Waxing is a form of semi-permanent hair removal which removes the hair from the root. New hair will not grow back in the previously waxed area for four to six weeks, although some people will start to see regrowth in only a week due to some of their hair being on a different growth cycle. Almost any area of the body can be waxed, including eyebrows, face, pubic area (called bikini waxing), legs, arms, back, abdomen and feet. There are many types of waxing suitable for removing unwanted hair.
Strip waxing (soft wax) is accomplished by spreading a wax thinly over the skin. A cloth or paper strip is applied and pressed firmly, adhering the strip to the wax and the wax to the skin. The strip is then quickly ripped against the direction of hair growth, as parallel as possible to the skin to avoid trauma to the skin (i.e., bruising, broken capillaries, ingrown hairs caused by hair follicle trauma and lifting of skin). This removes the wax along with the hair.
Strip-less wax (as opposed to strip wax), also referred to as hard wax, is applied somewhat thickly and with no cloth or paper strips. The wax then hardens when it cools, thus allowing the easy removal by a therapist without the aid of cloths. This waxing method is very beneficial to people who have sensitive skin. Strip-less wax does not adhere to the skin as much as strip wax does, thus making it a good option for sensitive skin as finer hairs are more easily removed because the hard wax encapsulates the hair as it hardens. The strip-less waxing method can also be less painful.
In Middle Eastern societies, removal of the female body hair has been considered proper hygiene, necessitated by local customs, for many centuries.
In Western societies, removal of female body hair (except for head hair, eyelashes and eyebrows) has traditionally been considered appropriate when it was visible. Visible pubic hair continues to be widely culturally disapproved and considered to be embarrassing, and so is at times removed.[2] In relation to pubic hair, with the reduction in the size of swimsuits, especially since the coming into fashion and popularity of the bikini after 1946, the styling of pubic hair has also come into vogue. The practice to remove even more pubic hair continued with the popularity or fashion of even briefer swimwear, such as the thong, which exposed the buttocks.
Changes in lingerie styles also encouraged the removal of pubic hair, and the nude crotch—i.e., the total removal of pubic hair, such as in a full Brazilian or the Sphinx style—became considered by many to be erotic and glamorous. A nude crotch is considered by some to be more youthful looking. According to Tschachler, Devine and Draxlbauer, removal of all visible body hair has come to be seen as an important aspect of femininity.