How long does your pubic hair have to be before you can wax it?

Waxing the pubic area has become a very common service in the hair removal business. Women and men prefer the look and feel of being hair-free. To most, it’s a confidence boost, hygienic, and, for some, it’s the only option for hair removal as shaving irritates and causes issues with ingrown hairs. Waxing when done correctly and with the appropriate aftercare can help prevent ingrown hair and painful infections.

Índice Show

Is it OK to Wax off Pubic Hairs at Home?
Can My Hair Be Too Long for Waxing?
What Should I Do to Prepare for the Wax Service?
What Takes Place During a Bikini, G-String, or Brazi?
What Soothes the Pubic Area After Waxing?
How Often Should I Get a Wax Job?
How long do your pubes need to be to wax them?
How long can I shave before wax?

You want the hairs a certain length, however, to get the best result. How long should pubic hair be before waxing? Your hair should be ¼ inch long or 6.35 mm for optimal waxing. First-time waxing appointments require 2-3 weeks of hair growth for optimal bikini wax results.

Read on to learn how you can best prepare for a bikini or Brazilian waxing and continue to maintain a well-maintained bikini line.

Is it OK to Wax off Pubic Hairs at Home?

Professional waxing is best. I’ve heard horror stories from women who have gone to what they thought was a reputable waxing place (or by trying to wax at home), only to have suffered burns to their skin, horrible experiences that have scared them from ever trying the service or infections from bad or no post-wax information. Discomfort or infection in that part of your body can be embarrassing in the least or worse: debilitating!

I have decades of experience in specialty waxing services. A gentle bikini waxing treatment by Pure Skin Makeup & Skincare Studio will successfully and safely remove hair at the panty line and top of the bikini area.

If you’re a licensed cosmetologist or esthetician seeking professional waxing classes, I offer in-person training in waxing services in Reading, Lancaster, West Chester, Philadelphia, and surrounding areas.

Can My Hair Be Too Long for Waxing?

Yes. If your hair is more than a half-inch long, you should consider shaving it and “starting over.” Then schedule an appointment so that it lands about one full growth cycle out. That is, give the hair 1 to 4 weeks to regrow to about ¼ inch. In most cases, 3 weeks is usually long enough. The longer the hair, the more uncomfortable and the more likely there will be some breakage.

I’m happy to discuss the timing of your waxing service and answer any questions you have regarding waxing services in sensitive areas.

What Should I Do to Prepare for the Wax Service?

If you typically get red, bumpy skin after shaving your pubic area, consider taking an antihistamine an hour prior to your waxing service. Of course, check with your primary care physician before taking any medications.

You also should exfoliate your skin prior to your appointment. You can find other tips for pre-bikini waxing here. I suggest you wear loose-fitting clothing.

All new Pure Skin Makeup & Skincare Studio clients must complete a new client form, which can be found online.

What Takes Place During a Bikini, G-String, or Brazi?

Your waxing will take place in a clean, private studio.

Always shower or bathe beforehand. You’ll also be given an anti-bacterial, cleansing wipe at the studio. Your esthetician will keep you properly covered throughout the wax service and instruct you along the way. You may need to move your legs to better accommodate the wax placement and removal, especially if you’ve opted for Brazilian waxing. But you will be guided, so there’s no need to feel apprehensive.

You’ll likely find the inner-most areas of the pubic area the most sensitive, although it won’t be terrible. The entire process is quite bearable, and any pain will quickly disappear.

What Soothes the Pubic Area After Waxing?

Cool compresses can reduce any irritation post-wax. Continue to wear loose-fitting clothing the day of your wax service and avoid perfumes and over-the-counter creams in the pubic area.

I recommended all new clients purchase an at-home care kit for post-waxing maintenance.

How Often Should I Get a Wax Job?

For best results, see your esthetician every 3 to 4 weeks for waxing. Regular waxing will give you consistent results that leave your bikini line smooth. It will also help you avoid hair follicles that may otherwise become ingrown and painful.

Ready to schedule your wax service? Visit the home page of this site for links to the waxing consent form and COVID form or contact us with any questions.

Your hair has to be at least 1/4-inch long, or around the size of a grain of rice, before you wax. This helps ensure that hair is completely removed from the root.

If this is your first time waxing, try to grow out hair from your most previous hair removal for around 2 weeks.

This, of course, depends on how fast and thick your hair grows. You might have to wait a longer time if your hair grows slower.

To measure your hair length, try grasping the hairs and pulling them up. If you’re unable to grasp the hairs without also pinching your skin, they might not be long enough yet.

Don’t grab the hairs too abruptly or you might accidentally pull them out entirely.

You might find that your hair grows faster or thicker in different areas of your body. For example, your underarm hair or pubic hair might grow thicker than in areas like your arms and legs.

For areas of thicker hair, you might have to grow it out longer than 1/4 inch, so that the wax can adhere to the heavier hairs and pull them out. This can also help prevent breakage.

The wax needs to adhere to the hair in order for it to successfully pull it all out from the root.

If the wax doesn’t adhere correctly, it might break hair in half, not pull out hair at all, or cause external irritation to the skin.

Even more, ensuring that your hair is the correct length will help with future waxes. When you make sure that all hairs are removed on the same cycle, this ensures that they’ll grow back at the same time, too.

If your hair is less than 1/4-inch long, the wax won’t be able to adhere to the surface of the hair and pull it out completely.

Your technician will probably ask you to reschedule your appointment so that your hair can grow out a little longer.

If you happen to wax your hair when it isn’t long enough, there’s a chance that areas of hair will get left behind. Some hair might break, which can cause ingrown hairs or irritation.

Definitely. If your hair is longer than 1/2-inch long, it might be too long to wax.

Before your appointment, you can lightly trim the hair with a pair of clean hair cutting shears.

If you don’t have shears, you might want to leave it up to your technician to trim before your appointment. They should be able to gauge how much hair to cut off.

This entirely depends on how fast your hair grows. You might find that it grows faster in some places instead of others.

On average, you can expect hair to take about 4 weeks to regrow back to 1/4-inch long.

Some people say that with more consistent waxing sessions their hair grows back slower and thinner. If this happens to you, you might be able to wait longer — around 5 or 6 weeks — until your next session.

To encourage smooth hair growth and to prevent ingrown hairs between sessions, try applying ingrown hair oils and lightweight moisturizers that won’t clog pores.

Yes! Try scheduling your session for a week when you’re not on your period. The skin around your hair might be more sensitive at this time of the month.

The day of, you might want to refrain from drinking alcohol or anything with caffeine.

An hour before your appointment or before you wax at home, you can take an over-the-counter pain medication to help lessen the pain.

Before waxing, grow your hair out to at least 1/4-inch long — 1/2-inch long at the most. If it’s too short, you might want to reschedule your appointment. If it’s too long, lightly trim the area or ask a technician to help you out.

If you’re unsure about the length of your hair, or if you have other questions, ask your technician prior to your appointment.

If waxing doesn’t sound right for you, there are plenty of other hair removal methods that might work better, such as sugaring, shaving, epilation, or threading.

Laser hair removal may also be an option if you’re looking for something with long-term results.

Jen Anderson is a wellness contributor at Healthline. She writes and edits for various lifestyle and beauty publications, with bylines at Refinery29, Byrdie, MyDomaine, and bareMinerals. When not typing away, you can find Jen practicing yoga, diffusing essential oils, watching Food Network, or guzzling a cup of coffee. You can follow her NYC adventures on Twitter and Instagram.

How long do your pubes need to be to wax them?

How long should pubic hair be before waxing? Your hair should be ¼ inch long or 6.35 mm for optimal waxing. First-time waxing appointments require 2-3 weeks of hair growth for optimal bikini wax results.

How long can I shave before wax?

Q: How long should my hair be before I get waxed? A: The hair should be at least 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch long for best results. This is usually about two weeks to 10 days after shaving. If your hair is too long*, it may get matted up in the wax resulting in an uncomfortable experience.