My skin has become rough after bleaching - Help!

I have been bleaching my face, every 15 days, from the age of 19 as there is some superfluous hair on my face. But now, I find that my skin is no more soft and clean as it used to be. Pimples and rashes have started troubling me. Please advise. - Anu


Response:

Bleaching on a regular basis  is too harsh for your skin

Bleaching is too harsh a treatment to be given to any face. It can rob your skin of its natural oils and moisture, leaving the skin dull and dry.

If you want your face to look bright before any important event or function, you can use some good quality bleach and do follow these do's and don’t's while bleaching.

 But to bleach your face every 15 days is wreaking havoc on your delicate skin.

If you are using bleach to camouflage superfluous hair, I suggest you stop doing this immediately. Personally, I feel that it's not an aesthetic thing to do.

Those bleached hair are clearly visible in sunlight and trust me, it looks pretty gross.

I've seen many women sporting such golden yellow moustaches or sideburns and it looks so odd on their otherwise pretty faces.

If you have fine, thin hair on arms, you can conceal them effectively with the help of bleach. Golden yellow hair doesn't look so queer on the arms but on the face it's a complete no-no.

But even in case of arms, take care to apply bleach only once in 2 months.

Try other methods of hair removal for superfluous hair

Why don't you remove the superfluous hair on your face by threading or tweezing? These are one of the easiest ways to get rid of superfluous hair on your face. You can visit a beautician or do it from home.

Especially, the sideburns can be removed by waxing. For hair above the upper lip or chin hair, threading is the best! Also read the post Should I wax my upper lip and chin area?

 Try permanent hair removal

For a more permanent solution to your problem, you can try laser treatment. It's expensive and does require many sittings. Also do your research and go to a reputed clinic known to provide good services and best results.

Laser treatment at incompetent clinics may even scar your skin forever not to mention the monetary loss.

Even those who have undergone treatment at reputed clinics claim that the hair does grow back in an year or two.

Effective hair removal also depends on the type of laser used. So consider all these factors before opting for this treatment.

Visit an Endocrinologist

Before considering any permanent hair removal treatment, I suggest you visit an endocrinologist, who will do proper investigations like checking your hormonal profile and ascertain the cause of superfluous hair and recommend appropriate treatment for the same.

In some cases, it's just a hereditary thing; if your mother, aunts, sisters or grandmothers had such a problem, chances are that you have also inherited this. The doctor is the best judge to decide that.

Rectify rough skin caused by bleaching

Since your face has become rough due to bleaching, stop it for now. 

As regards pimples and rashes, they will disappear, once you stop bleaching your skin. These are more due to an allergic reaction than anything else.

Your skin is also an organ of your body. It performs so many functions for your body. Treat it well and it will give you a lifetime of service.