Should I Even Bother With Hot Wax Hair Removal?
When the words “hair removal” are mentioned, many people immediately think of waxing. Many movies and comedies have featured women waxing their legs or in the case of “What Women Want”, Mel Gibson comedically waxing his legs to much agony. Indeed, much of this pain is based in reality – waxing really does involve taking hot or cold wax and ripping the hair out of your skin. With so many advances in hair removal technology, we set out to determine if this method of hot wax hair removal is even worth all the aggravation.
Unfortunately that question isn’t the easiest to answer. There are many pros and cons to every type of hair removal and waxing isn’t an exception. Proponents of hot wax hair removal contend that it can be a very cheap method of hair removal. The results are temporary, although with every treatment, hair grows in less and becomes much finer. While waxing performed by a licensed cosmetologist is very expensive, many users elect to use the DIY waxing hair removal kits that are readily sold on the market. Arguments against waxing contend that it is needlessly painful – especially the first few times. As well, you’ll need to wait until the hairs regrow enough (about 0.5 cm) before another waxing treatment can be applied.
However, because wax does not involve unique chemicals, it can be used on nearly any part of the body although it is common for redness and swelling to occur, especially after large areas such as the chest have been waxed. As well, ingrown hairs and infections can occur due to a hot wax hair removal procedure and, as a result, it is strongly discouraged amongst those who have any type of skin condition, diabetes, auto-immune disorders, etc.
Many people do choose to wax themselves because it is one of the only quick and easy solutions, however, for the most part, we recommend using the creams. They are much less painful than a hot wax hair removal, provided that you have no allergies to the formula. It’s worth noting that creams are much more temporary – more akin to shaving actually – however, being able to remove large regions of hair in three-six minutes is certainly appealing, even if its effects are temporary.
