Brazilian hair removal is commonly talked about, but what’s the hype?
Pubic hair removal can be achieved in the same ways you remove body or facial hair — through shaving, waxing and even plucking. But there’s a method exclusive only for our under regions: Brazilian waxes. Unlike regular bikini waxes, where hair is only removed outside of the bikini area to prevent stray hairs from peeking out, Brazilian waxes remove every strand of hair. Yes, that includes hair in the front, back, and everything in between.
There are several variations of the famed Brazilian, from the Brazilian landing strip or French bikini wax, which leaves a neat vertical line above the clitoris; to the Brazilian triangle which leaves neatly trimmed hair in a triangular shape above the private parts. But the most popular in Singapore remains the full Brazilian wax, also referred to as a Hollywood wax.
Although Brazilian waxing brings along a myriad of benefits like longer lasting results and less irritation, pubic hair removal methods like shaving and at-home waxing are still highly favored due to their convenience and affordability. But are they really the best way to get the job done?
Apart from convenience and the privacy one gets from removing their own pubic hair at home, many opt out of Brazilian hair removal due to the pain associated with it. If you’re not yet ready to try Brazilian waxing, here are a few tried and tested methods to remove pubic hair. However, keep in mind that these methods do not last as long and might not be able to remove every strand of hair entirely.
Shaving is one of the easiest ways to get rid of hair since all you need is a clean razor and some cream or gel. Tip: Wet your pubic hair so the hair is easier to cut, and choose a natural cream or moisturizer to reduce irritation of breakouts.
Pros: Convenient, can be done anytime and anywhere and fast.
Cons: More likely to cut yourself and introduce bacteria into the area. Hair that grows out will also be prickly and chances of ingrown hair are higher.
Pain level: None, only mildly painful if you accidentally scrape or cut yourself
Tweezing is a little more meticulous and painful as it technically involves yanking out hair individually, but it can be convenient if you just want to do a quick trim. Tip: Be gentle when tweezing as plucking out hair too forcefully might injure your skin or cause infections.
Pros: Requires fewer materials, cheaper and good for targeting fine hair
Cons: Might take a very long time
Pain level: Moderate pain if you pluck too forcefully
Trimming with scissors is a nice and quick way to shape those pubes up, but if you’re looking for complete hair removal, trimming probably won’t do the trick. Tip: Make sure your pubic hair is dry so they won’t bunch up together.
Pros: Safer than shaving and tweezing
Cons: There will still be remaining hair left
Pain level: None, unless you accidentally cut or poke your skin
Depilatories are chemical substances used to remove hair from the skin. They weaken a substance in hair called keratin, causing hair to fall out. Depilatories are usually sold as creams and using them is pretty straightforward — apply the cream to the desired area, wait a few minutes and wipe the cream and fallen hairs off. Tip: Do NOT leave the creams on longer than the recommended time, as this could cause rashes and even chemical burns!
Pros: Easy and straightforward application, generally safe
Cons: Certain ingredients may cause allergic reactions or irritations
Pain level: None, unless the cream irritates your skin or causes an allergic reaction
Waxing is very effective at completely removing hair for a long period of time, albeit painful. It rips large areas of hair out by the roots, and hair that grows back is smooth without itch. If you’re already waxing your pubic hair at home, you might as well get it done by a professional, especially if you have sensitive skin.
Pros: Effective method, long lasting, hair that grows back is not rough
Cons: Can be painful or cause infections if done wrongly
Former Spice Girls member and style icon Victoria Beckham once said that she believes Brazilian waxing should be “compulsory” for those over 15 — she wasn’t wrong. A study published by the journal JAMA Dermatology suggests that a majority of modern women are opting for complete removal of their pubic hair. Of those surveyed between the ages of 18 and 65, 62% opted for waxing, with a big demographic being women younger than 24.
Apart from aesthetic reasons, Brazilian waxing actually carries several advantages that makes it an excellent choice for pubic hair removal.
Consistency
Consistency reaps results — this principle applies to Brazilian waxing too. Regular Brazilian waxing (usually once every 4 weeks) ensures hair grows back finer and less dense. By creating a habit, in the long run, you’ll never find yourself in a situation where you’re faced with a forest down south.
Skin Health
Not only are you removing body hair, you’re also exfoliating your skin below and removing dead skin cells, which is always a bonus. A Brazilian wax also draws out the congestion found in clogged pores, reducing acne breakouts, which is especially important when it comes to our private area.
Smoother Skin
Since you’re removing hair from the root and exfoliating skin at the same time, your skin will feel baby soft.
Longer-Lasting Results
Hair that’s removed by the root tends to take longer to grow back. In the case of Brazilian waxing, it’ll take about 4 weeks for hair to grow back as compared to shaving which can take as fast as a day.
Less Irritation
Not only does Brazilian waxing reduce the thickness of your hair, the hair that grows back is a lot finer and lighter, resulting in smooth and itch-free skin.
We won’t lie — depending on your pain tolerance, you will feel a bearable pain when the hair is pulled from the roots, but this lasts only for a split second. This process is repeated a few times during a session, but our patients have found that the pain gets better over time. Try getting your therapist to place their hands on your skin each after pull — this reduces pain by over 70%.
Also, book your waxing appointment at least a week before your period as that’s when your hormones are the least sensitive.
Yes, laser hair removal in the Brazilian area for men and women is very safe. It has been performed countless times throughout the years; at Supersmooth, we carry out thousands of laser treatments a month.
When it comes to the nether regions, many patients prefer doing a Brazilian laser hair removal as IPL gives limited results. In addition, when done inappropriately, IPL can result in burns especially for richer skin tones.
Our team uses OLED that causes minimal to no discomfort, so numbing cream is typically not needed.
Experience of the operator plays a huge role in treatment comfort and success, so always do your homework!
It varies; laser hair removal in Singapore starts from about $150-$200 depending on the area.
Removing pubic hair is an entirely personal choice, and some people prefer to leave some or most of their pubic hair on for certain reasons. That’s entirely fine, but if you enjoy the idea of staying hair free downstairs, it’s in your best interest to get it done safely with the help of a professional.
