Potential for Allergic Contact Dermatitis in Popular Depilatory Wax Hair Removal Practices and Ingredients

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a type IV delayed hypersensitivity reaction that can commonly arise from exposure to allergens in personal care and cosmetic products. Depilatory waxing, a common hair removal practice, involves the use of various products that may contain potential contact allergens. There is limited literature discussing ACD to hair removal products. We aim to discover the most common allergens prevalent in depilatory waxing products used in a popular wax center in the United States and those found in online marketplaces. Through communication with the salon staff, we reviewed the involved products and analyzed all ingredients for common allergens. We also conducted an online search to examine the ingredients and the most common allergens of the top 10 bestselling wax strips across four selected online marketplaces (CVS, Amazon, Walmart, and Walgreens). The final query of online products consisted of 12 distinct wax products and 10 postwax products. Among the products used in the salon, the most common allergens were vitamin E, colophony, botanicals, fragrance, beeswax/propolis, and color additives, in descending order. The most frequent allergens commonly encountered in online wax products included color additives, found in 67% (8/12) products, followed by botanicals and colophony, both present in 58% (7/12) products. In the postwax products, the most frequent allergen was vitamin E present in 100% (10/10) of the products, followed by fragrance (8/10). Although these allergens do not frequently cause ACD, it remains crucial to identify and note them in hair removal products to address any potential cases. Raising awareness of these allergens in all steps of hair removal can help ensure the safety and comfort of patients undergoing waxing treatments.