Have you made the call, set your wax appointment, and now you are thinking, “What did I get myself into?” No worries, we put together some great Do’s and Don’ts to help you before and after your waxing session!

What To Do BeforeA Wax Appointment

Do . . . Let your hair grow out a bit. Your hair house be at least ¼ of an inch long before your wax appointment (usually 2 weeks of growth after a shave or 4-6 weeks after a wax). If your hair is too short, the wax may not adhere.

Do . . . Exfoliate your skin 1 day prior to your appointment to get rid of dead skin and prepare your hair follicles for removal.

Do . . . Wear loose clothing to allow your skin to breathe after your wax treatment.

Do not . . . Go out in the sun or to the tanning bed 24-48 hours before your appointment as we cannot perform services on sunburnt or irritated skin.

Do not . . . Consume alcohol or caffeine before your wax, as these can make your skin more sensitive. Some clients choose to take a Tylenol or Advil about 30 minutes prior to their appointment to take the end off the sting (if you have a low pain tolerance).

Do . . . Schedule your wax appointment 3-4 days BEFORE a big event.  This will allow your skin to have time to chill and not be so red.

Do not . . . Use lotions or oils around the bikini area prior to getting a wax.  Moisturizers can interfere with the wax process by not allowing the wax to adhere well to the hair.

Do . . . Ask your doctor before your appointment if you have sensitive skin or on certain types of oral acne medication. If you are using prescribed creams for acne, those areas cannot be waxed within 7 days of product application.

Do . . . Communicate how much and what you want.  This is your body; you need to know what you want and communicate that to your esthetician.    

What To Do After Your Wax Appointment

Do not . . . Touch your newly hair-free skin.  Since pores are open, we do not recommended working out, going in the pool, ocean or lakes immediately after waxing as this can lead to skin irritation.

Do not . . . Use any harsh soaps or body washes that contain too many oils or leave a film on your skin. This includes spray tanning as the chemicals may irritate your skin.

Do not . . . Use tanning beds, saunas, hot yoga  or steam rooms for the next 2 days.

Do not . . . Submerge into a bath, pool or etc. the day of your wax.  Soaking in water can cause unnecessary pimples.

Do not . . . Wear tight pants or tight underwear for the first few days after your wax appointment to avoid skin irritation.

Do . . . Shower if you would like.  Just keep the water the lukewarm to cooler temp.  Hot showers will dehydrate skin. 

Do . . . Exfoliate 2 full days after your wax if there is no redness.  This helps prevent ingrown hair.

Do . . . Skip sexual activity for at least 12-24 hours post wax (longer if you have sensitive skin).

Do . . . Stay out of the sun at least 48 hours post wax.  Your fresh smooth skin will be more prone to sunburns.

Do not . . . Exercise for the first couple of days.  Activities like running, aerobics, or cycling can cause friction in treated areas and sweating can also be irritating.

Additional Tips:

• Your skin is more sensitive around the time near your period, waxing may be more painful than normal.  Try to make your spa appointments at least a few days before or after your period. 
• Put down the razor.  I know it can be tempting, but do not do it! Shaving between waxes can leave you with undesirable results.
• As you become a consistent waxer, your hair will become noticeably softer, finer, and over time, sparser. Book your next wax 5-6 weeks after your appointment for smoothest results.

Need to schedule your waxing appointment? Call Precision Wellness Today!

Does anyone actually like shaving? It takes forever so you rush through it and then end up getting razor burn, and we have to do the process all over again the next day to keep that stubble at bay. 

While many women feel the need to shave many different areas of their bodies, you should never feel pressured by anyone to get rid of your hair – this decision is completely up to you! However, if you do decide to, make sure you’re making the correct medium for your skin.Here’s why you should be waxing: 

1. It’s way less time-consuming! Waxing (depending on where you’re getting it done) can be done in a short, 30-minute session. 
2. Hair takes much longer to grow back! When you get your hair waxed, it can take two weeks to 4 weeks to for the hair to appear again. 
3. Waxing can also act as an exfoliator. Waxing pulls the hair from the root along with dead skin off the surface, leaving your skin softer and smoother. 
4. You don’t have to worry about cutting yourself. Shaving around trickier areas like the knees and ankles can leave cuts that can get infected (not to mention, what kinds of bacteria have already accumulated on that razor you’ve had in the shower for over a week??), whereas wax is often made from natural sources (making it the “healthier”) option. 

For those going on vacations or would just like to feel smooth without the hassle of shaving every day, waxing is definitely the way to go! If you have sensitive skin, we always recommend asking your dermatologist for advice on the best way to remove unwanted hair. When waxing, using a professional can ensure you are satisfied with the results and the hair is properly removed. 

At Precision Wellness, we offer multiple waxing area choices: 

• Arms
• Legs
• Back
• Chest
• Face
• Stomach
• Bikini
• Eyebrows

Many of the choices we offer can be combined with other services – just ask! If you’d like to book your waxing appointment, call 417-886-1131 or schedule online with us!

It’s a woman’s prerogative to change her hair. But when body hair changes without our permission? Then it’s our imperative to check it out. Because hair is a signifier—its presence, its gain, or its loss—hair is always trying to tell us something. Here’s what your hair can reveal about you:

1. Your genetic inheritance

(Photo by: Getty Images)

The amount of hair that blankets your body can depend on your ethnicity. The fine hairs that cover the body are called vellus (from the Latin word for “fleece”). Long, coarse, pigmented hairs that are larger in diameter are called terminal hairs and are found in eyebrows and eyelashes, on the scalp and chin, under your arms, and in your pubic area.

“There’s a spectrum of what’s normal with each ethnicity, of course, but different ethnicities have differing amounts of terminal hair,” says Margaret E. Wierman, MD, professor of medicine at the University of Colorado Medical Center in Denver and chief of endocrinology at the Denver Veterans Administration Medical Center. “The ethnicity with the least amount of terminal hair is Asian, whereas people of Hispanic and Middle Eastern descent typically have the most. Other ethnicities fall somewhere in between. So what’s normal, hair-wise, for you might not be normal for someone of a different ethnic background.”

2. You could have an autoimmune problem

It’s rare, but the immune system can turn on your hair follicles. The result can be losing your hair in odd, circular patches (called alopecia areata); losing all your hair on your scalp (alopecia totalis); or losing all your hair on your head and body, including your eyebrows and eyelashes (alopecia universalis). These conditions are typically treated with systemic steroids, and the hair can grow back—though the cure doesn’t always last.

3. Your hormones are out of balance

(Photo by: Getty Images)

A sudden increase in hair growth or loss in women is often caused by an imbalance of male hormones, which are naturally present in both men and women in differing amounts. If you get an increase in testosterone, for example, excess hair can be the result. “It’s called hirsutism—a condition of unwanted male-pattern hair growth in women,” says Wierman. “The ‘male-pattern’ part of the diagnosis means hair above the belly button, on the upper chest, or on the upper back. More than eight hairs around a single nipple is considered abnormal in women and would meet the definition of hirsuitism.”

Much like male-pattern excess hair, male pattern baldness in women is also a sign of shifting male hormone levels. When estrogen levels decline during menopause and, as a consequence, testosterone rises, many women find that the hair on their heads thins while their facial hair becomes coarser. You might even find an errant hair on your chin. “Initially horrifying, yes,” says Wierman, “but all perfectly normal.”

4. Your ovaries may need checking

“If hirsutism is accompanied by irregular periods, it’s most likely a systemic problem,” says Wierman. The most common cause is polycystic ovary syndrome, which is characterized by enlarged ovaries that contain small collections of fluid, called follicles. The second most likely cause is obesity, which can also accompany polycystic ovary syndrome.

5. You might have a tumor

If hirsutism comes on very suddenly and dramatically—”Say, over a period of six months,“ says Wierman—and your testosterone levels and DHEAS levels (a blood test will reveal both) are very high, you may have a tumor that is releasing male hormones and changing the hormone profile in your body to such as extent that you’re growing hair and fast. “In these cases, we look for a tumor of the adrenal gland or ovary—both are possibilities,” she says. “It’s not common, but it’s something your doctor will check out.”

6. You might be iron deficient or have an underactive thyroid

(Photo by: Getty Images)

Everyone has a hair cycle. Some people tend to naturally shed hair in the spring and fall; others in the summer and winter. But diffuse hair loss—noticeable hair loss on your body and your head can indicate an iron deficiency or an underactive thyroid. Vegetarians and women with heavy periods can experiences this type of hair loss. Thyroid related loss has specific symptoms, says Wierman: “If you find that you’re losing the outside third of your eyebrows—and you’re developing ridges in your nails, you probably have autoimmune thyroid disease,” she says. “Go in for a blood test to have your TSH—or, thyroid-stimulating hormone—levels checked.”   A sudden change in your estrogen levels—after pregnancy or stopping birth control pills, for example—can also lead to temporary hair shedding.

7. Your bad habits

Some drugs leave detectable traces in your hair for years—even a century. Trace amounts of morphine were found in a lock of hair that had been snipped from celebrated English poet John Keats’ head 165 years after his death. The ode master had relied on morphine for pain relief while he was dying of tuberculosis.

By Megan Othersen Gorman