If your product has been produced in China, India, Mexico, or elsewhere abroad, you should check for the following ingredients, which indicate that mercury is present: mercurous chloride, calomel, mercuric, or mercurio. If the product that you have purchased doesn’t have an ingredient list, or, if you suspect that you have developed any combination of the symptoms outlined above, you should discontinue use and contact a healthcare provider for further evaluation. There are natural products on the market that will even skin tone and give you a healthy glow, without the use of harsh chemicals. Environmental Working Group’s SkinDeep Cosmetics Database, http://www.ewg.org/skindeep, is a great resource to check the ingredients on your skin products to determine how safe they are for your body.

Bikini Waxes

Just as with waxing any other part of the body, bikini waxes pose a number of potential risks to women who undergo the procedures, from skin burns to infections. Cellulitis, an infection of the fatty tissues under the skin, is a particularly dangerous concern.

These infections can lead to hospitalizations, may even threaten to cost a victim a limb, or lead to sepsis. According Women’s Health Magazine, waxing strips off the outermost layer of skin along with the hair, leaving it potentially vulnerable to infection. The inflammation and irritation caused by the procedure may actually trap bacteria under the skin, giving them an opportunity to grow and colonize the cellulite.

If you do opt to have a wax, choose your facility carefully. Look for a waxer who is certified, and know what certification requirements there are in your state. When you arrive, make sure that your technician puts on hand sanitizer and gloves, and that he or she uses clean spatulas for each application of the wax. Or, you can opt to try a sugaring procedure, which has been shown to be safer for patients, less painful, and less likely to cause irritation or infection.