Shaving vs. Waxing: What’s Better for Your Skin?

It’s the eternal struggle of hair removal — the debate between shaving and waxing.

People of all ages shave and wax to create smooth, hair-free legs, armpits, faces and bikini lines. Even hairless chests and backs are goals for some. Whether you want hairless skin for aesthetic purposes or because you’re an Olympic swimmer, the key is knowing the safest way to do it.

So, what’s easier and better for your skin (and wallet)? While waxing and shaving achieve the same goal, a shave with a razor will simply trim your hair, while a waxing treatment will pull the entire hair strand — root and all — out of the follicle.

Which you choose comes down to your personal preference, but dermatologist Shilpi Khetarpal, MD, gives us the pros and cons of shaving and waxing.

The process of shaving vs. waxing

Let’s go over what shaving and waxing entail, what you can expect from each process and how to get the most out of it.

The process of shaving may vary slightly based on the area you’re removing hair from. You can shave your hair either using reusable or disposable razors, as well as electric razors (which are sometimes considered a gentler alternative). Essentially, when your hair gets longer, a quick shave just chops off the unwanted hair, while keeping the root intact.

Waxing is another system entirely. While shaving is a bit more straightforward, waxing isn’t something you want to jump into without training wheels. Instead of using a blade to cut the hair, waxing pulls hair from the root straight out of the follicle using hot wax.

Essentially, the main tip for waxing is this: Go with a pro. At the very least, make sure you know what you’re doing before touching that wax. Waxing takes skill, so start at a salon or have someone more experienced teach you how to do it first.

Benefits of shaving

This will all come down to your preference and lifestyle, but here are some general pros of shaving compared to waxing:

Quick and easy

As far as ease of use and speed go, shaving is the most convenient option for many people. It’s quick and easy to do at home and you can seamlessly work it into your shower or bathing routine.

Cheaper cost

If you’re looking for the option that hurts your wallet less, it’s probably sticking to drugstore shaving supplies. In general, razors and shaving cream cost very little compared to salon waxes.

The process isn’t painful

Unless your hand slips or you accidentally use a dull razor, shaving should be a painless process. As it’s only trimming the hair strand from the surface of the skin and leaves the root intact, all you should feel is a light tickle at most.

No length limit

Compared to waxing, shaving doesn’t require a length limit. That means your hair can be any length to shave — whether it’s grown out or is barely poking above your skin.

Cons of shaving

Whether you’ve been shaving for decades or recently started a shaving routine, it’s good to know some of the risks involved. You want to stay sharp when dealing with any kind of blade, after all.

Some cons of shaving include:

Risk of inflammation and irritation

While this doesn’t happen every time, shaving can cause inflamed hair follicles, itching and razor burn. Especially if you’re reusing a razor blade too many times, there’s a potential for dull blades to cause cuts or redness on your skin’s surface.

Short-lived results

This will ultimately depend on what your personal beauty and hygiene routine is, but keep in mind that the smoothness of a shave doesn’t last long. Typically, results only last one to three days before your hair starts to grow back.

Benefits of waxing

Considering waxing instead? There are several pros to this method, including:

May result in thinner hair regrowth

Although the idea of hair growing back longer after shaving is a myth, there’s some truth to how waxing may do the opposite. Because of the way waxing pulls out the hair root from the follicle, it can lead to hair growing back thinner over time. This may vary depending on your hair type.

Doubles as an exfoliant

Waxing can also help with shedding some of those dead skin cells by working as an exfoliant, too.

Long-lasting

Waxing targets your unwanted hair right at the source. Instead of trimming the tops of the overgrown hair like shaving does, waxing pulls hair out at the root. As a result, one waxing session can create results that last three to four weeks.

Cons of waxing

If you’ve never waxed before, you’ve likely heard just as many horror stories of friends’ painful experiences with waxing as you have others who swear it’s totally worth it. Before going into any cosmetic procedure, it’s good to know some of the drawbacks, including:

Can be a more painful process

Depending on who you ask and their pain tolerance, waxing can be considered painful — kind of like getting a tattoo. Because hair is removed at the root, some people say waxing is more painful than shaving. The hot wax can also burn your skin if you’re not careful (all the more reason to go to a pro).

Risk for irritation

Similar to shaving, waxing can also cause inflamed hair follicles, pain, redness, ingrown hairs and skin irritation. When your hair is pulled out, it opens up your hair follicles and makes them more vulnerable to irritation.

In some cases, this can lead to an infection called folliculitis, which causes red, itchy bumps on your skin. The good news is that this can usually be treated with some hydrocortisone cream.

Your hair needs to be a certain length

Depending on how urgently you’re looking to get rid of unwanted hair, this may not worry you as much. But just be warned: You can’t get a wax at any time. Your hair must be 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch so the wax has something to grab onto.

Infection risks when removing facial hair

There’s also a small risk of scabs or infection when removing facial hair using wax. But you should only have to worry about this if you’re currently using any anti-aging or acne products with retinol in them.

As retinol makes your skin barrier more delicate and vulnerable, waxing retinol-affected skin can cause abrasions, infection and even scarring. Be sure to let your aesthetician know before doing any kind of facial waxing.

Which areas does each work best for?

Both techniques get rid of unnecessary hair and leave your skin feeling smooth. One isn’t necessarily better than the other in terms of what area of the body you choose to use it on.

But keep in mind, both require extra care and caution in sensitive areas like:

• Waxing: The bikini line for waxing and the joints.
• Shaving: Skin folds and bikini line.
• Both: Facial hair.

But in terms of ease of use and safety, shaving is more commonly used for larger areas on your body like legs and armpits. As waxing can pinpoint smaller areas, it’s better for spots like above the lip and bikini lines.

This doesn’t mean you can’t shave those areas, but many dermatologists recommend taking extra care when doing so. This is why a lot of people consider Brazilian waxes for areas around the groin.

Whether you’re waxing or shaving, it’s also best to skip the hair removal around:

• Irritated or sunburnt skin.
• Enflamed acne or pimples.
• Body piercings that are still healing.
• Areas with moles or warts.
• The inside of your ears and nose.

The bottom line

It’s worth experimenting with both shaving and waxing to find out what method you prefer (and maybe even look into laser hair removal). Your specific hair type, skin type and the area that you’d like to remove hair from will all play a factor in your decision, as well as your pain tolerance and aesthetic needs. The cost and ease of the process is another important aspect to consider.

If you aren’t sure or want to know what’s best for your skin type, see a board-certified dermatologist who can give you solid advice and discuss what option might be best for you.