I recently got a professional wax for the first time. Not only did I get my underarms waxed, I got the infamous Brazilian. Hair removal has always been a source of trouble of me because my skin is sensitive and is prone to bumps and ingrown hairs. Shaving just leaves my underarms a mess. Depilatory creams aren’t that much better. I have also tried epilators and self-waxing, all to no avail. I have not worn a sleeveless outfit out of my house in a long time. As a last resort, I decided to bite the bullet and go for a professional wax (actually my last resort was to get my underarms surgically removed). A perfunctory google search revealed there was a place nearby where I could get it done. I called to set up an appointment for the next day.
The general consensus is that waxing hurts like a beeyotch. I have heard tales of people drinking or drugging themselves beforehand to numb the pain. People talk about how they tried it once and were in so much agony they couldn’t complete the procedure and had to leave the spa half smooth, half hairy. I winced along with them, but deep down I thought it could not be that painful.
Here’s my view on pain: Localised pain is completely bearable, and by localized I mean the pain that is only felt in one area. Waxing would hurt, yes, but it would only hurt in the area where the hair is being ripped out. The worst pain for me is pain in my stomach and general discomfort. So far as pain signals aren’t shot throughout my body and to my brain, I can endure it. My confidence was bolstered by a conversation I overhead between two women who were talking about how painful threading was. One of the women said threading her eyebrows was even more painful than getting a Brazilian. I like to thread my eyebrows and it doesn’t hurt me at all. At most I feel a little pinch, but it not too much.
The night before my appointment, I decided to check Youtube for videos so as to know what to expect. I was surprised to see videos of actual Brazilian waxes, vaginas uncensored and all. There were also videos of women talking about their first times and they all said it was not as bad as they thought it would be.
By the day of my appointment, I was more anxious about being spread eagle in front of a stranger than about the pain. To be honest, I was even a little excited. I was also a little nervous about my vagina being judged. I imagine waxers (and gynaecologists) get together after work and gossip about the things they have seen at work.
The name of the spa is Barazahi and it was not hard to find. The atmosphere was serene, the sounds and smells worked. There are waterfalls everywhere and I found the sound of the water soothing. I managed to surreptitiously take a few pictures. I never take good pictures because I am always too shy. It does seem strange to just start taking pictures.
The room I got waxed in (not pictured) was also nice. There was a moveable lamp, similar to the ones dentists use. My waxer was very reassuring. She did my underarms first and it was not painful. There was of course a mild pain when the hair was ripped out, but it lasted for a second or so and faded. Then came the dreaded Brazilian. I was initially hesitant, but after a few seconds I was more comfortable, especially when she started humming a Yoruba gospel song. It was not as awkward as I thought it would be having someone fiddle around down there. A couple of girls in the videos I watched said the top of the vagina (the clitoris region) was the most painful, for me the labia hurt more than the other parts. The pain of the Brazilian was more than that of the underarms, but again it was not a lasting pain. The waxer was really impressed by me and she said I was really brave for a first timer. She was surprised that I didn’t even make any noise, unlike some of her clients who bring the house down with their screams before the wax is even applied. She also spoke about some of her clients who had gotten so used to waxing that they start to doze off during a session.
A full Brazilian removes all the hair down there, so when she was done with the front, she asked me to turn over and lie on my belly. This part was over in less than a minute. I was just pleased I did not have to go on all fours. I mean I want smooth skin, but at what cost? I gave the technician (formerly referred to as waxer) a hug when it was all over. She was professional and the procedure was hygienic (to the best of my knowledge). She wore gloves and wouldn’t even let me touch myself (get your mind out of the sewer) because she wasn’t sure I washed my hands. I’m not sure if she double dipped, I hope she didn’t. There was a mild burning sensation afterwards but that is not surprising.
I am definitely going to stick to waxing. My skin is much smoother than with a blade and all the hair is gone. Waxing greatly reduces the speed at which the hair regrows and with time, reduces the amount of hair that grows back. Unlike shaving which one may need to do a couple times a week, one needs to wax only once a month or so. Bye bye razor. Bye bye Veet.
If you have been putting off going for a wax, go on and set up that appointment. The pain is really not that bad, I promise. It is just like childbirth; the process is uncomfortable but when you are done you can’t stop staring at the result.
You can read this article to learn about possible side effects of waxing.
16, Fola osibo street (off Adebayo Doherty), Lekki Phase one Lagos
Tel: 01-280 6826, 08137895911
Underarm waxing: N2,500
Brazilian waxing: N5,000
Gobbledygook 