When you experience your first waxing session, the results can be impressive. Your skin feels smooth, hair-free, and you're thrilled about taking a break from shaving for a few weeks. But after that initial session, you might find yourself wondering if it's really necessary to maintain a regular waxing schedule. Perhaps you're unsure of your plans in the next few weeks or tempted to shave in between. After all, shaving between waxes can't hurt, right? Actually, it can. To truly reap the full benefits of waxing, it's essential to make it a part of your routine. Here’s why regular waxing is so important and what happens when you stick with it.
Understanding Hair Growth
Your hair consists of two main parts: the follicle, which is beneath the skin, and the shaft, which is the visible portion above the skin. The follicle acts like a tunnel, extending from the skin’s surface deep into the dermis, where hair grows. The bulb, located at the base of the follicle, is the living part of the hair. Surrounding the hair shaft are two protective layers called sheaths. The inner sheath stops just below the skin, while the outer sheath goes up along the shaft, offering extra protection.
The hair shaft itself is made up of three layers of keratin, a protein. Interestingly, the hair we see and touch is actually dead. The living part exists under the skin. The shaft's three layers include the medulla (innermost layer), the cortex (middle layer that gives hair color), and the cuticle (outer protective layer). The cortex and medulla determine the hair’s color and texture, while the cuticle keeps the hair protected from damage.
The Hair Growth Cycle
There are three stages in the hair growth cycle: anagen, catagen, and telogen. During the anagen phase, your hair is actively growing, and most of the hair on your body is in this phase. The catagen phase is transitional, where the hair follicle detaches from the skin's dermis layer. Finally, in the telogen phase (the resting phase), the hair is ready to shed, though this may not always happen immediately. Sometimes, new hair growth pushes out the old hair during this phase.
Why Consistency with Waxing Matters
Shaving only removes the hair shaft above the skin’s surface, leaving the follicle intact. This means your hair will be in different stages of the growth cycle, which causes uneven regrowth. After your first wax or two, your skin may not feel as smooth as expected because the hairs are still at various stages of growth.
Regular waxing, however, helps synchronize your hair’s growth cycle. Over time, this results in smoother skin, as the hair regrows at the same pace. After several waxing sessions, you’ll notice that hair grows back slower, finer, and more evenly distributed. The more consistently you wax, the better the results: fewer ingrown hairs, slower regrowth, and a longer-lasting smoothness.
Incorporating waxing into your routine isn’t just about maintaining appearance—it’s also about improving the condition of your skin and hair over time. Stick with it, and you'll see a difference!