Gentlemen, here are my tips and tricks gained from the past three decades waxing men's bodies.
Before your wax treatment
- Get in the habit of moisturising. Regularly nourishing the skin will keep it soft and supple, and makes a huge difference to what you feel during your treatment.
- Wear loose fitting clothes to your treatment. Avoid tight elastic that might chaff against your newly waxed skin.
- If you're getting a male Brazilian wax, cotton undies or cotton boxers are good, or just wear no undies at all. Avoid silks and synthetics until your skin has returned to normal.
- Leading up to getting a Manzilian, don't have sex or masturbate within a few hours beforehand as your scrotum, penis, and perineum will be a little more sensitive than usual.
- Don't clipper your hair in order to tidy it up first. You might trim your hair too short for the wax to grip. If it needs trimming, your therapist will take care of it.
- Don't tell your mates or partner that you're getting a wax. They can be mongrels and stir you up. Come in calm and relaxed. That's half the battle for first timers.
- Don't be scared to look like a noob. Your waxing therapist sees a lot of first timers.If you have any questions, ask them.
- Have a look through these common waxing contraindications to see if anything might prevent you from having a wax.
After care
- Use a good quality after-waxing cream or body milk until the skin has calmed down. Your waxing therapist will be able to recommend or sell a quality post-wax lotion for $10 - $20 that will last several treatments.
- Don't use general antiseptics or you will inflame your skin.
- Don't put pure tea tree oil on your skin after waxing. It will burn you. Yes, most after-wax lotions contain tea tree oil, but they are only around 5% strength maximum - Pure tea tree oil is 20 times the recommended strength on newly waxed skin.
- Avoid chlorine, saunas, hot tubs and any other sources of heat until your skin has calmed down.
- Salt is a natural antiseptic. If you live near the beach, a swim in salt water is great for the skin after waxing. You can also make a soothing saline wash with half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water.
- Avoid colognes and antiperspirants until your skin has returned to normal.
- If you've had a Manzilian or your chest and stomach waxed, wait for your skin to return to normal before having sex.
Regrowth & maintenance
- You shouldn't exfoliate the waxed area for 72 hours after treatment, or until the skin has fully calmed down. Otherwise, you'll likely cause in-grown hairs.
- As regrowth comes through at about the 3 week mark, gently exfoliate each day then follow with your after-wax lotion.
- Waxing treatments should be spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart. Your hair should be at around 5mm long for the wax to grip it.