Bikini waxing or pubic depilation is the depilation of body hair in and around the pubic area. Originally meant to prevent pubic hair from being visible around the edges of a bikini swimsuit, it now often includes areas covered by bikinis.^[1]

The line demarcating the visible from the covered part of the lower abdomen is called the bikini line.^[2] Depilation is usually also performed on the upper leg.^[3] In place of waxing, other methods of hair removal are often used, such as shaving, sugaring or using chemical depilatory creams. While mainly associated with females, genital waxing also has a male clientèle.^[4]

Western women started removing this hair when bathing suits became abbreviated.^[1] Changes in lingerie styles encouraged year-round waxing of the bikini area.^[3] However, in Middle Eastern societies, removal of the female body hair has been considered proper hygiene, necessitated by local customs, for many centuries.^[5] In Islam, this is known as an act of Fitrah. Evidence of pubic hair removal in ancient India dates back to 4000 to 3000 BC, and methods have not changed much beyond the material used.^[6]

Contents 1 Variants 1.1 Further subgroups 1.2 Brazilian waxing 1.2.1 Origin 1.2.2 Controversy 2 Process 2.1 American waxing 2.2 French waxing 2.3 Material 3 Precaution 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Variants

Bikini waxing may be classified into four categories^[3][7][8] which may have differing names depending on which salon one visits.^[9] It has been claimed that Brazilian waxing, the most renowned form, was named after the Brazilian sisters who offered the service in New York, USA.^[10]

• American waxing is removal of hair at the top of the thighs and under the navel when wearing a bikini. It is also known as a basic bikini wax.^[3][7][8]
• French waxing leaves a vertical strip in front (a landing strip), two to three finger-widths in length just above the vulva. It is also known as a partial Brazilian wax.^[3][7][9] Hair of the peri-anal area and labia may be removed. Removal of hair from these areas is also known as the Playboy wax^[8] or G-waxing.
• Brazilian waxing refers to a removal of everything, front to back, while sometimes leaving a thin strip of hair on the pubis^{[3][7][8][9][11]} used by those who wear thong bikinis.^[12] An extreme form of bikini waxing, it involves complete removal of hair from the buttocks and adjacent to the anus, perineum and vulva (labia majora and mons pubis).^[13][14] Waxes that remove all of the pubic hair are known as a full Brazilian wax, full Bikini wax, Hollywood wax or the Sphinx.^[3][8][9]

[edit] Further subgroups

Further subgroups have been proposed by Anthropologist Desmond Morris, while referring to inconsistency in nomenclature:^[15]

• The Bikini Line: This is the least extreme form. All pubic hair covered by the bikini is left in place. Only straggling hairs on either side are removed, so that none is visible when a bikini with high-cut sides is being worn.
• The Full Bikini: Only a small amount of hair is left, on the Mound of Venus (the mons pubis)
• The European: All pubic hair is removed "except for a small patch on the mound".
• The Triangle: All pubic hair is removed except for a sharply trimmed triangle with the central, lower point aimed at the top of the genitals. It has been described as "an arrowhead pointing the way to pleasure".
• The Moustache: Everything is removed except for a wide, rectangular patch just above the hood at the top of the genital slit. This is sometimes called "The Hitler's Moustache", sometimes "Chaplin's Moustache".
• The Heart: The main pubic tuft is shaped into a heart symbol and may be dyed pink. This is a popular style for St. Valentine's Day, presented as an erotic surprise to a sexual partner.
• The Landing Strip: The central hair is trimmed into a narrow vertical strip and all other pubic hair is removed. This has become popular with models who must wear garments of an extreme narrowness in the crotch region.
• The Playboy Strip: Everything is removed except for a long, narrow rectangle of hair, 4 cm (1 1/2 inches) wide.
• The Brazilian: This is the most famous of the new styles but there is some confusion about its exact form. To some it is the same as the Landing Strip, leaving only a "vertical stripe of hair", while to others it signifies the removal of all pubic hair. However, it differs from the traditional landing strip in that it also incorporates removal of hair from the labia majora, the perineum, and the anal cleft area around the anus.
• The Sphynx: This is unambiguously the "everything off" style, leaving a completely hairless pubic region. The name is derived from that of a naked breed of cat from Canada. The smooth-skinned, hairless Sphynx Cat was a genetic oddity discovered in Toronto in 1966. Some salons refer to "the Sphynx" as "the Hollywood".

[edit] Brazilian waxing

In Brazil, "waxing" is referred to as "depilação", and has different names to distinguish the area of the body as well as the amount of hair to be removed. The full Brazilian Wax is a virilha completa ("complete groin").^[13][16] The waxing style which leaves a small strip of hair is known in Brazil as cavado, a word that means "to miss peripheral material" and is also applied to bikinis, pants and shirts. In Portuguese, "to wax" is depilar, which means "to remove hair" regardless of method.^[17]

[edit] Origin

The origin of the concept Brazilian hairless privates date back to a letter written by Pêro Vaz de Caminha documenting Pedro Álvares Cabral's voyage to Brazill in 1500 AD, which says: "...suas vergonhas tão altas e tão çarradinhas e tão limpas das cabeleiras que de as nós muito bem olharmos não tínhamos nenhuma vergonha" (English translation: "their private parts were so exposed, so healthy and so hairless, that looking upon them we felt no shame").^[18]

[edit] Controversy

Brazilian waxing faces more controversy than other types of waxing.^[19][20] It can be a physically painful experience during and after waxing,^{[13][21][22][23]} which can become even more unpleasant if receiving cunnilingus from a bearded partner.^[24][25] American actress-model Lisa Barbuscia commented on her negative first experience at getting a Brazilian at a Los Angeles salon popular with porn stars: "It was so painful I collapsed. I only fainted, but I was nearly carted off to hospital and I have vowed never to try it again." ^[26] Some critics of the procedure believe that Brazilian waxing can contribute to making an adult woman look underage, citing this as one reason for its popularity in the pornographic industry.^{[11][13][19][23]} The look has also been called perverted^[16] and unnatural.^{[11][13][27][28]} There is also a health risk involved if it is not done properly, as well as a risk of infection if done on a person with a weakened immune system.^[29] Despite the controversy there have been reports of women of all ages opting for this form.^[30]

[edit] Process

Warm wax is applied to hair and covered with small strips of cloth. When the wax sufficiently hardens, the cloth is pulled off quickly to remove hair up from the roots. Some discomfort is associated with the procedure. Generally discomfort lasts fewer than five days.^[31] Different salons use different names for common types of waxing, for example referring to a Brazilian with a "landing strip" as a "Mohican".^[32] It can be done on oneself with a home kit. It is possible to get a bikini wax during pregnancy, but due to increased sensitivity it generally is more painful.^[33]

[edit] American waxing

The bikini or similar undergarment worn by the client is tucked in and covered with paper towel. A small applicator may be used on both sides of the bikini area to create a clean and even line. Using an antiseptic cleaner and using the area with powder after the cleaner dries up is standard. Wax is applied with a large spatula in the direction of hair growth, which is downwards. It is applied in strip 2 inches wide and 4/5 inches long up to the femoral ridge. Since the hair on the pubis is coarse and grows horizontally and inward, a second application wax is often required. Then all the wax strips are pulled away when the wax is set but still pliable. It is pulled against the direction of hair growth while keeping the skin taut. The pulling ideally is done as swiftly as possible. The last part of the waxing is done with the patient lifting her legs so the hair near the table can be worked on. A normal American waxing job takes about 20 to 30 minutes to complete.^[34]

[edit] French waxing

It follows mostly the procedures of an American waxing, with special cleaning and powdering of areas to be waxed. Gloves are mandatory. To create the "landing strip" (a line of hair) practitioners and clients prefer either of the two positions: lying face up or lying face down. Sometimes hard wax is used, though strip wax works as effectively.^[35]

[edit] Material

The wax used is often a mixture of natural beeswax and tall oil rather than the more common synthetic waxes used for regular leg waxing.^[36] It is felt that beeswax is stronger, and more effective at removing the thicker, coarser pubic hairs. Many products are available to lessen the pain involved, such as topical anesthetics. Sometimes a hair inhibitor is applied, which slows the regrowth of hair and may halt regrowth completely. The results can last up to two months.^[37]

[edit] Precaution

The bikini area is one of the most sensitive areas in the body, and special attention must be paid to avoid irritation. Ideally bikini waxing should be done every two or three weeks year round. Over time hair becomes weaker and grows more slowly leading to less frequent waxing. If the client has never been waxed before, or has not been waxed for a long time, it may be necessary to trim the hair down first using scissors or an electric razor.^[34][38] A patch test is necessary, usually at the uppermost part of the thigh, to test that the client is not allergic to wax or the skin doesn't overreact. Since the mucus membrane of the vagina is the most sensitive of the bikini area, it is usually better left to the last part of the process. Oil based lotions or creams are always to be avoided, while oatmeal based powders are best for soothing the skin after waxing. Sometimes bumps or in-grown hair can result. Isolated hairs can be removed by using tweezers or by electrolysis.^[38] Unlike the Brazilian wax, a basic bikini wax can be performed privately in the home, but it is generally more convenient to have a licensed cosmetologist perform the procedure.

The pain involved with this procedure can be slight or severe and can continue for quite some time (from several seconds to minutes). Some people experience less pain during subsequent treatments. It can be helpful for a bikini wax recipient to take a mild anti-inflammatory medication (like ibuprofen) an hour or so before waxing to reduce potential pain from the waxing.^[39]

Wikinews has related news: New Jersey backpedals on proposed bikini waxing ban

The medical community has also seen a recent increase in folliculitis, or infection around the hair follicle in women who wax or shave their bikini areas.^[40] Some of these infections can develop into more serious abscesses that require incision with a scalpel, drainage of the abscess, and antibiotics. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common cause of folliculitis. Recently MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, has been seen more frequently in health care facilities and other settings, and has been covered in many recent news reports. MRSA is resistant to the conventional antibiotics used to treat staph infections, however it can be treated with different antibiotic therapies.

[edit] See also

• Glabrousness
• Male genital waxing

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Shaved genitalia (female)

• Guide to the Brazilian wax at Brazilianrush.com
• How it feels to give a Brazilian wax- Interview with a depiladora, specialized in Brazilian Waxing, January 4, 2005.
• The Male Brazilian Wax—Brazilian wax information site for men