By Mariela
Updated: April 25, 2024
6 minutes
Waxing is a popular hair removal method that has been in use for centuries. It is easy, affordable, and reduces hair growth after every waxing session. However, the pain caused by waxing is also undeniable.
If you have thick hair or going to to wax your armpits, this pain is going to be somewhat more intense for you. The good news is that you can make waxing less painful by following some simple tips and tricks. So, let’s see how to make waxing less painful with some easy hacks!
Why Waxing Can Be Painful?
When the wax that is adhered to the hair and skin is pulled off, the hair gets forcefully removed from the roots. These hair roots are present close to the nerve roots that stimulate pain response when the hair roots are being disturbed. It causes a sharp and stinging sensation in the body that can last for a few seconds.
The pain felt during waxing can vary from individual to individual depending upon the area being waxed, hair length, skin type, and pain threshold. Longer hair are more painful to remove. Similarly, delicate areas like upper lips and underarms may cause more pain as compared to the others. Furthermore, if you have a low pain threshold, the experience is going to be more discomforting for you!
Ways to Get a Less Painful Waxing Experience
Communicate with Your Esthetician
Communicating about your skin problems, pain threshold, and fears regarding waxing with your esthetician is very important. It can help the professional choose the type of wax that suits your body and give you any pain relievers beforehand. Moreover, it can also help them identify any contraindicated skin conditions. Timely diagnosis can save you from intense pain caused by waxing.
Use Numbing Cream
Numbing cream is one of the most commonly used methods of getting a wax done without pain. These creams numb the nerves responsible for sending pain signals to the brain. So, the application of any numbing product 1-2 hours before waxing can help make your experience as comfortable as possible.
You can also use ice packs to numb the area but they only work for a few minutes.
Get Ibrufen Beforehand
Can you take Advil before a Brazilian wax? It is a pain reliever (Ibrufen) that belongs to the class NSAIDs. It reduces the pain intensity experienced during waxing but cannot make your body numb completely. You can also take other pain relievers other than Advil.
When is the right time to take the tablet? A few minutes to half an hour before waxing is the ideal time for taking a pain reliever to combat waxing pain.
Focus on Your Breathing
If you want to minimize the waxing pain without any external help, try focusing on your breathing. Breathing in and out as the esthetician applies and removes the wax can help relax your mind and body to reduce the pain.
Take deep breaths when the wax is being applied and then breathe out when it is being pulled off from the body.
Ensure Proper Hair Length
Bikini wax, especially if you are doing it at home, is going to be a very painful experience. Wondering how to do a painless bikini wax at home? Other than trying all the above techniques, make sure you have the right hair length for waxing.
Short hair are difficult for the wax to grab while long hair are more painful to remove. So, trim your hair to one-fourth to three-fourths of an inch before waxing for a comfortable experience.
Keep Skin Moisturized
Keep your skin hydrated before the waxing appointment. If your skin is well moisturized, the wax can easily stick with the hair, grip, and remove it thus making hair removal less painful. However, applying moisturizer on the appointment day might prevent the wax from sticking properly to the skin. Therefore, avoid applying any cream or moisturizer on the exact day. You can use it at night before sleeping.
Avoid Waxing on Sunburnt or Irritated Skin
When your skin is already irritated or sunburnt, waxing might further aggravate the condition as it rips off the epidermis. So, if your skin has any problems like sunburns, acne, rashes, or inflammation, wait for it to heal completely. You can also discuss this with your esthetician and plan the appointment day accordingly.
Exfoliate Regularly
How to make waxing less painful without numbing cream? Regular pre-wax skincare can help you with this. The most important step for this is exfoliation. Exfoliating regularly before waxing helps remove all the dry and dead cells from the skin. This makes your skin smooth and the wax can easily adhere to it.
Also, there will be less pain in removal. It is recommended to exfoliate 1-2 days before waxing and make sure to skip exfoliation on waxing day.
Use Soothing Products
If the pain continues even after waxing or your skin feels irritated, you can use gentle soothing agents to calm it. For instance, aloe vera gel can provide a cooling effect to the skin. Its anti-inflammatory properties can help get rid of mild inflammation while the cooling sensation will reduce irritation.
You can also use ice packs, calendula extract, tea tree oil, or any other gentle creams.
Avoid Potential Irritants
After waxing, avoid any potential skin irritant at all costs. We usually do everything to reduce the waxing pain but forget to provide proper aftercare. This makes after wax experience more horrible as compared to waxing itself.
Therefore, avoid wearing tight clothes, strenuous activities, exfoliation immediately after waxing, applying harsh skincare products, and going out in the sun. All these factors can irritate your freshly waxed skin and cause discomfort.
Use Distraction Techniques
Nothing works for you? How about distracting yourself through music, podcasts, or any game shows? When your mind is focused on a particular thing, the experience is going to be extra painful. Instead, when you play music or other interesting videos, your mind will start focusing on them and forget about the pain.
Choose an Alternative: Ulike IPL Hair Removal
Waxing and pain come hand in hand. Taking so many precautionary measures just to avoid waxing pain seems a bit overwhelming, right? Just replace waxing with an easier and nearly painless hair removal method, the IPL hair removal.
This technique removes hair from the roots but not forcefully. The intense light enters the depths of your skin and burns the hair follicles. Hence, you get long-lasting results without experiencing any pain. Worried about you cannot do it at home?
Well, there are at-home IPL devices like Ulike IPL Air 3 device that can help you achieve professional treatment at home. It has multiple intensity levels that let you customize your session. Additionally, it comes with sapphire ice-cooling technology to make hair removal as soothing as possible for the users.
Conclusion
How to wax without pain? Use numbing cream. This is by far the most convenient way to make waxing as painless as possible. You can also use pain relievers like Advil or any other over-the-counter painkillers. Some factors like your hair length and skincare also contribute to waxing pain.
So, before going for the appointment, ensure that the hair length is optimal and your skin is hydrated. This makes waxing hair removal easier and more comfortable. However, if you still do not like the idea of waxing, try IPL hair removal with Ulike. You are going to love it for its soothing treatment and long-lasting results.
