Hair Removal and Waxing
Domain 5 - Hair Removal and Waxing
Questions test hair-growth knowledge, wax type and temperature, direction of application, and the contraindication list that makes or breaks a waxing service.
Hair growth
Anagen (active growth) is the stage waxing targets - hair must be roughly a quarter inch, about one to two weeks of growth. Catagen is transitional; telogen is resting, when hair sheds. Vellus hair is fine and unpigmented; terminal hair is coarse and pigmented, and hormonal change can convert one into the other.
Wax types
- Soft (strip) wax - thin layer, removed with a fabric strip, good for large areas.
- Hard (stripless) wax - applied thicker, hardens, lifted at a corner, good for sensitive and small areas.
Apply in the direction of hair growth, hold skin taut, and remove against the growth, parallel to the skin - never upward. Test temperature on your inner wrist and on a small patch of the client's skin.
Contraindications
Isotretinoin, prescription retinoids and recent AHA use (skin lifting), recent peels or dermabrasion, sunburn, active infection, cold sores, moles and raised nevi, varicose veins, diabetes with poor circulation, blood thinners, and undiagnosed skin conditions. Screen for all of them on the intake form.
Worked example
A client mentions she started isotretinoin two months ago. Waxing can strip the epidermis and leave an erosion or scar. Decline the wax, document it, and reschedule after she has been off the medication for the interval her prescriber advises.
Traps
Double-dipping a spatula contaminates the pot. Wax over a mole, a varicosity or freshly tanned skin invites a burn or tear. Never wax an area you just exfoliated.