Waxing: what is it, how much does it cost and what are the complications and contraindications?

To remove unnecessary hair, women use various methods that modern cosmetology offers in large quantities. One of the most popular and effective methods is waxing or waxing. The wax required for this procedure is a very affordable product.

It can be successfully used at home without resorting to salon services. The only drawback of this method is its pain. But if you use it regularly, these sensations will decrease each time, since the newly grown hair becomes thinner and weaker, and it is much easier to remove it.

Hair depilation with wax

What is waxing

To remove unwanted hair, there is a popular method - biodepilation or waxing. The procedure is safe and suitable for people with varying degrees of hair growth. Wax heated to a certain temperature removes hair without affecting the hair follicle. This means that the follicle itself is not damaged, only the hair shaft is removed. A new one appears after 3 weeks, but becomes less hard and loses pigmentation. As a result, after several such treatments, the hair becomes almost invisible.

Hair removal is carried out by professional cosmetologists in beauty salons that have permission to do so.

Try sugar hair removal, for example, at the Ola center (located in St. Petersburg, Russia), experienced professionals work there - they professionally prepare the paste and make the procedure as painless and effective as possible.

Common mistakes during home waxing procedures

Inexperienced home cosmetologists often make mistakes when carrying out the procedure, which negatively affects its effectiveness. For example, they do not clean the surface of the skin well enough from dust, dirt and grease, so the composition does not stick well and does not capture hairs.

Also common mistakes include applying too thin a layer of wax composition. You should not save too much here, since the volume of wax should be enough to completely saturate the hair follicle and shaft.

The wax mass is often pulled in the wrong direction - that is, along the growth of the hair, so the hairs do not come off. Also, you should not remove it too slowly: the pain will not decrease with a more “gentle” tearing of the strips, but unwanted hairs will certainly have time to slip out of the wax in this mode. And finally, a typical mistake is to perform depilation on insufficient hair length: short hair will be very difficult to completely “fill” with wax.

Indications and contraindications for hair removal

Waxing, like any procedure in cosmetology, has a number of indications and contraindications. For the first time, before deciding to undergo waxing, you will need to consult a specialist to determine whether there are individual contraindications.

Indications
include :

• increased hair growth on the back, chest, arms, chin;
• increased sensitivity and irritation of the skin during shaving.

Contraindications

The main contraindication to waxing is varicose veins.

It is not recommended to use this method if:

• skin problems;
• herpes in the acute stage;
• diabetes;

• 
  allergies to wax components;

• moles, warts, papillomas;
• skin injuries - scratches, scars, cuts, ulcers;
• pregnancy and lactation.

What affects the speed of hair growth?

Representatives of the Caucasian race have a hair growth rate lower than that of Mongoloids, but higher than that of Africans. The growth rate is influenced by a large number of factors.

Hormonal features

If there are disruptions in the endocrine system, taking hormonal medications, pregnancy or breastfeeding, it can slow down hair growth.

Heredity

Hair growth is caused by hereditary factors. For some people, hair grows at a rapid pace. For others, on the contrary, the growth rate is reduced. Residents of the Caucasus region are mainly susceptible to hereditary factors.

External factors

With a weakened immune system, hair growth stops and baldness may begin. Until the age of 30, hair grows faster than in older generations. Representatives of the fair sex have a higher hair growth rate than men.

The seasonality factor also plays a role. In spring and autumn, the growth rate increases compared to winter and summer.

The level of iron present in the body affects the effect of laser hair removal. To nourish hair cells, the presence of iron is necessary. Your diet should include apples, liver, and buckwheat. A sufficient amount of vitamins is necessary.

Stress reduces the effectiveness of laser hair removal. They are destructive to hair follicles and inhibit hair growth.

Infectious lesions such as dermatitis and seborrhea will negatively affect how long it takes for hair to grow back after laser hair removal. Such diseases must be treated.

With active blood circulation, the rate of hair growth is increased. Hair growth can also be affected by heart disease, bad habits, and alcohol abuse.

Pros and cons of waxing

Benefits of waxing:

• 
  A quick effect is obtained in the shortest possible time.

• The duration of the effect after depilation, increasing with each subsequent procedure.
• Minimal pain and irritation due to the use of special products before and after the session.
• With a professional approach, quality is guaranteed.
• It is used with the same results on all hair types and the color also does not matter.

• 
  Availability is a relatively inexpensive way to remove annoying hair.

• Possibility of use even if hardware hair removal is contraindicated, for example in the case of cancer, the presence of metal implants or metal intolerance.
• Possibility of use at home.

Cons of waxing:

Despite all the advantages of wax hair removal, this method is only temporary. It should be taken into account that in order to repeat the session, you need to grow your hair to the desired length, and this can sometimes be inconvenient.

If the cosmetologist does not warm up the wax, then the hair removal will be uneven.

In case of overheating, it is easy to get a skin burn. Hot wax is generally contraindicated for some people, mainly due to poor circulation.

It is believed that removing hair with wax is not a painful procedure, but it depends on what you compare it to. If a person has a low pain threshold, then this method is not for him.

Sometimes there is a problem with ingrown hairs.

The situation is typical for frequent biodepilation with the consequences of deformation of the hair under the skin.

Benefits of home hair removal

Home hair removal has undeniable advantages. First of all, it is attractive because the result after waxing lasts up to 3-4 weeks, depending on the intensity of hair growth.

Contrary to popular belief, home hair removal does not take much time. Once you have gotten the hang of waxing, the whole process will take no more than 15 minutes.

There is no need to leave your cozy apartment and go to a beauty salon. In the usual relaxing home environment, the depilation procedure can become even less painful and uncomfortable than with a cosmetologist: as they say, in your own home, even the walls help.

In addition, there is no need to wait for the depilation specialist to see you, and in addition, try to figure it out so that the appointed time fits comfortably into your plans for the day and week. With home hair removal, you decide when you are ready to carry out the procedure.

When depilating at home, you are convinced that the wax mixture consists of natural ingredients and is optimal for you, since you purchase it yourself or, alternatively, prepare the wax at home.

Finally, with home waxing, you can spend as much wax on yourself as you think is necessary and still benefit economically. As for the salon master, he, as is known, earns not only for himself, but also for the owners of the establishment, and all this, of course, does not have the best effect on the cost of the procedure.

Waxing procedure

Preparation stage

A lot depends on preparation, such as painlessness and effectiveness.

Scrubbing
is carried out 3 days before the appointed date .
This is done to prevent hair from growing into the skin. It is important to avoid using moisturizers during this time because they protect the skin.

This fact can interfere with the depilation process. As well as poor health, the patient’s nervous state, as well as the period of menstruation. At this time, the body becomes especially susceptible to pain and it is wiser to wait a little before depilation.

Immediately before applying wax to the skin, the cosmetologist treats it with a product that minimizes pain and improves interaction.

At the end of hair removal, oil or lotion is applied to nourish, moisturize the skin and slow hair growth.

The main condition for the procedure is the length of the hairs is at least 5 mm.

It is prohibited to carry out chemical peeling before the procedure, and the next time you can visit a cosmetologist only after 10 days.

Progress of the depilation procedure

A cosmetologist must use rubber gloves when working with hot and warm wax.

There are three types of wax:

• hot wax used for abundant vegetation;
• warm - used on thin hair, it is also called low-temperature;
• cold - suitable for all skin types.

Epilation with hot wax

The wax contains resin, petroleum products, vegetable or lemon oils. Epilation is less painless, fortunately

due to high temperature exposure. The procedure takes place in several stages:

1. 
   The wax is heated in a special container called a wax melter to a temperature of 80 degrees. It is under these conditions that the wax melts and reaches 45-60 degrees. It is available in the form of tablets, cubes, granules. The entire melting process takes 3-15 minutes, depending on the shape and raw materials. The consistency of the product should be similar to thick sour cream.

While the wax is being prepared for use, the cosmetologist must apply a special lotion or chlorhexidine for disinfection.

After this, treat the area with special talcum powder or baby powder to slow down the secretion of sweat. All preparation is aimed at allowing the wax to perfectly adhere to every hair, even the smallest, in order to achieve the best effect.

1. The temperature of the product is assessed by applying it to the wrist.

2. 
   Armed with a special wooden spatula, the cosmetologist rubs the prepared wax onto the skin in the direction of hair growth. Exposure time 3 sec. After this, the tape with wax is picked up from the thickest edge and torn against the hair growth parallel to the skin. In this case, the skin must be held with your hand.

   Read also:  Glycolic peeling with salicylic acid

Hot wax can be applied to the same place three times. You can cover the first layer with a new one if the strip initially turned out to be very thin.

The bikini area is treated with small buns for minimal pain.

1. After removing the wax, the remaining and ingrown hairs are removed with tweezers.
2. After all manipulations, chlorhexidine and talc are applied to the skin. This completely removes any remaining wax.

At home, after each shower, the skin should be treated with chlorhexidine. Hot wax is great for removing unwanted hair under the arms, bikini area and face.

Warm wax

Epilation with this type of wax is carried out using wax strips. They look like a roll of paper that you need to cut yourself or buy ready-made.

1. 
   At the first stage, the wax is heated using a wax melter to 50 degrees for about 30 minutes. As a rule, such wax is sold in cartridges. Sometimes various components are added to them - aloe, honey, chamomile, rose, algae, etc. Under no circumstances should the product itself be hot or cold, otherwise the session will be a failure.

2. The skin is treated with a depilatory agent. It is a lotion, cream, emulsion. Menthol emulsion has proven itself well with the ability to reduce pain.

3. 
   After a couple of minutes, wax from the cartridge is applied to the skin along the hair growth. A strip is applied to this place, and one edge remains free. At this point, the strip comes off the skin, which needs to be held. When removing hair from the knees and elbows, they should be in a bent position.

It is important that when working with warm wax, it is forbidden to apply it to the same place several times, as well as to add a new layer to the first.

1. 
   After the session, the skin is treated with lotions or milk, oil, but it is better to use an emulsion, since oil clogs the pores.

Warm wax is used on the arms, stomach, back, legs, face, chest. But in the bikini area and armpits its use is inappropriate.

Cold wax

This type of wax can be found in a regular store.
The rules for use are simple - the strip is heated, for example in the palms, after which the half is separated, glued to the skin along the hair growth, smoothed and torn off. In this case, you should prepare the skin for hair removal in advance - clean it. It should be noted that cold wax is not as effective as hot and warm wax.
Its advantage is that it can be used on any part of the body.

Disadvantages of home waxing

However, the home hair removal procedure also has certain disadvantages. Thus, home waxing, like salon waxing, can only be done on hairs that are at least 3–5 mm long. For shorter ones, the procedure is not carried out, since the “adhesion” will not be enough to remove them.

In addition, when waxing, as already mentioned, you will have to endure pain to one degree or another. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to completely avoid pain. If you are characterized by above-average sensitivity or have previously noted slight damage to the capillaries, then waxing should be replaced with something else.

It is worth listening to the recommendations of doctors and not resorting to waxing if you have diabetes, varicose veins, numerous boils and some other diseases and conditions. Also, in some cases, allergic reactions to the components of the wax composition are possible. It is best to find out how the body will behave in advance. To do this, you need to test the product by requesting a trial portion from the seller.

The process of removing hair using strips requires confident actions: sharp and strong movements. Otherwise the effect will be incomplete.

After waxing, sometimes not all hairs are removed and you have to pull out the hair follicles with tweezers. In addition, some hairs grow under the skin and inflammation of the follicles occurs.

Another indisputable disadvantage of the procedure is the high probability of burns: if you choose the “hot” waxing method, you need to carefully monitor the temperature of the composition.

Finally, quality home waxing, at least for the first time, will require significant preliminary preparations. For example, to heat up the wax composition, it is best to purchase special dishes. The product should also be applied with a special brush or cosmetic spatula.

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Epilation at home

You can get rid of hair yourself using warm or cold wax. The step-by-step procedure looks like this:

1. 
   Carrying out a test for an allergic reaction at the bend of the arm.

2. The strips are laid out on a clean napkin.
3. The affected area is treated, disinfected and sprinkled with talcum powder.
4. Warm wax is applied to the skin in long strips along the hair growth.
5. A strip of fabric is glued on top.
6. As soon as the mixture has hardened, the wax strip is pulled off with a sharp movement in the direction of hair growth. The entire place is disinfected. You can apply olive oil to soften the skin.

7. If hair remains, it is removed with tweezers.
8. The remaining wax must be removed with a regular napkin so as not to irritate the skin.

For the first 6 hours after the procedure, it is not recommended to take water treatments or sunbathe.

You should also know that using hot wax is dangerous, because you not only need to follow safety precautions, but also have the skills to work with it. It is better to trust a professional cosmetologist, or, as an option, undergo training yourself.

Types of wax for home depilation

Wax for different methods of depilation is supplied not only in cans, but also in other containers and can be varied in its structure, on which the packaging option for the product largely depends.

• Wax in 250–500 ml jars is convenient for home use. In the usual “factory” state it is solid, and for the procedure you can heat the entire volume or a certain portion of the product. Wax is most often packaged in jars for “hot” and “warm” procedures.
• Wax cartridges are small rectangular plastic boxes filled with wax of a semi-liquid consistency. This composition does not need to be melted; it is ready for application at room temperature. One side opens and closes with a lid. The main thing is not to spill such liquid wax on clothes and furniture, because it is not so easy to wipe off.
• Granulated wax is a product in the form of small loose particles; it is heated in special containers or in a ceramic bowl in the oven. The granules resemble cereals; this product is very easy to measure, pour into a bowl, and convenient to store.
• Film wax is a composition for “hot” depilation. Its thin layer hardens perfectly and retains plasticity and flexibility, which allows during the procedure to take into account all the anatomical “details” of the treated areas of the body.
• Finally, a popular type of product is wax strips . They are sold in pharmacies and cosmetic stores and are packaged in small boxes. The strips come in different lengths and shapes and are made from durable fabric. To perform depilation, you just need to stick them on the problem area of ​​the skin without heating them, and then sharply tear them off along with the unwanted hair.

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Epilation efficiency

After epilation, the result is noticeable instantly.

Wax not only removes hair, but also makes the skin smooth. To completely get rid of vegetation, you will need about 6 sessions of using one of two types of wax - warm and hot.

The interval between sessions should be at least half a month. With each session, the hair that grows after hair removal becomes thin and pale.

After one procedure, the skin remains smooth for 2-3 weeks.

It is convenient that for wax depilation you do not need to use special devices. The main thing is to find a professional and experienced technician and choose the right wax. This choice depends on skin type, area of ​​exposure and hair density.

After the session

You will need to follow some rules:

• for the next 2 days do not go to the bathhouse, sauna, solarium;
• Avoid exposing your skin to sunlight and use sunscreen;
• if hairs appear, but the procedure is still far away, you can remove them either with depilatory cream or tweezers;

To ensure the strongest and most lasting effect after hair removal, you can use ultrasound. This service is also provided in beauty salons. It consists of applying to the skin products containing ions and molecules that can penetrate the skin under the influence of ultrasound. This effect significantly reduces hair growth.

You can use lotions that have a negative effect on the follicle and do not allow the hair to grow. These products significantly increase the time between procedures. And besides, if you regularly influence the skin in this way, then the hair may disappear altogether after a while.

How to melt depilatory wax

The question often arises: what can you use to heat up the hair removal composition at home? There are several ways to heat up wax, we list them below.

• Warming up with a wax melter . A special device - a wax melter - usually has double walls - plastic on the outside and metal on the inside. The convenience of the wax melter lies in the fact that it is equipped with a temperature regulator and is able to maintain a given mode throughout the entire depilation procedure. Most often, this device is used in salons where large volumes of wax need to be heated.
• Reheat in the microwave. It is enough to heat some wax products in a regular microwave; you can find out about this by reading the instructions.
• Warming up in a “steam bath” . If you don’t have a wax melter, you can melt the wax by simply placing the jar of the product in a container of hot water.
• Manual heating is suitable for a “warm procedure”. The required amount of wax should be rubbed with your palms until your body temperature reaches 36.6 °C; for certain types of wax this is quite enough.

Complications

Waxing is a procedure based on oils of natural ingredients, therefore it is suitable for any skin and is hypoallergenic.

Rarely do unpleasant reactions of the body occur, manifested in dryness, irritation, the appearance of pimples and ingrown hairs.

But, more often than not, the reason is not the wax, but not the competence of the specialist.

Which laser is better for hair removal, how to choose the right one

Several types of lasers have been developed for hair removal and solving aesthetic skin problems. Popular varieties:

1. Ruby . This is an outdated technology; devices with such a laser are found only in public hospitals. Disadvantage: the beam does not affect parts of the body that lack melanin. Not suitable for fair skinned people.
2. Alexandrite . This type of laser is based on a crystal containing chromium. A distinctive feature is increased skin smoothness after exposure. Works better with dark hair and light epidermis. May cause burns if there was exposure to ultraviolet light before or after the procedure.
3. Diode . The safest type of laser. Allows you to reduce the intervals between sessions and is safe for the body. Suitable for all phenotypes. The disadvantage is that the equipment is expensive, which increases the cost of the session. After exposure, a slight tingling sensation may occur, which is associated with the operation of the cooling system.
4. Neodymium . The peculiarity of this type of laser is that light radiation is absorbed by hemoglobin, and not melanin. Devices based on neodymium crystal are more often used to treat vascular diseases. One of the best options for hair removal on dark skin.

There are devices for mixed type laser hair removal. They combine light and temperature effects, making the procedure more effective and versatile. There are models that work simultaneously on several types of crystals.

Which laser hair removal is the most effective and safe, which one is better to choose?

So which procedure is better to choose and undergo laser hair removal? When choosing the type of device, there are no universal solutions. The color of the skin and hair, the sensitivity of the body, and the condition of the follicles should be taken into account. The table shows the technical features of the most common types of laser.

Which laser for hair removal is the most effective and best is described in the article.

Cost of waxing

Prices for the procedure depend on the area being treated and the region of the country. So, for example, in Moscow, removing hair on the legs with wax will cost from 1,200 to 1,800 rubles, in the bikini area up to 1,600 rubles, armpits - from 300 to 500. In other cities, prices are lower, for example, smooth armpits will cost up to 350 rubles, legs from 800 to 500 1000 rubles, bikini 400-1000 rubles.

The price also depends on the wax manufacturer.

There are:

• Spanish companies - MayStar, Depileve, Beauty Image, Depilflax
• Italian – Rica, Arco Cosmetici, Nessiltaglio
• American – Clean&Easy, Satin Smooth

Laser hair removal: results after the first session

When you decide to undergo laser hair removal for the first time, you should not count on an instant solution to the problem. After the first session, the stubble will continue to grow, because... The lifespan of hairs is 3.5 – 6.5 years. A third of the hair is visible on the surface of the epidermis. The remaining hair follicles are dormant. Removing one instance leads to the appearance of neighboring ones, so the effect of the first session is invisible.

There are three stages of hair development:

• the intensive growth phase covers 80% of the vegetation and lasts 2–5 years;
• a period of rest during which the aging of the follicle occurs;
• the dying stage affects 15% of hairs.

Read also: What is better and more effective: electrolysis or laser hair removal (comparison)

The laser only affects actively growing hair. 7–10 days after the first session, new hair growth occurs. After 2.5 weeks, the hairs are torn away from the destroyed bulbs and fall out. A similar situation is observed after depilation with sugar or wax: after 3 weeks, the treated area is covered with stubble. As a result of the laser action, the structure of the hair changes. Growing hairs become light, soft and thin.