Hey all.

I have my high school reunion coming up soon, and I have a surprise for them.

I hope to look my best and one thing that would help is removing my facial hair.

No time to zap it all, so shaving is one option and waxing is another.

I understand how shaving works.

What about waxing?

I have a fairly full beard, and I have never been waxed up there before. How long would it take my face to recover from a first waxing? How long would I expect to remain hair free?

This is a one time deal. I know waxing can interfere with permanent hair removal, so I plan on this being a one and done thing.

What else would I need to know that I have not asked?

Thanks in advance,
Tori

Yeah....waxing that will almost certainly damage your face. A close shave and makeup will be your best bet, IMO.

Not recommended.  The odds of getting ingrowns, nasty red bumps and infections are really high, and the uglies can last a long time.  My wife waxed her upper lip once and didn't look so hot for weeks.  Also, hairs can grow back in directions other than straight, making them more difficult to remove later and causing unnecessary scarring and pitting.  I don't pluck for the same reason.

The full effects of a laser session will manifest themselves in about 2 weeks, and getting mostly cleared by electro on the first pass might take 10-20 hours, depending on how thick it is.  Expect 30% of the hairs to never return again, and 150-250 hours over a couple of years to get it all.  Those bastards are a real pain to get rid of for good.  I've had 10 laser sessions and 75 hours of electro so far.  Most of it is gone, but I have strays that pop up all over the place that still need frequently maintained.  I'm hoping that once the balls come out I can reduce the regeneration rate andhave my treatments on hold.

Otherwise you're getting a very close shave just before you walk out the door and carrying an electric shaver in your purse for touch-ups after a few hours.

Yeah, a good close shave is probably your best bet for the reunion.  If I really take my time and make sure everything is nice and smooth I can pretty much get away with an entire night with the right makeup.  Now that I've started HRT probably a little longer actually. 

I think you would have trouble even finding a waxing salon that will do your face.  Like others have already said there would most likely be quite a bit of damage and a LOT of bleeding I would imagine.  Sucks because our facial hair is so much thicker and more coarse than the rest of our bodies.    I know when my electrologist pulls one out what's under the surface always amazes me at how much of the root is buried under the surface of my skin. 

Make sure you have a good and new razor. It makes a difference. Take your time too, go with grain, perpendicular to grain, against grain in like small sections. That is how I get the best shave anyway.

I can have my beard not show for a day and a half maybe almost 2 days if I do it real close. I do have blonde beard hair though.

1st -- close razor shave.

2nd -- when dry, follow up with a dry cotton cloth and rub shadow areas against the hair shafts direction to raise them a little more. You'll know which direction because you'll feel the friction. Clean those raised hairs up with an electric foil shaver.

I love hearing the sound of hundreds of them shaving away and the area getting much cleaner.

Just don't do this often, it can be irritating.

I got tired of shaving my arms last year. So, I tried to use some microwave hot wax bull->-bleeped-<-. It hurt like a some of a bitch and didn't work the way it was supposed to.  I bought an epilator early this year and am loving it! I'm not suggesting to epilate your face though.

I do have someone who is willing to do it for me.

That is beside the point however.

I guess what I gather from all your comments is that facial waxing is a great idea and I should have it done often.

One thing that no one has suggested so far that is a possibility is... tweezing. I have actually done this a couple of times when I was getting extremely frustrated with my facial hair and just wanted it to be gone for a little while. But I have to warn you, it will take hours, it will be painful, and you will most likely get a few ingrown hairs (which are not pleasant at all). But it does work if you have the time, and it will keep your face mostly clear for a week or two. You will still have to do a little shaving though, to take care of stray hairs.

Tweezing sounds just as hard core as waxing.

Seriously, who waxes their beard hairs? Are you really that crazy? There's going to be some serious ownage if attempted

I pluck my facial hairs and it works great. I haven't been doing my chin, cause I been lazy. It takes about an hour for my chin, upper lip and beard strap. I have no cheek hair. I have sparse, not-so-dense facial hair though, so results my vary.  Your best bet to cover it is makeup, really good makeup. Try Physicians Formula. I use the nautral nude strip palette which has bronzer, shadow, blush, and highlighter all in little strips. But, it's hard to use and you will need to experiment before hand as it takes a lot of blending skill. You cant' just brush it on. Well, ya can but it would look, uh, not good. But once you get it down, there's almost no shadow. You could just pluck your upper lip hair and use the makeup for the rest. It's hard to say if plucking will work without knowing how much plucking you have to do. I have about a couple hundred hairs on my face max, prolly less.

But you best part is Physicians Formula and get a really good foundations brush. They have some really high-tech brushes out these days. It's almost like airbrushing. I could talk about makeup all day and night though...so ill stop rambling.

I am not sure that tweezing on a long term basis is recommended.  My electrologist said that it can often damage the hair follicle resulting in ingrown hairs and/or abnormal angles making later removal by electrolysis more difficult.

Not having tried this myself I don't know if this is true.  Comments?

Aisla

I've heard that as well, but Tori said she was only going to do this once, so I don't think it would cause too much of a problem.

Quote from: Aisla on June 20, 2014, 08:28:19 PM
I am not sure that tweezing on a long term basis is recommended.  My electrologist said that it can often damage the hair follicle resulting in ingrown hairs and/or abnormal angles making later removal by electrolysis more difficult.

Not having tried this myself I don't know if this is true.  Comments?

Aisla

I've been plucking my facial hair for a year or so and have never even once had an ingrown hair, pimple, redness, or anything. I let it grow back to prepare for laser, but now I spent the money on other things like eating, and so I went back to it. I won't be getting electro but laser, so I really don't foresee a problem. The hair is the same as before: not thicker or more dense, not J-shaped, not anything. I doubt long-term studies have been done on this, I seriously doubt it, so a lot of it is just technicians or spa owners who don't want you to do put off a costyl procedure that benefits them financially and o they scare up some boogeyman of J-shaped hairs. That said: like Evelyn stated plucking is hardcore, it is and it is not for the faint of heart as it does hurt, and if I had the money I'd get laser. Plus, I have sparse hair so it's easier. I have seen other MAAB people's facial hair and it would not be possible. My BF's hair could not be plucked, for instance. But I'm hell bent on saving the money so I will get laser soon.

I have an epic beard.

Tweezing would be a full time job.

Well it's almost time Tori



My sessions begin the first week of July. Ra!

Yay!!!

Laser is so expensive where I live.

$1200 for six full face sessions with a groupon.

$185 for the same where I grew up.

Quote from: Tori on June 20, 2014, 11:00:19 PM
Yay!!!

Laser is so expensive where I live.

$1200 for six full face sessions with a groupon.

$185 for the same where I grew up.

USA?

If yes that sounds hella affordable. This is what they are charging LittleEmily down in Miami "9 full-face sessions for 7650$"

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,165958.msg1441021.html#msg1441021

If that's the actual price for laser in Miami, then my BF and I are moving there and starting a business.  You could get a machine for $50,000 and then after 10 clients, it pays it self off. That's a rip off. In Philly, it's $350 for six sessions or something. And that's just looking without talking them down after you actually speak with them. Everything is negotiable. But, $1,200 is hardly "hella affordable." Unless you're independently wealthy.

Sheesh. I use a dermatologist that runs $300 per session for full face laser, and a flat $100 per session for electro.