Is Veet Hair Removal Cream Safe or Harmful? Explained

Veet

What does Veet Hair Removal Cream do?

Veet Hair Removal Cream is a depilatory cream that melts the excess facial and body hair using strong chemicals. The hair shafts lying below the skin are opened by these chemicals allowing its salts to enter inside.

Once inside, the proteins called keratins and sulfur bonds that hold the hair together are broken down by the chemicals.

When the sulfur bonds are broken it gives off a characteristic pungent smell. As more and more bonds are broken down the hair finally melts which can then be wiped off easily with warm water.

Since all the action takes place at the level of the hair shaft, the root of the hair remains unaffected.

What are the side effects of Veet Hair Removal Cream?

  • Use of toxic ingredients

Potassium Thioglycolate in the cream makes skin more permeable to harmful substances in the environment. Another ingredient, Calcium Hydroxide, is a habitual skin irritant and abrasive to the skin.

  • Chemical burns

The toxic chemicals corrode the skin and trickle inside, causing burns, allergies, and rashes. These chemicals also irritate the skin for longer periods after the application of Veet Hair Removal Cream, more often requiring medical attention.

  • Increased sensitivity to the sun

Severe sunburns and allergic reactions to UV rays when exposed to sunlight as the protective barrier of the skin gets damaged after hair removal. 

Is Veet Hair Removal Cream safe for bikini lines?

Veet Hair Removal Cream is generally considered safe on bikini lines, provided the instructions of use are carefully followed. The cream should not come in contact with private areas and not be left on the skin for a longer duration than advised. It would result in burns, blisters and irritation and sometimes darkening of the area where the cream is applied as the skin is very sensitive near the bikini area.

Is Veet Hair Removal Cream safe for the face?

Veet Hair Removal Cream that is specially designed for facial hair can be used on the face. But before you use the cream, please make sure you follow the safety instructions carefully.

The cream should not come in contact with eyes as Calcium hydroxide poses a hazard when it comes in contact with eyes. It can be used near eyebrows, upper lip and chin but with caution. 

Before applying on the whole face, a patch test would be a good choice, the same goes for people with sensitive skin.

Is Veet Hair Removal Cream safe for underarms?

Veet Hair Removal Cream is dermatologically tested and safe to use on underarms. Since the area is sensitive and there is a risk of chemical burns, rashes and hives, it is always better to do a patch test at least 24 hours before the actual exercise.

Avoid rubbing the cream improperly and wash the area properly with water after use to avoid the stinking smell of chemicals.

Is Veet Hair Removal Cream safe for pregnant women?

During pregnancy, skin becomes sensitive due to an increase in hormone levels and is overstretched to accommodate the growing baby. Also, due to these hormonal changes the hair growth may increase making pregnant women look for hair removal options in the comfort and safety of their homes.

Veet Hair Removal Cream aims at providing an effective solution to this. But the catch is the chemical base may irritate the sensitive skin and its smell may make the to-be mom all queasy. It is necessary to follow instructions on the cream and do a patch test before attempting the deed.

Is Veet Hair Removal Cream safe for the stomach?

Veet Hair Removal Cream is safe when applied over the stomach. The sore points are the risk of allergy in the sensitive location and chemical burns. Also, the unpleasant chemical smell may be bothersome for a few individuals. Hence, a patch test 24 hours earlier is advised by the manufacturer. 

Is Veet Hair Removal Cream safe for the genital area?

The genital area is usually very sensitive, and added to this, hair in this region is quite strong. So hair removal creams should be using strong enough chemicals that can dissolve the hair while containing moisturizing agents that protect the skin from irritation and darkening the sensitive skin.

Veet Hair Removal Cream uses strong chemicals along with vitamin C and E to balance out the toxicity of chemicals and their effect on the skin. But before using the cream, instructions should be read and followed carefully to avoid any kind of medical emergency. Patch test and washing the cream immediately with warm water if any burning sensation occurs is a must.

At what age can you use Veet Hair Removal Cream?

Veet Hair Removal Cream can be used by people of all age groups. Puberty usually triggers excessive hair growth due to hormonal imbalance. However, excessive hair growth due to underlying medical conditions and medications should be ruled out before using hair removal creams.

How long does Veet Hair Removal Cream take to work?

Veet Hair Removal Cream provides a hassle-free, pain-free, and fast solution for unwanted hair. It has a 3 step process that involves taking out the cream, spreading it over the intended area, and lastly giving a rest period of 3 minutes. Wash or wipe it off immediately with warm water.

Does Veet Hair Removal Cream hurt? 

Veet Hair Removal Cream is usually a painless procedure and is usually used by people who do not prefer to wax or tweeze hair in sensitive areas. The hair in sensitive areas is hard and plucking hair out from these areas may be painful for some individuals.

Veet Hair Removal Cream ingredients

Veet Hair Removal Cream has the following composition :

  • Aqua
  • Cetearyl  Alcohol
  • Potassium thioglycolate
  • Calcium hydroxide
  • Paraffinum liquidum
  • Talc
  • Glycerine
  • Parfum
  • Limonene
  • Polyethene
  • Sodium Gluconate
  • Geraniol
  • Citronellol
  • Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
  • Punica Granatum Pericarp Extract

Potassium thioglycolate and calcium hydroxide are potentially skin-damaging strong chemicals that need utmost precaution while applied to the skin. They directly attack the root of the hair follicles and melt the keratin proteins, hence breaking down the hair which can then be wiped off with warm water. Both can cause abrasion to the skin and chemical burns if the skin is sensitive and instructions of use are not followed carefully. 

To cover up the unpleasant chemical smell of the ingredients, Veet contains artificial perfuming agents like limonene, parfum and essential oils which do more harm than good as they get oxidized upon contact with air and become the most common cause of contact dermatitis.

Besides the icky points that Veet Hair Removal Cream has, it also has some skin-loving ingredients which include glycerine and sodium gluconate which maintain the moisture of the skin and keep it hydrated.

Glycerine also scores brownie points for being a skin-identical ingredient. These help to protect the skin from allergies and sensitivity which the hard chemicals may trigger.

Punica Granatum Pericarp Extracts or Pomegranate seed extracts boost the ability of the skin to repair itself by regenerating the supporting collagen structure of the skin. Also, it reduces the occurrence of some forms of skin cancer due to its antioxidant capabilities.

Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract or Cranberry extracts have strong antioxidant properties which also have a healing effect on the skin when the natural barrier of the skin is damaged.

Does Veet Hair Removal Cream remove hair permanently?

The chemicals in Veet Hair Removal Cream aim to dissolve the keratin proteins and swell open the hair shafts. The chemicals attack the sulphur bonds in the hair and melt it so that it can be easily wiped away.

All this takes place under the skin but above the hair roots. Since the hairs are not removed from the roots, applying depilatory creams is just a temporary solution and not a permanent solution to the excess body and facial hair.

Does Veet Hair Removal Cream make hair grow back thicker?

Veet Hair Removal Cream acts at the level of the hair shaft. The chemicals break open the shaft and salts start attacking the bonds and proteins which are responsible for keeping the hair intact. As the action progresses, the hair melts above the shaft and is easily wiped off with a warm wash. Since the root of the hair is unaffected by the chemicals, and no hair growth enzyme is inhibited by the cream, the hairs grow back with the same thickness.

Does Veet Hair Removal Cream remove hair from the root?

Veet Hair Removal Cream acts on the hair shaft. It breaks it open with chemical salts and melts the bonds responsible for keeping the hair intact. Since all the action takes place at the hair shaft, the hair roots are protected and unaffected by the cream.

Does Veet Hair Removal Cream reduce hair growth?

Veet Hair Removal Cream acts at the level of the skin by just removing the visible hair on the skin surface. Since it doesn’t remove the roots nor does it use any enzymes which inhibit the hair growth, body and facial hair are likely to appear again with the same thickness and rate of growth.

Does Veet Hair Removal Cream make the skin dark?

Skin darkening is caused by a reaction of the skin to irritation. Veet Hair Removal Cream has some strong chemicals which have an inherent property to irritate the skin. For sensitive skin and even generally the instructions should be diligently followed and a patch test 24 hours earlier is mandatory for the cream.

Is Veet Hair Removal Cream harmful?

Veet Hair Removal Cream offers a fast pain-free solution to unwanted hair. But it also has a lot of contraindications as far as sensitive skin is concerned. The strong chemicals may burn and irritate the skin and cause darkening of the skin and allergies. A patch test 24 hours earlier is mandatory before doing the actual process to rule out the sensitivity of the skin to the cream.

Does Veet Hair Removal Cream cause cancer?

Veet Hair Removal Cream has a blend of strong chemicals that can cause skin irritation which may pose a threat to the skin in the longer run. Although Veet Hair Removal Cream comes packed with natural antioxidants which minimize the threat of cancer in the long run, it is always advised to consult a dermatologist before using depilatory creams especially if the skin is sensitive and easily irritable.

Can we use Veet Hair Removal Cream on the upper lip?

Veet Hair Removal Cream is safe to use on the upper lip. As the area is sensitive and the hairs are thick, there is a probability of an irritation reaction of the skin in the form of rashes, breakouts and burns on the upper lip.

A patch 24 hours earlier is mandatory for sensitive areas and the instructions of use should be respected and followed without fail.

In conclusion, Veet Hair Removal Cream offers quick and painless solutions for excess body and facial hair in the safety of our homes. It doesn’t require any professional expertise to remove the hair using this cream. 

The strong chemical base of Veet Hair Removal Cream may be bothersome for people with sensitive skin causing chemical burns and increased sensitivity to the sun. Before using the cream, people with sensitive skin may want to consult a dermatologist. People with no known history of skin allergy and skin sensitivity should take a patch test and follow the instructions of use diligently. Also, the pungent smell of the chemicals may be very bothersome to pregnant women, so it should be used cautiously.

After using the cream, it should be wiped off immediately with warm water and skin should be protected from sun exposure and swimming as the protective barrier of the skin is damaged and the skin sensitivity is enhanced to harmful factors of the environment leading to severe sunburns and allergies resulting from direct contact with chlorine in the water.

If all the instructions are kept in mind, Veet Hair Removal Cream provides a respite from shaving and tweezing the facial and body hair on the sensitive areas.

References:

  1. https://www.veet.co.in/en/products/hair-removal-creams/
  2. https://incidecoder.com/products/veet-hair-removal-cream-normal-skin
Anand Srinivasan
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