Is it possible to do facial cleansing during menstruation * When is it best to do it?

In women, during menstruation, the oiliness of the skin increases, acne and inflammation appear, and the wrong type of cleansing can worsen the situation.

In addition, a few days before the onset of menstruation, the sensitivity of the epidermis increases and the chance of harmful microorganisms penetrating through the pores increases.

What changes in the body during critical days

Critical days affect the physiological and psychological side of a woman’s life. In general, most women these days experience malaise of varying degrees of intensity, mood swings occur

Immediately before menstruation and during menstruation, the skin becomes especially sensitive, and the risk of infection through open pores increases. 10 days before the start of menstruation, progesterone begins to be produced, the sebaceous glands more actively produce their secretions. Because of this, the pores expand, become clogged with sebum, and inflammation easily occurs at the site of sebaceous plugs. In the presence of inflammation, no manipulations associated with injury to the skin (and this is exactly what happens during cleaning) are not carried out.

Activation of the sebaceous glands is the main reason why facial cleansing should not be done during menstruation and shortly before it begins. Other changes occur in the body that make the procedure undesirable:

the pain threshold increases – therefore the pain during the procedure is felt more acutely;
blood clotting decreases - this contributes to the occurrence of bruises and bruises; if the skin is seriously damaged, the bleeding is difficult to stop;
swelling appears;
hemoglobin increases - because of this, tissue regeneration slows down;
temperature and pressure rise;
The number of platelets increases - this causes swelling.

By the end of critical days, the body is renewed. Regeneration processes cover not only the reproductive system, but also other organs, the skin in particular. Metabolic and hormonal processes are stabilized.

How the day of the cycle affects the result of cleaning

Opinions vary regarding facial cleansing during menstrual periods. Some believe that menstruation is not a contraindication, since it is just a cosmetic procedure and not a surgical one. Others believe that due to changes in hormonal levels and skin structure, negative consequences are possible, in particular inflammation in injured areas of the skin.

During menstruation and immediately before their onset, regeneration processes in the body slow down. Due to the active production of sebum in the second half of the cycle, facial cleansing during menstruation does not give long-term results, since the pores are simply clogged with secretions again.

Here's how the day of your cycle affects the result of facial cleansing:

Days 1-5 – cleaning is possible, but not advisable. During this period, it is much more useful to pamper the skin with cleansing masks and other procedures, such as SPA, which do not involve a traumatic effect on the skin.
Days 6-16 are the best time to carry out all types of cleanings - hardware and manual. The skin responds well to exposure. The risk of new inflammation, redness, and irritation is minimal.
17-21 days - cosmetic facial cleansing is useless, the result of the procedure is difficult to predict, it can be relatively positive, but there is a possibility that the primary condition will worsen.
Days 22-28 – the pain threshold decreases, the healing period of injuries lengthens.

It follows that the best period for carrying out cleansing procedures lasts only 10 days. But these are the days when you can confidently go for cleaning without fear of complications.

Precautionary measures

If laser hair removal occurs on critical days and it is impossible or inconvenient to reschedule the procedure, then you should pay attention to the following points:

If you need to remove hair from your bikini area, practice good personal hygiene before your session and use a tampon instead of pads. This will ensure hygiene and comfort of the procedure, and will also help prevent negative consequences such as inflammation, infection, etc.
Worry about pain relief. In the salon, the specialist will definitely treat the affected area with an anesthetic gel or cream. But during menstruation, such anesthesia may not be enough, so 20–30 minutes before the procedure, you can take any painkiller that will provide the most positive effect.
After the procedure, be sure to follow the specialist’s recommendations, treat your skin with an antiseptic, and avoid thermal procedures, including sunbathing.

What procedures are prohibited during this period?

Despite the fact that there are no direct contraindications for cleaning during menstruation and a few days before it, there are procedures that are not recommended for menstruation.

It is prohibited to perform procedures that injure the skin, such as manual and mechanical cleansing. If you still need to carry out such a procedure, you need to refuse it at least in the first three days of menstruation. Because during this period, general health worsens, blood clotting decreases and the pain threshold increases, and the skin recovers more slowly.

Important! If blood pressure rises during menstruation, this is a categorical contraindication to cleansing.

It is undesirable to carry out deep and medium chemical cleansing of the face if menstruation has begun, due to the slowdown in skin regeneration processes. After a chemical peel, the top layer of skin is burned, and further recovery depends on the individual characteristics of the body. Not only does the recovery process slow down significantly, but the risk of developing complications in the form of age spots and scars increases. Swelling will take twice as long to subside, and the risk of infection increases. Peeling with salicylic acid further reduces blood clotting, which increases the duration of menstruation.

Brushing or microdermabrasion is a hardware peeling that is performed using brushes. It should not be done during this period due to the likelihood of bruising and bruising. The same applies to laser peeling and diamond facial resurfacing. Diamond grinding is similar in effect to brushing, since the top layer of skin is removed with fine diamond chips. During the procedure, the laser burns the top layer of skin to stimulate the skin to renew itself. Even with a correctly performed procedure, swelling and redness are inevitable in the first half of the cycle. In the second half of the cycle, the intensity of side effects increases.

How to properly carry out the procedure taking into account menstruation

Rules for carrying out a cleansing procedure during menstruation:

The best hours are from 8 to 11 am, since at this time the body is most active.
It is necessary to first clean the epidermis of dust and other contaminants using tonic or washing gel. Steaming during menstruation should be avoided - this increases swelling and the appearance of red spots.
For relief, it is recommended to take any anti-inflammatory drug half an hour before the procedure, with the exception of aspirin - it negatively affects blood clotting.
During preparation, conduct and at the final stage, it is worth treating the skin with an antiseptic - this will help speed up the restoration of damaged epidermis.
After cleansing, wash with cool water - this will help tighten the pores and minimize the risk of infection.

Also, after the session, you should apply a nourishing and soothing professional product and completely abandon decorative cosmetics for 1-3 days.

What types of cleansing are allowed during menstruation?

During menstruation, as well as before menstruation, you can perform vacuum facial cleansing, as this is the least traumatic type of cleansing. The procedure is carried out using a nozzle, under which a vacuum is formed upon contact with the skin. Under the influence of a vacuum, impurities are pulled out of the pores, but if there is inflammation, the cosmetologist is forced to remove them manually. Manual and mechanical cleansing of the face is not recommended during this period.

There is no strict ban on galvanic and ultrasound procedures, but it is still better to wait with them.

Ultrasonic cleaning is carried out using a device that emits ultrasonic waves. They break down dirt and sebum, but do not steam the skin. If your health does not worsen during menstruation, then the procedure is acceptable. It is painless, has a beneficial effect on the blood circulation of the skin, and allows you to remove keratinized particles of the epidermis.

Galvanic cleansing is performed using a device that applies electric current to the skin. The procedure is painless and effective. Impurities are broken up by electric current and removed from the skin.

The most suitable type of procedure during menstruation is a professional cleansing mask. It does not injure the skin at all, but at the same time gets rid of accumulated sebum and cleanses pores. It is important that the mask does not contain aggressive chemical components such as fruit or other acids. In addition to cleansing properties, the mask should have soothing and anti-inflammatory properties.

In which half of the cycle is it better to contact a cosmetologist?

The first half of the cycle, that is, the first two weeks after menstruation, excluding the first three days, is when it is better to cleanse your face before menstruation. At this time, complications are least likely to develop. After exposure to lasers, chemicals and instruments, the skin recovers faster, wounds, scratches, and burns actively heal, and the risk of secondary infection is reduced.

Will there be results from cleaning on critical days?

Due to the increased activity of the sebaceous glands, cleansing may not give the desired effect in the second half of the cycle, because these days the hormonal balance is disturbed, and the skin is predisposed to the appearance of comedones and acne. Due to exposure to chemicals, there is a high risk of side effects and long recovery times. However, this is more true if cleansing is carried out in the first days of menstruation. If the critical days are coming to an end, then cleansing, on the contrary, can be useful, since it helps the skin to cleanse itself of excess sebum that has accumulated over several days of activity of the sebaceous glands. In any case, everything is individual.

Opinions of cosmetologists about cleaning on critical days

If you ask a professional whether it is possible to carry out cleaning on critical days, the cosmetologist’s answer will be negative. Even in courses, cosmetologists are taught that the most favorable time for cleansing is the first half of the cycle, and they are convinced of this in practice. However, this does not mean that the cosmetologist will not take up cleaning if the client is on her critical days. Whether or not to go to a cosmetologist during menstruation is decided solely by the client.

Video: Malysheva facial cleansing and menstruation

Rules of intimate hygiene, video

is not responsible for the accuracy of the information presented in this video clip.
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