Waxing hair removal is the go-to method of getting rid of unwanted hair for women who would like to take a break from shaving or using hair removal creams every week. But the women must be brave enough to take the pain caused by waxing, rich enough to pay hundreds of dollars per month, or skillful enough to wax their hair at home with home wax kits. There are a few more things to consider while getting a waxing hair removal treatment.
So, we have listed them in the form of the benefits and side effects of waxing. Also, we have a guide on the waxing cost for you so that you can estimate your monthly expense of hair removal. Lastly, let us see if waxing is worth it or if some other methods of hair removal can do the job in a better way.
Waxing Hair Removal
Hair removalunwanted hair
There are several types of waxing techniques used including hard wax with no strips, warm soft wax, premade waxing strips, and wax rollers. Although the principle of hair removal in all is the same, they differ with respect to user experience. 10 best at-home waxing kits for hair removal are our top picks having all types of wax.
Benefits of Waxing
Waxing is one of the commonest methods of hair removal for a few reasons aka benefits of waxing. These are given as.
Up to a Month of Hairless Skin
The results of waxing last for 3 to 6 weeks. This difference lies in the fact that hair grows through multiple stages. Depending upon the stage at which the hair is pulled off from the roots, results last for a particular time.
If they are removed in the active growth period, you would see new strands within 3 weeks. However, if they are removed in the dormant phase, the results last for 6 weeks. Regardless, it is great because you do not have to worry about hair peeking out of your skin for up to a month.
Slowed Hair Growth Over Time
As waxing removes the hair from the roots by force. This confers trauma to the hair follicles. So, hair growth becomes slowed over time. Moreover, the weak follicle regenerates softer and thinner hair.
Waxing can never eliminate unwanted hair even after decades but it will make the hair less visible.
Can Be Done At Home
At-salon waxing is preferred for the smooth skin and precise hair removal you get after a session. But waxing can also be done in the comfort of your hair. It is a little difficult for beginners and might take some time to get salon-like results.
Skin Exfoliation
Waxing removes dead skin cells and stimulates the generation of new skin in two ways. First, it adheres to the skin and pulls off the weakened dead cells as it is removed. Seconds, there is an effect of friction that helps in exfoliation.
Dolphin Like Smooth Skin
Have you ever noticed how you feel euphoric as you touch your skin after waxing? It becomes so flawless and healthy. Having no unwanted hair is the main factor.
In addition, the removal of dead skin cells and cellular regeneration is exactly the reason why skin appears soft, smooth, and shiny after waxing. Also, the flakes of dry skin are dealt with.
Protection of After-Effects of Shaving
Shaving might be fast and removes hair of any length but its side effects are severe. Accidental cuts when done in a hurry, immediate razor burns, skin redness, itching, and quick hair growth makes waxing a better method of hair removal.
Moreover, the blunt ends of hair make skin look more hairy and hair thicker giving way to myths like shaving makes hair coarse. You can also read the details of both.
Suitable for Whole Body
Waxing can be done on any area of the body you can think of. Whether it is your hands, fingers, hands, legs, thighs, bikini lines, chest, intimate areas, armpits, private parts, back, or abdomen, waxing got you.
Although some areas can be a little hard to reach, waxing does not harmful to such sensitive parts. Also, there are multiple types of wax prepared for specific parts of the body.
Suitable for Face
Not only the body, waxing works well for the face as well. Using the wax made for thin facial skin, you can remove hair from the upper lips, sideburns, chin, temples, and eyebrows.
Also, it is quicker than threading the full face and is also as precise as plucking or epilation.
Face Waxing Benefits
The major benefits of face waxing include the removal of dead skin cells and impurities, less pain and time-consuming as compared to threading individual strands of hair, precise and symmetrical hair removal, and a hairless face for a month.
Not to mention that waxing will make the thin hair on the face become even thinner gradually which might eliminate the need of waxing the face every month if your facial hair is not dense. It also improves skin texture.
Benefits of Waxing Underarms
Underarmsthe unwanted itchy underarm hair
Also, it prevents sweating and hyperpigmentation in such areas as it exfoliates the skin.
Benefits of Waxing Intimate Areas
While you have to be careful about the intimate areas with other methods of hair removal, waxing can be easier. It is because there are no risks of cuts, inflammation, or chemical burns with waxing. Additionally, the skin becomes soft.
Also, the hair-thinning benefit of waxing is most obvious in intimate areas as the hair at this part is coarse.
Side Effect of Waxing
Here are some side effects of waxing that might want you to look to some other method of hair removal. However, if you want to stick with waxing while avoiding its side effects, waxing side effects and ways to avoid them are for you.
Painful
Just under the skin, lies countless small nerve endings that carry the messages of pain, temperature, and touch to the brain. When the hair is ripped out from its roots, the nerve endings lying on the sides get irritated resulting in pain. The sensitivity varies according to your tolerance to pain.
This pain might be too much to take at your initial waxing sessions. But the pain gradually decreases with subsequent treatments when your body gets used to waxing.
Expensive
If you plan on getting professional wax every month, your yearly waxing bill for waxing one or two parts of your body will be over a thousand dollars which is quite a lot. Also, the bill would be much more if you are getting full body wax or Brazilian as well.
In contrast, home waxing kits are relatively affordable.
Skin Tears
Waxing is harsh on the skin because it works harshly and forcefully on the skin and also creates friction. So, your can suffer from micro skin tears if it is thin. Additionally, bruises are common in women with bleeding disorders as wax might tear the microvessels.
This side effect of waxing is rarely seen in women going through their monthly cycle as well.
Long Waxing Sessions
Waxing is not as quick as shaving or depilation whether you are doing it at home or a salon. It takes an hour or two for hair removal on the legs, up to 30 minutes for the face, and much longer if you are going for a full body session. Taking a few hours off is difficult for busy women.
Hair Needs to Grow to an Appropriate Length for Waxing
As wax sticks with the hair, there must be hair poking out of the skin to a certain extent for the wax to adhere to them. So, you cannot just get waxed as soon as you see unwanted hair. Rather, you would have to wait until this hair grows to the length of a quarter of an inch which takes a week or more.
Also, you cannot remove hair with any other method of hair removal during this time if you are planning on getting wax.
Ingrown Hair and Folliculitis
Although ingrown hair is mostly seen after shaving, it is not uncommon with waxing as well. If the hair is not completely removed from the root and cut off somewhere in between, it tends to grow just under the superficial layer of the skin. It appears as a little bump with a dark spot on the skin.
Additionally, hair follicles might become inflamed during the process leading to folliculitis.
Risk of Infection
There is a risk of infection if waxing is not done under septic conditions. For example, if your waxing expert is using the tools without sterilizing them after each client or if your skin is not well cleansed and exfoliated, waxing might give way to bacteria and other microbes entering the skin resulting in infection.
Allergic Reactions
While wax is suitable for people with most skin types, it causes allergies in certain women. The symptoms include skin redness, itching, irritation, and bumps. This can be calmed by using ice cubes and a moisturizer over the waxed area.
Sun Sensitivity
Hairexfoliated skin
Waxing Price
The is a significant difference between the price of salon waxing sessions and at-home waxing kits as you are also buying the expertise along with the wax in the salon.
Salon Waxing Sessions
A full body waxing treatment costs about $200 to $400 depending upon the quality of the salon and the type of wax you are choosing. It can also fluctuate a little in both directions as well. For the cost of waxing individual body parts, you can refer to the table given below.
| Treatment Area | At-Salon Waxing Session Cost |
| Full Face | $30 to $60 |
| Upper Lips | $10 to $20 |
| Eyebrows | $15 to $30 |
| Sideburns and Chin Hair | $20 to $50 |
| Arms | $30 to $50 |
| Armpits | $10 to $40 |
| Legs | $70 to $100 |
| Half legs | $40 to $70 |
| Bikini Lines | $30 to $50 |
| Pubic Region | $50 to $120 |
| Back | $30 to $60 |
At-Home Waxing
At-home waxing kits are affordable. One kit comes at half of the even price of 1 at-salon session of waxing hair removal. It can also be used a few times. So, you can buy a good quality at-home waxing kit for $50 to $150.
While choosing the at-home waxing kit, look for the type of beads it has, the temperature of the wax warmer, waxing sticks, and strips in the kit. The best hot at-home waxing kits have all of the things you would expect.
What Could Be an Affordable Yet Nearly painless Alternative to Waxing?
IPL devices can be used as a spotless alternative to waxing as explained in waxing vs IPL hair removal . Our recommended one is a Ulike Sapphire Air3 Hair Removal IPL handset . It costs the same as that waxing price or one full body session at a salon, offers salon-like smooth results, the results last much longer as compared to the salon, and there are no pain, ingrown hair, and other side effects of waxing.
Moreover, the sapphire skin cooling technology of Ulike calms the skin; its 3 comfort modes enable it to be used in body, face, and Intimate areas; its 3 intensity levels further add to a great user experience; and lastly, dermatologists love this device as well.
Summary
Waxing is an outstanding option for hair removal for a month of hairless smooth skin but it comes at the cost of the expensive price, pain, and a few more side effects we explained earlier. Waxing price varies between $10 to $400 depending upon the area you are treating. The breakdown of this price is also mentioned earlier. Also, if you want to give some other method of hair removal a try, Ulike Air3 IPL could be one.
