We all want to look our absolute best as often as we can and any unwanted hair can very easily ruin, not only our appearance but our self-confidence as well. Whenever we see little hairs where we don’t want them, we want to get rid of them as soon as possible.

But now you are probably asking yourself whether or not removing them as soon as you notice them is a good idea. No worries, you are not alone in asking this question and we have the answers you are looking for, as well as other tips and facts that you should know.

If you are looking into which method is the best way to remove unwanted hair on the body, you will most probably come across waxing as the most popular choice. But what exactly does it mean?

What Is Waxing?

Waxing is a method of hair removal that removes body hair from the root. The process involves applying a hot or cold wax onto the area of the skin with hair that you wish to remove and then pulling off the wax in a quick motion with the hairs attached to the wax.

Hot wax is applied onto the skin and you first have to wait for it to cool down and harden before removing it, while cold wax is very sticky and often requires a waxing paper to remove the wax with the hair attached to it.

How Long Do The Effects Of Waxing Last?

One of the main reasons why waxing is the preferred choice of hair removal is due to the fact that the effects are long-lasting. When you wax, the entire hair is removed from the follicle. Because of this, the new hair takes between 3-5 months to grow back.

Some people have noticed a few hairs growing back within one or two weeks of their wax treatment, while some claim the hair does not grow back for more than a month.

The effects are different for each person, depending on their hair’s growth cycle and the level of hormones in their body, since hormones are the ones that cause hair to grow for both men and women.

How Often Should I Wax?

There are a few factors to consider when asking about how often you should wax. Since everyone’s hair grows at a different rate, there is no definite answer as to how often you should come in for a wax appointment. Another thing you need to consider is which area you want to wax since facial hair and leg hair grows at different rates.

The following recommendations on how often you should wax a certain area are based on the average hair growth rate, but they do not necessarily refer to everyone:

1. FACIAL HAIR: If there is hair on your face that you would like to remove, you typically have to wax it every 2-3 weeks. This includes eyebrows, hair above the lips and beards. For some people, eyebrow hair grows faster than hair above the lip and should be waxed more often. However, many people tend to wait so that both can be waxed during the same wax treatment.
2. UNDER-ARMS: Armpit hair is one of the fastest-growing hairs on the body and typically needs to be waxed every 2 weeks if not more often.
3. BIKINI AREA: For both men and women, pubic hair that grows around the genitals is one of the thickest and coarsest hair on the body. Fortunately, it does not grow as fast as other hairs around the body. This means that you should wax that area every 3-5 weeks. Many people require a monthly wax appointment, some sooner than others. This depends on how fast the hair has grown.
4. OTHER AREAS: Legs, forearms and backs also require a monthly treatment since hair grows back after an average of four weeks. Once again, you might need to wax these areas after 3-5 weeks.

Long-term Effects Of Waxing

It is no secret that there are several benefits of waxing compared to other methods of hair removal. Aside from the smooth, hairless skin that lasts for weeks, as well as the lack of bumps and cuts that people are often prone to when shaving, waxing offers long-term benefits that will make you loyal to its hair-removal method.

Since hair is removed from the root, the hair follicle shrinks or becomes damaged with every wax treatment. This means that over time, the hair grows slower and thinner. After a few years, you can probably go from waxing every month to waxing every two months or longer.

Many people have claimed that they no longer need to go to the salon after years of wax treatments since the hair is permanently gone. Permanent hair removal is not a proven long-term effect of waxing, but it has happened to many people.

Some scientists claim that the hair has not been permanently removed, but instead, it is so thin and it takes so long to grow that it gives the appearance of being permanently gone.

Another advantage of waxing is that both thick and thin hair is removed, no matter the length, and all the hair is removed at the same time. This means that the growth cycle of the hair is synchronized – hair grows at the same time and not at different intervals which could cause some hair to be longer than others.

Important Tips To Remember

1. Waxing is an inexpensive hair removal method whether you go to a salon for a wax treatment or you do it yourself at home. It is strongly recommended that you leave it to the professionals, however, if you do it yourself, make sure to read the directions and precautions on your waxing kit thoroughly. This is to ensure the best outcomes without encountering any problems.
2. DO NOT SHAVE! If you start waxing, it should be a long-term commitment. Do not shave between wax treatments. Since you are removing hair from the root, shaving will only cut the hair at the surface and increase the growth rate of the hair, which is the complete opposite of what we want.
3. Don’t forget to exfoliate your skin to remove any dead skin cells and prevent ingrown hairs. Also, don’t forget to moisturize to ensure healthy, soft and silky skin.

Remember that you are not alone on this journey to smooth and hairless skin. Many people are experiencing what you are going through and the answers to your questions are out there.