Philips Support

My skin is irritated after using my Philips Epilator

Published on 24 February 2023
Epilating pulls out hair from the root. Some after-effects like itchiness, redness or tightness after using your Philips epilator are normal, especially if you have sensitive skin. You may also see small bumps on your skin or experience a burning sensation. This goes away with time and is nothing to worry about.

Try our tips below to help prevent or reduce these side effects, or watch the video below on how to properly use your epilator on dry skin. If your skin irritation lasts longer than 3 days, please consult your doctor.
Allow your skin some adjustment time. Try epilating before going to bed so that your skin has time to rest overnight.

Avoid over-doing an area. Do not repeatedly epilate the same area in one go.

After wet use, pat your skin dry instead of rubbing it. 

As after-care gently apply an alcohol-free aloe vera cream or lotion. You may also use an after-sun cream, as these have cooling properties. For your armpits, it is okay to use an alcohol-free deodorant.
 
Always check the head of your epilator to make sure that it is clean before you use it. If it is not clean, put it under running water from the tap to clean it.

You may use a hand soap to clean the epilating discs. Just make sure you properly rinse away the soap afterwards with water. 

Completely dry the epilating head before attaching it back onto its body. For detailed cleaning instructions of your particular epilator model, refer to your user manual.

Also make sure that your skin is clean and dry before epilating.

Our products are skin friendly. It is good practice to visually check the body grooming products to see if the cutting unit and especially the shaving foil are still intact.

Philips is not a dermatological authority and cannot give advice on individual cases. In case of doubt, it is better to consult your own doctor who can judge the condition of your skin in real life.
Clean Philips Epilator
We advise you to epilate on clean skin. Take a shower before epilating. Make sure your skin is completely dry or completely wet when epilating. 

You may get some ingrown hair as a side effect of epilating. To prevent this from happening, try exfoliating your skin with a peeling lotion and the nylon peeling glove provided with your epilator (or a coarse sponge) one day before epilating. This removes the dead skin around your hair follicles and makes it easier to remove hair.

If your epilator comes with a body exfoliating attachment, you can also use that for this purpose. 
Philips Satinelle exfoliating brush
It is important to use the right technique for epilating so that the hair from your skin is removed properly and with minimal pain. Move the epilating head slowly over the skin while epilating, to allow the discs to catch the hair. For the best results, move the appliance against the direction of hair growth, making sure that the head is in full contact with the skin.

Try stretching your skin with your free hand, or use the skin stretcher (efficacy cap) attachment which comes with your epilator. The tighter your skin is, the easier it is for the epilator to pull out your hair.



 
Efficacy or skin stretcher cap for Philips Satinelle Epilator
Pushing the product too hard on your skin may activate the internal protection system of the device. Applying intense pressure may cause skin irritation, warming of the device or cause the device to turn off. Apply gentle pressure and do not push too hard on the skin. 

While epilating, stretch the skin and move the epilator head slowly over the skin, allowing the discs to catch the hair. For best results, move the appliance against the direction of hair growth while ensuring that the head is in total contact with the skin.

Always check the epilator head for cleanliness and damage. Ensure that the battery is charged. Watch the video below on how to properly use your epilator on wet skin.

 
The Philips epilator is intended to remove hair by the root in the bikini area, legs, underarms, and hard-to-reach areas such as knees and ankles. You may use the epilator to epilate areas such as your bikini line. Epilating is not suitable for the intimate area (the outside and inside the of outer labia), we advise that you only use the shaving head or trimmer with the comb attached. Please refer to the user manual for detailed instructions on how to safely use your epilator.

You can also use it to epilate the lower part of your face (chin, cheeks and the area above your upper lip). Some models can also be used to epilate between your eyebrows. Only use the epilator in these areas if it fits easily or has a precision attachment. Otherwise you may end up removing too much hair.
If you are curious about how safe it is to use a shaving foil on your body, please see the information below.

All Philips products consisting of a shaving foil are skin friendly. Philips is not a dermatological authority and cannot give skin, hair or nail advice on individual cases.

Before using a Philips product with a shaving foil, it is good practice to visually check the grooming device to ensure that the shaving foil is still intact. Replace the foil immediately when it is damaged, via our webshop or your local Consumer Care.  

You can use the shaving foil to trim and shave your body hair below the neckline, for example armpits, arms, legs and pubic area. We do not recommend using it on your face or head, because you will not get desired results, and it may also damage your skin.

Some products come with additional attachments to use on sensitive areas, like your bikini or pubic region. You can find more information about using these attachments in your user manual, or you can contact us.

If you are still unsure about how to use Philips devices with a shaving foil, please consult your physician or healthcare professional, who can examine whether your skin is suitable for this type of grooming device.
If you have tried the tips above and are still not satisfied with the results of your Philips epilator, then please contact us.
 
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