Intimate waxing is fast becoming one of the most popular salon treatments for men and women alike. But if you have never had hair removed from the pubic region what can you expect? Here, Beauty Define give you a “Brazilliant” lesson on how to handle what can be a daunting experience.
Waxing is a great alternative to shaving if you have hair you are uncomfortable with.
It removes hair from the root while shaving leave the hair follicle below the skin, resulting in hair re-growth less than 24 hours later. Waxing can last up to a month.
The younger you are when you start waxing the better the long-term results too. This is because younger skin has finer hairs. However bear in mind that most salons only do intimate waxing for people aged 18 or over.
Intimate waxing
Let’s not beat around the bush (excuse the pun) waxing is not pain free.
But there are ways to reduce discomfort – something we will get to in a minute.
First let’s discuss shape.
There are five basic shapes for intimate waxing:
1. The bikini wax shape
A standard bikini wax is a basic shaping of pubic hair into a neat upside-down triangle shape to the edge of the panty line.
2. The extended bikini wax
An extended bikini wax takes the sides of the bikini line in deeper than a regular bikini wax leaving a more defined triangle with narrower edges.
3. The Brazilian wax
A Brazilian wax takes away all the hair off the bikini line leaving a small strip on the front. Hair is removed from the front all the way round to the bottom area.
4. The Hollywood wax
The Hollywood wax removes all hair from the front, round to the bottom – complete hair removal.
Preparing for a wax
If you’ve shaved recently, wait five days. And though the time does vary between waxes, it’s best to wait around a month.
If you're worried about pain, take one or two paracetamol an hour before your appointment.
Try to stay calm too. If you are tense it will make your skin feel more sensitive.
You should also avoid waxing if you are on your period because this will heighten pain. And if you are pregnant, bear in mind that again, you are likely to be more sensitive.
What to expect
All waxing sessions should take place in a private room.
You will be asked to get undressed and in some cases you will be given a pair of paper knickers to put on instead of your own. In other cases you might be asked to lie down and cover yourself with a sheet. If in doubt ask.
Your waxer will discuss what kind of “haircut” you are after. She or he will then clean and disinfect the area before applying the wax and remove small areas of hair at a time.
There are different types of wax that can be used.
Strip wax is hot wax that’s spread on the area, left for a few seconds then covered with a strip of material and ripped off with haste, lifting out hairs as it does so.
Hot wax is smoothed on the area in a heavier consistency. The wax is then left until almost hard, which takes about 30 seconds, then gently lifted off, pulling out the hairs as it’s peeled away.
Hot wax is generally more expensive but it’s less painful.
After your wax, your therapist will remove any residue and apply a soothing cream.
Is the pain worth the gain?
Yes!
Waxing is uncomfortable because the hair is being pulled all the way out.
But discomfort is only felt at the time of service and stops immediately after.
Having said that the area can remain sensitive so you should not to use any scrubs for the next 48 hours and not to expose the area to direct sun for at least 24 hours. This shouldn’t be a problem for anyone other than naturists!
After the tenderness has subsided you should regularly exfoliate in the shower to remove dead skin so the pores don't become clogged, causing ingrown hairs and bumps.
If bumps do appear, don't squeeze or tweeze.
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