Can Hair Be Too Long to Wax?

Have you ever waxed the unwanted hair from your body and noticed that they are either not being removed or is cut in half instead of being pulled out of the roots? And did you feel like your hair length had something to do with these unwanted results? 

Well, you could be right as hair needs to be of an appropriate length for the optimal results of waxing. Moreover, the right length makes waxing less painful and more comfortable.

Therefore, let us find out “Can the hair be too long to wax” and “What is the right length of hair for waxing”.

Table of Contents:

• Part 1: Can Hair be Too Long to Wax?
• Part 2: How Long Does Hair Have to Be to Wax?
• Part 3: How to Trim the Hair to Ideal Length?
• Part 4: Frequently Asked Questions

Part 1: Can Hair be Too Long to Wax?

First of all, the wax adheres to the unwanted hair in a way that covers the base part of the hair to remove it from the roots. When the hair is too long, it is difficult to cover the base. 

Therefore, pulling the wax will only cut the hair at the part where the wax is attached and it won’t be removed from the roots. This can lead to painful ingrown hair as well. 

Moreover, the longer the hair, the greater the force required to remove it from the roots, and the greater will be the pain of waxing. Consequently, long hair makes waxing more uncomfortable and painful. 

Keeping the factors mentioned above in view, hair can be too long to wax. Also, too short hair can be problematic as well. 

Part 2: How Long Does Hair Have to Be to Wax?

You must be wondering if the hair cannot be too long or too short to wax, then what is the appropriate length of hair?

Minimum Hair Length

Theoretically speaking, the minimum length of hair to wax is ¼ of an inch or 0.6 cm. This is equal to the length of a grain of rice. However, neither do we keep a scale to measure the length of hair nor do we have a grain of rice all the time, right?

Therefore, an easy method to determine if the hair in the required treatment area is long enough is to pinch the hair with your fingertips. If you can hold the hair, it can be waxed. 

Maximum Hair Length

When say hair is too long to wax, it means that the length of the hair is greater than ½ of an inch or 1.2 cm. Practically, it is less than half of 1 fingertip of a woman. Therefore, the maximum hair length to wax is ½ inch. 

Hair Length Range for Different Areas of Body

Although the range of ½ to ¼ of an inch is appropriate, the accurate hair length for different body parts depends upon the thickness and density of hair in that part.

For Facial Hair

Facial hair is thin in women and seldom grows up to the size of an inch. The ideal length for waxing fine facial hair is ¼ of an inch.

For Leg and Arm Hair

The arm and leg hair can be fine in some people while coarse in others. Therefore, we cannot state a single length for these body parts. Rather, the normal length range of ½ to ¼ of an inch works for your limb hair.

For Armpit and Pubic Hair 

Pubic and armpit hair are dark, dense, and thick. It is difficult for the wax to stick to this hair, especially if it is short. Therefore, it is better to grow the hair or your concealed and intimate areas near to ¼ of an inch for a comfortable waxing experience. 

Part 3: How to Trim the Hair to Ideal Length?

If your hair is too long before your waxing appointment, you have to trim the extra length of the hair on the desired part of the treatment. Remember that we said trim, not shave as it can make the hair shorter than required.

Therefore, use a pair of small regular scissors or safety scissors and carefully cut the hair to ½ to ¼ of an inch. Also, you do not need to be afraid while trimming the hair with clippers because safety scissors do not poke the skin.

If you are too afraid of cutting the hair by yourself, leave the job to your waxing aesthetician and make sure that you get your waxing done once every 2 weeks so that the hair is never too long and does not need any trimming. 

Part 4: Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some FAQs about waxing unwanted body hair.

1. What Happens if Hair is Too Short to Wax?

You won’t be able to wax if your hair is too short. Wax does not stick to the hair shorter than 6 mm. Therefore, you won’t be able to pull the unwanted hair from your skin no matter how many times you apply the wax.

That’s not all as the wax will stick to your skin instead and using it several times on one area can give your skin a rash.

2. Can You Wax Very Thick or Coarse Hair?

Yes, you can wax very thick or coarse hair. However, you have to prepare your skin well for this. Skin preparation tips for thick hair include,

• Exfoliation and cleansing of the skin 
• Trimming the hair to ½ of an inch 
• Using the type of wax compatible with thick hair

3. How Often Should You Wax to Maintain Smooth Skin?

The timeline for waxing mainly depends upon the growth rate of the treatment area in question. Let us see the growth rate and thus the frequency of waxing different body parts below,

• Once every 15 days for the face 
• Once every 21 days for the armpits and bikini lines 
• Once every 30 days for arms and legs 

4. Should You Trim Before a Wax?

Yes and no depending upon the length of hair you have before a wax. If you are waxing for the first time in a while, it is better to trim before a wax for less painful and more comfortable waxing. 

However, there is no need to trim if you wax regularly and your hair length falls in the range of ½ to ¼ of an inch. 

5. How Long Should You Wait Between Waxes?

You should wait for the time your hair grows to a length of ½ to ¼ of an inch between waxes and again, it depends upon the treatment area. So, here is how long you should wait between waxes.

• 2 weeks for the face
• 3 weeks for armpits and bikini lines
• 4 weeks for arms and legs

Conclusion  

The technique behind waxing is the application of a sticky substance to the hair that adheres firmly to the hair and pulls it out from the roots. For the wax to stick to the hair, the hair should be anywhere between ½ to ¼ of an inch long.

If hair is any longer than this, waxing is going to be painful and if hair is shorter, you won’t be able to achieve hairless skin. Therefore, follow the appropriate length guidelines for waxing as discussed in this article for a comfortable experience.