Does Waxing Stop Hair From Growing Back?

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For most people, the hair on the scalp of the head is everything. However, there are also some hairs that can grow on the unwanted sites of the body (such as chin, lips, legs, armpit, or even cheeks). For this reason, some people (especially women) are looking for the safe and effective hair removal. One of common choices is with waxing. But does it actually stop hair from growing back? Or does it only provide a temporary result?

Waxing for hair removal – what actually is it?

The growth of hair on the unwanted sites can be caused by a wide range of causes such as the role of genetics, the side effects of using some medications, or even due to certain health conditions. But don’t worry, there are plenty options to remove unwanted hairs.


How about with waxing? The most common reason why people love it is because it can be practical option. Even you can do it at home!

Many times, it is used to remove hair from the bikini area. Many women also use it to remove the unwanted hair growth on the upper lip.

image_illustration101In general, we can say that there are 3 major types of waxing.

  1. Cold wax. It is usually designed to be already applied to pre-made strips. It has its own mechanism to generate heat for wax. A little friction over it is usually the key why it can get some heat for wax.
  2. Warm /hot wax. It uses a warm mixture. This soft mixture then can be spread over hair in the direction your hair grows, and then a cloth /paper strip is placed on top of it. Then once the mixture is cooled, you can pull the strip in the opposite direction of your hair growth.
  3. Hard wax. As the name implies, it cools solid enough that can become a strip itself. Therefore, it doesn’t need a strip.

Why you should use it?

In general, it is relatively a slightly better than cream hair remover because at least it doesn’t cause unfriendly smell and there is also less chance you will end with a nasty red rash. Furthermore, it is also practical option to have bikini or legs that are not left full of cuts & nicks.

And the most benefit is you can do it fairly quickly (much more practical and faster than tweezing ‘a method that removes the hair one by one’) – though it may be not as fast as other methods of hair removals, particularly such as shaving.

The drawbacks you need to concern

However, there are also some drawbacks you need to know when using a wax for hair removal. These include:

Waxing is not always easy as it looks

There are some important procedures that you need to concern before you do it. For instance, the hair that will be removed must be at least one-quarter inch long.

This is needed to make sure that the wax will be grasped enough to the hair. If the hair is not long enough, the wax can be very poor to grasp hair and remove it. As a result, the hair cannot be removed entirely.

Typically, the growth of hair for one quarter of an inch will take about three to four weeks. However, for some people, it may only take about 7 days [1].

Furthermore, if it is your first time to remove hair from sensitive area such as the skin above the eyes, it is much better to not do it on your own. Find a professional help to keep safe!


You cannot repeat the wax immediately!

It’s important to do the procedure of waxing perfectly to get the perfect result. When you do it improperly, there is a chance for some hairs that are not pulled completely. As a result, they can grow back quickly.

And when a session of waxing is not successful, you cannot try it for the second time immediately. You need to wait for several days or weeks to avoid irritation and to make sure that the site is hairy enough for new waxing!

Side effects

The side-effects of waxing can occur of you don’t follow the procedure properly. These include redness, irritation, skin burned, or even infection.

Furthermore, if you are taking some types of creams (particularly such as isotretinoin or Retin-A – they are commonly prescribed to treat acne), the use of wax is commonly not recommended. If you do, there is chance for the wax to pull the skin off [2].

What’s the fact? Does it really work to stop hair from growing back?

In general, waxing is only able to provide a temporary result. Many times, the use of this method ends with at least some hair will eventually regrow. And it may also vary from person to person.

However, there is also a chance to get a permanent result. Over time, the frequent use of waxing for hair removal on the same site will probably damage the hair follicles which then can slow the production of hair or even may stop hair from growing back.


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