Does Waxing Reduce Hair Growth?

August

Does Waxing Reduce Hair Growth?

Kay’s Question:
I know it’s an old wives’ tale that shaving makes your hair grow in faster and thicker but I’m beginning to think that waxing is the new wives’ tale. I have been waxing my legs for years and have yet to see hair grow in thinner or take longer to grow back in. Is there any relationship between waxing and less hair growth?

The Right Brain Waxes Poetic:
I wish we could give you a definitive answer here but there seems to be a bit of scientific controversy in Wax-land. While everyone agrees that waxing is an effective method of epilation, they disagree on whether it makes the regrowth better or worse!

Some sources, like Onlinesurgery.com say that waxing causes repeated damage to the hair follicles that may result in permanent reduction of unwanted hair. But other research, like this article from the Symposium of Adolescent Gynecology and Endocrinology discusses the possibility that waxing actually has the reverse affect: that it can trigger hair to change from the vellus type (fine thin hair) to the terminal type (scalp and beard hair).

The only consistent data appears to be that the results vary depending on the person and the location of the body hair. Leg hair may become more fine with time while lip and eyebrow hair may grow thicker. Everyone has their opinion but apparently there’s no definitive answer in the scientific community.

The Brains Bottom Line:
We’d love to hear from our loyal Beauty Braniacs on this subject: what’s your experience with hair regrowth after waxing? In the meantime, Kay, heed these words of caution: wisely watch what you wax!

5 Responses to “Does Waxing Reduce Hair Growth?”

Daisy Says:

I stupidly let a lady in Chicago wax my extire face. I had light blond peach fuzz on it, not noticable at all. She said it would be a good “exfoliant” or something. I have always had my lip, chin and eyebrows done, so I thought, what could this hurt? Well, in my experience the hair grew back more, faster, and at odd angles. It has yet to get darker (thank goodness). But I do now have to go and have it removed twice a month because of how it grows. I never had this problem before. We are all different, just don’t ever wax anything on your face unless you MUST. I am not greek, or asian, but am a fair skinned irish gal with what used to be blonde unnoticable hair, and now it grows like I have the ancestry of a greek goddess—and not in a good way!!

I am considering trying vaniqa, but even it has side effects. I also switched from waxing to threading (easier on my skin).

Wish me luck, I couldn’t be more depressed about it, I don’t even go out anymore.
Daisy Says:

Oh, I do have many greek friends who feel they MUST wax their entire faces, again, they have that dark, thick hair. Mine was never an issue until this. Now it’s insane!
Jessieca Says:

Daisy thanks for your post, I was here doing research on waxing because I was considering waxing my face. I wax my eyebrows and sometimes shave my thin lip hair and tweeze my chin if any unusual hair grows there. I have light hair on my face and have been contemplating waxing, now due to your post I am definitely not doing it:)
Thanks, hope it works out for you
pallavi Says:

hello,
i have hair growth on my face so i do laser treatment on my face.but when i do before my hair r fine after laser it grow fast n thik.i look ugly.so i suggest pls dont do a laser treatment.its really bad n painful for life time.pls live a natural live.i just wish i get a parmenent solution later but ther is no hope 4 me.now i feel bad n try to be natural.i hope hormonal changes are affected so i take a harmonal treatment to remove my face hair.one hope is there.if any one give me proper advive for that i m thank ful for them if any body knows so pls give me solution for life time.yes waxing is also bad pls dont do that.if poss then do a threading only.its really painful but not bad.
pallavi Says:

hello,
i have hair growth on my face so i do laser treatment on my face.but when i do before my hair r fine after laser it grow fast n thik.i look ugly.so i suggest pls dont do a laser treatment.its really bad n painful for life time.pls live a natural live.i just wish i get a parmenent solution later but ther is no hope 4 me.now i feel bad n try to be natural.i hope hormonal changes are affected so i take a harmonal treatment to remove my face hair.one hope is there.if any one give me proper advice for that i m thank ful for them if any body knows so pls give me solution for life time.yes waxing is also bad pls dont do that.if poss then do a threading only.its really painful but not bad.