Male waxing is the practice of male pubic

hair removal Hair removal, also known as epilation or depilation, is the deliberate removal of body hair or head hair. Hair typically grows all over the human body and can vary in thickness and length across human populations. Hair can become more visible d ...

. After the increased popularity of female

pubic hair Pubic hair is terminal body hair that is found in the genital area of adolescent and adult humans. The hair is located on and around the sex organs and sometimes at the top of the inside of the thighs. In the pubic region around the pubis bon ...

styling or removal, commonly called

bikini waxing Bikini waxing is the removal of pubic hair using a special wax, which can be hot or cold, that adheres to hairs and pulls them out when the wax is removed quickly from the skin, usually with a cloth strip. While the practice is mainly associa ...

, male waxing became more common in the 1990s, although the number of practitioners historically and currently is unknown. Male waxing is popular in the body building and modeling communities. The pubic hair removal style that involves removal of all the pubic hair is called the ''sphinx wax''. Unlike the many styling possibilities for removal of female pubic hair, the male practice is mainly total removal, sometimes called manzilian, a contraction of "male Brazilian", or "brozilian". However waxing salons typically offer variations on total hair removal from the genital area and often include other parts of the body in combinations of services offered to the clientele. A popular combination is known as "the back, sack and crack", where the back, the scrotum and the perianal region between the buttocks are depilated. Hair may be removed from the penis too.

Technique

The technique of male pubic hair removal is very similar to that used during

. Waxing involves the thin spreading of a wax combination over the skin. A cloth or paper strip is then pressed on the top and ripped off with a quick movement against the direction of hair growth. This removes the wax along with the hair and dead skin cells, leaving the skin smooth. Home waxing kits have become increasingly popular over the years. A hard wax which does not require the cloth paper strip is sometimes used on the more sensitive areas such as the scrotum or penis. A light oil such as

baby oil Baby oil is, in general terms, an inert oil for the purpose of keeping skin soft and supple. It is often used on babies for the purpose of maintaining "baby-soft" skin, but it is also often used by adults for skincare and massage. The skin of an ...

can be applied to those sensitive areas before wax is applied to reduce wax adhesion to the skin. It is desirable to not cover the genitals with a modesty towel when using oil since the towel can absorb the protective oil, lessening its effectiveness. Application of egg oil for a few days post waxing can help moisturise the skin and reduce inflammation, pain or growth of bacteria.

Sugaring Sugaring is a food preservation method similar to pickling. Sugaring is the process of desiccating a food by first dehydrating it, then packing it with pure sugar. This sugar can be crystalline in the form of table or raw sugar, or it can be de ...

is an alternative to waxing. It is claimed to be less painful during application and less irritating to sensitive areas such as the scrotum. The application technique differs from waxing in that hair is pulled out in the same direction as the hair's growth.

Benefits

There are benefits to waxing compared to other forms of hair removal. Removal of male pubic hair by waxing is a long-lasting method but can be painful if the man is not used to it or doing it for the first time. Hair in waxed areas will not grow back for three to eight weeks; when the hair does grow back, it is soft and thin. When hair is shaved or removed by depilatory cream, the hair is removed at the surface rather than the root. In a few days, the hair can be seen at the surface. Areas that are repeatedly waxed over long periods of time often exhibit a thinning of regrowth, and regrowth that is thinner, softer, and lighter in color. The use of a hair inhibitor will also aid the slow re-growth of hair; used over a long period of time this can be used as an almost permanent method.

Potential dangers

Some physicians do not recommend waxing for persons suffering from

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...

or who have

varicose vein Varicose veins, also known as varicoses, are a medical condition in which superficial veins become enlarged and twisted. These veins typically develop in the legs, just under the skin. Varicose veins usually cause few symptoms. However, some indi ...

s or poor circulation as they are more susceptible to

infection An infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable di ...

. Patients on Retin-A, Renova, Differin or

isotretinoin Isotretinoin, also known as 13-''cis''-retinoic acid and sold under the brand name Accutane among others, is a medication primarily used to treat severe acne. It is also used to prevent certain skin cancers (squamous-cell carcinoma), and in th ...

have been advised by doctors not to have waxing performed; these

medication A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy ( pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the medical field and ...

s can weaken the skin, and lead to tearing of the skin.

References

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External links

* Epilated male genitalia on Wikimedia Commons {{DEFAULTSORT:Male Genital Waxing Hair removal Pubic hair