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What’s a Brazilian?
You can do a Brazilian with an epilator — but you should know that using an epilator may not be the best choice for doing a full Brazilian. An epilator may be better for maintaining a Brazilian wax. You can use it to make sure your bikini line stays smooth.
A Brazilian is a waxing method used to get rid of all or most pubic hair. While a simple bikini wax takes care of the pubic hair along the bikini line, the thighs, and the navel, a Brazilian wax will remove all pubic hair. You can do a Brazilian wax with two types of wax — hot or cold wax. First, you apply the wax and let to stick to the hairs, and then you pull it off, which tears out the hairs from the roots. This method may be good for you if you have hair growing down your thighs or upward toward your belly button.
Pros of doing a Brazilian
A Brazilian wax has some advantages over other methods of hair removal. Some of them include:
- Less irritation. Compared to other ways of removing hair, like shaving, a Brazilian produces fewer bumps and rashes, especially when you prep well.
- Lasts longer. A Brazilian works by getting rid of hair from the root. This means you'll stay smooth longer than after shaving with a razor. You can stay hairless for three to four weeks before you need another waxing session.
- Less hair grows over time. After repeated waxing sessions, your hair will start getting thinner and softer when it grows. After some time, doing a Brazilian gets easier and less painful. The hair also takes longer to grow back, and you can go longer between sessions.
Cons of doing a Brazilian
Doing a Brazilian has its cons. They include:
- Pain. A Brazilian wax can be quite painful since the hair gets pulled out from the root. It can be especially painful if it's your first time getting waxed.
- Rashes. Getting a Brazilian will cause some bumps and redness, especially right after waxing. But this rash will go away on its own after a short while.
- Itching. Waxing creates some skin irritation, and you may get some itchiness when your skin starts to heal. Try to avoid scratching when you get the urge to avoid irritating your skin even more.
- Vulvodynia (pain of the vulva). Though not a very common problem, waxing the pubic hair around the vulva increases your risk of getting chronic pain in the vulva.
How to do a Brazilian
Before getting a Brazilian, you should do some research about the topic first, especially if it's your first time. Find out about the risks involved, the best place to do it, and who should do it. Your waxer should wear gloves and never double-dip. Double-dipping is when the waxer re-dips the same stick they used to apply the wax on your skin. The waxer should get a new stick every time they scoop the wax from the pot.
Before you begin the waxing process, you can do some preparation. Some things you can do to prep for a Brazilian wax include:
- Trimming. If your hair is long, consider trimming it to between one-quarter and three-quarters of an inch for waxing to work best.
- Scrubbing. Consider exfoliating the skin around the area you want to wax before waxing to help prevent ingrown hairs.
- Pain management. Since waxing can be quite painful, consider taking an over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen about half an hour before getting waxed.
After getting the wax, consider wearing loose, comfortable clothing to avoid irritating the tender skin. Try to avoid sexual activity or soaking in the bath for long until the skin in the waxed area heals. Wash the area with a mild cleanser to help soothe your skin and get rid of leftover wax.
Consider not getting a Brazilian done if you have sunburn, if your skin is very sensitive, or if you've taken isotretinoin (acne medication) in the past six months. If you’ve used this medication, waxing may put you at risk of getting permanent scars.
What’s an epilator?
An epilator is a hair removal device that gets rid of hair from the root. It gets rid of hair by rotating the roller while the tweezers grab the hairs and pull them out from their roots. It pulls out many hairs at a time. It's effective at getting rid of short hairs and can work on the face or other parts of the body, depending on the design.
Side effects of using an epilator
Just like other methods of hair removal, using an epilator may cause some redness and inflammation in the affected area. You'll usually get some redness just after doing epilation. If you have thicker, coarser hair or sensitive skin, you may get a lot more redness. But the redness and inflammation may resolve on their own. The redness will usually go away a few hours after using the epilator.
How to choose an epilator for a Brazilian
When looking for an epilator to use for a Brazilian, try to consider the following factors:
- The cord. There are many great corded epilators, but the cord can get in the way when you're using the epilator. When choosing an epilator, consider choosing a cordless one since it’s more efficient to use.
- Light. Choose an epilator that’s equipped with a light to make it easier to use in dark or dimly lit places.
- Tweezers. The number of hairs pulled out depends on the number of tweezers an epilator has. For a Brazilian, choose an epilator with fewer tweezers.
- Attachments. When choosing an epilator for a Brazilian, consider the epilator with the most attachments. Some may even have attachments that enable hair trimming.
