With summer officially upon us, I have (not surprisingly) been performing far more hair removal (epilation) services. The epilation services performed at Skincare By Di include waxing, sugaring, and tweezing. While most people look forward to these services about as much as they look forward to a root canal, they also realize the benefits of epilation over shaving, such as finer re-growth and the advantage of at least two to three weeks before they start looking hairy again. Luckily, there are several steps that can be taken to make the experience go as smoothly (pun intended) and comfortably as possible.
BEFORE WAXING
- Take ibuprofen at least 20 minutes beforehand to help dull your pain receptors. Obviously, if you are taking blood thinners, bleed easily, or are allergic to ibuprofen, you should avoid this step.
- Limit your caffeine intake on the day of your service, as it can stimulate the nervous system, causing discomfort and redness to the area being waxed or sugared.
- For best results, your hair should be one-quarter to one-half an inch long. This is an average of one to two weeks of growth. Shorter than this may result in hair that cannot be picked up by the wax or sugar paste. Longer hair will be more painful upon removal, so if you are planning to remove any hair that is longer than half an inch, trim it first!
- Ladies, try to schedule your appointment within the first two weeks after your cycle has ended. Your skin (and, as we know, everything else as well!) is more sensitive when you are premenstrual and during your period.
- I cannot wax or sugar you if you are taking Accutane. I also can’t wax or sugar any area that is being treated with products such as Retin-A, Tazorac, ProActive, Renova, Avage, Strivectin, Differin, or any products containing a hydroxy acid such as glycolic, salicylic or lactic acid. These products cause thinning of the skin, and if these areas are waxed or sugared, may result the skin being pulled, along with the hair.
- Do not apply self-tanner, instant tanner (which won’t survive the waxing) or moisturizer (which will have to be removed anyway, or the procedure won’t work) prior to your waxing services.
- Don’t sunbathe or use a tanning booth before your service, as I can’t wax or sugar sunburned skin.
AFTER WAXING OR SUGARING
To prevent ingrown hairs, you should begin exfoliating after any post-waxing tenderness has subsided. This can be done with a physical exfoliant, such as exfoliating gloves or cloths, a scrub such as Dermalogica’s Exfoliating Body Scrub (which also smells amazing!), or a chemical exfoliating product containing a hydroxy acid.
We’ll probably never get excited about having our body hair removed by its roots, but with the proper pre- and post-epilation preparation, you can save the dread for the appointments that really deserve it — like the dentist!