“When you wax, it slows the growth and causes the hair to grow back thinner or weaker, while shaving just strengthens or promotes the growth of hair.”
– Maria Messier, Actaea Works aesthetician

When the A&E creative team was talking about what makes someone beautiful, the subject of waxing came up.

I, being a person who trusts my razor to keep Sherwood Forest in check, was under the impression that waxing was overrated — and more painful than my trusty Gillette Sensor 3 (and my Norelco Beard and Mustache trimmer — multiple uses for those things).

But then I remembered a terrifying day when a friend of mine who was on the high school swim team rubbed her very hairless leg on mine. Then I thought how the sensation of smooth skin is one of the most beautiful sensations in society.

Now a pair of long silky legs isn’t every guy’s dream, and they sure aren’t mine. But in the name of stupid exploration, I was determined to find out what all this waxing hype was about.

My razor already took care of any totally unwanted hair, but I also liked being scruffy, so waxing my chest didn’t seem like a fun time.

So what to wax? Maybe the Batman symbol into my chest.

No, not something the paper readership wants to see. How about some nice tasteless stripes into my leg?

After talking around the office I got referred to Actaea Works, 4001 N. Oakland Ave., a day spa close to campus. And before the experience began I spoke with aesthetician Maria Messier on the idiosyncrasies of waxing.

Who is waxing these days?

Everyone is coming in for waxing, even men. They are coming in for their backs and eyebrows. When I started, I maybe did two or three back waxes, now it’s a common occurrence.

Have you ever had any wax mishaps, like waxing off an eyebrow and only leaving them with one?

No, I’ve never taken off an eyebrow. My instructor said she had though. She said it’s going to happen to everyone once, but it hasn’t happened to me yet.

Is there any preparation required for an area about to be waxed?

You need to let hair grow three weeks; legs, let them grow for four to six weeks. Hair has three stages of growth and it is not good to wax before the third stage. Taking a pain reliever before you come in can make the process less painful. And taking an antacid helps with the redness for some strange reason.

Should people wax at home using microwave kits or the heatless wax products?

I don’t think so just because they really don’t work that well. And if instructions aren’t followed, then it can be a very painful experience.

What are the benefits of waxing versus shaving?

When you wax, the hair follicle gets damaged. It slows the growth and causes the hair to grow back thinner or weaker, while shaving just strengthens or promotes the growth of hair. And waxing has to be done far less often than shaving often.

Do people get used to the inherent pain of waxing?

I don’t think that they get used to it, it just gets easier the more you do it. The hair will come out with less pain. I’ve actually had people fall asleep when giving them a brow wax.

Have you ever had to stop halfway through a wax job because of hair density or you thought you were causing too much pain?

Just with one client. A mix of sensitive skin and thick hair caused him to stop halfway through and he went home to finish the rest by shaving.

Has anyone ever been aroused by being waxed?

Not that I know of. I can’t see how anyone could get aroused by getting waxed.

Do people wax shapes or initials into their hair or am I the first one who has asked for a pattern?

I haven’t done anything like this. But I was thinking for Valentine’s Day about waxing hair into the shape of a heart and then dying the hair red or some other color. But that would take a lot of work and special hair dye for that region.

It was now do or die time for my leg. The process was painful at first, but not seeing when she is about to rip off a section helped the process. Overall, it was less painful than one would think.

I’m all for people waxing shapes or personal little jokes into their bodies. My stripes are some of the softest and silkiest skin in the office. Now only if I could rub them on someone.

Also could someone please take Messier up on the waxing a shape for Valentine’s Day and tell her you want a pink heart? Then send a picture to the Post care of: we’re all dirty perverts.

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