Underarm Waxing - The Complete Guide
Underarm hair is a natural aspect of our bodies, but for many, this armpit hair is unwanted or not needed - and many choose to rid themselves of such hair through underarm waxing or underarm shaving.
Though it’s very common to keep their underarms hairless for many people, it’s still unclear to some whether underarm waxing is the best way to keep up with their underarm grooming routine, or if they should continue with shaving armpits.
Armpit hair grows extremely quickly, and keeping up with its maintenance can often be a challenge for a lot of people. Shaving unfortunately doesn’t offer long-term or effective results, but it can be hard for people to commit to other methods of hair removal - no matter how much easier they are!
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If you’re wondering, “Should you wax armpits?”, it’s really up to you! Don’t forget, having hairless underarms isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay! But, if your underarm hair growth makes you uncomfortable or insecure, there are plenty of ways to figure out how to get rid of armpit hair.
For those interested in the process of waxing underarms, let’s delve into why people wax armpits, where the process began, and what the best way to do so is.
Why Do We Have Armpit Hair?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of armpit waxing, let’s explore why we have armpit hair in the first place and answer the question of “What is armpit hair for?”.
Besides preserving the body’s natural musk, armpit hair has many purposes. Underarm hair prevents friction amongst skin in the area during exercise or other activities.
The benefits of underarm hair also include the prevention of certain health conditions that can arise from hair removal, including ingrown hairs, razor burn, armpit zits, skin tags, or other irritations.
Though it's the norm for many people, especially women, to remove armpit hair, remember that there’s nothing wrong with keeping it natural! At the end of the day, your armpit hair belongs to you, and it's completely up to you whether you want to remove underarm hair or not. Do what makes you happy!
Everybody has underarm hair in varying amounts and degrees. If you think you have more armpit hair than what’s normal, know that hair growth amounts are different for everyone.
Armpit hair growth usually begins around the time of puberty, which happens around 10-12 years of age for girls, and 11-14 years old for boys. This is also when the vellus, ‘peach-fuzz’ hair that existed in that area turns to thicker, coarser ‘terminal’ hair.
Some people might experience more armpit hair than others due to hormone levels, conditions like PCOS, or genetic conditions, and some may not experience arm hair growth at all for a variety of reasons. If you’re insecure about your armpit hair, know that it’s normal, but that there are plenty of ways to get rid of it if you don’t want it.
READ MORE: 5 Tips for How to Wax Sensitive Skin
Waxing vs. Shaving Armpits
Two of the most popular methods for removing armpit hair are waxing and shaving. But is shaving underarms better than waxing? Let’s explore these methods to determine which might be right for you and your amount of hair growth.
READ MORE: Waxing vs Shaving
Should You Wax Armpits?
Before we tackle whether waxing vs. shaving underarms is better, let’s discuss whether underarm hair removal is beneficial in a general sense. There are no health ramifications for removing armpit hair, and waxing in particular is completely safe for use on delicate underarm skin.
READ MORE: The Definitive Guide to Arm Waxing
Pros and Cons of Shaving Underarms
Now that we’ve gotten the topic of underarm hair removal at large out of the way, let’s discuss the upsides and downsides of shaving underarms, and why people shave underarms. As one of the most popular methods of hair removal for armpits, shaving is a go-to for many.
Pros of Shaving Armpits
The pros of shaving armpits usually revolve around convenience. Razors are available at most grocery stores and are easily accessible, and shaving can be done quickly during your regular daily shower.
Shaving underarms are also an affordable way to control armpit hair, as you can get razors for pretty low prices (depending on type and brand, of course!
Cons of Shaving Armpits
The cons of shaving armpits also ironically involve convenience. Though you can of course shave your underarms during your daily showers, having to do this every day or every couple of days is extremely annoying for a lot of people.
In addition to having to constantly stay on top of shaving, the method’s complete lack of long-term results makes it arduous or just not worth it for many people. Shaving delicate underarm skin can also easily cause razor bumps, rashes, pimples, ingrown hairs, and various other skin irritations from having to do so so frequently.
On top of its lack of long-term or effective results, shaving can also cause discoloration in the underarm area.
Discoloration from shaving underarms is the side effect of the aggressive act of shaving with a razor on the sensitive skin there. The razor blades’ rubbing on this sensitive skin causes discoloration or hyperpigmentation from the skin attempting to repair itself from the action.
Besides these downsides, shaving isn’t a great technique for those who experience a lot of armpit hair growth. Shaving underarms yourself allows for a large margin of error and can cause you to miss out on a lot of hairs.
Overall, shaving is an alright solution for those who don’t experience a lot of hair growth, or for those whose hairs grow very slowly. But is shaving underarms better than waxing? That remains to be seen!
For everybody else, shaving can be a real pain to have to do daily just to keep up with armpit hair maintenance, and its irritation or discoloration of your underarms can leave you feeling even more uncomfortable or insecure than you did before shaving.
Pros and Cons of Underarm Waxing
When it comes to underarm waxing, there’s a reason why so many swear by this method to remove their armpit hair. But what does it entail? Is waxing armpits better than shaving? Let’s find out!
READ MORE: What are the Do’s & Don’ts of Post-Wax Care?
Pros of Underarm Waxing
The benefits of underarm waxing come in the form of convenience and long-term results.
Underarm waxing benefits the user by offering quick, convenient removal of hair from the entire area over the course of one easy appointment done every two weeks (or longer, depending on your hair growth amount), instead of having to shave daily.
Waxing also grips hair at the root, which rids hair of the blunt tip that leads to itchiness and discomfort upon regrowth that is experienced with shaving. Waxing can also cause hair to thin out, or even stop growing as much over time.
Cons of Underarm Waxing
Like any hair removal procedure, underarm waxing has some cons that should be considered before a service. However, any drawbacks of underarm waxing are preventable with the right wax for your skin type, and with a proper pre and post-wax care routine.
The downsides of underarm waxing can include irritation or inflammation of the underarm area following a treatment. After a wax, you can also experience ingrown hairs, breakouts, or red bumps.
There are plenty of preventative measures to take to avoid these side effects of underarm waxing, however. By using waxes formulated specifically for use on delicate areas, like Starpil’s Pink Film Hard Wax, you can reduce the risk of adverse reactions to waxing.
By practicing a regular post-wax care routine, you can also guard against breakouts or ingrowns. Additionally, apply Starpil’s Original Ingrown Hair Serum Spray 24 hours after your waxing service to prevent the development of these uncomfortable hairs in your underarm areas.
READ MORE: 7 Ways to Prevent and Treat Ingrown Hairs
What to Expect from an Underarm Wax
Let’s go over what to expect from an underarm waxing service.
Before arriving at your underarm waxing appointment, make sure your hair is at least ¼ inch long, or about the size of a grain of rice. This will ensure that the wax your esthetician is using will be able to grip and remove your hard-to-reach hairs.
How to Wax Underarms
Before your service, your esthetician will apply Starpil Original Pre-Wax Gel, or a similar product to cleanse, exfoliate, and hydrate your skin before waxing. They’ll then apply wax in the direction of hair growth, and, if using hard wax, will allow it to cool before removing it quickly in the opposite direction of hair growth.
Some cite minor burning as a downside of waxing underarms, but your esthetician should be well-versed in warming their wax to the ideal temperature to ensure that your delicate underarm area is left without any kind of burning or discomfort.
Following your underarm hair removal, Starpil Original Post-Wax Lotion and Post-Wax Oil will be applied to soothe and moisturize your skin, while also helping to boost the regeneration of skin cells to repair any inflammation you might temporarily experience. Any redness or irritation should calm down on its own and disappear within 24 hours.
Most estheticians recommend leaving at least three weeks in between underarm waxes, as the hair in this area tends to grow faster than in others. Some recommended even leaving 4-6 weeks in between appointments. However, how fast your hair grows to be ¼ inch in length depends on you and your hair type. Consult your esthetician for the best estimate when making your next appointment.
Though waxing underarms on your own isn’t recommended for first-timers wondering how to wax armpit hair at home, as the process can be awkward and difficult for those who are inexperienced.
If you’re interested in learning how to wax underarms at home, first visit an esthetician to learn more about not only the process but also what sort of products might be best for your skin.
Once you’ve consulted a professional, get the best high-quality at-home armpit waxing kit. Starpil’s Standard Hard Wax Kit can provide you with not only the ability to take on underarm waxing but full-body services as well!
Check out the video below to see how to wax underarms using Starpil Wax.
READ MORE: How Long Does Waxing Last?
How Much Does an Underarm Wax Cost?
Though more expensive than buying a cheap pack of razors at the grocery store, underarm waxing is a relatively inexpensive process that’s worth it for many people around the world. The average armpit wax cost ranges from around $15-$25, which isn’t much more than refillable razor blades.
Waxing’s convenience and affordability only look better when it's taken into account that this process is needed far less than shaving.
READ MORE: What is the Average Full Body Wax Price?
Does Waxing Armpits Reduce Darkness?
On top of the more well-known benefits of armpit waxing, waxing underarms can reduce discoloration or hyperpigmentation caused by waxing.
Waxing removes dead skin cells along with the hair in your underarms, which provides skin with the next level exfoliation needed to brighten these areas previously darkened by shaving.
Does Waxing Underarms Reduce Odor?
As if the benefits of underarm waxing couldn’t get any better, waxing armpits can reduce the odor produced by the sweat glands in the area. How does this work, you might wonder? Well, by removing hair and lowering the heat produced by your underarms, less sweat is produced in the area.
Additionally, by keeping the underarms free of hair, cleaning products can penetrate the skin more effectively, which allows for less odor to be produced in the area.
There’s no doubt that the benefits of underarm waxing highly outweigh the drawbacks, and that the process brings a multitude of benefits for clients in terms of convenience, affordability, and long-term results. If you’re still wondering “Is it better to wax or shave armpits?”, your answer is here - it’s better to wax!
Best Wax for Underarms
Now that we’ve determined the upsides of underarm waxing, you might now want to know “What is the best armpit wax?”. The best wax for underarms depends on the skin and hair type of the individual being waxed, but many estheticians consider the following waxes to be particular go-to’s for their services:
Starpil’s Pink Film Hard Wax is a go-to for estheticians looking to remove even the finest of hairs from the most sensitive or hard-to-reach areas. This wax provides incredible results while guarding delicate and sensitive skin against inflammation.
Our luxurious Starsoft formula is a staple wax for those with hypersensitivity or aged skin. This wax moisturizes and nourishes the skin while removing hair from even the most sensitive areas with minimal pain.
These hard wax tablets are ideal for those with sensitive skin that’s particularly prone to ingrown hairs or breakouts. This sanitizing formula creates a barrier against bacteria during the hair removal process which protects skin from dirt and debris while providing amazing hair removal results.
READ MORE: How to Use Hard Wax Like a Pro: The Complete Guide
Final Thoughts
If you find yourself insecure about your underarm hair, remember that everybody experiences different levels of hair growth in their armpits and that it’s completely normal!
However, if you’re interested in underarm waxing or shaving underarms, make sure to do your research as to the right hair removal process for you, and determine what kind of routine you’d like to have, and what kind of results you’re interested in.
If you’re looking for long-term results for a relatively inexpensive cost (plus the added benefits of possible reductions in odor and discoloration!) underarm waxing is the way to go. There’s nothing better than being confident and comfortable in your own skin - let armpit waxing give you something to celebrate!
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