What is a Brazilian Wax?
Many of us are more familiar with the notion of a wax bikini. If one were to wear a bikini bottom, that is when an esthetician uses hot wax to get rid of the hair that will be visible. Basically, the Brazilian wax is the same thing, only removing more hair. The hairs around the vagina lips and in your back are used in a Brazilian. You may choose to leave on the top a triangle or landing strip of hair. Or, you can just go absolutely naked. The Brazilian was introduced back in 1987 by a group of Brazilian sisters (yes, actually), and today remains the most common hair removal technique in the U.S.
What are the benefits of Brazilian Wax?
In the recent decade, Brazilian wax has gotten on the priority list of celebrities of influencers and we seem to be having a peak in google searches of “Brazilian wax near me”. Why, though?
Waxing is a type of deep exfoliation outside of the smoother bikini zone. This method of physical exfoliation, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, extracts dead skin cells from the top layer of the skin to stimulate the development of collagen and improve the effectiveness of topical treatments. Also, this type of hair removal is one of the skin’s least irritating. If done correctly, waxing is less likely than using an epilator or shaving to cause an unwelcome rash, bumps, or other discomfort.
That’s not everything, though. Waxing pulls hair out of the roots. It is normally weaker, smoother, and thinner than before if the hair grows back in the same spot. This suggests that you’ll have less hair to groom over time, and the remaining hair will be more manageable.
Apart from women, Brazilian wax is starting to gain popularity among men too. Yes, you read that right. Men Brazilian wax is a thing now and if you are a man reading this, don’t forget to try it out.
How to do a Brazilian wax?
Before the appointment, here are some of the Brazilian wax etiquettes you need to follow. You have to:
- Ensure that your hair is at least 1⁄4-inch long, around the size of a rice grain. You may want to trim it slightly if it is longer than 1⁄2 inch so that the wax is able to grip better.
- To help stop ingrown hairs, gently exfoliate with a buffing mitt or wash cloth a few days before your appointment.
- Before your appointment, stop tanning for at least 24 hours, as this may make the skin more sensitive.
- The day before your appointment, cut back on alcohol and caffeine. They can also trigger tightening of your pores and make waxing more painful.
- Wear breathable cotton underwear or loose bottoms for optimum comfort at your appointment.
- In order to help alleviate discomfort, take an over-the-counter pain reliever about 30 minutes prior to your appointment.
What should you do after the appointment?
Make sure you’re treating the area with a little more TLC than usual immediately after your appointment:
- Apply a hydrocortisone cream or a cool compress if any tenderness or redness is present.
- Stop a minimum of 24 hours of sexual activity. Before engaging in any genital-to-genital touch, this will give any micro-tears time to heal.
- Stop strenuous exercise, like a low- or high-impact fitness class, and soaking in water for at least 24 hours. A shower is good, but discomfort may be caused by a bath.
- For at least 24 hours afterward, stop tanning. The deep exfoliation can increase the sensitivity of the pubic area to sun damage.
How long does a full Brazilian wax last?
How long are the effects going to last of full Brazilian wax? Depending on the hair re-growth rate of the person, the results will last 3 to 6 weeks after a client’s first waxing. In most cases, hair growth during the first week or two is marginal and increases markedly during the third and fourth weeks.
Are there any side effects?
Waxing has some possible side effects, as with any other type of hair removal. Immediately after your wax, you may find redness or bumps; this is extremely normal and should subside over the next 24 hours. You should apply lotions or serums formulated for the pubic region to assist in the healing process. These can also help stop any incarnate hairs.
You can also feel some itchiness if you’re not used to pubic hair removal. Stop the urge to itch! This could cause more skin irritation or micro-tears, and that’s certainly not what you want. To soothe the region, apply a topical cream of hydrocortisone or aloe vera gel instead.
Some research indicates that Trusted Source may associate any form of pubic hair removal with an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Waxing may cause small breaks in the skin, although it is much less common than redness or itching. This could make you more sensitive to STIs that are transmitted between contact with skin-to-skin.
Can you get a Brazilian wax if?
Interested in getting a Brazilian, but uncertain if this is the right move? Depending on the situation, there are a few things to consider.
You’re on your period
You may want to consider getting your appointment rescheduled. The skin around your pubic bone becomes a little more sensitive when you are menstruating and you are more susceptible to cramping. Make sure that you wear a tampon or reusable cup to your appointment if you’re not down to get waxed. If you use a pad or free flow, most practitioners will not wax.
You get pregnant
If you’re in the last trimester, you might want to speak with your doctor. Otherwise, you’re in the open, perhaps. Just bear in mind that your hormones are shifting and your pain tolerance could be affected by this.
You’ve got tattoo piercings
Waxing will also help exfoliate the area when you have a tattoo and make the ink look more prominent.
Your wax technician would definitely ask you to remove the stud when it comes to genital piercings. They can simply work around the area if you are unable to remove the piercing. Just know that near the piercing, you may have a few stray hairs.
Brazilian wax before and after
How is this different from a bikini line wax or a full bikini wax?
Basic bikini line waxes typically clean up hair in the bikini region, wherever hair could poke out from a swimsuit bottom: on the sides of the bikini (or underwear) line and between the belly button and pubic bone.
Bikini full waxes include everything in a bikini line wax, as well as hair removal on the front of the pubic bone. Here, you can choose to leave behind a strip, triangle, or square of hair.
The Brazilian goes a step further by offering complete pubic hair removal: from the front of the pubic bone to the area underneath, called the perineum, to the anus.
Male Brazilian Wax
The worst thing of having a Brazilian masculine wax is not the pain. That feels like a bolt of lightning flying back and forth from your butthole to the back of your throat if you need to remember, which is where, incidentally, you can no doubt let out the involuntary gasp or grunt. Although it’s definitely not painless to have your balls and asscrack waxed, it’s hardly the paralyzing torment that movies might make you believe it is (although the cursing of the name of Kelly Clarkson is welcome, it’s not necessary). I think it’s more suspense than true pain,” says Natalia Romanenko, an esthetician at the Strip body waxing salon in New York, who spent most of a half-hour smearing hot purple wax on and in the crevices directly around my nether region before ripping it off quickly and efficiently.” A terry cloth towel draped over my lower belly framed by my knees in the traditional stirrup position, she tells me of a common phenomenon she encounters with male customers: “The first time they tell me, “Never, ever again. Never,’ she says, her smirk bemused. Then they’re back five weeks later, like, ‘Do you remember me? “And then I say, “Of course.”
6 guidelines for male Brazilian wax
- Begin with the Baby Steps
“Don’t be afraid,” says Olga Katsnelson, owner of the Dyanna Spa in New York. “First, try your back and shoulders and see how you feel about it, then move on from there.”- Preparation for your session
Before your session, take a shower and maybe do a little trimming to begin with if it’s been a while, even if you don’t cut the hair too short, as you want enough length to grab onto the wax.
- There is going to be suffering (But Not as Much as You Think)
Honestly, it’s not that painful, although the threshold is different for everyone. It’s not totally painless, but it’s certainly not the worst pain you’ll ever feel. “The place most people actually complain about is the neck,” says Romanenko. “All of those nerves are in your head.”
- Someone’s going to change your junk
Please be aware: having a Bro-zillian means that your penis and testicles will be touched very much by an esthetician, possibly for an extended period of time and shift and keep your parts and pull them taught and hold them down, and much more. It’s an unnegotiable one. Without your trousers and underwear, you’ll probably be asked to lie down and walk around a little so that the technician can get her work done. And please understand, it’s a work, she’s not impressed or amusing, she’s just trying to get the hair off in the most painless, productive way she can. Respect it.
- When you leave, the Bro-Zilian doesn’t stop
Romanenko says, advising that you should not exercise for at least 24 hours after your appointment, “because the pores can get clogged when you sweat,” Romanenko says, “because when you sweat the pores can get clogged.” The wax, she mentions, is actually very good exfoliant, so you don’t have to exfoliate for about a week afterwards, and that can help avoid ingrowns. In addition, she recommends continuing to wear loose clothes after your service for a day or two, just to prevent any unwanted chafing.
- Customize to your current zone
Your new, no-hair look is certainly going to feel different, but you can quickly get used to the smooth, frictionless experience. A word of advice: get some baby powder and use a post-shower to ensure that you stay dry all day long (especially during high summer or in humid climes). Since waxing pulls from the root, the new growth is smoother than if you were to shave it down. And don’t worry about prickly stubble.
