There is a very real, albeit unfortunate, relationship between pain and beauty. We jam needles into our ears so we can wear cute accessories, etch ink into our skin so that we can remember our boyfriends’ names, and we let doctors break our noses so that we can look like Angelina Jolie. Why not let a stranger spread steaming hot wax onto über-sensitive body parts to get rid of some unwanted hair? Carrie Bradshaw did it.
Who knew that as four best friends were showing American women how to lead fabulous and fashionable lives, they were simultaneously curing the country of pubic lice? Okay, maybe that’s a stretch. However, after Carrie got a Brazilian wax in a 2000 episode of Sex and the City, American women followed suit and the world of hair removal was forever changed.
According to a recent Cosmopolitan.com poll, 98% of women regularly maintain their bikini line in some way or another. For 87%, this means waxing. Needless to say, it is a pretty popular grooming technique. Thanks a lot, Carrie.
There are obvious benefits to a good wax; no one wants hair popping out of their cheeky Victoria’s Secret bikinis, but we have to look at the cons too. Jessica Krant, M.D., says in Laura Schocker’s Huffington Post article, “Bikini Waxing Dangers: 5 Risks to Consider”, “that part of the body is meant by nature to have hair, and the hairs, though they may be currently out of fashion visually, are there for other reasons”.
Waxing leaves already delicate skin in an extremely exposed and vulnerable state that is conducive to infections, rashes, and a myriad of other problems. Schocker says that the risks of waxing are so serious that, “in 2009, the state of New Jersey even entertained the idea of banning Brazilian waxes completely after two women were hospitalized with infections”. So next time you are offended by a few not-so-cute hairs, think about that.
Whether you chose to hop on the waxing bandwagon or not, it is important that you do your research beforehand so that you can make the best decision for you. You will want to find a salon that you trust and a procedure that will give you the results that you are looking for. It would also be wise to take baby steps when it comes to waxing so that you don’t end up in over your head. Once that wax is on, there is only one way for it to come off, and you had better be prepared for it.
Whether you bite the bullet and go Brazilian like our fearless friend Carrie, or stay at home with our other pals, BIC and Gillette, it’s time to get bikini ready!