To Wax Or Not To Wax?

When my ultra-chic and tres hip younger sister glared at me from across the dinner table and pointed to her bare arms, I knew that something was up.

She mouthed something like: "I wax my arms. You should too." She was careful to enunciate each and every syllable so I did not miss the point. Who could? Later, when we were alone she added that this unsolicited advice was for my own good.

The gall, I thought, as I scoffed away. But truth be told, she got to me. Always does. I looked at my arms under the telling bathroom light repeatedly for the next few days. They were by no means furry. Sure, they had a thin layer of light brown hair. I'm a brunette after all. And during the summer months, my arm hair often turns blonde camouflaging itself from such critical eyes.

My sister is trendy, so odds are if she is waxing her arms, others are too. I started looking around and low and behold, many New Yorkers seemed to be sporting bare arms the type that have nothing to do with nature and everything to do with nurture (as in grooming!)

Bare in mind (pun intended), I am not averse to waxing or any type of hair removal. In fact, I come from a long line of vanity seekers. My mothers only advanced directive if she should ever become incapacitated is that someone namely my sister or I -- pluck that pesky, errant hair that appears on her chin from time to time.

In a nutshell, my dilemma was whether or not I was willing to add another body part to the already long list of those that I wax on a regular basis. No!

On the flip side, did I really want to walk around with gorilla arms? No way!

So what's a girl to do?

Turns out there are some other options besides waxing -- for those who want their arms to appear as hairless as Dr. Evils' cat in the Austin Powers movies.

The first thing I learned was that shaving your arms is not an option. (Fortunately I learned this from copious research not trial and error.) Shaving your arms causes unsightly ingrown hairs and when your hair does grow back (and it always does) it will be mad -- thicker, darker and really, really mad!

So that leaves

Bleaching

If your skin tone is light and your arm hair is relatively thin, at-home bleaching can change it to a less obvious blonde. Try Jolen Bleach for Face & Body or Sally Hansen Creme Hair Bleach. I've tried both. If you can stand to keep on the mixture on your arms as it starts to itch, it works. The problem is that the dark hair tends to grow back quickly from the roots -- often resulting in a two-tone, punk rock type of look. Not what I was going for.

Another option in the bleaching category is Sun-In, a spray-on bleach that lightens the outer most pigment layer of your hair. This spray brings out natural highlights just like the sun - only faster! Spray it and go or spray it and blow. Both sunlight and heat from hairdryer can spin your arm hair into gold. (This method is easiest for me and fits nicely into my current grooming regimen.)

Depilatories

If you really crave that stark look, at-home depilatory lotions such as Nair or Neet can painlessly dissolve hair and leave arms smooth for a week or so. As soon as you see regrowth, you can use the depilatory again.

Waxing

If you really want your arms to stay fuzz-free for extended periods of time, wax them! Waxing can be done at home with various waxing kits including the Bliss Poetic Waxing At-Home Hair Removal Kit or in a salon. Waxing is not without its problems namely it may lead to bumps, burns and ingrown hairs. Not to mention the fact that it hurts! A topical anesthetic such as LMX 4% Topical Anesthetic Cream - 30gm will help dull the pain from at-home or salon waxing. Use Bliss Ingrown Eliminating Pads to prevent bumps and irritation before waxing. Bliss Ingrown Eliminating Pads and Barc Bump Down Razor Bump Relief can also be used after waxing to soothe arms and prevent ingrown hairs.

Dermadoctor tip: To prolong the smooth look after waxing or using a depilatory lotion, use a hair-inhibiting cream daily such as DS Laboratories Keramene Body Hair Minimizer.

One thing to keep in mind whether you opt for bleach, depilatory or wax, do a patch test first to make sure you don't have an allergic reaction.

Lasers

Assuming money is no object, certain lasers can zap away arm hair slowly, but quite possibly surely. With lasers, there is no instant gratification, which may explain why my sister went straight for waxing. Certain lasers including Candela's GentleLASE Plus alexandrite laser and Cynosure's Smartepil II Nd:YAG laser can remove unwanted facial and body hair. In general, they do so by selectively targeting a pigment inside the hair follicle. The laser generates energy in the form of heat at the root of the hair, and destroys it without damaging the skin.

You will want to stay out of the sun before the treatment and discontinue using AHA or retinol products on the area to be lasered a week before the laser treatment.

You physician may ask you to shave the hair from the area to be lasered before your appointment. Use a non-irritating shave products like California North Razor Shavecream if you are prone to irritation from shaving. Do not wax the area too close to the laser hair removal appointment. The laser will search for hair follicles to destroy. Waxing rips the follicles out, and the laser will not be able to destroy them until the next growth cycle.

Laser treatments are not with out some discomfort. Some people compare the feeling to a rubber band being snapped on the skin. Afraid of pain? LMX 4% Topical Anesthetic Cream - 30gm can help!

Always use sun protection after the laser! Skin can be easily damaged after the laser. An excellent, lightweight sunscreen to use is the DERMAdoctor Body Guard Exquisitely Light SPF 30 For Face & Body. Some lasers are designed to work better with darker hair or ethnic skin. Consult with your physician about these laser options.

Electrolysis

Again if money and time are no object or obstacle, electrolysis can also be done to get rid of arm hair for good. Electrolysis is the process of removing unwanted hair by passing an electric current through the hair root.

So what did I ultimately decide?

Still reeling from the time my sister booked me for a Brazilian bikini wax and all the stress involved in scheduling the grooming behaviors I have already committed to (waxing, manicures, pedicures and blow outs for my naturally curly hair), I am sticking to bleach, sun-in boosters and long sleeve shirts when I am around my sister.

Denise Mann
DERMAdoctor Staff Writer

(Any topic discussed in this article is not intended as medical advice. If you have a medical concern, please check with your doctor.)

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