Health Care

By:Leanne Kemp

The quest for removal of unwanted hair has persisted through the ages and religiously pursued the world over. Waxing was one of the popular ancient methods greatly accepted in Europe, America, Middle East, China and India. Natural Beeswax was the product used for the purpose of hair removal.

Waxing is currently a very popular hair removal process among males and females. It can be done by a professional at select salons and spas, or you can do it at your home. Waxing uproots the hair from its follicles for long hair free periods lasting up to eight weeks depending on your particular skin, hair type and rate of hair growth. It produces the smoothest results among all temporary hair removal methods currently available. It can also decrease re-growth of unwanted hair. There are people who say this method of hair removal is not as painful as it sounds. You can purchase a pain reducing gel or anesthetic numbing spray from your pharmacist to reduce the pain. It is always better to test a small area of skin for sensitivity or an allergic reaction.

There are various types of waxing are available for you. Some of them need the services of a licensed cosmetologist. The different types of waxing that can be performed on your body are eyebrows waxing, bikini, male genital & Brazilian waxing, leg waxing, arm / underarm waxing, back waxing, foot waxing, chest waxing, entire body waxing etc. Areas like inside the ears and nose as well as eyelashes should never be waxed. Areas like female genitals, male genitals and the nipples should be waxed by the licensed cosmetologist.

There are several types of wax available in the market. Common ones are Hot Wax, Warm Wax and Cold Wax. Hot waxes are often called paraffin wax; the original hot wax is derived mainly from tallow and resins. It is heated prior to the application. This is very slow method still used in some salons today. Warm wax is actually a liquid sugar mixture, heated, applied to the skin and then removed with a muslin or cotton strips which absorb the wax, allowing it to grip the hair. Both warm and hot wax have the advantage of opening up the hair follicle and softening the layers of surrounding skin, easing the release of the hair with its root. Cold wax is available either in paste or gel form. It is applied to the skin without heating. It's not quite effective and less preferred than a warm wax. But if your skin is sensitive, then a cold wax causes less skin irritations.

Another popular type is the wax strip. It offers instant waxing, a convenient, quick method of hair removal that requires no preparation. Genuine wax strip grips the hair; when you pull them off, the area can remain hair-free for up to eight weeks.

For waxing your hair needs to be a little bit long for the best results. So if your hairs are very long, trim them down. If short, allow them to grow in a bit. You don't need to bathe beforehand. Since the hair absorbs moisture which makes it soft and harder for the wax to have a firm grip. Dry hair is tough therefore easier to pull off. It is advisable to lightly powder your skin to absorb moisture and natural oils. This will make hairs easier to pull, which will limit inflammation. Some people exfoliate the area before waxing.

Do not overheat the wax if you don't want to burn your skin. One small area should be selected at a time. After waxing, remove any excess wax with a warm moist towel, be careful, do not touch the skin with your bare hands. It may produce an infection in that area. When skin is freshly waxed, you can limit creating ingrown hairs and other skin irritations by not wearing tight clothing around the area. Be careful not to expose the newly waxed area to the sun for at least forty eight hours. Always use a good sun blocker cream thereafter. Waxing hair removal products usually leaves redness behind, so if you're preparing for a special occasion, do it a couple of days beforehand.

New hair growth in waxed areas is soft and fine. After repeated waxing for areas like the eyebrows and lower legs, hair re-growth is less common and, in some cases, hair will never re-grow.

Some physicians do not recommend waxing for people suffering from diabetes, varicose veins or poor circulation as they are prone to infections. Users of Retin-A, Renova, Differin or Isotretinoin are the medications that tend to weaken the skin and tearing of the skin may occur when the wax is removed. Waxing should not be done on areas of skin affected by warts, pimples, moles or rashes or on skin that is irritated, chapped or suffering from sunburn.

Men are not only waxing their backs, faces, chest but also their bikini lines. It increased sex appeal and a cleaner feeling. Since some men might be embarrassed about getting waxed at a salon, there are at-home cosmeticians who can do the job. There are even do-it-yourself waxing kits available for the purpose. Men get regular appointments at salons or spas for eyebrow waxing; most of the male clientele get their eyebrows waxed. Waxing is a good way to get rid of eyebrows that are out of control. So if you want to lessen the hair that grows on your legs or chest without permanently abolishing it, this would be the ideal way to go.

Leanne Kemp is the Managing Director for Wotaboutme. Look online to get a haircut, for skincare & facials, massages, day spa, aromatherapyand saunas, in Australia. Perfect for gifts for him or gifts for her packages. For updates, check out the Wotaboutme Blog

By Oliver Turner