How Can I Make Waxing Less Painful?

October 21, 2020

There's no joy in a painful wax session. While regular clients know what to expect in terms of pain, it's discouraging to leave a wax appointment feeling bruised and mentally exhausted. Part of your job as an esthetician entails reassuring clients before and during a session. Then, you must provide the best care to pamper the skin while you get rid of the unwanted hairs. Soft body waxes have several soothing properties that simplify the work for you, so you can complement them with other useful products and tricks to reduce the pain of waxing.

Reducing Pain During the Wax Treatment

Now, before you have the chance to put all your skills to good use, reassuring your client is key. People want to avoid painful situations, so estheticians must be prepared to put their clients' fears to rest from the get-go. Be honest about how much pain they will feel depending on the type of wax, and provide insight about the overall duration of the session, preventive measures, and post-wax treatments. Not only will this make the overall experience less awkward for everyone, it will make it easier for you to go about the waxing itself. When your client's nerves are under control, they will have a better grasp of their body's response, and the skin itself will react better to the wax. Here are other tips to reduce the pain of a wax session:

1. Pain relievers: Some clients have a low pain tolerance, and many of them will express their concern while booking their appointment. If your client doesn't suffer from any allergies, you can instruct them to take pain killers like an ibuprofen aspirin, Advil, or an Advil at least 40 minutes before the wax appointment.


2. No ice or alcohol on the area: You might think that using pain numbing solutions is akin to taking pain killers to dull the nerves, muting sensations directly on the skin. While very effective to soothe the skin post-waxing, applying ice or cold compresses before a wax will tighten the pores around the hairs. Alcohol-based solutions to disinfect the area during the pre-wax treatment are not good either. In all these cases, the hair will come out less smoothly and your client will suffer unnecessary amounts of pain. Pain numbing creams might have similar results, and they might react poorly to the products used during the treatment.
   
   
3. Check the hair length: Some body waxes are ideal to work with shorter hairs, but if the pain is your client's main concern, make sure the hairs have at least 1/4 of an inch in length. This will ensure a firm grasp that will pull out the entire hair and not just the visible part of it.


4. Exfoliation: The first step in your pre-wax treatment should be to check that the skin is properly exfoliated. If the client has failed to remove all the dead skin cells from the area, they will obstruct the pores and the wax won't get a strong enough grip for a clean removal.


5. Work in small sections: Seeing how a layer of wax can rip all the hairs from a big portion of skin at once, it might be tempting to save time working on large patches of skin at a time. Your clients, however, will appreciate the chance to adjust to the feel of the wax. Start small and keep it up if you're using hard body waxes. Spreading the wax on large sections will give you little time to remove it before it starts drying. You'll also cause much more pain when ripping these big pieces of wax off the skin. If you're using soft waxes and your clients remain calm as you work on areas like the arms, legs, and back, you can gradually start treating larger sections of skin at a time.


6. Instill the Importance of a professional wax service: Professional estheticians know how to adapt their technique to different wax products and body parts. Their methods also leave little room for errant hairs that might require a second hand of wax. The upper lip, the chin, and all the parts included in a bikini / Brazilian wax are areas where pain is unavoidable, and the technique of a seasoned esthetician is usually what makes these waxes bearable at all. Waxing as a whole becomes more efficient and less messy when done by a professional.

Your Client's Comfort is your Priority

If your client has a low pain tolerance, they should avoid waxing many parts of the body in one single session. Even after getting used to the pain, wax sessions force clients to keep still for several minutes so keeping a positive disposition is a vital step in a successful wax service. To avoid boredom and ignore whatever discomfort the wax might make them feel, clients can do one of the following:

• Breathing exercises.
• Have some reading material on hand.
• Ask questions or ask the esthetician to describe the process.
• Request a time-out if they get cramps.

Proper aftercare will save your clients a lot of pain between sessions, and it's the best way to cheer them up after a wax. Mild redness and irritation are normal right after the wax, and you can guide your clients through the best way to deal with these problems without putting their skin at risk. Be gentle during the post-wax treatment, give them recommendations about proper skin care products and be clear about what not to do after waxing.
To ensure the most pleasant waxing experience and save your clients unnecessary pain, your products must nourish the skin at promote its natural smoothness at the same time. Beauty Image's collection of wax formulas is filled with products especially created to sooth your clients during each treatment and protect the skin for hours afterwards. Learn how our exclusive line of waxes can satisfy your clients calling TOLL FREE 888-513-8815 or filling out our website's contact form. And remember to subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest news and tips straight to your inbox.

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