Waxing poetic...

Alright - this may be an uncomfortable post for some. I am just putting that out there before we begin.

The topic of today's post?
Double dipping...
And no I am not talking about going in for some more guacamole after you have already taken a bite of your chip. I am talking about the even more unsanitary- that's right- the double WAX dip! What is the double dip you ask? When your waxer applies wax to your skin and then dips the same utensil back into the hot wax to apply more.

Now there are two sides raging a debate about this very topic. The old school estheticians believe this is no big deal. They have been double dipping for years and that is just the way they do things. And the new era estheticians are dead set against the double dip. Each group has their own beliefs and they are sticking to them (sorry- no pun intended.)

Here are my thoughts on the matter....
1) Yes, we have become a bit germaphobic as a society and there is such a thing as taking it too far.
2) I do not think wax is a case where you can be worried about taking it too far.
3) I think every woman (or man) has the right to a safe, sanitary and fabulous wax.
4) I am a firm believer in the no-double dip camp and I think you should be too!!!

Let me elaborate further and lay the scene for you....

You arrive at the salon for your monthly wax...Candles are lit, soft soothing music is being piped in...you are relaxing. Your esthetician comes in and begins to work.
All sounds good right? Sure!
But let's think about the variables here....
- You don't know who was waxed before you, or for that matter who has been waxed at that salon that day.
- Just because you are getting a new wax applicator doesn't mean much...If she double dips with you- your germs are going into that wax. You know she doesn't have a tub of hot wax for every client. In other words - One tub of wax = lots of potential germs from all the different double dips from every client.

Some questions you might be having:

Isn't the wax hot enough to kill any germs?
Well- there is no legal standard temperature that wax needs to be kept at in salons. It is what it is.
Most information you can find out there that says you have no risk of catching anything from wax gives temperature as the sole reason you could catch something. So even those who aren't sold on the concept of catching an std from a bikini wax are still saying you could if the wax is not hot enough. And I am willing to bet, not one of us has ever asked our salon how hot they keep their wax!

What's the worst that could happen?
Let me be clear - There has not been a lot of documented research in this area. At this point it is up to personal responsibility. We all know that there are things you can catch just from contact with infected skin. Are you willing to take the risk that someone else has gone to your waxer and has something you can catch? And not only that- that she has contributed her germs to the same pot of wax you will be using because your esthetician double dips?
Hopefully the answer is no. If the answer is yes - beware- you could (not proven yet) be exposing yourself to the following:
- STDS (including Herpes and HPV)
- Bacterial infections
- Various skin infections

So now you may be lost thinking...what can I do?! I need to get my eyebrows/lip/bikini etc...waxed!
Well fear not BGNDers!

If you are worried and slightly lost as to what to look for when you visit the waxer here is a great article from Vagisil to help you along your way:
http://www.vagisil.com/special_200604.shtml
This article is from a few years ago but really helps explain what to look out for and what can actually happen when you expose your skin to contaminated wax.

So sorry for the seriousness of today's topic but I want healthy and happy BGNDers!
Not people who have paid $50-$100 to catch an STD! ICK!

Keep looking fabulous,
BGND

P.S. Ironically I was unaware that NJ was thinking about banning Brazilian bikini waxes when I sat down to blog about this topic. But in my research online this recent news story kept popping up:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/19/brazilian-waxes-may-be-ba_n_176824.html

I do not believe a ban is the answer - just be sanitary folks!!