Waxing Dos and Don’ts

Waxing is popular with men who have a lot of hair to remove and not enough time to get it all off themselves. It’s understandable; men can grow quite a bit of hair in areas that are hard to reach. It eliminates stubble, removes hair from the root, and lasts for a good amount of time (usually a month). However, there are some things you need to know before you go in for your next wax, as well as a couple of things that are important to keep in mind after your appointment.

Make sure you are absolutely 100% ready for your waxing appointment. Make sure your hair is long enough for you to get your money’s worth from a wax. If the hair on your body is less than 1/4 inch in length, wait until it is longer. To give yourself an idea of how fast hair can grow, it takes approximately 2-3 weeks for that hair length to grow on the body after a shave. Make sure you don’t have any scabs or cuts before your appointment, because that can inflame the area that is still healing from previous trauma. To cut down on any possible soreness, book your appointment until you’re completely ouch-free.

Here are two big mistakes that Floridians make: moisturizing and getting too much sun. If you have a dark tan, wait until you’re a little more pale to get your wax. If you don’t, you risk a lot more pain during your waxing. Also, don’t moisturize for at least 24 hours before your waxing appointment. Waxing works best when the skin is dry. This will probably be the only time we’ll tell you to lay off the skin creams! Finally, take some aspirin about 30 minutes before your appointment begins. It sounds like an old wives’ tale, but it helps.

After your appointment, avoid things that are too hot for about two days. This includes hot tubs, steam rooms, and the like. Warm water is good, but hot water will irritate your skin. Slowly reintroduce moisturizing creams into your daily regimen. After two days, it’s acceptable to moisturize and exfoliate as much as you like. It’s actually recommended, because it will lower your chances of getting those horrid ingrown hairs!

Find a gay-friendly salon that specializes in men’s waxing treatments by visiting our LGBT business directory on our website, located at hotspots.lgbt.

Mike Halterman

Mike Halterman has been the editor of Hotspots Central since its launch in July 2016. He joined the Hotspots Media Group family as editor of Hotspots' South Florida magazine in June 2013. A former "40 Under 40" honoree in The Advocate magazine, Mike lives in the Tampa Bay area.

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