Does Repetitive Waxing Lead to Less Hair Growth in the Axillary Area?
No, there is no evidence that repetitive waxing leads to permanent reduction in axillary hair growth. While waxing removes hair from the follicle temporarily, it does not damage the hair follicle's regenerative capacity or alter long-term hair production.
Evidence on Waxing and Hair Regrowth
The available research demonstrates that waxing is a temporary hair removal method that does not produce lasting changes in hair density or growth patterns:
Waxing removes the entire hair shaft, follicle, and bulb temporarily, but all hair removal methods except electrolysis are temporary 1. This means the hair follicle remains intact and capable of producing new hair after each waxing session.
A comparative study found no difference in hair reduction between prewaxed versus preshaved areas when followed by laser hair removal, indicating that waxing does not inherently reduce hair follicle activity or hair density 2. If waxing caused progressive hair reduction, the prewaxed areas would have shown less hair at baseline.
Hair follicles are preserved even in conditions of chronic hair loss like alopecia areata, and the potential for hair regrowth is maintained even in longstanding disease 3. This demonstrates the remarkable regenerative capacity of hair follicles, which would not be permanently affected by mechanical removal methods like waxing.
Physiological Considerations
The biological mechanisms of hair growth explain why waxing cannot produce permanent reduction:
Waxing triggers an inflammatory response with increased IL-1α and IL-1RA concentrations, but this is an acute response that does not translate to long-term follicle damage 4. The inflammatory cytokines return to baseline as the skin heals.
A single waxing treatment does not induce post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or lasting biophysical changes to axillary skin 4, further confirming that the effects are temporary and reversible.
Hair follicles contain stem cells that are activated during the hair growth cycle, and mechanical removal does not destroy these stem cells 5. The follicle's regenerative capacity remains intact.
Comparison with Permanent Hair Removal
To understand why waxing doesn't reduce hair growth, it's helpful to contrast it with methods that do:
Only electrolysis provides permanent hair removal 1, because it destroys the hair follicle's ability to produce new hair through targeted electrical current.
Laser hair removal requires multiple sessions and works by damaging the hair follicle during its growth phase 2, but even this method requires the hair to be present in the follicle for the laser to target it effectively.
Clinical Implications
For patients seeking reduced axillary hair growth:
Waxing provides temporary hair removal lasting 3-6 weeks but requires indefinite repetition 1. There is no cumulative benefit from repeated waxing sessions in terms of permanent hair reduction.
Patients desiring permanent or long-term hair reduction should be counseled about laser hair removal or electrolysis 1, 2, as these are the only methods with evidence for lasting hair reduction.
When hair removal is desired for cosmetic purposes, shaving, waxing, threading, chemical depilation, electrolysis, or trimming are all viable options 3, but none except electrolysis will produce permanent reduction.
Common Misconceptions
The belief that repeated waxing reduces hair growth likely stems from:
Temporary reduction in visible hair between waxing sessions, which may create the impression of less hair growth, but this is simply the normal hair growth cycle being reset with each waxing session.
Possible changes in hair texture or diameter after waxing, which may make regrown hair appear finer temporarily, but this does not represent actual reduction in follicle number or activity 4.