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Brazilian Bikini Waxing Can Kill You: An Update

A few months ago, Web Watch wrote about HOW A BRAZILIAN BIKINI WAX COULD KILL YOU.  

We thought that would be the end of the story. 

But no, the State of New Jersey and others had to pipe up with their own opinions… so of course, Web Watch felt the need to provide this DEADLY BRAZILIAN WAX update.

First, if you are fond of the New Jersey-style Brazilian Wax (insert your own joke here, but we’re sure the punchline will be either “which exit?” or “what’s that smell?”), you should be aware that you are breaking the law as New Jersey has very specific rules regarding genital waxing. 

Basically, you can’t.

New Jersey only allowed you to wax the face, neck, abdomen, legs, and arms.  Not the bikini area, and certainly not the Brazilian.

But since New Jersey didn’t explicitly say that a bikini wax or Brazilian wax was banned, salons did them anyway and regulators never enforced the law.  We can only imagine how that bust would go down, Prohibition-style, with a paddywagon of cops storming into a salon and breaking up the hot wax containers with their axes.

So when lawmakers decided to explicitly ban Brazilian waxes after the news of two women being hospitalized after their Brazilian waxes went horribly wrong, they thought they were doing a good thing by protecting their constituents from the horrors of bikini wax mishaps.

But the salon owners spoke up, saying that they would lose major business as their clients would cross state lines for a Delaware, a Philadelphia, or even a New York-style bikini wax.  One salon claimed that they would lose $90,000 a year if they stopped doing Brazilians. 

This story ends well.  New Jersey Consumer Affairs Director David Szuchman, who heads the office that would enforce the Brazilian waxing ban, stated that he would not support the ban at all.  That sound you hear?  Women all over New Jersey sighing that they don’t have to go out-of-state to get their hoohahs waxed anymore.

But maybe New Jersey was on the right path.  Maybe there are more Brazilian waxing horror stories that need to be shared, so that Web Watch readers know what to be aware of the next time they want to look good while hiking naked.

 Finally, leave it to NBC’s TODAY SHOW to provide us with these tips for improving your bikini wax experience:

  • Choose a facility carefully.  Is the place clean, or casually ask your friends or co-workers where they go to get their Brazilian waxes done (that’s one of those casual lunch conversations that every woman has with her friends, right?).   Also, make sure the person doing the waxing is licensed.
  • Ask about the wax. The harder the wax, the better.   Hard wax will stick to the hair better, not the skin.  Avoid using speed wax, which is applied with a roller.  It tends to attach to the skin more, causing more pain, discomfort, and possible infections.  Sugar is a better choice if it’s available.   Shobha is one such recommended product, if you’re looking for one that the Today show talked about.
  • Keep an eye on hygiene.  The person waxing you should scrub up like a doctor, or at least use hand sanitizer.
  • Prevent irritation.  After getting your Brazilian wax, use an antibiotic cream and some hydrocortisone for a few days.
  • Know the signs of infection.  Check your Brazilian waxed zone regularly for ingrown hairs, rashes, open sores, cuts, or anything else that looks unusual, especially in the days following your bikini wax.