Do's and Dont's of Underarm Waxing

Waxing your armpits may be more painful than shaving, but it keeps your armpits hairless for 4-6 weeks. You can reduce the pain and prevent ingrown hairs from occurring by preparing your underarms and using the right kind of wax suited to your skin.

We have listed some key do’s and don’ts of waxing which hopefully will assist you in achieving your results of hairless underarms.

Do’s

1. Make sure your armpit hair needs are long enough for any wax to grip properly. It usually takes about 3-4 weeks for this level of hair growth from a previous wax, or about a week from the last time you shaved.
   
   
2. Apply our Hairgo Pre wax gel prior to waxing.
   
   
3. After waxing clean the area then apply Hairgo Post Wax Soothing Lotion.
   
   
4. If the area is very tender one can also use normal petroleum jelly or cooling moisturisers that contain aloe.
   Wear loose clothes for some days to avoid chaffing and irritation.
   
   
5. Underarm hair can grow in various directions – both upwards and downwards, because of this it is important to work in sections. Divide your wax session in two sections using a hard wax, like the Hairgo Aloe hard wax beans, so that you have more control when applying the product. Focusing on one area at a time, hold skin taut by lifting your elbow up, apply the wax in the same direction the hair grows, then pull off in the opposite direction. Repeat on the second section.
   
   
6. For sensitive skin, the best is to perform a 24-hour patch test on a small area to see how your skin reacts before completing a full-wax session.
   
   
7. To make sure you take care of the area in order to prevent irritation or infection.
   Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
   

    

    

   • If the area’s particularly tender, apply a hydrocortisone cream or use a cool compress.

   • The area will likely be slightly irritated afterward, so you might want to avoid deodorant for the first 24 hours

   • Irritation on the skin:

   • Use Cold Compresses. Applying a cold compress to the area can help soothe irritation and reduce post-waxing bumps.

   • Cleanse the skin – Use a gentle soap and warm water to cleanse the skin which can help minimize irritants and redness of the skin.

8. Ingrown hair prevention, exfoliate with a mild scrub 24 hours after waxing. Avoid using talcum powder, anti-perspirants, deodorants or perfumes for a few days.
   
   
9. Burns – if you burn your skin, Immediately run the burn under cool water for 20 minutes. Rinse the area with mild soap, and if it’s still painful, apply a cold compress to the area. Don’t apply ice directly to the skin. Follow up with an antibacterial ointment like Bactroban, and cover the burn with an adhesive bandage or gauze. It usually takes about 7-10 days for the skin to fully recover. However, it can take longer depending on the burn.
   
   

Don’ts

1. Don’t expose newly waxed areas to the sun, hot tubs, sauna, suntan booths or extreme heat for 24 hours some skin cells have been pulled off in the process and the area is vulnerable.
   
   
2. Don’t apply deodorant to newly waxed underarms.
   
   
3. Don’t exfoliate underarms, make sure the area is clean and doesn’t have any deodorants or perfumes still present on the skin.
   
   
4. After waxing don’t take a shower immediately. Give your skin sometime to adapt to the room temperature so you don’t have to face an uncomfortable situation. Never take a hot water shower or sauna before waxing for 24 hours. It will irritate your sensitive skin, and it will cause serious harm.
   
   
5. Rash, Sunburn, Scar Tissue, pimples and irritation – if you have any of these avoid waxing your underarms.
   
   

Note:
This depends on preference, but some find that shaving is much easier to perform on a day-to-day basis for the underarms, legs, and bikini area. … For bikini areas, waxing is more precise and can result in less razor bumps because of the delicate skin area.