Waxing facial hair is becoming an increasingly popular way for both men and women to remove unwanted body hair. Shaving can irritate your skin, leaving behind bumps, nicks, and cuts, and nobody enjoys the slow, painful process of tweezing. Neither process is anywhere near as efficient or long-lasting as waxing. If you’d like more information on how we can meet your aesthetic needs, call Bentley Skincare & Wellness and Wellness in Springfield, MO today.
Everything You Need to Know About Waxing
The first step in removing your unwanted body hair is to call and make an appointment with one of our estheticians. When you arrive, the area you want to be waxed will be cleaned and treated to prepare it for treatment.
The wax is then gently applied to your skin in the direction your hair grows. After applying the wax, a strip of cloth is laid over it and then gently pulled away, quickly removing unwanted hair from the treated area. Wax is only applied to the treatment area once. If any stray hairs remain, they can easily be removed. Once the hair has been removed, your treated skin will be massaged with soothing oils.
How Does It Remove Hair?
When you remove unwanted body hair with wax, the complete strand of hair is removed all the way down into the follicle. When you completely remove hair in this way, it can take several weeks for it to grow back. With shaving, only the part of the hair that sits above your skin is removed, which is why you need to do it so frequently.
When you remove only the visible part of the hair, its root remains intact, and the hair continues to grow according to its current growth cycle. Depending on your genes and gender, you may need to shave every few days or even every day.
Why Is Getting Frequent Waxes a Good Idea?
When hair is removed via wax frequently enough, the follicles themselves begin to weaken as the hair is repeatedly pulled out by the root. After a few sessions, you may notice that your unwanted hair starts coming out a lot easier than it did when you first started your sessions. This is because the follicle eventually becomes unable to hold onto the hair as strongly. As you continue with treatments, some follicles can even stop producing hairs entirely!
In order to achieve these benefits, you need to undergo wax treatments consistently. Treating yourself to wax treatments every few months can be nice, but to achieve the full effect that waxing facial hair has to offer, you need to do it more often.
Just How Often Should You Wax?
The timing of your sessions will depend on the area you want to have waxed. Your hair also needs to be about a quarter of an inch long so that the wax can adequately attach to each hair. However, if your hair is too long (to the point where they overlap each other) the wax can have a harder time attaching to each hair.
Another point to consider when deciding how frequently to schedule your wax sessions is how fast your hair grows. The rate at which your hair grows is influenced by several factors, such as your diet, overall health, and genetics. Because of this, not every one’s hair grows at the same rate, and it’s important to understand your own personal hair growth cycle so that you can schedule an appointment at the appropriate time.
Facial Hair
Facial hair typically grows faster than other hair on your body and should, therefore, be waxed every two to three weeks. The chin, upper lip, eyebrows, and cheeks are some of the most common areas of the face to have waxed, though it’s possible to have it done anywhere that unwanted hair appears.
Armpits
The hair on your underarms can be easily seen during warmer months and should be treated every two weeks or so.
Bikini Area
The hair on and around your bikini line should be waxed every two weeks.
Legs
The legs are often the largest area of your body you will have waxed. The hair on your legs doesn’t grow as fast as the hair on some other parts of your body and your sessions should be spaced three to five weeks apart. As time goes on and you undergo more sessions, you’ll be able to zero in on the exact amount of time to go between leg sessions.
How Long Should My Hair Be?
The timeframes listed above are general estimates, and as such, they’re not written in stone. If the hair on your armpits, face, or legs grows fast, don’t wait to schedule a session. The longer your hair grows, the better the wax will be able to adhere to it.
Technically, you can always wax your hair no matter what length it is, but when it reaches about a half an inch in length and starts to overlap other hairs, your sessions may be less efficient. When hairs are covered by other hair, the wax may not be able to grip some strands, necessitating their removal via alternative methods.
Can You Trim Your Hair Before Your Appointment?
If your hair gets too long to efficiently wax, it isn’t the end of the world. You can always trim your hair to the proper length at home and then come in for your waxing facial hair treatment.
Hair Growth Cycles
Sometimes, unwanted hair may seem to sprout and grow overnight the way a mushroom does. But, while it can feel like this sometimes, hair actually grows in cycles. The more you know about your hair growth cycles, the more accurate you will be regarding the timing of your appointments. Remember, timing your sessions appropriately is necessary to reap the benefits of wax hair removal.
Anagen Phase
This is the phase during which your hair grows the fastest. The cells down in the follicle rapidly divide, creating longer hair that reaches past your epidermis and is visible to the naked eye.
Catagen Phase
The catagen phase lasts for between two and three weeks, and during this time, the hair’s growth slows down until it ultimately stops. The follicle becomes dormant at this time.
Telogen Phase
During the telogen phase, a new hair begins to form beneath the old one deep within the follicle.
Exogen Phase
Your body sheds older hair during the exogen phase. The new hair that began forming during the telogen phase will continue to grow until it reaches the anagen phase and the cycle starts all over again.
The Phases of Hair Growth Work and Timing Your Treatments
Not all of your hair grows at the same rate, nor do they all enter the same growth phase at the same time. Most of your hairs are going to be in the anagen phase at any given moment, which is why your hair seems to be constantly growing. When hair is removed via wax, the hair that peaks up a few weeks later from underneath your skin is not the same hair that was removed during treatment.
Scheduling your appointments in accordance with the phases of your hair’s growth can help ensure that every hair gets treated. Additionally, when you schedule regular appointments, most of your hair follicles will sync their growth cycles, making it much easier to get every hair, every time.
Why Is Waxing Better Than Other Options?
The Hair Stays Gone for Longer
When you choose to remove your unwanted body hair with wax treatments, the treated area will remain hair-free for longer than shaving or using hair-removal creams. After undergoing a single session, the vast majority of people won’t need to come in for at least two weeks, depending on the area they’re being treated. The only longer-lasting option is laser hair removal.
It’s One of the Safest Methods for Removing Hair
Shaving can lead to nicks and cuts, while depilatory creams can result in chemical burns if you leave the product on too long. If you think tweezing is a happy medium, think again. Tweezing can easily break your hair, resulting in ingrown hairs.
When you make an appointment to get your body hair waxed, you can rest assured that our trained estheticians can treat whichever areas you desire. No harsh chemicals will be used, nor will any sharp blades be dragged across your body. Your skin will be treated with the gentleness and pampering that it deserves.
You’ll Have More Time
When you remove unwanted hair using a razor or over-the-counter creams, you’re probably going to have to do it more than once a week to maintain the results you want. If you’re a man, you may have to do it every day since testosterone causes your hair to grow quickly.
When you wax, you can remove any and all unwanted hair in one fell swoop, and it will stay gone for a lot longer than it would have if you used another depilatory method. Those who live busy lives or tend to have hectic mornings can benefit the most from the additional time.
It Gets Faster and Easier With Time
As you consistently schedule treatment sessions, your hairs will reduce in thickness and their attachment to the follicle will become weaker. Not only will this result in less visible body hair when it does grow back, but removing it will be even easier.
It Provides Immediate Results
Waxing will remove your unwanted body hair and keep it gone for longer than other depilatory methods, making it an excellent choice when you need to look your best. Many clients undergo treatments before weddings, birthday parties, vacations, and other special events.
How to Prepare
There are a few things you can do to prepare that will help you get the most out of your hair removal treatment. First, remember that your hair should be between one-quarter and one-half inch long. If it’s any longer and you’re noticing a lot of overlap, you should trip it at home first. Also, make sure your skin is clean, but don’t shower immediately before your appointment. Hair absorbs water and makes it softer and harder to remove with wax.
If you regularly use skincare products that contain Retin-A or Renova, or take medications for acne, blood thinners, or use cortisone, refrain from doing so before your session. They can cause an increase in skin sensitivity.
Ready to Get Started?
How often you should wax depends on the area of your body you want to be treated and the rate at which your hair grows. Between two and three weeks should be long enough for your face, underarms, or bikini areas, but for your legs, you may want to extend the period to three to five weeks.
If you have any additional questions about waxing, or you would like to schedule an appointment, contact Bentley Skincare & Wellness and Wellness in Springfield, MO today and get started!.