Waxing Poetic - How To Avoid The Ouch Factor
January 7th, 2009

Beauty Minerals

"Do NOT have any cosmetic surgery without first reading this"

Waxing Poetic: How to Avoid the "Ouch" Factor

The look of today often times demands a clean and hair free look. The best option for attaining such a look is to wax. Waxing, though, can certainly be very painful. Does it have to be, though? Not necessarily. There are methods you can use to ease the pain or eliminate it completely. The key is to find out what works best for you and your personal level of pain tolerance.

One option for avoiding the pain associated with waxing is to look at over-the-counter pain medications. Many people find that using something simple like aspirin, or Tylenol taken before the waxing is enough. Others may combine these medications with other pain management options.

Ice can be a wonderful way to numb the area that is to be waxed, but there is a problem with it; some prefer your skin to be at normal temperature during the treatment. So you will want to check with your salon or spa first. The best way, if numbing is permitted, is to wrap an ice cube in some sort of wet cloth. A reusable frozen first aid pack works as well if you want to avoid the mess of a melting piece of ice. You will want to use the ice about five minutes before the waxing starts, and then continue use afterward for as long as you feel like you may need to.

Though there is really no scientific information to suggest why, many women claims that taking antacids helps. Taking an antacid about an hour before treatments, they claim, helps to curb the discomfort associated with hair removal.

Another, less involved method of managing the pain has been used by pregnant women and monks for ages: breathing techniques. Your best bet is to try slowing you're breathing down during the procedure. Try breathing in through your nose then exhale through your mouth. As you breathe out, try to "blow the pain away" by letting out a little sound as you do. Other people, though, claim that holding their breath and counting to a set number can help them, or breathing out just after the wax is removed. Experiment with your breathing to see which works best for you in controlling pain.

Another common technique of managing pain, and not just during waxing, is certain relaxation methods. Some people, in borrowing from certain monks, are able to put themselves in a light trance by concentrating on and visualizing the relaxation of different parts of their bodies. If you, for instance, try focusing on your legs and feet (since they are far from your head) it may help you. You won't necessarily lessen the pain as much as you will disconnect yourself from it. These methods are especially valuable to the person who is well-practiced in it and is enduring a long waxing session. Another way of relaxing is to simply visualize. Visualize a garden or a happy place you like to visit, imagine relaxing in that place, taking a warm bath, or doing anything you really enjoy on a level of relaxation. You may even want to dangle your hands and arms off the table while you imagine these things. Before you know it, your session is over.

One other way you may want to consider is to simply try to find ways to make the time go faster. Try chit chatting with others waiting for their treatment or the person doing the waxing to help pass the time, though it can be a problem when work is being done around your mouth. Another option would be to bring music with you. Music you enjoy or that helps you relax can even help you with meditation or relaxation techniques. One other option would be to simple double up. Have more than one person working so that more than one part of your body is being waxed at the same time. One pain may distract you from the other, and you are done and through it much faster.

Waxing is painful, and it would be difficult to find someone who would say differently. However, if you experiment and study you can find a pain management technique that will allow you to get through your next waxing. After all, the end result is worth it or you wouldn't be there in the first place

---

Please use the form below to comment on this page:

Name:
Email Address:	(kept private)
Comments:
Let me know if my message is replied to:	yes
Please enter the digits 513 in the box. This keeps away spam robots: