Does Facial Waxing Make Hair Grow Back Thicker?

No. Waxing your lip, chin or face does not make hair grow back thicker, darker or faster. Waxing removes each hair from the root, and it cannot change how many follicles you have or what kind of hair they produce. If anything, many people find that regrowth feels softer and looks sparser after regular waxing.

Where does the idea come from?

Mostly from shaving. A hair that has never been cut has a fine, tapered tip. A razor cuts it straight across at its widest point, and the blunt end that grows out feels coarse and can look darker against the skin. The hair itself has not changed. Only the tip has.

That experience gets applied to every kind of hair removal, waxing included. It does not fit. A waxed hair is gone, root and all, and the hair that replaces it is a new one that grows in with a tapered tip of its own.

What does waxing do to facial hair?

• It removes the whole hair. That is why skin stays smooth for weeks instead of days.
• Regrowth is soft. There is no blunt stubble stage, because nothing was cut.
• Regrowth can thin out over time. With repeated waxing, some hairs tend to come back finer or more slowly. This varies from person to person and is not a promise, but it is a common experience.
• It does not create new hair. The number of follicles on your face is set. Removing hair from them does not add more.

Waxing also takes the fine, pale “peach fuzz” along with the darker hairs. That fuzz grows back as the same fine fuzz. It does not turn into coarse hair because it was waxed.

Why does it sometimes seem thicker after a wax?

There are a few honest explanations.

• Contrast. After weeks of completely smooth skin, the first hairs to return are noticeable in a way they were not before.
• Timing. Hairs grow in cycles, and they are not all on the same one. A wax removes what is above the skin that day. Hairs that were still below the surface appear a week or two later and can look like fast regrowth. They are different hairs.
• Shaving or tweezing in between. Shaving brings back the blunt tips, and tweezing a few hairs at a time puts them on separate schedules.

What does make facial hair thicker or darker?

Hormones, genetics and age. Facial hair commonly changes during pregnancy, around menopause and with some medications. None of that is caused by hair removal.

If you notice a sudden increase in coarse, dark hair on your face, chin or neck, mention it to your doctor. It is worth checking, and it is not something a wax can explain or fix.

Is waxing better than shaving for facial hair?

It depends on what you want. Shaving is quick and painless, and the hair is back in a day or two with a blunt tip. Waxing stings briefly, lasts for weeks and grows back soft. For the upper lip and chin, where stubble is the usual complaint, that is why many people prefer a wax.

When should you not wax your face?

Facial skin is thinner than the skin on your legs, so the standard cautions matter more here.

• Retinoids. Retinol and prescription retinoids such as tretinoin thin the surface of the skin, and wax can lift skin along with the hair. Stop using them on the area for about a week before a wax, and ask the doctor who prescribed them if you are unsure.
• Isotretinoin (Accutane). Do not wax while taking it, or for several months after you finish. Your prescriber can tell you when it is safe.
• Sunburn. Sunburned or peeling skin should not be waxed. Wait until it has fully healed.
• Exfoliating acids and scrubs. Skip them on the area for a few days before and after.

Tell Ashley about any of these when you book or when you arrive. It is always better to reschedule than to wax skin that is not ready.

What about waxing in the middle of summer?

July is fine for a facial wax, with two adjustments. Freshly waxed skin burns and darkens more easily, so stay out of strong sun for a day or two and wear sunscreen on the area after that. And give the skin a day before a hot, sweaty afternoon at the pool or the fair. The rest is covered in waxing aftercare.

At Spathetics in Effingham, Ashley offers Lip Waxing and Chin Waxing on their own, and a Full Face Wax that covers the brows, upper lip, chin, cheeks and forehead in one visit. Current prices are on each service page, and you can book an appointment whenever you are ready.