You read the directions, you follow the instructions to the letter and still you end up in pain. That’s exactly what happened to me this morning while attempting to get ready for the dreaded bathing suit season. I used a well known depilatory that I had used many times before and applied it gently to parts of my body. 90 seconds later my armpits are in agony and there was not quick way to alleviate the pain. What didn’t the label tell me?
As I stated this was not my first time using this treatment. I had it on my legs and it didn’t burn but somehow or other it blistered and burned under my arms. TMI you may say? Not really for I am passing on some information that may help you in th future or even today. I have read the entire label and did nothing wrong. I read about the side effects, burning is one of them. But remember this isn’t the first time I have used this.
However the last time I used it I wasn’t not taking medication to reduce swelling and that may be what caused the reaction that has left this writer in agony for several hours.
Of course at the first sign of pain I attempted to remove the depilatory and that in itself was a feat. I had to practice breathing I had learned from a TaiChi master to get over the pain so that I could wash it all off then soak in lukewarm water as prescribed. Four hours later I know that from now on I will take my chances with a pink or purple razor. I also won’t care if I have a forest growing in my pits if I have to end up tortured. This pain is at most burning at the least uncomfortable. But it is my fault for not thinking before I used the treatment.
No where on the list of side effects for the medication does it say ‘do not use certain chemical treatments on certain parts of the body’. It does say that taking said medicine could cause a heart attack if one has a history of heart problems and it says not to use over the counter medications with this as they might cause a reaction. Says nothing about lotions, creams, deodorant, hair spray or makeup. It just happened. And of course I don’t have proof that this is the reason it happened. But when one has such a reaction you go through the process of elimination. My diet hasn’t changed, my skin has no cuts on it, my deodorant’s the same. All is the same except for the medication I am taking. What else am I to think except that the pills that are supposed to be reducing inflammation have affected my skin in such a way that I would be tortured while shaving my arm pits. It seemed like just another innocuous thing that women do in order to beautify themselves, and yet like getting a bikini wax at a saloon with questionable cleaning practices it has dire consequences.
Side effects are what scares me about taking medicine. So it takes a doctor a while to convince me that just because it says on the label “can cause death’ doesn’t mean it can cause mine. But what else am I to feel? I only allow a physician to attend to me when nautral things don’t work. It took two months of pain where I tried everything short of witchcraft before I got this medication. Imagine how I feel now that it might be working but it also might be doing other things to me.
Such as changing my skin.
I give this tale as a caution to all out there. After testing natural shea butter on my skin in that area, I have been able to stop most of the burning. It is the only reason I can sit at a computer and compose this piece. I know it will be a few days before I can comfortably wear deoderantor wash withanything other than a mild soapy water for my skin has to heal. Perhaps the worst side effect of this whole ordeal is that I have once again lost faith in the medicines that doctors make us take to ’save us’. Maybe it ws the shrimp fried rice I had for dinner that did this. Or the red wine I had the night before. But I feel that its what is not on the label of the medicine that got me into this.
It should have read: : “Warning: Although we have tortured several species of animals to test this you should know that their fur fell off and their skin color changed. Therefore you cannot proceed with a normal lifestyle while these pills are working on your system. Sample all food in very small quantities 24 hours before you eat. Water may cause diarrhea so refrain from all liquids. Avoid direct sunlight, avoid direct darkness. Avoid wearing clothes. In fact for the ten days that you take this its probably best that you stay naked and in bed. But make sure the sheets have been washed in plain soap and no bleach.”
Well,, anyway, thats how I feel about it.
