Men and women struggle with a similar problem – hair. We want the hair on our heads to be naturally healthy, but everywhere else is a different story. The trend in body hair leans towards less is more. This is especially true for women, but many men also shave daily to get rid of hair on their necks, chests, stomachs and backs.
A number of people have decided to ditch the razor in favor of waxing. The practice started with ancient Egyptians who used beeswax and sugar-base wax to remove hair across their entire bodies. Modern day individuals are sometimes a little more hesitant to wax.
But you don’t have to go to an expensive salon and endure a very personal encounter with a complete stranger. At home waxing products make it easy to get rid of the hair on your own. It’s just one of the many benefits of waxing.
Waxing Benefit #1 – Less Skin Irritation
Knicks, cuts, and razor burn come with the territory when you shave. Some people just deal with the hair because suffering through skin irritation is an even less appealing option.
Many of today’s waxes are made with natural ingredients that are non-irritating to the skin. You’ll probably be a little tender and red right after waxing, but that should quickly fade away. Once it does the skin will be smoother without the itchy stubble that comes after shaving.
Waxing Benefit #2 – Less Ingrown Hairs
Perhaps the nastiest side effect of shaving is ingrown hairs, also known as razor bumps. These painful, red bumps are a result of hair that grows into the skin instead of out the pore. When this happens, it causes inflammation that takes a while to go away.
Ingrown hairs are common after shaving because the razor cuts a sharp edge into the hair shaft. The sharpness makes it easier for the hair to pierce the skin and grow inside the epidermis. Since razors now have multiple blades, they can actually increase the sharpness and likelihood of ingrown hairs.
When you wax, you’re much less likely to get ingrown hairs because the follicle isn’t being cut. The hair goes back through the natural growth process from start to finish.
Waxing Benefit #3 – Less Maintenance
Removing hair at the root means that it will take much longer to grow back compared to cutting it off at the surface. On average it takes hair 3-6 weeks to grow back after waxing. When you shave you’ll start to see hair coming back in after just a day or two.
You’ll save a lot more time with waxing because there’s much less maintenance. Typically waxing only has to be done once a month to enjoy smooth skin for weeks. When you aren’t shaving and plucking every other day you’ll also naturally have less skin irritation.
Waxing Benefit #4 – Less Hair in the Long Run
Repeatedly waxing can actually help to reduce hair growth over time. You’ll notice that it takes hair longer to grow back, and when it does it may be a little finer and softer than before.
There are a few reasons why waxing helps with hair regrowth. For starters, repeated yanking on the root can damage it to the point that it can’t produce more hair. Because waxing pulls hair out at the root not all of the hairs will grow back immediately. Hair that’s plucked at the beginning of the 3-stage growth cycle will take even longer to grow back than other hairs.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the reason hair comes back softer when it regrows from the root is because it passes through oil glands. The oil makes hair shinier and softer.
Benefit #5 – Less Pain
This one may come as a surprise to some, but waxing isn’t very painful when it’s done properly. There will probably be about 10 seconds of stinging, but that’s about it. You can help combat the pain by taking an over-the-counter, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like aspirin within an hour of the wax.
Compare this process to getting razor burn or a cut that takes days or longer to heal after shaving, and waxing is the least painful option.
Each person has around 5 million hair follicles that are in different stages of activity. Keeping them all under control is a constant battle, but waxing can help make it much more manageable.
Is waxing part of your skincare regimen?
Share your thoughts and comments with us.
Good to know, thank you!