Waxing, Shaving, Tweezing Oh My!

It's that time of year, the time we all want to be hair free to show off our great summer skin!  Let's explore all the different ways to remove unwanted hair, and you can figure out what works best for you! 

 

Tweezing: This is literally tweezing out one hair at a time.  Works basically only for eyebrows and strays not removed by other methods. 

Facts of Tweezing:

• Removes hair by root
• Easier to control what hair will be removed.
• Easy to do at home or on the go
• Minimal products/equipment necessary
• Time consuming
• Not a good option for larger areas  

Shaving:  We all know what shaving involves.  We've been doing it since we were 12 right?

Facts of Shaving:

• Removes hair at skin surface only
• Grows back quicker
• Easy to do at home, in shower
• Minimal products/equipment
• Regrowth can be stubbly
• Requires daily/every other daily maintenance
• Can cause red bumps/ingrown hairs

Waxing: Waxing can be done at home or in salon.  Waxing removes alot of hair at one time.

**Photo courtesy of ASCP**

Facts of Waxing:

• Quick result for larger areas
• Area stays smooth for 4-6 weeks
• The more often you wax, the less hair grows back over time
• Can be slightly painful
• If done at home, must follow directions to the letter!  Improper waxing technique can result in bruising, skin lifting, bleeding, ingrown hairs.
• Best done in salon/spa by a licensed professional.
• If done at home, various equipment/products needed
• Must let hair grow to 1/4 inch to get area waxed again (4-6 weeks)

All the above methods can be done on all areas of unwanted hair (although tweezing should really be reserved for the brow area). 

How do you choose?  You just have to decide what are your goals.  Waxing is great for the summer months for legs, underarms, bikini and for men, backs & chests.  Results last longer, daily shaving not required! 

How do you maintain the areas after hair removal? 

• Wash with gentle cleanser the day following hair removal. 
• Days 2 & beyond, use a lotion with a gentle exfoliator (such as salicylic acid) to keep skin cells from clogging the follicle, leading to painful bumps and ingrown hairs. 
• If you are getting waxed, DO NOT SHAVE!  It is important that you let the hair grow back to at least 1/4 inch by your next wax appointment for safe hair removal.  If hair is too short, wax will not grab the hair and can damage the skin. 

Still unsure?  Talk to your skin care professional, try a waxing on a small area to experience it before deciding to go all out and wax everything! 

Have a great, hair-free summer!