for my own hair removal needs.

So how long does Nair last before hair grows back? Nair hair removal cream works by dissolving hairs above and just below the surface of the skin. This means that Nair lasts a little longer than shaving – so about two to five days, depending on how fast your hairs grow.

If two to fives days bums you out, because you’d like to remove hair less often, skip ahead for my list of the hair removal methods that last the longest. There are other methods that may suit your lifestyle better than Nair or other depilatories.

How Long Does Nair Last Before it Expires?

Most Nair products, including their hair removal creams, have no expiration date, so technically they should work safely for years. However, Nair recommends that you replace your Nair product one year after it is opened.

To help the product keep longer, store in a cool, dry, and well ventilated area, out of direct sunlight.

How Does Nair Hair Removal Work?

Depilatory creams like Nair work by using chemicals that break down hair structure.

Nair contains three active ingredients Potassium Thioglycolate, Calcium Hydroxide, and Sodium Hydroxide.

These chemical break the bonds of keratin, the protein that make up hair. Then hair and the root is turned into a jelly like substance through a chemical reaction known as hydrolysis.

Both calcium hydroxide (slaked lime) and sodium hydroxide (lye) are alkaline, with a PH of about 12. Hair destruction requires a PH of 10, so they do the trick rather efficiently.

However, these substances are really harsh on the skin, so to keep the amount of hydroxides to a minimum, potassium thioglycolate is usually the main ingredient in chemical depilatories, including Nair products.

Once these chemicals are done working, the hairs are now a soft goo basically, that simply has to be wiped wway with a cloth.

Some Nair products also contain Urea, which helps to exfoliate skin.

Ingredients like mineral oil, lanolin, or argan oil are added to Nair to help counterbalance the harsh chemicals and soften skin.

19 Pros and Cons of Nair Hair Removal Cream

Before you take the plunge with Nair, here’s a definitive list of all the pros and cons. Hopefully they can help you decide if Nair is right for you.

Pros

Easy and Do-it-Yourself

One of the best things about Nair is that it doesn’t take a lot of skin to do well. Just read the directions and get at it. This is great if you prefer not going to a salon and want an easy hair removal method to do at home.

Saves Time

It’s a fast method — all you gotta do is apply, wait 3-10 minutes, rinse, and BAM! you’re done. Since it removes hair almost to the root, it takes longer to grow back than shaving, so you will spend less time on hair removal compared to shaving.

No Cuts

No razors mean no cuts, which is a plus clumsy folks like me.

No In-Between-Days

With waxing and many other hair removal methods, you need to grow out hair a little bit before it will work. Not so with Nair. Since it works to remove hair under the skin, you can use it as soon as you begin to see that dark shadow.

Not as Painful as Other Methods

Unlike methods like epilation and waxing, you won’t be pulling hair out by the roots, so you’ll save yourself from that kind of severe pain.

Inexpensive

A bottle of Nair costs around $5-10. If you are just using this on your legs, it could last several months. This is way cheaper than buying fancy razors, for sure.

Super Soft Skin

Since Nair removes hair below the surface, you won’t have stubble growing back almost immediately. Additionally, Nair products contain extra moisturizers that usually leave skin super silky and soft.

No More Razor Burn

If razors leave unsightly bumps on your skin, Nair may be a better option. Since there is no friction going on, it won’t irritate skin in the same way as razors do.

No More Exfoliation

Nair depilatories are designed to exfoliate the skin while also removing hair. This saves you a step and may help prevent ingrown hairs.

Cruely Free

Nair products are never tested on animals, so you can use them with a clean conscience.

Easy to Buy

Nair products can be found online at Amazon (click here to see the wide selection) or in tons of brick and mortar stores including Walmart, Target, CVS, and Walgreens.

Products for Different Needs

Nair has several different products designed and many are tailored to specific areas of the body. For legs, arms, and stomach area, you can use the body lotions. If you are a woman, there is specific formulas for female facial hair and the bikini area. And then there is a line of products specifically for men.

Cons

The Smell

Have you ever smelled someone getting a perm? It staaannkkks! Nair uses some of the same chemicals and it has a similar odor. They do try to cover it up with fragrance, but there is no covering up that smell completely.

Side Effects

The most common side effect of Nair hair removal cream is skin irritation and pain. Other adverse effects include allergic reactions, chemical burns, ingrown hairs, and skin darkening.

For a full list of possible side effects from using chemical depilatory creams, including Nair, read my post on hair removal cream side effects.

Patch Test

Due to the potential side effects and the possibility of having an allergic reaction, you need to do a patch test each time you use Nair.

Why? Because your immune system is constantly changing and you can randomly develop an allergy to the chemicals in Nair, even if you’ve been using it for years.

Sensitivity

An increase in skin sensitivity is a side effect of prolonged use that many people experience. This may mean that your skin becomes irritated more easily or that it gets dried out easily by the chemicals in Nair.

Frequency

Although you don’t need to use Nair as often as you need to shave, it still doesn’t remove hair from the root as well as other methods. So you will need to do it more often than methods like waxing or epilating.

72 Hours Between Uses

Nair recommends that you wait 72 hours between applications. If you use it more often in the same area, you may end up with a chemical burn or develop an allergy to chemicals in the product.

This is only a problem if you mess up somehow and don’t get all your hair removed from an area you used it on.

If that doesn’t happen, 72 hours is no big deal since you shouldn’t need to remove hair with Nair more than once or twice a week.

The 24 Hour Wait

After using Nair, you should wati 24 hours before apply other products like lotions ,deodorant, or perfumes ot the same area.

You should also wait 24 hours before getting a lot of sun exposure as your skin will be more sensitive and likely to burn.

Which Hair Removal Method Lasts the Longest?

Any hair removal method that removes hairs from the root will last anywhere from one to six weeks, depending on how well it’s done, your hair’s texture and color, and how fast your hair grows.

Realistically, you will probably have to get touch ups at least every two weeks with any of these methods. Still, two weeks is significantly better than every few days!

The main downside with all these methods is pain. Pulling hairs out by the root hurts.

Also, if these methods aren’t done correctly, they will simply break the hair off at the surface and you’ll see those hairs pop back up again in just a few days. So taking the time to learn the method well and do it right will pay off.

So what are the methods that remove hairs from the root?

Tweezing

This is pretty self explanatory. You can use tweezers to remove hair from your eyebrows, but it won’t cut it for larger areas of hair.

Waxing

Waxing is done by applying warm wax to your hair, letting it cool, then pulling it off quickly. This rips out the hairs that dried in the wax. If done well.

Waxing can be done by a professional at a salon, ensuring you get it done correctly. Or if you’re on a budget, wax kits can be bought for use at home too.

Sugaring

Sugaring works similar to waxing, but a sugary paste is used instead of wax. Some people like it better than waxing because it doesn’t remove the top layer of skin like waxing does.

Sugaring is most commonly done at home with both store bought and DIY pastes.

Threading

Usually reserved for eyebrows, threading uses strings to grab and pull out hairs. It takes some skill to do well, so is best done by a professional. And allthough it makes your eyebrows look fabulous, it tends to be more painful than other methods.

Laser

Laser hair removal uses heat from, you guessed it, lasers. This heat damages hair follicles, slowing or stopping growth completely.

Laser can sometimes be done at home, but is usually best left to a well-trained professional. However, no matter who does it, it only works in a small percentage of people (usually people with light skin and dark hairs) and it isn’t guaranteed to be permanent.

Electrolysis

Technically, electrolysis is the hair removal method that lasts the longest. If you want a hair removal method that lasts forever, electrolysis is your best bet. It’s the only FDA approved method for permanent hair removal.

This method uses electricity to destroy the hair follicle. If you find a well trained electrolysis, it may last forever. Unfortunately, though, no method is perfect for everyone. Electrolysis doesn’t work in about 5-10% of the population.

Epilation

Epilation is tweezing on steroids. It’s done with a small machine called an epilator. It has tons of tweezers that work together at once to pluck hairs out.

Epilation can be done at home and is one of the most inexpensive hair removal methods. If you can’t afford laser or electroylsis, this is the next best thing, in my opinion.

To learn more about epilation, check out the Epilator FAQ and Beginner’s Guide.

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References

Chemical Technology of Cosmetics; Kirk-Othmer; 2013

U.S. National Library of Medicine: Nair Cream Hair Remover for Face with Baby Oil

U.S. National Library of Medicine: Nair Hair Remover Precision Face and Upper Lip Kit

U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Removing Hair Safely

The Indian Journal of Surgery: Shaving Versus Depilation Cream for Pre-operative Skin Preparation

I loved the idea of using hair removal creams like Nair or Veet for the hair on my face as well as my legs. It’s such a simple and straightforward process and my hairs grow back less densely afterward. Unfortunately, I’ve found out first hand that there are many side effects that can sometimes outweigh the benefits of using these creams on the face or body, depending on how sensitive your skin happens to be.

What are the side effects of using hair removal cream on the face or body? When using hair removal creams on the face or body, the most common side effect is mild skin irritation and pain. Other possible side effects include allergic reaction, burns, odors, skin darkening, scars, ingrown hairs, folliculitis, eye irritation, and possible poisoning if accidentally ingested.

Some of these side effects sound a little scary, but it’s important to remember that most are rare and temporary. Once you have an understanding of all the side effects and how they are caused, you can take several steps to prevent them the next time you use hair removal cream.

Mild Skin Irritation and Pain

Skin irritation is the most common side effect of hair removal creams on the face and body. The harsh chemicals in these creams irritate the skin. Burning, redness, and itching are normal skin reactions to these chemicals.

While the cream is still on the skin, you may feel a mild stinging or burning sensation. Once the cream is removed, this feeling will usually subside immediately or within a few hours.

The skin may also have some redness after application that usually goes away within a few hours.

Allergic Reaction

Although some irritation is normal with hair removal creams, some people will develop an immune response to the chemicals in the cream, resulting in a more severe skin irritation called contact dermatitis. This can happen during the first application or you can develop an allergy after multiple applications.

With contact dermatitis, you may see a reaction immediately or it may be delayed, showing up minutes, hours, or days after the cream is removed.

With an allergic reaction from hair removal cream, you may have a rash with any of the following symptoms:

• itchiness
• redness
• dry, scaly, or cracked skin
• blisters
• bumps
• oozing and crusting
• swelling
• burning
• tenderness

Contact dermatitis will usually clear up on its own within two weeks as long as you avoid using the hair removal cream again.

Chemical Burns

Chemical burns are a major hazard when using these creams. Your skin is made of the same substances in hairs. So the cream will eventually break down your skin like it breaks down hairs if you leave it on too long. This can cause first or second-degree chemical burns.

Signs of a chemical burn include redness, extreme pain, and blisters. They usually resolve within a few weeks but may need medical treatment.

Strong Odors

The chemicals in hair removal creams have strong, unpleasant odors. Companies have tried hard to mask these smells, but it’s pretty much impossible. You will have to deal with the smells while using the creams and some odor may linger on your skin for a few hours after application.

Another concern with the odors is that some of the chemicals emit fumes that can irritate the lungs and may be too strong for people with existing lung and breathing issues.

If the fumes bother you or affect your breathing, get yourself to some fresh air.

Darkening of the Skin and Scarring

When hair removal creams inflame or burn skin, a dark patch of skin can develop. This is called inflammatory hyperpigmentation. It is more common in people with darker skin types. Fortunately, it is temporary and will eventually fade.

Skin irritation, burns, and allergic reactions may also cause wounds and blisters that may result in hyperpigmentation or scars.

Ingrown Hairs and Folliculitis

With any hair removal method, ingrown hairs and folliculitis are possibilities.

Ingrown hairs happen when hairs get trapped under the skin when they are growing back.

Folliculitis is inflammation of the hair follicle. When using hair removal creams, folliculitis may occur if ingrown hairs cause irritation or become infected. This may cause swelling, pain, itching, and scars.

The good news is that hair removal creams don’t typically damage the skin and hair follicles like other hair removal methods, ingrown hairs and folliculitis is usually less likely to happen. In fact, many dermatologists recommend hair removal creams to people who have problems with ingrown hairs.

Eye Irritation and Damage

When using hair removal cream on the face, you should never use it near your eyes. However, it is possible that you may accidentally get some cream near or in your eye. If this happens, serious irritation and serious eye damage can occur.

If you get cream in an eye, rinse with water for several minutes. If you are wearing contact lenses, remove them and continue rinsing.

Poisoning

Hair removal creams contain poisonous substances including sodium or calcium hydroxide (alkalis), barium sulfide, and thioglycolates. 

Although unlikely, it is always possible that you may get some cream in your mouth when using it near your upper lip or chin. If this happens, you should obviously spit out the cream, rinse your mouth well, and seek medical advice.

Never, ever swallow hair removal cream. If you do swallow any cream, call 911 or poison control immediately and follow their directions.

How to Prevent Hair Removal for Face Side Effects

There are several precautions you can take that will help you avoid many of the side effects of depilatory creams:

• Do a patch test, following the directions that came with your cream.  Wait at least 24 hours to see if you have an allergic reaction.
• Use hair removal cream in a well-ventilated room to reduce lung exposure to harsh fumes
• Do not use on eyebrows, ears, nose, or near eyes.
• Do not put cream on sunburned, cut, broken, or inflamed skin.
• Do not rub the cream into your skin.
• Do not leave the cream on for longer than recommended. To really be on the safe side, use it for less than recommended by doing a test on a small area every minute to see if the hair is gone or not. As soon as the hair is removed, wipe off all the cream.
• Have a wet cloth or a shower ready so you can get the cream off quickly if your skin has a reaction.

Related Questions

What are the long term effects of hair removal cream?

If you use hair removal creams regularly, your skin may become more sensitive to irritants and sunlight. You may also develop an allergy to the cream which will cause contact dermatitis.

Does hair removal cream make hair grow back thicker?

There is no evidence that hair removal cream makes hair grow back thicker. In fact, it’s more common to see hair growing back less densely and thinner after repeated use.

What’s the best hair removal cream for the face?

My pick for best hair removal cream for face hair is Nair Hair Remover Moisturizing Face Cream (click to check it out on Amazon). Nair has been around for over 50 years and they have had tons of time to perfect their forumla so it gets the best results with the lowest risk of side effects possible. This cream is also super affordable and leaves your skin exfoliated and feeling super soft.

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References

Consumer Product Information Database: SDS For Nair Hair Remover Precision Face and Upper Lip Kit-01/21/2016

Consumer Product Information Database: SDS For Veet Botanic Inspirations Hair Removal Cream, Sensitive Formula

U.S. National Library of Medicine: Haz-map for Contact dermatitis, allergic

U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Removing Hair Safely

Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care: Allergic contact dermatitis: Overview

The Indian Journal of Surgery: Shaving Versus Depilation Cream for Pre-operative Skin Preparation

Hair removal creams like Nair seemed cool as hell when I first discovered them. Because, let’s face it, shaving those nether regions is awkward and time consuming. And, well, I liked wearing short shorts.

But then I got burned. Literally. And I’m not the brightest person ever, so I tried these creams multiple times hoping something magically would change and experienced multiple burns. Between my experiences and tons of research, I’ve found the best ways to handle chemical burns from hair removal creams on the genitals or any other body part.

So what do I recommend you do when you get a Nair burn on your vag? Quickly rinse the Nair completely off and flush the area in the shower for 15 minutes. If a shower isn’t available, soak in a lukewarm bath for 15 minutes. Gently pat dry the area with a soft towel. Apply hydro-cortisone ointment or a diaper rash cream (Desitin or Sudocrem are the best) to reduce irritation and pain. Then keep the burn moist with petroleum jelly.

These basic first aid steps will stop more damage from occurring and reduce the pain a little bit. However, if you’re like me, you will be in for a rough day or two with pretty severe pain. Luckily, there are many other steps you can take at this point to reduce the pain and help the burn heal quickly.

12 Remedies for Nair Chemical Burn Relief

1. If you feel an increase in burning after your initial first aid, flush the area with water for several more minutes.

2. To control pain and reduce inflammation, use over the counter pain medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen

3. Don’t use burn creams intended for non-chemical burns. These can make the pain worse.

4. Prevent friction and pressure on the area as much as possible. Do not have sex. It’s not worth it.

5. Take lukewarm baths throughout the day to control pain if necessary.

6. If you are experiencing pain when peeing, a recommended hack is to pee in the bathtub. Hold your fingers over the burned area so the pee doesn’t touch it as it leaves your body. Then drain the water and take a shower.

7. Wear loose-fitting underwear and clothing. Skirts can be a good clothing choice until the burn heals.

8. Applying ice to burns is usually discouraged, but some women recommend applying ice for vag burns from Nair to held manage pain that gets unbearable. Another option is getting a maxi pad wet, freezing it, and then applying it to your burn. You should only use ice for about 15-20 minutes at a time to prevent damaging the skin.

9. Try a sitz bath. This is an alternative to bathing that helps relieve pain in the vag area.

10. Wet some tea bags and apply to the affected area. Black or green tea are good choices for this.

11. Continue applying a moisturizing ointment or cream, such as petroleum jelly, to the area so the burn stays moist. Chemical burns heal best this way.

12. Clean the area and reapply moisturizer frequently to avoid infections.

When to See a Doctor

Most Nair chemical burns are first degree burns so they can usually be treated at home without any problems. However, if your burn is more severe with blisters or more than a few inches wide, it’s a good idea to consult a doctor as soon as possible.

If you see signs of an infection, you should also talk to your doctor. These signs include:

• Worsening redness or changes in skin color.
• More swelling.
• Blistering.
• The burn becomes thicker.
• Pus or green-colored drainage.
• Fever.

Should You Use Nair on Your Vag Again?

If you followed the directions and used Nair properly, but still ended up with a burn on your vag, you should not use Nair again. This is an indication that your skin is too sensitive to the chemicals in it or you have an allergy to it.

If you didn’t follow the directions, did you use too much cream, rub it in, or let it sit for longer than 6 minutes? Or did you apply Nair to skin that was slightly sunburned or irritated already?

If so, this is possibly the reason you ended up with a burn. If you take better precautions, you can probably use Nair without a problem. This is also the case if you put Nair on the wrong body parts.

Your problem may have been a Nair chemical burn on your vag lips. Nair can be applied to the outside of this area and the surrounding pubic area.

If Nair ended up on the inside of your vag lips or on other areas covered with mucous membranes instead of skin, that is probably why it burned you. These tissues are too delicate for chemical depilatories.

One other possibility is that you are just sensitive to Nair specifically, but not all depilatory creams. You may want to try out a different brand next time. I’ve heard some people with sensitivity to Nair have had good luck with Magic Razorless Cream Shave (click to read reviews on Amazon). It is intended for faces so is especially gentle for a depilatory cream.

How to Prevent Chemical Burns from Nair

If you want to give Nair another try (or you’re reading this before you’ve tried Nair), there are several steps to take to make sure you get the best results and no chemical burns.

First, make sure you are using a product specifically made for the bikini area. These are usually gentler and will be less likely to cause burns.

Next, you need to test it on a tiny spot. Put a dab on a small area, let it sit about 6-10 minutes, then rinse. Wait 24 hours to see if you have any reactions. You should do this every time that you use Nair because you can have a reaction randomly even if you’ve never had one in the past. Immune systems be crazy.

If your test goes well, you can go ahead with Nairing your vag, but make sure that the hair is at least 2 millimeters for best results. And if the hair is super long, you may want to trim it or just shave or wax first and then start Nairing when it grows out a tiny bit. Really long hair takes more cream and you have to leave it on longer. That will cause more skin irritation.

Apply a thick and even layer of Nair to your hair until it is covered, being careful to not rub it into the skin. Always avoid any broken or inflamed skin.

Wash your hands well and watch the clock. After 6 minutes, use a cloth to wipe a tiny patch. If hair wipes off, it’s time to remove the rest with a damp cloth. Just wipe, don’t rub the cream in. Rinse the area really well with lukewarm water and pat dry.

If your hair is not coming off yet, you can wait up to 10 minutes, but that’s the absolute maximum. If your hair doesn’t wipe off by then, Nair is just not for you.

You may also be interested in watching this instructional video from Nair:

Alternatives to Depilatory Creams for Pubic Hair Removal

If trying Nair or another hair removal cream is a no go for you, don’t fret. Thanks to good ol’ capitalism and our culture that hates body hair, we have lots of solutions! 😉

If you haven’t tried it yet, I recommend using an epilator.

What is an epilator? It’s a device you can use at home that pulls multiple hairs out by the root at once. The results are similar to waxing. It can be a little painful, but it doesn’t mess with your skin so is a good option for those of us with sensitive skin.

Other possibilities include shaving, waxing, sugaring, or just trimming with an electric trimmer. A less popular alternative is giving our norms about body hair the finger and letting your pubic hair grow wild like most people in the world do.

Related Questions

How long do burns from hair removal cream last?

A burn from hair removal cream is a chemical burn. These typically last about 5-6 days. If the burn is deeper than a first degree burn, it will take longer. Infections can also extend the healing time.

Does Nair last longer than shaving?

Yes! Nair lasts longer than shaving, but unfortunately, not quite as long as other hair removal methods. Check out my article, How Long Does Nair Last? for more information.

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