Bikini waxing

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Bikini waxing refers to the removal of unwanted hair at the top of the leg, below the navel, and in the bikini area, [1] otherwise know as the bikini line, a term generally understood to describe any pubic hair that is visible beyond the boundaries of a typical swimsuit, sometimes including the forearms.[2]

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It is suggested that women started removing this hair when bathing suit styles became abbreviated enough to keep these areas uncovered, especially the term bikini line indicates a date later than the nuclear explosion at the Bikini Islands in 1946 and the introduction of swimsuits that followed.[2] Changes in lingerie styles and their popularity have encouraged year round waxing of the bikini area.[1]

Bikini waxing can be classified into three types: [1]

  • American waxing: Removal of hair exposed at the top of the thighs and just under the navel when wearing a regular bikini bottom.
  • French waxing: Removal of everything including the hair of the anus and labia, leaving only a strip of hair in the front.
  • Brazilian waxing: Removal of everything, front to back.

Result of Brazilian Waxing
Result of Brazilian Waxing

Brazilian waxing is a type of waxing involving the bikini area.[3][4] or "Sphynx" depending on the salon visited. Sometimes the terms Full Brazilian Wax, Full Bikini Wax or Entire Body Wax (or eBodyWax) are used. While mainly associated with females, the practice is engaged in by males as well. It is named after Brazil, the country with which it is most often associated and from which the modern practice originated.[5] In Brazil itself, it is not called Brazilian waxing, but simply depilar (to wax, to pluck hairs).[6] This procedure involves the complete removal of hair from the buttocks and adjacent to the anus, perineum and vulva (labia majora and mons pubis). It can be thought of as a more extreme form of bikini waxing. The majority of types of Brazilian waxing leave a small line of pubic hair above the vulva, commonly known as the "G-Wax."[citation needed] Waxes that completely remove the pubic hair are either termed "Hollywood"[4][6][7] In Middle Eastern societies, removal of the body hair is considered a proper form of hygiene, necessitated by ancient local customs. Contemporary sources indicate that the French nobility also practiced waxing during the 17th century.

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The procedure starts with baby or talcum powder being spread liberally over the area to be waxed. This prevents the hot wax from sticking to the sensitive skin. Then, as in other forms of waxing, hot wax is spread over the area from which hair is to be removed. The wax is allowed to harden briefly, then one edge of the wax strip is pulled up and used as a 'tab' to quickly pull off or "zip" the rest of the wax, usually in the direction opposite of hair growth. Then the procedure progresses to systematically removing the hair from the genital area, buttocks, and anus. This procedure removes the wax, hair, and any dead skin cells lying on the skin surface. The person performing the wax will then finish with tweezers to remove any stray hairs that the waxing missed. Finally, the remaining pubic hair (the so-called "landing strip") is either trimmed with scissors, or waxed off. The remaining hair may even be in a particular pattern (hearts are a popular option), or dyed.

The wax used is often a mixture of natural beeswax and tall oil rather than the more common synthetic 'waxes' used for regular leg waxing. It is felt that beeswax is stronger, and more effective at removing the thicker, coarser pubic hairs.

The pain involved with this procedure can be slight or severe and can continue for quite some time (from several seconds to minutes). Some claim to perceive less pain during subsequent treatments. Many products are available to lessen the pain, such as topical anesthetics. Pain is greatest immediately before and during menstruation, when the area is most sensitive. The area is least sensitive about a week after menstruation; this is the ideal time for waxing.[citation needed] Many women report heightened sensation after having a wax, as removing the hair in erogenous zones improves sense of feeling, allowing for a more intense or pleasurable sensation during sexual activities. Some women also report preferring the "clean" feeling they have when waxed as a reason why they choose to remove their pubic hair.[citation needed]

Some advise following the procedure with an application of a hair inhibitor, which will slow the regrowth of hair and may halt regrowth completely. The results can last up to two months. It is recommended that one get a licensed cosmetologist or esthetician to perform this procedure, but with care it can safely be done on oneself with a home kit. Other methods of hair removal, such as shaving, sugaring or using chemical depilatories creams are often used in place of waxing, but these methods have drawbacks.

A bikini wax involves the removal of pubic hair adjacent to the pantyline (or "bikini") area. This is a fairly common procedure in the United States. Because it can be painful, some estheticians suggest taking ibuprofen one hour before the wax. The procedure is similar to that for the more extreme Brazilian wax. Unlike the Brazilian wax, a bikini wax can be performed privately in the home, but it is generally more convenient to have a licensed cosmetologist or esthetician perform the procedure.

Some women suffer from pimples or "razor bumps" after shaving this area. This commonly results from shaving in the wrong direction, so that the end of the hair becomes ingrown. Suggested (after the fact) solutions include lightly dusting with baby powder or the use of an acne cream, which thins the outer layer of skin (stratum corneum).[8] A preventive alternative, long familiar to barbers, is to only shave "with the grain": on the legs, this means shaving toward the feet. Many television ads show women shaving "against the grain."

Not everyone is a fan of the Brazilian wax, either the regular or full version.[9][10] Of the waxing process itself or subsequent hairless look created, critics say:

  • There is a health risk if it is not done properly and a risk of infection if done on a person with a weakened immune system.[11]
  • It is a physically painful experience during and after waxing.[12][13][14][6]
  • It can be unpleasant for a woman receiving oral sex if a man has beard stubble because pubic hair helps to protect the skin around the vulva.[15][16]
  • Some believe that it gives an adult woman an "unnatural appearance" when naked. It "goes against what nature intended."[17][3][6][18]
  • A consequence of the appearance created by the waxing off of pubic hair is that it resembles the hairless look seen on sexually immature girls and some men find this look attractive and exciting, a fact not lost on the porn industry, which is not allowed to hire or feature underage girls.[3][6][14][6][9]
  • It raises the introspective questions for women: "Is this encouraging sexual perversion" and "Why would my boyfriend or husband or [if a model or actress] male audience want me to resemble a little girl?[7]

  1. ^ a b c Helen Bickmore; Milady's Hair Removal Techniques: A Comprehensive Manual; page 139; Thomson Delmar Learning; 2003; ISBN 1401815553
  2. ^ a b Heinz Tschachler, Maureen Devine, Michael Draxlbauer ; The EmBodyment of American Culture; page 61; LIT Verlag Berlin-Hamburg-Münster; 2003; ISBN 3825867625
  3. ^ a b c Boston Women's Health Book Collective (2005). Our Bodies Ourselves. New York: Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, 4. ISBN 0-7432-5611-5. 
  4. ^ a b Salinger, Eve (2005). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pleasing Your Woman. New York: Alpha Books/Penguin Group, 196. ISBN 1-59257-464-5. 
  5. ^ Blue, Violet (2002). The Ultimate Guide to Cunnilingus. San Francisco, California USA: Cleis Press, 66. ISBN 1-57344-144-9. 
  6. ^ a b c d e f Christina Valhouli. Faster Pussycat, Wax! Wax!, Salon.com, September 3, 1999. Salon.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-10.
  7. ^ a b Symons, Mitchell (2007). Where Do Nudists Keep Their Hankies. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 74-75. ISBN 978-0-06-113407-4. 
  8. ^ Bikini line bumps
  9. ^ a b Kirsch, Melissa (2006). The Girl's Guide to Absolutely Everything. New York: Workman Publishing, 424. ISBN 0-7611-3579-0. 
  10. ^ Joannides, Paul (2006). Guide to Getting It On. Waldport, Oregon, USA: Goofy Foot Press, 528. ISBN 1-885535-69-4. 
  11. ^ Tweed, Katherine. Woman Almost Dies After Bikini Wax. Retrieved on 2007-07-31.
  12. ^ Blue, Violet (2002). The Ultimate Guide to Cunnilingus. San Francisco, California USA: Cleis Press, 67. ISBN 1-57344-144-9. 
  13. ^ Joannides, Paul (2006). Guide to Getting It On. Waldport, Oregon, USA: Goofy Foot Press, 531. ISBN 1-885535-69-4. 
  14. ^ a b Godson, Suzi (2005). Sexploration: An Edgy Encyclopedia of Everything Sexual. Berkeley, California USA: Amorata Press, 161. ISBN 1-56975-505-1. 
  15. ^ Joannides, Paul (2006). Guide to Getting It On. Waldport, Oregon, USA: Goofy Foot Press, 233. ISBN 1-885535-69-4. 
  16. ^ Godson, Suzi (2005). Sexploration: An Edgy Encyclopedia of Everything Sexual. Berkeley, California USA: Amorata Press, 89. ISBN 1-56975-505-1. 
  17. ^ Joannides, Paul (2006). Guide to Getting It On. Waldport, Oregon, USA: Goofy Foot Press, 246. ISBN 1-885535-69-4. 
  18. ^ Feldman, David (1987). Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise?. New York: HarperCollins, 146. ISBN 0-06-074092-2. 

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