Does facial waxing inhibit future hair growth?
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skin Care and Makeup Forum

free skin care · Sat Feb 09, 2008 6:51 pm

I heard that hair should come back finer and more sparse when you wax ,is that true?

free skin care · Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:04 pm

I've heard the same thing for years. I used to do my own but several years ago I burnt myself and got a whopper of a cold sore and now I'm scared to try it again. It did seem that there was something to that.

free skin care · Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:22 pm

You may want to try sugaring instead of waxing. I used to "sugar" my legs. I have areas that are hairless now.

free skin care · Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:23 pm

what is sugaring?

free skin care · Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:24 pm

it just seems finer compared to shaving cause shaving you can think of it as just cutting it off which gives a blunt course feeling and appearance to the hair....

waxing will not make it finer or sparse.....although because u r not cutting the hair but pulling it from the root when it fully grows back again it doesnt have the blunt cut off apearance and therefore faking the appearance of being fine. but thats how the hair wud be to begin with if you dont shave or whatever............WHy it looks like its sparse or less hair growing.........
thats cause hair grows in different phases.
growing, dieing, and some lie dormant unless you have done some sort of irritation to the area causing blood flow to the area where the dormant hairs are........giving them for example water to a plant, its like food and this may start newer hair growing in places you had not before
now back to why sparse..........well when you wax you are pulling out all the hair that is on the surface sticking to your wax........now some of the hairs may be in growing phase and some are dead hairs..........those particular dead hairs that you have waxed away they will not appear back on the surface until they are back in growing phase......what you do see growing back are the hairs in growing phase. Which is why you think oh iv thinned out the area and hairs have stopped growing altogether but this is NOT THE CASE..
now hairs can grow in 6 weeks, some taking 3 months and some even appearing back on the surface after 9 or even 12 months.

so really does waxing give you finer sparese hairs....NO IT DOESNT. but its faking and making you think it is but not realy. On top of this when you wax in fact you pull out those growing hairs. To heal this irritation, it gives more bloood to the hair root (i.e. the food) making it stronger to deal with this damage. So overtime you may actually be making the hairs more stronger and worse off.

free skin care · Sat Feb 09, 2008 9:14 pm

lucyluc wrote:

what is sugaring?

Sugaring (also known as 'Persian waxing') is a method of hair removal that has been in use for thousands of years. The process is similar to waxing, though there are a few differences in the two. Sugaring is supposed to be less painful because it only sticks to the hair (wax will also attach to the skin). Since it is made out of natural ingredients, it is supposed to be less harmful than wax as well since it is made with sugar, lemon and water; however, "natural" does not necessarily mean "safe", as with any hair removal method there is some risk of skin irritation, sensitivity or reaction. Though the process and the materials usually leaves a sticky mess, sugar is soluble in water and therefore sugaring involves a relatively easy cleanup with warm water.

Sugaring paste can be prepared with common household food items, such as sugar, lemon juice, honey or molasses. Getting the consistency correct takes some practice for most users. The area to be epilated is typically dusted with powder prior to application of the sugaring solution, which is spread on with a spatula, tongue depressor, or other flat object. After the sticky paste is applied to the skin, a strip of porous cloth or paper is pressed into the preparation. The strip is then quickly pulled away in the opposite direction of hair growth, taking hairs with it. The Professional or Advanced Technique does not use strips of cloth or paper to remove the sugar paste. The paste is applied against the natural direction of growth and then flicked off by hand in the natural direction of growth to extract the hair. Sugar waxing and the Advanced Technique are not to be confused. They are indeed two very different techniques used to extract hair although, they do both use a sugar paste.

Pre-made sugar waxing solutions are also sold under several brand names and can be found in most drug stores. Professional sugaring products can either be made at home or purchased from manufactures but they are sold to certified practitioners only.

(source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugaring_(epilation))

free skin care · Sun Feb 10, 2008 4:43 am

Thanks for the insightful replies. I was afraid that waxing did not really inibit hair growth!

free skin care · Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:30 am

hi, lucyluc!
i have been doing hot waxing on my bikini, legs and forearms for a couple of years and can say - NO. Waxing does NOT inhibit hair growth. Simran is so right saying that it only seems so.
In fact, hair seems to be more sparse `cause it comes back not simultaneously all together. While some hairs are growing, other ones are dormant, because all hair follicles have different growth phases. But hair would not be thinner or stop growing forever.
what can be done - is using special creams after depilation - inhibitors of hair growth, this can prolong the time when you will see your hair back.

free skin care · Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:41 am

Oh, and if you are considering waxing your face with hot wax PLEASE be careful!! it is sooo easy to burn the skin, especially when you have thin skin! Exclamation

never put hot wax on the same place twice - because it will cause burn. I`ve learnt from my own mistakes having burnt myself several times and having to buy anti-scarring cream for my legs once! Shock

do not be overzealous - otherwise you will strip a layer of your skin together with wax.
and - talking about minuses - I do have ingrown hairs from waxing quite oftern.
But still - I find waxing to be the best mechanical method of hair-removing, as my skin is hair-free the longest time possible.

free skin care · Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:42 am

I was afraid of that! Sad

free skin care · Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:48 am

if you have not sooo much hair on your face - I would suggest using pincers. I pluck my eyebrows regularly - ok, it`s boring and ungrateful, but - SAFE!
you can never do things worse!

free skin care · Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:53 am

I have too much hair, it would take me a week to pluck!

free skin care · Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:53 am

oh, and I noticed on my hubby that he has some bald spaces on his legs (shins) where the hair was rubbed with his jeans heavily Laughing

free skin care · Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:54 am

bad joke, sorry! Embarassed

free skin care · Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:57 am

lucyluc wrote:

I have too much hair, it would take me a week to pluck!

well, I can suggest using cold wax. It is not so effective as hot on thick hairs, but safer.
anyway - face hair is quite thin, so I think it will help.
it is supposed to be warmed by your hands, then put on the skin and taken off against hair growth. but do it very quickly and don`t leave wax on your skin long.

free skin care · Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:10 am

I've been waxing my legs my entire life. Have never even tried any other way (actually I shaved once when I was 18-19, and the day old hair was like a sand paper Shock

, so I decided to never do that again).
Anyway, going back to waxing - I've been waxing my legs good 25 years now and I can tell you with 100% certainty - waxing does not reduce hair growth!! If it did, I wouldn't have anything to wax any more Pray

. Unfortunately, there is a lot to wax Rolling Eyes

!!
So, I think waxing is a good hair-removal technique because of all the reasons mentioned above (hair appearing thinner and finer), but if you want a permanent solution - consider laser.

free skin care · Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:18 am

I have tried lasers, several types and it did nothing....and of course no refund!

free skin care · Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:47 am

... laser is effective for dark hair. I doubt this is the case with face hair. Laser will do nothing for fair hair.

free skin care · Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:16 am

Believe it or not I have dark facial hair,nothing works I have tried all those lasers and electroylosis was expensive, painful,and you still have to keep going back for treatments,it also left me hyperpigmented in some areas.So I think I will just try to wax and while the hair grows back and its too short to wax I will bleach it till its long enough to wax.

free skin care · Sun Feb 10, 2008 8:14 am

oh you poor kid Sad

good luck to you!
i think cold wax should do the job. or you might try sugaring as Yen suggested, but I know nothing about it and how safe it is for the face talking of possible burns or stripping of skin or irritation.

free skin care · Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:26 pm

i tried laser too........and yes i hard dark hairs so perfect candidate but it did nothing made no difference infact it made the situation worse cause those dormant hairs in places started growing where i had none.....thats why im soo against lasers.....it just does not work also its still quite new to begin with so we dont no the longterm effects of it either....
the good thing is i got my money back for the over 12-13 treatments i had done......yes i kept going cause i thought maybe next time but i reaslised after a while when i did not go back for a good 6 months or more.....it was just so bad and worse off.....lucky enough i had saved their add for results guaranteed or money back.....they were not gona rip me off my money and put the blame on me saying something is wrong with me Shock

............oh yes they refused at first.......but i was firm took a friend along for support.....and reminded them i meant business and would go to the consumer protection people...in the end i got the money back....

so after reasearching much about electrolysis i started with that but i went around for a couple of test treatments 5 mins or so with a number of different people until i found the one. although i had to be patient.....it has beeen about 2 and half years now but im nearly completed......and i show the reduction slowly over time or hair getting more finer she was finding it hard to see them. i dint have any pigmentation problems from electrolysis or scars......so i think you have to keep the treatments consistent...i started of going every week, then 2 weeks. then i went to 3 weeks apart now 4 weeks apart to kill the remaining few.....although the most important thing is to find a good and experienced electrologist

goodluck.

free skin care · Mon Feb 11, 2008 4:04 am

simran wrote:

i tried laser too........and yes i hard dark hairs so perfect candidate but it did nothing made no difference infact it made the situation worse cause those dormant hairs in places started growing where i had none.....thats why im soo against lasers.....it just does not work also its still quite new to begin with so we dont no the longterm effects of it either....
the good thing is i got my money back for the over 12-13 treatments i had done......yes i kept going cause i thought maybe next time but i reaslised after a while when i did not go back for a good 6 months or more.....it was just so bad and worse off.....lucky enough i had saved their add for results guaranteed or money back.....they were not gona rip me off my money and put the blame on me saying something is wrong with me Shock

............oh yes they refused at first.......but i was firm took a friend along for support.....and reminded them i meant business and would go to the consumer protection people...in the end i got the money back....

so after reasearching much about electrolysis i started with that but i went around for a couple of test treatments 5 mins or so with a number of different people until i found the one. although i had to be patient.....it has beeen about 2 and half years now but im nearly completed......and i show the reduction slowly over time or hair getting more finer she was finding it hard to see them. i dint have any pigmentation problems from electrolysis or scars......so i think you have to keep the treatments consistent...i started of going every week, then 2 weeks. then i went to 3 weeks apart now 4 weeks apart to kill the remaining few.....although the most important thing is to find a good and experienced electrologist goodluck.

I think probably the most important thing is the skill of the person doing either the laser treatments or electrolysis. I'm glad you found a good electrologist -- my experience with laser and electrolysis was the opposite of yours.

I had extensive electrolysis 25 years ago (bikini area) that did nothing, and then tried it again around 15 years ago (bikini & underarms) with very disappointing results.

I had laser around six years ago (bikini, underarms & lower legs) and have been very, very pleased! I went to two different places for my laser treatments, but in both instances the person wielding the laser was an MD.

free skin care · Mon Feb 11, 2008 5:01 am

the problem with hair is that it keeps coming back so even if you have electrolysis it kills the roots, but deep down there are still other new hairs waiting to pop up.....when I heard that I knew it would cost a 2nd mortgage on my house to de-fuzz so I am just quietly doing my wax..and bleaching in between. Confused

free skin care · Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:58 am

So lasers, electrolysis, waxing don't get raves - what do you do then with the fuzz on your upper lip? Would tweezing it help?

Everyone claims they can't see it but I can see it plain as day every am when I put on makeup! Rolling Eyes

free skin care · Mon Feb 11, 2008 8:01 am

It actually does grow in thinner, but I had issues with ingrown hairs. Even after exfoliating often, so I gave up on waxing.

Automatic Message

If this is your first visit to the EDS Forums please take the time to register. Registration is required for you to post on the forums. Registration will also give you the ability to track messages of interest, send private messages to other users, participate in Gift Certificates draws and enjoy automatic discounts for shopping at our online store. Registration is free and takes just a few seconds to complete.

Click Here to join our community.

If you are already a registered member on the forums, please login to gain full access to the site.