How Long Should You Wait To Swim After A Bikini Wax?

Speaking to Glamour, dermatologist Kally Papantoniou recommended that people "avoid public water like swimming pools for a few days" after a bikini wax. Although Papantoniou mentioned public swimming pools, the same rule applies to any large body of water. You may want to swim in that gorgeously blue lake on vacation, but think about how long it has been since your bikini wax before you do. It may seem annoying, but there's a reason you should resist the pool/beach on a hot day. 

Your skin is far more susceptible to infection after a bikini wax due to the hair being ripped out forcibly, therefore compromising your skin's barrier. You also run the risk of developing cellulitis, which is when the tissue beneath your skin becomes infected. Cellulitis often remains undetected until it is severe, as it prevents symptoms like shivering, a high temperature, and nausea, all of which can be mistaken for cold and flu symptoms instead.

There's no hard or fast rule about just how long you should wait, but 48 hours is generally a good amount of time to let your skin settle down.