Waxing? Good or..... ?

Sugar_Rush

First off I'm a 100% heterosexual dude, full disclosure.

So with that being said I'm also hyper conscious for a male about appearance, but about par for the course for a woman.

Basically the problem I've encountered is...... razor bumps.

Horrible.

Plus I don't find a razor is really effective enough.

So I was considering waxing.

I would imagine I'd do something similar as I do with my eyebrows, get it done a couple times at a clinic first to assess for suitability and to see how it's done professionally.

Then just buy the wax and do it myself.

The question I have is, is it comparable in pain to eyebrow waxing? (which isn't painful at all)

Does it preclude those awful red bumps that show up after shaving? (a little tea-tree/witch-hazzle is soothing but unfortunately not preventative).

Dial Hard

Which area are we talking about here?

Anything sensitive or hard to reach is best left to the professionals, imo. Waxing yourself is quite difficult, your body is hard-wired not to inflict pain on itself. You'll generally hesitate when it comes to actually removing the strip/wax and that's when it gets even sorer. Most waxers don't do more than their own legs and underarms for that very reason

Sugar_Rush

Lower abdomen like, way low - if that makes sense - the place most prone to razor bumps.

I've read waxing can omit the possibility of razor bumps.

It's comparable in pain to doing eyebrows oneself? I've never found this the least difficult or painful.

Faith

What does your sexuality have to do with waxing?

you won’t get razor bumps with waxing because no razor is involved. However, you can easily get ingrown hairs which can be quite painful.

to get a sense of pain, why don’t you try tweezing clumps of hairs in the area and see how that feels, then go get a wax done professionally and go from there.

XsApollo

Use a proper razor, using any type of Gillette fusion or the likes will give you razor burn.

a decent safety razor with the proper oils and shaving foam/ cream doesn’t leave bumps.

that’s on the face and some other body parts mind.

try it on your manly regions at your own risk.

Sugar_Rush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119402777#Comment_119402777

Tweezing eyebrows is hell.

Waxing them is nothing at all.

What was this mention of a "proper razor"?

I use a 5 blade close shave safety razor. Is that insufficient?

Yes, the crotch area, mmmkay? Technically it's called the "Pons".

Do most people wax or shave this area or wut?

Dial Hard

I would imagine the vast majority of men who groom that area shave it, as in my experience most men are utterly aghast at the very idea of waxing down there.

Like any area, the more you wax it, the less the regrowth will be over time and the less painful it will be. The first time is always the most painful as that hair has never been removed at the root before.

I'm a big advocate for waxing over shaving any area. Less irritation and it lasts far, far longer, obvs.

Sugar_Rush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119403378#Comment_119403378

So pain terms, it's similar'ish to eyebrows?

Worse?

Lasting longer is a benefit but avoid irritation is the primary objective.

Horrible razor bumps make me look like I have an STI.

Maybe I could inquire in a clinic if they'd do just one strip so I could see how painful it is (no idea if they'd accommodate that of course).

Faith

Pain is entirely subjective. I feel nothing when I pluck my eyebrows. Waxing my bikini line is generally very uncomfortable for me. So no one can tell you what it will feel like because that’s entirely dependent on you, your waxer, the type of wax used, the mood you’re in that day, any physiological fluctuations that may be happening etc. It could be totally painless one time and excruciating the next.

Also, the fleshier the area, typically the more pain. If you’re overweight, it may hurt more than if you’re very lean. Either way, the area closer to your thighs will probably hurt less than the fleshier part closer to the centre.

What you could try is putting a good strong plaster on the area and then ripping the plaster off as quickly as you can. It’s not entirely representative but it might give an idea of how easy it is to inflict that pain.

Sugar_Rush

To try this, I bought some Boots DIY wax strips.

They didn't seem massively effective, but they did remove some hair.

I bought them to examine pain thresholds.

Really it's nothing.

Take off the strip quickly and it's absolutely fine.

That being said, I basically did my butt area - probably less sensitive that the "lower abdomen like, way low".

But if that's all it is I could totally manage a crotch waxing.

They're not cheap however, no surprise as you're basically paying someone to literally get down and dirty so, looking into more DIY options, perhaps there are more effective waxing strips available.

........

Gonna try nose waxing also, tired of using a trimmer every few days (it's not too bad but, any kind of nostril hair to me is totally unbecoming).

Basically I was extremely impressed with the ease and effectiveness of eyebrow waxing compared to shaping/shaving them as I did previously so, trying to apply that concept to other grooming areas.

Sugar_Rush

I dropped into a clinic in Dublin that does this.

Lady was actually real cool but she was Brazilian. I think they're more liberal about such things than Irish culture is historically.

I told her I was concerned about the potential for pain, didn't want to commit to a full treatment where I might not be able to take it.

So she did one strip as a tester which was...... well, I felt it, but I think I could take it.

It was significantly less painful that the DIY strips.

Only thing is, apparently you need to get it done every four weeks, and at 60 euro per appointment that could add up to a tidy sum of money. As well as being a quick treatment, only takes about 15 minutes all in.

.........

Been searching around for a more price friendly outlet and there are a couple but some specify they treat women only?

I might drop in an inquire, maybe they treat men once they know you're serious/legitimate.

Twee.

Wax in the City (Liffey St or South William St) will do it all, decent pricing, Waxperts Wax, online queue system so no panic over appointments. It's not a big deal, they wax plenty of men day in day out. They have guides on their site of what to expect and how to prepare and after care https://wax-in-the-city.com/en/waxperts/waxing-en/ Just go for it.

Sugar_Rush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119669906#Comment_119669906

That sounds spot on.

Actually almost exactly beside their place on South William, there's a spot called "The Good Place Spa".

Never been but they showed up on Google Maps and their prices are real good. It's a consideration as, as I've been shaving since forever and want to replace that, I would be attending waxing monthly, cumulative cost is a consideration.

The latter place at a more cost effective rate will do the "front only", cause I can basically take care of the posterior myself with waxing strips....... not painful at all unlike the front.

But yeah that spot Wax-In-The-City seem to have great price on the full Hollywood wax and they seem legit and professional (seriously unlike several of the other backstreet male-grooming parlors that offer such a service).

Hot wax in place of strip wax is the primary consideration and that latter two according to their descriptions use hot (/warm?) waxing exclusively.

Sugar_Rush

Also, this wax-in-city place, just to double check;

Their wax therapists are women, right?

......

Not prejudice but I just don't want a dude handling my gear.

Sugar_Rush

I was introduced to waxing with eyebrow treatment having been shaving for a while.

Far more effective, very impressive the results in contrast.

I bought a nose-hair waxing kit and used it as of yesterday. AWESOME.

I am extremely impressed with how effective waxing is so far.

........

Next on hit-list, crotch waxing - OORAHH!!

.........

Appointment booked for Friday.

Pissy Missy

If you've ever watched the 40 year old virgin or Friends, they don't lie, it's unnecessarily horrific pain

Sugar_Rush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119677887#Comment_119677887

Actually haven't seen either but,

https://youtu.be/w5CN4gAjQeU

I always thought this was exaggerated for effect?

........

Maybe it's cause she used strip wax there?

Pissy Missy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119678933#Comment_119678933

They're brilliant, highly recommended them

I've had my bikini line and under arms done, it was horrible, give me a razor anyday

Sugar_Rush

Well, I did the damn thing.

And it's definitely painful. And the "hot wax" feels like lava.

And I can't ever see myself getting it done again.

The therapist agreed to do a shorter wax treatment next time, just "lower abdomen" area for a more reasonable price so hopefully I can maintain that in future. I'd like to get it done monthly cause shaving that area is ineffective and painful.

Maybe it's not so bad for women but for dudes, getting your nads waxed is excruciating.

gmisk

Would you consider laser?

Guy here I went to therapie no big deal got it done on my back. Very effective.

Sugar_Rush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119716662#Comment_119716662

How much was it?

Don't you have to get that done a bunch of times?

gmisk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119717936#Comment_119717936

I got it done a while back I think it was something like 400 euro for 6 sessions. I got 6 sessions done in a year. I still have some but extremely light. For maintenance you might need 1 or 2 a year. I found it a lot more effective and less painful than waxing.

Sugar_Rush

Basically I've compromised at using a combination of Boots DIY waxing strips and conventional shaving.

Strips on the areas that were prone to razor burn, shaving otherwise.

Easier, less painful, cost effective, easy to maintain.

Will look into laser hair removal also but, as I understand it requires a course of treatments cumulatively amounting to about 500 large?

Might be cheaper my at home routine of waxing/shaving, though I'm open to recommendation.....

Faith

Laser is pricey and not pain free by any means. You need a course of at least 6 sessions to begin, and probably a top up once or twice a year after that. It's only suitable for people with particular colouring - pale skin and brown or black hair. Some people describe the sensation as being like a small rubber band snapping quickly - I personally feel like it's more akin to rapid, heated tweezing. The pros are it's very fast - a fraction of the time of waxing. You do need to shave the hair right down to skin right before each treatment as well.

Caranica

Waxing strips are suitable for chest, arms and legs. Special strips are available for facial waxing. You should not use strip wax for intimate waxing, hot wax is recommended. Worth paying to get it done properly, you can't get the tension right when you do it on yourself.

Piki1982

Use 1) a shaving oil instead of a generic shaving foam, see if that helps 2) try a better quality of shaving foam/gel - I'm a woman with very sensitive/reactive skin, which flares up IMMEDIATELY into folliculitis, if I shave too often, or use generic products. Flamingo Foaming Shave Gel (Boots) is my gel of choice. 3) My husband also uses the same razor that I use - which is Venus for Public Hair and Skin Women's Razor - it is MUCH better than any men's razor for intimate areas/sensitive skin. Afterwards, use an aloe gel/moisturizer on the area, and then don't wear tight clothing for a day or two.

IF however you're hell bent on waxing, I would advise against DIY at home - I do use Veet cold strips and they're excellent for my thick/dark body hair, but I'd never use them in the intimate areas. Never!!!!! It's very painful and you'll not get any kind of results, and you'll feel frustrated. Professional salons like Brazilia (when they had their main branch on South William Street) used to offer men's intimate waxing, and I think they're still there in Sandyford, but try the shaving options first (cheaper, easier logistically) and if you're unhappy with the results (or if your skin is still too bumpy/reactive) then pursue the waxing route. You can use the Venus intimate razor on your face too - my husband does and he's got horribly sensitive skin, no problems there.

Sugar_Rush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120172585#Comment_120172585

That Venus razor, I checked them out in boots.

I normally use Aldi/Lidl 5 blades on my face and they're awesome for the price.

The Venus razors are not cheap in comparison.

How many times can you use them before having to change the blades?

Sugar_Rush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120096120#Comment_120096120

I did the hot waxing myself a while ago and it was fine (they have the DIY kits in Boots at the moment).

I did it again last week and holy crap, I thought I was going to cry.

I think the longer it's left between sessions, the more painful it becomes.

Caranica

I'd never do it myself but even in a salon longer gaps do cause more sensitivity. I'll never forget the pain of the first wax when salons reopened after the major lockdown, ten years of regular waxing undone in a couple of months.

Sugar_Rush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120290862#Comment_120290862

Thank heavens, the pain will return to normal then.

How often is it recommended to maintain waxing?

I'm guess the standard re-growth period of 4 to 6 weeks?

Caranica

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120290886#Comment_120290886

That's when you start. The more you wax the less regrowth. I'd be every 8 weeks now.