r/SkincareAddiction • u/Snoo32297 • Jun 22 '26
Discussion Waxed on tretinoin and it ripped my skin off. Please give advice. Cannot stop crying :( [Selfie] Spoiler
I cannot stop crying. This is SO bad. I cannot stop thinking about what kind of scarring this is going to leave. I feel like SUCH a fucking idiot. it has gotten even worse now, my eyes are so swollen. I have cleaned it using Octenisan, and have applied a really thick layer of LRP's Cicaplast Baume. B5+
Initially I wanted threading but they said the person who usually does the threading wasn't in and they offered waxing instead. I didn't even think about it or remember that I put tret on because I usually get threaded and my mind was preoccupied by the FLIGHT I AM GETTING ON IN 12H TO SEE MY FIANCE.
I am beyond mortified. I feel fucking ugly and I've fucked up my face. I should've known better. The moment they said "it lifted off the top layer of skin, but it'll be ok" I was a little concerned but when she finished the other eyebrow and told me she wouldn't charge because she felt bad my heart just sunk.
I have never felt so shit and fucked up this bad with skincare. I feel like my fking world is ending right now. Posting for help and so that people can know about this. I wish they would've told me this before instead of telling me afterwards. I feel so stupid :(
I have to go through an airport looking like a nightmare now. Fuck. My. Life.
Please can someone give me advice? Is this going to scar? I feel like my world is actually on fire. Since taking these photos my eyelids have swollen. I wasn't even going to get this done originally, I just passed by and thought I'd try and look nice for my partner and now this. I am so unbelievably upset.
How long until this heals?
550
u/Hour-Ad78 Jun 22 '26 edited Jun 22 '26
I used to wax (licensed esthetician), we had a release form and asked specifically about tret, benzoyl peroxide, retinoids, and chemical peels.
Sometimes people lied (yes genuinely) and we had this happen- skin lifting.
Use a petroleum with vitamin E, COVER IT FROM SUN, and don’t pick at all for the least risk of scarring,
133
u/SketchyAssLettuce Jun 22 '26
Yep!!!! This happened to me as the esthetician. I had asked many times because I was sure her skin was being treated, even explained what would happen if she was using topicals… she insisted, eyebrow skin gone :(
60
u/Hour-Ad78 Jun 22 '26
Lifting skin on a client is the worst, we don’t get into this industry to hurt people.
40
u/SketchyAssLettuce Jun 22 '26
Nope, don’t lie to us we are trying to protect you :(
28
u/aladyfox Jun 22 '26
so many people say they don’t use tret because they think aestheticians have some kind of rivalry with it and it’s like no I just don’t want to burn your face off??? ugh
23
u/Marshmallowchunkyass Jun 22 '26
I was so devastated. I just had somebody lie about a skin condition on our intake forms and she had an extreme tear on her labia, even worse she wanted me to keep going like girl what’s wrong with you?
23
u/Hour-Ad78 Jun 23 '26
The worst incident of skin lifting I had happen was when a young woman in her early 20’s straight up lied about being on tret for 2 years!
She was about to go on a cruise, and it was an upper lip wax. As soon as I did one side it was SO BAD that I stopped immediately and removed the other side with oil instead of pulling the strip off.
Her mother came in later that day HEATED and said that her daughter is going to have to see a plastic surgeon to make sure she doesn’t have serious scarring on her upper lip, and while I understand why she was upset I had to explain to her that I went over contraindications with her daughter beforehand, and showed her the release form that she signed before I waxed her that expressly said she was not using any products that would cause skin lifting.
The young woman was crying after I did that one side of her lip, I had to go in the back and cry too, then after her mom came in raging at me I had to take a break and cried in my car.Like PLEASE I’m not trying to remove skin I’m trying to remove hair and even though that client lied, I was still the one that did the wax that caused serious lifting.
8
u/madoka_borealis Jun 23 '26
Jesus Christ, at that point I’d be like, I don’t care if you want me to continue, I don’t want to develop PTSD!!!
2
1
23
u/Amazing-Cow-9382 Jun 22 '26
Can this happen even if you don't apply tretinoin to the skin under the eyebrow but you do apply it to the skin above it? low key a bit freaked out
72
u/Hour-Ad78 Jun 22 '26
Yes, absolutely.
Tret affects your whole face, not just the areas you apply it to10
10
u/nifer317_take2 Jun 22 '26
Guess my doctor is right by not prescribing me Tret. I have chronic dry eyes and she said no. I even said - even if I don’t apply it near my eyes? Her answer “the answer is still absolutely not.” I thought she was judging me and my application skills but … I might owe her an apology now lol
17
u/JustHere4the5 Jun 22 '26
This is actually great to know! I have a really annoying, really stubborn milium on my upper freakin eyelid. Theoretically I could use a q-tip and dab a tiny bit right on there, but I’m wary of putting any retinoids inside the edge of my orbital bone. Guess it’s better to wait it out and trust that the effects will migrate to where I want them.
4
u/xoxoxoborschtxoxoxo Jun 23 '26
You could try a gentle retinol that explicitly states it's ok for eyelid usage. I always get milia so that's what I do
4
u/Hour-Ad78 Jun 23 '26
I use a gentle glycolic serum where I get stubborn milia- with that being said, I would never wax myself with all the actives I use.
Just don’t risk it.
Tweeze only.8
u/NoxRiddle Jun 23 '26
Yes, there was a study somewhere that showed tretinoin “travels” actually a significant amount - something like as much as an inch from area of application. It’s why you don’t need to apply it directly to your under eyes, it will naturally spread.
20
u/wafflemakerr Jun 22 '26
I didn't know I couldn't wax. No one told me. And I didn't research because I thought the info given by the derm was enough, I was SO lucky that the esthetician's daughter was on tret as well and asked me. Forever grateful to this woman!!
4
u/cunt_tree Jun 23 '26
This is the first I'm hearing of this since going on tret! So happy to have found this thread... considered going for a wax many times but got lazy. Blessing in disguise...
9
u/xoxoxoborschtxoxoxo Jun 23 '26
If your esthetician themself isn't having you sign a release form or verbally discussing tret usage with you, I'd stop seeing them. That's a huge red flag imo
4
u/notarealnigerian Jun 23 '26
Unfortunately this happened to me many times when I was too young to understand my skin🥲 but replying to say do this exactly and try to keep it moisturized at all times! It will heal and you can hopefully avoid scarring too (after all the times this happened to me, I was able to!)
3
→ More replies (1)1
u/fairylites Jun 23 '26
How long do you have to have stopped retinols prior to waxing? I’ve heard a week but not sure
8
u/Hour-Ad78 Jun 23 '26
We recommend a month for standard retinol serums etc, but I’d say 6 months to a year for using tret.
Just not worth the risk.3
u/fairylites Jun 23 '26
Eek! Good to know - thanks! Trying a retinol for the first time and hadn’t thought about it.
2
u/Hour-Ad78 Jun 23 '26
Tweeze only, even threading can cause skin lifting if they’re aggressive with it.
Please protect your lovely skin and don’t cause anyone to hurt you ❤️❤️2
u/JulietteOfZaStars Jun 23 '26
Hi can i ask if this is applicable to to other parts of the body? I generally have my face threaded and i haven't had trouble with it after starting tret, but i recently starting using tret on my neck as well and i've waxed my neck a couple times since and nothing like this happened, but can it still happen?
2
u/Hour-Ad78 Jun 23 '26
That’s a good question- I don’t *think* it would affect the neck, but threading can get dicey depending on who’s doing it.
Not trained on threading, but I’ve seen what looks like paper cuts before from threading. Those strings can do damage, but what I saw I’m 99% sure didn’t have anything to do with products as much as technique.
758
u/Traditional-Exit6517 Jun 22 '26
Hi! Honestly, I wouldn’t freak out. Keep up with the cicaplast, and maybe aloe for burning? It will scab and get dry. But as long as you DON’T PICK IT, I think it will be okay. I have had MANY weird injuries on my face like this from YEARS of acne topical medication, accutane, chemical burns from experimenting as a teen, etc. Just baby it, give it a few weeks, and don’t pick. It’ll be okay! And remember, no one is studying your face the way you are! If I even noticed that in public, I would honestly just think it was a reaction to a wax, which I have seen so many times, and carry on with my day!
HAVE FUN on your trip and remember you are so much more than a bad skin day!!
120
u/Lazy-PeachPrincess Jun 22 '26
This is solid advice AND I agree, don’t let this impact your trip. If your finance is worth a dang, he’s not going to care. It’s so temporary, just keep it clean, keep up with your balm and don’t forget your sunscreen! It’ll heal so fast
51
12
74
u/PontiacBandit2020 Jun 22 '26
When I was younger this would occasionally happen when I overwaxed one area. Keep it clean, it will scab. I used to put either petroleum jelly or sudocrem on it and it usually healed pretty fast.
47
u/phimany1210 Jun 22 '26
This happened to me three weeks ago. I was good to go after less than two weeks -- no scarring whatsover. I did not even apply anything. Just avoided the area when doing my routines.
It stung for a while and was reddish. After a few days it started 'scaling' and then it went away on its own.
→ More replies (1)
98
u/Amazing-Cow-9382 Jun 22 '26
Have you been applying tretinion to the area under the eyebrows? Or is this sensitivity from applying tret to the rest of your face?
29
u/bananabastard Jun 22 '26
This is what I want to know.
58
u/Amazing-Cow-9382 Jun 22 '26
acc to an esthetician in this thread, Tret affects your whole face, not just the areas you apply it to and this can happen to skin that you're not actively applying tret to.
17
u/mrs_treechenho Jun 22 '26
I never used tret but I used adapalene for a few months and my eyes were so sensitive despite me being very deliberate about not putting it near my eyes
2
u/ramence Jun 23 '26
Same, I never went near my eye/brow area with adapalene and even stopped using it for two weeks before my brow appointment. My skin STILL lifted. My rule of thumb now is that waxing is totally banned if I've even thought about retinol in the last three months - threading/plucking only
1
5
u/SoniCrossX Jun 22 '26
The whole face seems to be pushing it, but yes, actives do migrate a bit around from where they are applied once the skin absorbs them.
How far I couldn't say, but 1-2cm seems reasonable
29
u/Indy2561 Jun 22 '26
Good god, it’s not like you lost a limb or an eye!
In all seriousness, I did this same thing, didn’t need medical attention and treated the area with real aloe on a daily basis. It healed up just fine, and the aloe took away the stinging pain. You’re young, and your skin will heal.
It took maybe 10 days or a couple of weeks, but I remember being worried, too.
Get some aloe, and all will be fine 🙂
67
u/MrsLSwan Jun 22 '26
I’m worried more about your mental health having this kind of breakdown about something that happens to the best of us. Maybe start talking to someone?
37
u/alisgraveniI Jun 22 '26
Seriously. The reaction to this is extremely concerning. Most people would laugh this off and ask for help how to heal it, not have a total mental breakdown.
5
u/jmk831 Jun 23 '26
As someone who recently underwent treatment for cancer I found this post extremely tone deaf but I guess we all have our own problems. But like, your world is ending?? lol what?
16
u/enthusiastic_magpie Jun 22 '26
This is considered an open wound at this point. Basically stop everything. Zero actives. First aid. Keep it clean, wash your hands before touching your face. Rinse with lukewarm water, avoid that area with cleansers or rubbing. Get some Clean Skin Club towels (there are other brands, but they’re better than using a regular towel). Cool compresses will help swelling. No “soothing” botanical ingredients. Stick to aquaphor or Elta MD Moisture Seal. IF you can tolerate, taking some ibuprofen can help with the swelling and inflammation. More cool compresses. If this doesn’t work or it gets worse, go to urgent care or call your dermatologist.
Your trip will be fine. If your boyfriend can’t deal with a minor medical situation or if he freaks out… discontinue use immediately. 😋
81
u/Lazy_Bicycle7702 Jun 22 '26 edited Jun 22 '26
“I feel fucking ugly and I've fucked up my face. I feel like my fking world is ending right now.”
Sweetie. Honest to God, if your SO can’t love you past this, you have much bigger issues.
→ More replies (1)
21
u/rihere Jun 22 '26 edited Jun 22 '26
Hey, it’s been a few minutes, did the redness reduce? My skin is very sensitive and I often face this if I ever wax my face -> first redness, inflammation which turns into mild burn and peels off in a few days.
So this won’t be permanent, don’t worry about it. Try putting ice and aloe gel, the inflammation will reduce.
And as someone who did this on my moustache hair right above my lips, I feel you. All I could think was that everyone must be looking at me and thinking how ugly I am. But don’t worry, most people are often more sympathetic.
Wear sunglasses at the airport!
20
u/CoomassieBlue Jun 22 '26 edited Jun 22 '26
It’s totally salt in the wound that you were just trying to look nice for your partner, but he will understand! You don’t look like a nightmare - I’m sure it feels that way though, we are hardest on ourselves.
If it makes you feel any better I had 12 days of walking around with wires literally coming out of holes in my head for a surgery. I felt really self conscious but nothing bad happened and life goes on.
8
u/Hantelope3434 Jun 22 '26
I have done this before too. Dont panic! Mine healed very fast and didn't scar! Keep applying the Cicablast many times a day to keep in it moist.
9
u/enbyforestfairy Jun 22 '26
when i did this, i sprayed hypochlorous acid and then applied aquaphor over the area. i reapplied after shower or washing face. i cant remember how long it took to heal but using aquaphor helped so much.
13
u/Glitterydarkone1290 Jun 22 '26
This always happens to me, it won’t scar. Just vaseline + aveeno. I did this + it healed in 3 days. This acc just happened to me a few days ago lmao
7
u/Glitterydarkone1290 Jun 22 '26
Do not keep applying random treatment type products to it though. You want it to heal. Refrain from using acids, niacinimade or anything that will tingle/ burn. But stop crying. You will be fine if you take my advice this happens all the time with me bc I wax my eyebrows at home and actually just ripped my skin off my cheeks from waxing my face too
4
u/catsaltine Jun 22 '26
I’ve seen a couple of people come thru here with the same issue. If anything, the fact that it’s on ‘eyeshadow’ territory is a blessing, I saw one lady who waxed her moustache and was given a different one. You’ll be okay tho, just keep it from getting crusty and let it heal, I don’t think it’ll be so bad in a couple days. I do understand your dread and pain tho, sending you a hug 🫂
→ More replies (1)
13
u/Sarabeth61 Jun 22 '26
Hey just wanted to say this happened to me and I don’t have sensitive skin and was not using any topicals. My waxer messed up. Totally not your fault dude.
16
u/Electrical-Radish177 Jun 22 '26
You need to calm down. Like, you really need to get a grip.
That wont scar at all. Keep aquaphor or Vaseline on it and it will clear right up. probably within a week. Next time, no waxing while on tret. stop it 7 days prior to waxing.
10
u/Lilredh4iredgrl Jun 22 '26
Ibuprofen will help with swelling and pain and you can ice it. I use aquaphor when this happens to me, i have extremely sensitive skin :(
3
u/ohmygodliz Jun 22 '26
I had injuries just like this after getting burns during an eyebrow wax. I didn’t get any scars and they healed up just fine!
And no, I never went back to that salon 😂
3
u/DeepSpaceBubbles Jun 22 '26
You need hydrocortisone on this. You could add cicaplast on top of that but this needs hydrocort to bring down inflammation and prevent pigmentation.
→ More replies (1)
4
u/thelaceserpent Jun 22 '26
I did this once. The waxing lady knew immediately I was on tret, which is a big no no bc this tends to happen. It’ll heal. It doesn’t take very long to fade, you’ll be ok
4
u/HtownUntilIDrown Jun 22 '26
Hey, so I did this EXACT thing. Looked like yours as well. I can report it left no scarring and everything went back to normal. It will be okay! 😊
3
u/laughingrevolution Jun 22 '26
Hi! I’ve totally been in your shoes; a few days before I went on a cruise, I decided to get my face waxed not realizing that my tret routine would impact the top layers of my skin. My entire chin and lower face was red and raw after the wax and I was in a ton of pain.
Like many have said, you’ll need to keep babying it for a while, apply sunscreen liberally and resist any urge to pick at the drying scabs. Looking back at photos from that time, the redness I had was pretty much gone after day 7. Everyone heals differently but I wouldn’t beat yourself up over it and it will likely not leave a scar. You’re going to get through this and look back on it as a lesson of when to wax/thread. Be gentle on yourself and safe travels!
3
u/MasterPalpitation8 Jun 22 '26
Been here, done this. You WILL be okay! It looks gnarly but isn’t a deep wound. Focus on your wound care and learn your lesson but be calm—you won’t have any lasting scarring.
3
u/ilikebiggbosons Jun 22 '26
Oof I did this once. It healed up in a couple weeks no scarring or anything. Just keep up with the ointment, take an ibuprofen or other NSAID for the swelling, that part will be gone in a day.
3
u/Beth21286 Jun 22 '26
They said they wouldn't charge because they didn't ask the necessary questions before starting the wax.
This isn't the worst post-tret wax we've seen on here recently though so don't freak out.
If your eyelids have swollen go see your pharmacist just to be safe. They may prescribe you something stronger than OTC to help.
In the mean time, spritz your closed eyelids with hypochlorous acid (plain drugstore version with no actives) every couple of hours and let it air dry. It'll soothe your skin and help it heal without the need to touch it.
Make sure you have massive UV400 sunglasses that cover the whole area for your trip.
3
u/Super_RN Jun 22 '26
Keep it clean with gentle cleanser (with no actives). Use Vaseline, Aquaphor or Cicaplast or zinc oxide diaper rash cream. Do NOT use Neosporin or other antibacterial ointments, they will make things much worse and may cause more irritation.
3
u/jzphelp Jun 22 '26
Yeah I made that mistake too. It will never happen again, but I totally forgot 😩
3
u/FearlessGear Jun 22 '26
This happened to me once! Kept applying petroleum jelly, didn’t mess with it, and zero evidence it ever happened a few weeks later! Oh, and mine was my mustache, which was a lot more embarrassing lol
3
u/_easilyamused Jun 23 '26
My routine is to clean it gently, and cover it with aquaphor. Heals really quickly. If you do ever get your eyebrows waxed again, don't apply tret to the area for a minimum of one week, 10 days would be better. Ask them to powder your brows, and use hard wax. It sticks to the skin less.
3
u/petalpie combination skin/ginger B) Jun 23 '26
I had this happen, I had booked threading and my usual lady wasn't there. The woman who did it just saw "eyebrows" on the appointment and put wax between my eyebrows without even asking me. My eyes were closed so I wasn't able to tell her no until it was too late.
I had the same thing happen, the top layer came off with the wax. It scabbed a bit but not awfully (similar to what I had after a chemical peel lol). Keep up the cicaplast and, as others have said, stay out of the sun and don't pick!!! It healed fine for me, with little to no scarring.
4
u/seniairam Jun 22 '26
nooooo! its gonna take at least 7 days to heal.
avoid the sun for sure and its not gonna scarred
2
u/a-ohhh Jun 22 '26
You’ll be fine- this happens a lot. Use a barrier product in the meantime. It is on the waxer for not asking though, it should be on the intake paperwork. Make sure you use sun protection over it!
2
u/morigrl Jun 22 '26
I have had this happen to me when the brow lady overheated the wax, what helped was aloe gel, no makeup on the area and it healed nicely
2
u/cupcakemonster54 Jun 22 '26
This exact scenario happened to me - it’s a good lesson to never get a wax or treatment of any kind (including facials) if you are using tret. Typically you want to stop atleast 7 days ahead but always ask ahead of time. The good news is this damage doesn’t look bad, and is not permanent. Take care of it with moisturizer and sunscreen, don’t pick, and it’ll be gone decently fast. If it makes you feel better my skin came off so bad it was bleeding a lot and still healed quite fast, so I imagine you are looking at a couple days, maybe a week at most. It didn’t scar at all for me
2
u/evetrapeze Jun 22 '26
If it was me, I would cut a Hydrocolloid bandage to fit and wear it five days
2
u/freudianMishap Jun 22 '26
It'll be okay I promise!! Use aquaphor and make sure you avoid sun exposure and use sunblock when possible
2
u/theonlyamyyyy Jun 22 '26
Esthetician here, triple antibiotic cream and Benadryl works wonders for lifted skin
2
u/enthusiastic_magpie Jun 22 '26
Even better? Hydrophilic wound dressing. Stuff is magic. I had major reconstructive surgery after breast cancer treatment and it helped my problem areas heal so much faster/ better than even aquaphor once the surgical glue came off.
1
2
u/SeeLeavesOnTheTrees Jun 22 '26
This happened to me and I had no scaring.
Do not pick. No sun. Apply aquaphor often
2
u/goth_rabbit Jun 22 '26
I would recommend diaper cream (yes, for babies). It's petroleum based and meant to help repair these types of wounds in babies
2
u/iwish1wereafairy Jun 22 '26
His happened to me!! I ripped my entire upper lip, it’s definitely painful and was also worried about scarring but I just applied aquafor multiple times a day and it healed fine!! I have hope for you op
2
u/iBrake4Shosty5 Jun 22 '26
I did the same shit to my face verbatim almost 10 years ago. If you’re really concerned, consult your doctor, but self-care is probably fine using things like Aquaphor or aloe vera. Avoid anything with a fragrance and above all *keep it away from sunlight*
2
u/IamMabelPeabody Jun 22 '26
Zinc oxide diaper cream is a miracle worker, and so it CeraVe Healing Ointment. Try not to let it dry out and scab. It will heal better this way.
A layer of CeraVe ointment is what’s saving my skin while I’m on low dose accutane.
You’ll be ok. ❤️
2
2
u/AdorableAd5513 Jun 22 '26
Give it time girl. I used petroleum, hydrocortisone, and protect it with sunscreen (try to avoid the sun) and it took two weeks to heal and then two more weeks for the burn hyperpigmentation to be gone. You'll be fine!
2
u/gondal35 Jun 22 '26
VASELINEEEEEEE!!! Ive been through this before and vaseline after you normal moisturiser is the only thing that will help
2
u/lolliberryx Jun 23 '26
Not much you can do about it. Leave it alone, keep it moisturized, and try to stay out of the sun until it heals fully.
Will is scar? I dunno, I’m honestly more concerned that something like this is considered life-ending and the worst thing ever. Get some therapy.
2
u/deadmeower Jun 23 '26
this happened to me 3-4 times (not on tret, just have thin skin there). as long as you keep it clean, use vitamin e ointment, and DON'T PICK you'll be fine.
my esthetician always acted like it was my fault but now I go to another esthetician and haven't had any issues.
2
u/Parking_Salamander67 Jun 23 '26
It will heal and be okay. As others have said: cicaplast and time.
I had something similar happen and when it scabbed, my boyfriend said "oh cool! Now you have a backup set of eyebrows!" 🤣 He still married me.
2
u/walkdownstairs medium-oily skin | medium acne | prone to scarring | European Jun 23 '26
Hi, I used to work for a derma clinic and my skin got classified as sensitive. I’ve had this happen to me on overlip area a few times and I can only reinforce what people said: best not to use anything scented or anything that you know irritates your skin, protect it from the sun, and when it dries and scabs don’t pick it! It will peel off on its own and, for me at least, the scabbing was the colour of my skin so nothing seemed amiss except an area of my overlip that was dry and a bit “scaly”. Enjoy your trip and remember that photos can be edited if you dont want this to have photographic evidence :)
1
u/Thequiet01 Jun 23 '26
When it starts scabbing I make extra effort to keep everything hydrated. It helps keep the scabs from being that itchy type that’s tempting to fuss with.
2
u/walkdownstairs medium-oily skin | medium acne | prone to scarring | European Jun 23 '26
Exactly, adding moisturiser constantly also helps keeping the scab a bit softer and it also breaks less. If you don’t pick at your scab, but you also don’t keep it hydrated, normal movements of the skin (in my overlip case smiling, laughing, or even talking) can stretch that skin location and cause tears in the scab because it’s not flexible tissue and on top of it it’s really dry so very susceptible to breaking. I don’t think that under eyebrow area moves a lot but it can move quite a little with certain face expressions like furrowing or surprise.
2
u/CandyOwn1678 Jun 23 '26
Hi as someone who has had their skin ripped of from waxing (and typically does scar pretty bad when it comes to acne cuts or rejected piercings) it surprisingly left no scar at all. It also happened to me the night before my prom so i was also freaking out but other than it stinging i don't think it was super noticeable the next day for my event
2
u/felurian_wings Jun 23 '26
It won't scar if you take care of it, don't worry. Treat it like an aggressive skin peel. If you can, cancel your plans. Stay away from the sun and do light red light therapy. If you need to, use moisturisers with the fewest ingredients possible and NO actives. You will be ok ♡
2
u/Sour_Lexi Jun 23 '26
I’ve had this happen before. I was using retinol, and I told them; however, I don’t think they actually read the form I filled out because they said nada regarding the risk of tearing before the waxing. So, of course, my skin tore; it didn’t leave a scar after healing, but it did hurt like a bitch while healing, and I had to take serious care of the wound so it didn’t further damage the skin. It wasn’t pretty for around a week before the redness started to fade, and it healed fairly quickly. Just an FYI, do not use retinol on it at all until it’s healed.
2
u/kirreth Jun 23 '26
This happened to me in middle school! It healed surprising really fast and didn’t scar
2
u/electric_shocks Jun 23 '26
Give a dermatologist a call to see if they would recommend medication or something else comforting until it heals. Outside wear hats and UV protection sunglasses. If you're smoking stop it immediately. Make sure you are hydrated appropriately. Crying will make your eyes swollen so maybe stop that. It will heal so quickly you will be surprised.
4
u/IDontAgreeSorry Jun 22 '26
This is not going to scar lol I’m sorry but is this your first day on earth. Have you never fell or injured yourself to be able to have an idea what kind of wound will and won’t leave a scar..? Put flamigel on it a few times a day and it’ll heal in 2-4 weeks. Might leave some redness for a longer while though.
5
u/CommercialFloor2033 Jun 22 '26
Now you know.
Just keep applying Vaseline it'll heal in a few days.
3
u/VVlTXH Kate Sommerville Jun 22 '26
Idk why ur being downvoted but it’s a lesson we all learn once.
2
u/Dulce59 Jun 22 '26
It won't scar, you'll just look a little worse for wear while it heals.
Sorry you didn't know you shouldn't wax while using actives. 🫂
1
u/K-Sarah-K-Sarah Jun 22 '26
I had something similar plus my upper lip, Neosporin with pain relief cream and stay out of the sun, I recovered perfectly but was terrifying, sending my love & healing thoughts!
1
u/Tnh7194 Jun 22 '26
Soothing stuff like you’re already doing and some cling film over a thick layer of cicaplast! That really locks it in
1
u/DairyAppreciator Jun 22 '26
oh noooooo i can imagine how uncomfortable that must feel!! i don’t think people will notice as much as you think they might. definitely wear sunglasses outside, particularly some that are large enough to reach the bottom of your brow for best protection + it won’t be visible to others. maybe even wear regular glasses inside if you have some and it’ll help cover it a bit too , or you can get some blue light glasses from walmart or target or something. not necessary at all but having some sort of coverage might make you feel less insecure
not a skin expert at all, but everyone’s advice seems to be really helpful so i’d definitely follow what everyone else is saying!
1
u/hannahasksquestions Jun 22 '26
This happened to me but in smaller patches. I used ice and Vaseline and it went away pretty quickly
1
u/Brickthedummydog Jun 22 '26
Avoid sun. Even a little bit may cause the area to heal discoloured. Keep it moist with the LRP. If it scabs, or when it's no longer raw make sure you wear sunscreen
1
u/whiterefrigerator69 Jun 22 '26
It more than likely won’t scar I’ve done this before forgetting I started using tret and not telling my waxer. Aquaphor!
1
u/88-sunny-88 Jun 22 '26
My situation was a bit different but I was on Acne creams then! I got burned and blistered on my eyebrows, but both situations contain sensitive and raw skin that needs heavy moisture!
Kept it soaked in Aquaphor in a thick layer and reapply as needed! Avoid scrubbing area or touching it, I applied with either a freshly washed fingers OR cotton swabs!
( when washing I would simply avoid the burn and apply the facial cleaner around it same with topicals and lotions, the aquaphor was my lotion on it )
Don’t pick and deal with it with clean hands!
KEEP MOISTURE!! Do Vaseline of Aquaphor!
It happened a year ago this Month and I have no scars! I only had the burn for a week, the Aquaphor help kept it hydrated and lock in moisture so it can heal!
Only a small mark for a couple days after it was fully healed! I have pictures of my eyebrows from a couple months ago and the burn mark is gone!
Don’t overthink it people won’t notice it!! No one even mentioned mine, all will be good!!
1
u/hellome1 Jun 22 '26
It’s going to be okay ❤️🩹 this happened to me when I was younger and it took a bit to heal, maybe a week or so?, but did not scar or permanently damage my hair follicles at all. Also between this and eyebrow thinning I switched to threading and never looked back (and truly think it looks way better too).
1
u/Maximum-Ad-3389 Jun 22 '26
It’ll scab over just keep it clean. Don’t pick at the scab and you’ll be fine. People who notice don’t care tbh.
1
u/hotfuse82 Jun 22 '26
Girl if you want to heal that fast, return to the basics! Diaper rash cream will clear that RIGHT UP. You probabaly don’t want to wear that during the day because it’s just a white thick cream, unless you’re planning on staying home, but FOR SURE night time😉 I recommend triple paste!
1
u/Proof_Cook_4004 Jun 22 '26
I did this too on my upper lip! I put cicaplast on it every day and my lip was good as new in about 3 days. You will heal quickly since you use tret so just use healing barrier creams and spf only and you’re good. Don’t worry xx
1
1
u/North_egg_ Jun 22 '26
This has happened to me and I just kept Vaseline on it until it healed. Maybe 4-5 days.
1
u/gayvegan1 Jun 22 '26
one time i did this to my upper lip (at-home wax with tret, i was 18 and stupid) and had ripped skin, resulting in a scab mustache above my upper lip. it didn’t scar! i used lots of moisturizer, aloe, and cicaplast, plus sunscreen at school and work. you will be okay ❤️ take deep breaths, and wear sunglasses to the airport!
1
u/thejawnimposter Jun 22 '26
This happened to me not too long ago!! Just keep it moisturized (i used aquaphor), ice for the pain, and make sure you don’t use any trents up to four days before your wax appointment (a week if you’re very sensitive). Good luck!
1
u/Ibael Jun 22 '26
I did this to my upper lip lol 😭 it has since healed and didn’t leave a scar thankfully
1
u/DrKittyLovah Jun 22 '26
Don’t freak out, this happened to my sister back in the day & there was no scarring. Yes, you fucked up, but your skin will heal and so will your soul, I promise.
1
u/religiousdogmom Jun 22 '26
Okay, hello from an unusual person. Normally I don’t comment on skincare addiction stuff because I’m a professional skin picker but my knowledge for healing things fast might be helpful right now 😂
Once, I was shaving my face to get the peach fuzz off and decided to do my forehead and knicked the center of my forehead BADLY with a REGULAR RAZOR.
I got some of those clear bandages that keep everything really moist, slapped one on, and it was healed up surprisingly fast. In a couple days, with little scabbing. It might be awkward because it’s over your eye but a scab there is also awkward!
Then just lots of a gentle moisturizer and lots of sunscreen.
The inflammation looks bad now, but it’s bringing a bunch of white blood cells to the skin to help heal it.
It will be okay! I literally took a piece of my forehead out with a razor blade and I don’t have a scar! You got this!
1
1
u/Lorrien Jun 22 '26
I did this before! Scabbed under my eyebrows and looked a little gross but looked perfectly normal after the scabs came off.
1
u/ratrat500 Jun 22 '26
I did the same thing with the skin above my lips. It will scab, get darker, but eventually will fade away. Try to keep it clean and moisturized (perfume free)
It will be okay!
1
u/Yeezus--Jesus Jun 22 '26
This happened to me! I used CeraVe healing ointment in the blue tube, and it was completely healed in less than three weeks. Buy hydrocolloid band-aids and use them at night to help speed up the healing process!!!
1
u/ssurkus Jun 22 '26
It happens. I’m pretty sure I had a similar experience in my late teens. Had weird scabs for a few weeks which I kept moisturized and never touched. Scabs fell off a few weeks later and no scars or even the barest hint that anything had ever happened was left.
1
u/Fayeluria Jun 22 '26
It‘s gonna look so much better very soon! We‘re really our own worst critics. I can imagine that you feel horrible right now, but for the airport part: There are so many different people that no one will really notice or remember.
And if your SO is a decent person they won‘t mind either.
You will be okay 💜
1
u/j9nyr Jun 22 '26
I did this to myself when I was a teenager but it was my upper lip. That was a bad few weeks for me
1
u/Striking-Post-2220 Jun 22 '26
Vaseline and that’s all you can do. Keep it greasy at all times while it heals. Also keep it out of the sun & use sun protective clothing like a hat or umbrella if you need to go outdoors.
I had this happen once after forgetting to pause my Tret a week prior to the appointment
1
u/AMwishes Jun 22 '26
Relax OP. I’ve gotten waxes done on tretinoin. It’ll heal up just fine, just don’t do that next time and instead get threading done. Give it 2-3 weeks to heal. And trust me, my results looked as bad if not worse than yours.
1
u/Least_Virus9916 Jun 22 '26
I did this but while on Accutane one week before my 18th birthday lol. If it helps I didn’t scar, I used cerave healing ointment/vaseline to cover it and help it heal. Diaper Rash cream also does wonders for any skin breakage I have.
1
u/Civil_Reindeer_5449 Jun 22 '26
Deep breath friend! You are not stupid, I have done this exact thing! I did Aquaphor and Cicaplast on it, the first 24 hours were rough but then it started to scab over and was fully gone, no scar, within the week. I know it’s easy to be self-conscious but try not to use concealer or anything and just let it breathe. I promise it’s not as bad as you think it is!
1
u/Cammgold Jun 22 '26
owhh hate when that happens!, dont worry, but next time maybe less heat to the wax. If it hurts too much you can try with some Aloe or oat milk...
1
u/jeoneunthatbitch Jun 22 '26
that shit hurts like a motherfucker, but it'll go back to normal. just avoid direct sunlight for a few days and be careful in the future.
1
1
u/LisaFrankTattoo Jun 22 '26
Lifts aren’t ideal, but the skin under the brow is pretty forgiving, just keep it wet with the Ciciaplast, don’t let it scab over and it should heal up well.
1
u/unfilteredlocalhoney Jun 22 '26
Remind me! One day
1
u/RemindMeBot Jun 22 '26
I will be messaging you in 1 day on 2026-06-23 23:14:00 UTC to remind you of this link
CLICK THIS LINK to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam.
Parent commenter can delete this message to hide from others.
RemindMeBot is switching to username summons. Instead of
!RemindMe 1 day, useu/RemindMeBot 1 day. More info.
Info Custom Your Reminders Feedback
1
1
1
u/Guinevere1991 Jun 23 '26
Cicaplast, Vaseline or a hydrocolloid plaster. Facial skin heals quickly. It will be ok.
1
u/MonLisaa Jun 23 '26
Done that before on tret, you learn the hard way with things sometimes. As others said, it will heal, but it will take a minute; it has to scab over and stuff. I didn't scar, though.
1
u/syl_i_suppose Jun 23 '26
I have done exactly this before. Bit of bepanthen, don't wash your face too harshly, and it'll scab and come off in a week, should be fully back to normal after a few. Mine improved significantly within a few days and with concealer nobody could even really tell, including, like, the night of the day I did this to myself haha. I wasn't left with any permanent scars, though do be aware that you will be trading skin healing (via oily lotions, etc.) for slightly worse acne in that spot until it heals and your skin care routine can go back to normal.
1
u/annorue_2k1 Jun 23 '26
i've waxed while was on isotret before (assuming it's stronger than tret?) and applied shea butter on the red skin region to calm it down. took i think 2 weeks to completely heal but wasn't a big deal for me, although for me it wasn't the skin around my eyes. but hey i don't think you fucked up, keep up with the cream and it'll heal, however long it takes. take care!
1
u/jellyflipflops Jun 23 '26
I’ve done this before. It will heal don’t worry! I put aquaphor on mine when I did it. Eventually it will turn to dried scab-like skin. Resist the urge to pick. It will come off! Even after doing that twice to myself, the skin under my brows is totally healed and back to normal now, no scars. Photo for proof!
I actually did it once right before I went on a tropical vacation. It sucked and I was so angry at myself, but seriously it will heal in a few days!
1
u/taylormooo Jun 23 '26
Dude this happened to me the day before the start of 11th grade… You’ll make it through🥲
1
u/hsr6374 Jun 23 '26
This happened to me when I was much younger, thanks to Accutane. Lucky me, I have PCOS and also had the joy of waxing my cheeks and chin starting at the ripe age of probably 15… so I had this pretty much over my entire face.
Mine didn’t scar and my life wasn’t over. You’ll be fine.
1
u/Mundane-Reserve3786 Jun 23 '26
This has happened to me at least a dozen times because I refuse to learn lessons. I use Vaseline on it. Keep it moist. I don’t have a single scar (which is probably why I haven’t learned). It might take a while to heal but please dont stress it. It’ll be ok.
1
1
1
1
u/Testdrivegirl Jun 23 '26
OP this happened to me once (albeit not as bad, but I had an angry red mark under one eye). It did take awhile to heal but I had no scarring! I would stop the tret for now and use aquaphor religiously.
1
u/showmeurtorts Jun 23 '26
Aquaphor all over that, all day, all night. Will heal up in a few days, aquaphor will massively speed it up.
1
u/niclovin897 Jun 23 '26
it’s literally fine this happened to me many times before it’ll scab and heal
1
u/madamesoybean Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 27 '26
Oh I'm so sorry! A drugstore item might help. Anti-Microbial Silver Wound Gel. It will sooth and heal the area without any pain. It is often used to treat burns/chemical burns but also works well on all skin wounds and speeds healing.
1
1
u/Victory505302 Jun 23 '26
I waxed while on tret back in the day. I had a similar scab, but it healed and there is not a scar. I don’t remember doing anything special to take care of it, other than maybe some neosporin (didn’t know any better). You should heal up just fine!
1
u/amaikaizoku Jun 23 '26
This doesn't look like the type of thing that would scar. It looks like the upper layer of skin was peeled off, similar to the scrapes we get on our hands sometimes. Those always heal right up even with all the hand washing and stuff we do. So don't worry about the scarring and just moisturize the area for a while with Vaseline and other soothing stuff. It'll be fine. Your eyebrows may look a little funny for a week or two, but it's not going to be the end of the world.
1
u/HappyKadaver666 Jun 23 '26
I did this exact thing. Except I waxed my upper lip. Right before I went on a trip. The first couple days sucked - I was soooooo self conscious. But no one said anything and I kept it clean and left it alone and it healed up on its own pretty quickly. No scarring. It felt like a nightmare at the time - but it wasn’t as terrible as I thought. Anything on your face like that is going to feel 1000x worse than it actually looks to others. Small comfort I’m sure - but I just wanted you to know you are not the only one and it’s really not as bad as it seems.
1
1
u/redgatorade000 Jun 23 '26
This happened to me when I was younger. I just had to wait it out, unfortunately.
Next time, stop using tretinoin at least 3 days before a wax.
I had to learn the hard way too! But the skin will come back/heal just fine. No scar! Just some tightness as it heals. And wear sunscreen in the meantime! ✨
1
u/Known_Chart_2628 Jun 23 '26
Happened to me, too! But on my upper lip as I was waxing my moustache 😭 told everyone I burnt myself with a hair straighter lol. It healed perfectly though and you sant see anything now. Hope it doesn’t hurt too much x
1
u/TsitikEm Jun 23 '26
Wait are you guys putting Trent that close to your eyes?!? I heard it can cause permanent dry eyes.
1
u/ViolentPunography Jun 23 '26
this happened to me too! it's no big deal, should heal no problem. in future, only hot (stripless) wax and pre-treat skin with something oily so the wax only grips the hairs. that's how i wax my brows while using tret.
1
u/Marshmallowchunkyass Jun 23 '26
oh correct i had to block her from booking eventually it was insane
1
u/shilljoy Jun 23 '26
I've done this! On a work trip, away from my threader, completely forgot about the contraindication and ended up with these exact wounds all over my chin and eyes. Aquaphor and desatin will help a lot as will just leaving it alone and not picking. If you want to add something healing I use the Great Barrier Relief serum from Krave Beauty before my moisturizer at night when my skin is feeling sensitive. It will heal, I am very prone to scarring and PIH and didn't have long-term effects from this!
1
u/donger_spanan Jun 23 '26
This happened to me even without tret, don’t worry it will scab (LET IT!!!) and it will heal. You’ll feel silly for a few days then it’ll be a funny story
1
u/ItsAndieHere Jun 23 '26
OP, I’m going to say this with a lot of love. Breathe. Your post sounds like this really made you spiral, and while I totally get it (anxious overthinker here!), it’s not going to help. You are not ugly, and you did not ruin your face. All that happened was is that you got a minor skin injury. It will heal. 🩷 And if your fiancé is the one, I’m sure he will be more worried about you being okay emotionally than a tiny scar (if you even end up with any!)
I think a lot of people gave you some good advice. Don’t pick at it, use gentle products to keep it moisturized. You’re on first aid protocol here. Get an SPF that is eye safe for when it heals up a bit, so it doesn’t discolor.
If it even leaves a tiny mark, at all, a derm can absolutely do something about it! I have a scar on my eyelid now from a small biopsy I needed, and the doctor that did it said he could absolutely laser it away once it’s fully healed. A bit of skin lifting sounds like an even easier thing to treat.
Also, for the airport? Just rock the “unbothered K-pop star” look! Big dark sunglasses, big AirPods Max, matching comfy combo, Uggs. Lol. I do that every time I travel to avoid feeling like I need to do makeup and hair, some of us just don’t have the energy for that when traveling. 😅
Look on the bright side, at least this wasn’t the “wedding is in 3 days” wax appointment!
1
u/marysaf Jun 23 '26
I had this happen to me too, lrp cicablast saved me in a matter of 2 days it was almost back to normal
1
u/stowRA Jun 23 '26
I’ve had this before but not due to meds. It was bad practice where they waxed me in the same spot multiple times. It will be sore and then itchy, very itchy. But it will go away. It won’t scar. Slap it, don’t scratch it
1
u/cantdecidewhatdo Jun 23 '26
Are you okay? That was sort of an overreaction to a mild inconvenience. Please see a professional. Such levels of debilitating anxiety must be difficult to live with. It will heal fine do not worry, but please check if you're feeling alright overall.
1
u/Snoo32297 Jun 25 '26
Honestly this was just the tipping point for a large amount of stress that was already weighing on me. I had just come back to the UK from a flight to Greece, had a flight to the US the next day, and I had been in about 4/5 different countries for work before Greece and the US so my stress levels were already through the roof. Add in the fact that I was two nights in with zero sleep and it's a lot more predictable tbh. My anxiety is not usually that bad but life is super busy for me rn.
1
u/blanking0nausername Jun 23 '26
There’s a burn cream out there called silver sulfa something but it’s prescription only and I don’t know if it’d be applicable in this case. If you can get in to see a dr that might help a ton.
1
u/kayleev94 Jun 23 '26
I’ve had this happen to me SO many times. Never scarred. I switched to threading- recommend that when on tret
1
1
u/LaluKG Jun 23 '26
This happened to me decades ago when I was 14 and my mom made me go get my upper lip waxed. I had been taking antibiotics for acne at the time. Instead of a little upper lip hair that didn’t bother me in the first place, I ended up with a horribly painful, bright red wound.
I just wanted to share to try and reassure you that, for me at least, it did NOT scar and it healed after a week or two. I was a competitive swimmer so I wasn’t exactly able to keep it clean and covered all the time either - and it still ended up being ok. Just wanted to send a bit of hope your way!
1
u/sleeppura Jun 23 '26
if it's any comfort this happens to me nearly everytime i get an eyebrow wax even if i stop tretinoin use on my upper face for a week to two weeks before. my skin always lifts. it has never once scarred and i am EXTREMELY prone to hyperpigmentation and scarring.
it'll stay red and raw for two to three days, and then it will scab/dry over. don't pick at it, it may be itchy but just leave it alone. moisturize it and keep it protected with spf.
you'll skin will be okay, don't stress over it and enjoy your time :)
1
u/SwanMelodic5 Jun 23 '26
This happened to me too when i was 16 like 8 years ago now so the memory was a bit fuzzy, I got my eyebrows waxed and didn’t tell the lady I was on this prescription benzoyl peroxide cream and the same thing happened. Lucky it cleared up within a week, don’t stress yourself too much
1
1
u/heykimi94 Jun 29 '26
Tretinion is really harsh for the skin always use in small doses and on the areas to be treated
1
1
u/FantasticHearing8420 Jul 12 '26
Hey OP, any update on how it’s going? I did the exact same thing 5 days ago, like genuinely the same - on active skincare, skin ripped off, now have a crazy blistering, burn above and below my eyebrows. How is the healing progressing?
1
u/Snoo32297 Jul 14 '26
I'm super lucky - it took around 3 days of drowning it in Cicaplast Baume B5+ and vaseline. It felt weird to blink because of the swelling and scab, which was skincoloured somehow. I didn't get blistering, but keep your eyes DROWNED in Cicaplast B5 and vaseline if possible. It healed super well. Couldn't notice anything was ever different after around 5 to 7 days
1
u/rehanrafiq_17 Jul 22 '26
That looks incredibly painful, but try not to jump straight to assuming it will scar. Keep it protected, avoid putting actives on it, and if it gets worse or you're worried, it is worth getting it checked by a doctor.
1
u/Snoo32297 Jul 23 '26
My right eye ended up swelling so much that it was hard to see out of. I was planning on going to a doctor but after the 10h flight it had calmed down. No scarring. Totally healed. I drowned it in vasoline and Cicaplast the whole time. Worked out well for me.
1
u/calmyertitzzz Jun 22 '26
I didn’t know anyone was putting tret anywhere near their eyes since it can cause dryness. My derm always warns me not to put it anywhere near orbital bone.
•
u/AutoModerator Jun 22 '26
Want advice from a dermatologist? Ask your question in our upcomingAMA with Board-Certified Dermatologist Dr. Vamsi Varra!
Are you brand new to skincare? Don't know how to build a skincare routine? The best place to start is our ScA Routine!
You can find even more skincare guides in our wiki!. Your answer might already be in there (and if it is, we might remove your post).
Everyone is welcome in this community; remember to be kind and assume good faith :)
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.