March 23, 2009 by Leslie Ventura 

New Jersey’s take on hair removal uncalled for

The Brazilian wax has been a controversial procedure since it gained great popularity in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Many older people, find the look to be a disgusting trend fueled by a lust for younger women.  I have to wonder – do these people not shave their armpits and legs either? 

While some argue that even shaving your pits and legs attributes to a desire for younger, more innocent looking girls, many would disagree. And even if this was the case, does this justify a ban on waxing? Both women and men shave out of personal preference or because the phenomenon of shaving is an accepted social construct. Frankly, it would be weird if we didn’t shave.  While there are people who don’t shave these areas regularly, the majority of us do.

But  some people still regard removing underarm and leg hair differently than removing pubic hair. The ancient Babylonians are documented to have created depilatories for the removal of hair. The removal of body hair is such a social norm that not shaving makes people the minority.  As opposed to the removal of pubic hair, we can’t pinpoint the origins of shaving our underarm and leg hair, but most of us feel like it’s probably been around forever.

Most likely, people find the procedure absurd because they aren’t used to it. The fact that sex is a subject that is considered taboo makes it easy for state legislatures to want to ban things like Brazilian waxing because it involves regions we’re shy to talk about. 

One’s first assumption from hearing the case might be that Brazilian waxing is an invasive, painful procedure administered by people who aren’t fully trained, in order to achieve a result that shouldn’t be desirable. Sure, it’s easy to propose a ban on something that is made to sound awful, but not when the real facts are considered.

Waxing any region is painful and if done incorrectly can cause problems. Brazilian waxing is safe when done correctly. For anyone who has ever had anything waxed: eyebrows, arms or bikini line, you already know it hurts. But we trust licensed aestheticians to do the job correctly, minimizing pain as much as possible and not causing us infections. 

If two girls in the state of New Jersey got infections so severe they had to be hospitalized, the state board should be investigating the salons where the procedures were done. Thousands of women and men receive Brazilian waxes every year and are never hospitalized. And while some people might just have adverse reactions, the people who gave the waxes to these women should have their licenses reviewed and possibly revoked. No one should end up in a hospital after a Brazilian wax. 

Perhaps the steps to achieving the license are too easy. I myself have never gone through this type of training. However, someone who performs an invasive service to the human body, like a tattoo artist, should adhere to strict guidelines before being allowed to charge the public for one’s services.

Whether the system is just too lax right now or not, I’m glad New Jersians finally agreed that banning Brazilian waxing is not the answer.

Once we begin banning things because a few people have an atypical experience, who knows where the list would end. Our bodies are our own property and people should be able to make decisions about their bodies freely as long as we aren’t causing others harm. The idea that a state wanted to ban something like Brazilian waxing is bizarre to say the least. Would we ban services like manicures and body piercings if some people had bad experiences? 

New Jersey residents should enjoy the service while it lasts and hope that they won’t have to go across state boundaries to get a Brazilian wax.