Brazilian waxing
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged into Bikini waxing. (Discuss) Proposed since December 2007. |
Brazilian waxing is a type of waxing involving the bikini area.[1][2][3][4] This procedure involves the complete removal of hair from the buttocks and adjacent to the anus, perineum and vulva (labia majora and mons pubis). It can be thought of as a more extreme form of bikini waxing. The majority of types of Brazilian waxing leave a small line of pubic hair above the vulva, commonly known as the "G-Wax."[citation needed] Waxes that completely remove the pubic hair are either termed "Hollywood"[5] or "Sphynx" depending on the salon visited. Sometimes the term Full Brazilian Wax, Full Bikini Wax or Entire Body Wax (or eBodyWax) is used. While mainly associated with females, the practice is engaged in by males as well. It is named after Brazil, the country with which it is most often associated and from which the modern practice originated.[6] In Brazil itself, it is not called Brazilian waxing, but simply depilar (to wax, to pluck hairs).[7] In Middle Eastern societies, removal of the body hair is considered a proper form of hygiene, necessitated by ancient local customs. Contemporary sources indicate that the French nobility also practiced waxing during the 17th century.
Process
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The client begins by removing their clothing. Occasionally, for females, a paper g-string is provided to protect the client's vulva. The procedure starts with baby or talcum powder being spread liberally over the area to be waxed. This prevents the hot wax from sticking to the sensitive skin. Then, as in other forms of waxing, hot wax is spread over the area from which hair is to be removed. The wax is allowed to harden briefly, then one edge of the wax strip is pulled up and used as a 'tab' to quickly pull off or "zip" the rest of the wax, usually in the direction opposite of hair growth. The waxer then works his or her way around the body systematically removing the hair from the genital area, buttocks, and anus. This procedure removes the wax, hair, and any dead skin cells lying on the skin surface. The person performing the wax will then finish with tweezers to remove any stray hairs that the waxing missed. Finally, the remaining pubic hair (the so-called "landing strip") is either trimmed with scissors, or waxed off if the client requests it. The remaining hair may even be in a particular pattern (hearts are a popular option), or dyed.
The wax used is often a mixture of natural beeswax and tall oil rather than the more common synthetic 'waxes' used for regular leg waxing. It is felt that beeswax is stronger, and more effective at removing the thicker, coarser pubic hairs.
The pain involved with this procedure can be slight or severe and can continue for quite some time (from several seconds to minutes). Some claim to perceive less pain during subsequent treatments. Many products are available to lessen the pain, such as topical anesthetics. Pain is greatest immediately before and during menstruation, when the area is most sensitive. The area is least sensitive about a week after menstruation; this is the ideal time for waxing.[citation needed]
Many women report heightened sensation after having a wax, as removing the hair in erogenous zones improves sense of feeling, allowing for a more intense or pleasurable sensation during sexual activities. Some women also report preferring the "clean" feeling they have when waxed as a reason why they choose to remove their pubic hair.
Some advise following the procedure with an application of a hair inhibitor, which will slow the regrowth of hair and may halt regrowth completely. The results can last up to two months.
It is recommended that one get a licensed cosmetologist or esthetician to perform this procedure, but with care it can safely be done on oneself with a home kit.
Other methods of hair removal, such as shaving, sugaring or using chemical depilatories creams may be used in place of waxing.
Criticism
The Brazilian wax, in partial or full version, has received criticism.[8][9] Arguments against the wax include:
- There is a health risk if it is not done properly and a risk of infection if done on a person with a weakened immune system.[10]
- Generational division tends to equate brazilian waxing with "unnatural" or pornographic objectification with older women. Younger women see brazilians as a simply more enthusiastic bikini wax, without all the Freudian baggage.
See also
- Bikini waxing
- Glabrousness, a complete lack of hair on genitals and most other parts of the body.
References
- ^
Boston Women's Health Book Collective (2005). Our Bodies Ourselves. New York: Touchstone/Simon & Schuster. p. p. 4. ISBN 0-7432-5611-5.
Brazilian waxing removes every wisp of hair from the genital and anal area, leaving only a tiny decorative pouf at the top.
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Salinger, Eve (2005). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pleasing Your Woman. New York: Alpha Books/Penguin Group. p. p. 169. ISBN 1-59257-464-5.
A Brazilian wax removes all pubic hair except for a vertical strip in front.
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Blue, Violet (2002). The Ultimate Guide to Cunnilingus. San Francisco, California USA: Cleis Press. p. p.66. ISBN 1-57344-144-9.
"...a Brazilian wax, in which everything is waxed, usually leaving a little racing stripe of hair on the front—or you can have even that removed. Either way, with a Brazilian, they wax it all—anus, outer labia, and even inner labia.
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Christina Valhouli (September 3, 1999). "Faster Pussycat, Wax! Wax!". Retrieved May 10, 2007.
"What it is: a very thorough waxing where every bit of hair -- and I mean every last bit -- is removed except for a thin landing strip. ... Butt waxing is part of what differentiates a Brazilian wax from a regular wax.
- ^
Salinger, Eve (2005). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pleasing Your Woman. New York: Alpha Books/Penguin Group. p. p. 196. ISBN 1-59257-464-5.
A Hollywood wax leaves things all bare down there.
{{cite book}}:|page=has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^
Valhouli, Christina (September 3, 1999). "Faster Pussycat, Wax! Wax!". Retrieved May 10, 2007.
...it's business as usual at the J. Sisters International Salon in midtown Manhattan. The salon is named for seven Brazilian-born sisters: Jocely, Jonice, Joyce, Janea, Jussara, Juracy and Judseia Padilha, whose claim to fame is introducing Americans to their hometown phenomenon of "Brazilian bikini waxing.
- ^
Symons, Mitchell (2007). Where Do Nudists Keep Their Hankies. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. pp. pp. 74-75. ISBN 978-0-06-113407-4.
Chapter "What Do They Call a Brazilian Bikini Wax in Brazil?": "... Eventually, a very nice lady at somewhere called Brazilian Contemporary Arts agreed to help me. "We just call it 'depilar,' she said, obviously marking me down as a true British eccentric. "Not a Columbian or Peruvian, or, indeed, a German?" "No, just "depilar." "But you're aware that the rest of the world calls it a Brazilian?" "Yes."
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Kirsch, Melissa (2006). The Girl's Guide to Absolutely Everything. New York: Workman Publishing. p. p. 424. ISBN 0-7611-3579-0.
Brazilian... I've met many women who are conflicted on the subject.
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Joannides, Paul (2006). Guide to Getting It On. Waldport, Oregon, USA: Goofy Foot Press. p. p. 528. ISBN 1-885535-69-4.
Some people like their lovers furry while others like them bald, and we're not talking about the top of their head.
{{cite book}}:|page=has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Tweed, Katherine. "Woman Almost Dies After Bikini Wax". Retrieved July 31, 2007. A July 11, 2007 FOX news report about a 20-year-old Australian woman with diabetes who had a Brazilian bikini wax done and became infected with the life-threatening bacteria, Streptococcus pyogenes. The Fox news report states she was also infected with herpes simplex, but does not indicate if that was a result of the waxing or was a pre-existing condition. After being hospitalized and cured, the young woman later tried shaving herself at home and became infected again. The case is from the June 2007 issue of the Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases.
External links
- brazilianrush.com - complete guide to the brazilian wax
- Islamic Ruling on Waxing Unwanted Hair.
- How it feels to give a Brazilian wax- Interview with a depilidora, specialized in Brazilian Waxing, January 4, 2005.