10 Things You Need To Know Before Your First Bikini Wax

The thought of a bikini wax is both satisfying and terrifying for most of us. We get to put our bodies through intense pain for a couple of weeks of smooth skin around the lady parts. Unsure if you want to try it out? Let’s go over what you can expect at your first bikini wax.

  1. It’s perfectly fine to ask questions. Your wax technician won’t expect you to know everything about bikini waxes, so if you have questions, ask them! I was unsure what type of wax was best for me, so I asked about the different kinds and what each entailed. I opted for a French bikini wax because it goes a little further inland on the sides and takes more off the top.
  2. The technician wants to make you comfortable. Whether you want to chat or stay quiet during the bikini wax, your technician wants to do what makes you feel comfortable. Personally, I prefer small talking during my waxes. I love learning about new people. Plus, chatting takes my mind off of what’s happening below the waistline.
  3. The wax is performed on a bed similar to a massage table. All of my bikini waxes have been performed in a soothing room, similar to a massage room. And the wax is done on a bed similar to a massage table. (To be honest, I was expecting stirrups my first time! Thank goodness I was wrong.)
  4. You’ll wear a paper thong. After discussing which wax is best for you, the technician will exit the room so you can change into a paper thong. You can keep your clothes on, only removing your pants/underwear and replacing them with the thong. My technicians give me the option of getting under the blanket before she comes back in the room, but I never do. It seems irrelevant since she’d be up close and personal momentarily anyway.
  5. Don’t be embarrassed—they’ve seen it all. I’ve always been told that the hair in the bikini area must be at least a quarter of an inch long for a bikini wax. So, it feels a little embarrassing when a stranger sees your “unkept” lady parts. Don’t worry—you’re most likely not their first client ever and they’ve seen plenty of bikini areas.
  6. Get ready to spread your legs. Your technician will either ask you to put your legs in a butterfly position or to butterfly one leg at a time. I’ve experienced both situations, but this is the only position I’ve had to get in for a bikini wax.
  7. They may use multiple waxes on you. The technician may use different kinds of waxes on you depending on the type of hair you have. I’ve experienced the typical wax, where they apply the wax, then use cloth strips to remove the wax/hair. I’ve also experienced a hard wax used on my bikini area. The hard wax doesn’t need to be removed with a cloth. Instead, it hardens, and the technician strips off the wax itself.
  8. It hurts like a mother. Let’s keep it 100—bikini waxes hurt. A LOT. Imagine having your eyebrows waxed, but multiply that pain by about 400 percent. Your bikini area is much larger than your eyebrow area, obviously, and it’s much more sensitive. The first time the technician removed the wax from my bikini area, I was yelling expletives in my head. I honestly considered telling her to stop, but I couldn’t have only one side waxed. Instead, I sucked it up, focused on my breathing and chatted while she waxed me.
  9. The wax itself doesn’t take too long. Once you’ve been checked-in and escorted to your room, the bikini wax itself doesn’t take too long. My waxes typically last 20-25 minutes, and I’ve been able to get them on my lunch break as long as the spa is within close proximity to my office.
  10. The technician may pluck stray hairs. Your technician may pluck stray hairs from your bikini area after she’s done waxing. It’s so minute compared to the waxing that I don’t really notice it. I always appreciate the extra time and effort because she’s ensuring that the bikini area is completely hairless.
  11. Your bikini area will be red for a day or so. Your bikini area will be red for a day or two. It’s not very pretty, but the redness will fade. To help the area heal faster, I apply hydro-cortisone cream for several days after the wax. Keeping the area clean and dry will also help it heal quickly. With that in mind, it may not be a good idea to wear tight pants or go workout right after.
  12. The pain is totally worth the results—for me, anyway. Maybe bikini waxes aren’t for everyone, but in my opinion, the pain is totally worth the convenience of a smooth bikini area. I typically have irritation from a bathing suit or underwear rubbing on my bikini area a couple days after I shave, but that’s non-existent with a bikini wax. I had my first bikini wax before a beach vacation, and my bikini area stayed smooth and rash-free the entire time. And when it came to sex, my bikini area was ready at any given time—what a confidence boost!
  13. It’s hard to tell how fast the hair will grow back. How fast the hair will grow back varies woman to woman. My first bikini wax was performed five days before leaving for vacation, and I had a smooth bikini area for at least 15 days. However, I had hair growing back within about 10 days after my most recent bikini wax. (Part of me wonders if that’s because the technician used only hard wax that time.)
Lauren Hamilton is a blogger and a freelance communications strategist and writer. She's the voice behind www.modwife.co, where she writes about relationships, personal growth and feminine lifestyles. She lives in Nashville, TN with her husband and their feisty dog. Follow her on Instagram: www.instagram.com/laurenbhamilton
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