Ouch! The idea of waxing can be quite intimidating. Waxing removes hair from the root of the follicle, so hair won’t have a chance to grow back as often or as long. When your hair does grow back, it will be finer and weaker, which will make it less painful to pull out again.
So yes, waxing can be painful, but will you be sore? Your skin will most likely be sore following Brazilian wax if it’s overly sensitive, if you've been waxing the same area for too long or if you are using wax not suitable for your skin type.
What Should you Expect After your First Brazilian Wax?
Your first Brazilian wax will remove all the hairs from your pubic and anal areas that grow above the skin. Hairs that were growing below the skin surface during your first waxing will be removed during the subsequent ones.
Essentially, hairs grow in different cycles, and after three or four waxings, you should have only one cycle for all of your hair down there. This makes the maintenance much easier and the results longer lasting!
What's more, every new waxing is supposed to get easier for you to handle. However, avoid shaving at any cost, as this will undo all the previous work and make your next waxing as painful as your first.

Of course, some skin types, like those more on the sensitive side, can react and become more irritated after a Brazilian waxing. Here are some types of sensitivity you might experience following your first ever encounter with this procedure:
Redness – It can last anywhere from a couple of minutes to a few days. And yes, don't worry, it will disappear.
Itching – Your freshly waxed skin might become itchy. Do try to avoid irritating it even further by scratching it. We recommend applying a skin-soothing product based on aloe vera instead.
Bumps – Bumps can sometimes go hand in hand with waxing. You can treat the irritation with skin-soothing products to keep your skin from drying out or you can just give it some time (between a couple of hours to a couple of days, depending on your skin type) and the bumps will disappear on their own.
Stubble – Some hair growth is inevitable after your waxing session. As we already mentioned, your hairs have different growth cycles and those hairs that were below the skin surface when you had the procedure done can start to surface the next day. That's nothing to worry about, try to moisturize between procedures and avoid shaving so the unwanted hairs can be gone during your next waxing session.
Ingrown hairs – Ingrown hairs, which are caused by hair growing back down into the skin, can occur when that hair follicle is removed. If you experience this problem, it is important to exfoliate frequently in order to remove the dead skin that before it prevents the hair follicles from growing out.
You can use exfoliating or ingrown hair products to take care of these dead skin cells and prevent future ingrown hairs. Also, it is also best to avoid activities that can further irritate your freshly waxed skin, such as exercising, having sex, sunbathing, swimming in public pools, or taking hot baths/showers immediately after a Brazilian waxing procedure.
Why are you Sore After a Brazilian Wax?
There are several reasons why you may experience soreness after a Brazilian wax:
You may even experience some bleeding since the hair follicles are connected to your blood vessels. When you remove a hair from a follicle quickly, it may respond with minor bleeding, which should cease straight away.
Do exercise caution though. If you are an immunosuppressed individual, maybe it is best to avoid waxing altogether. A 2007 study found that Brazilian waxing can have serious consequences on your health and even cause life-threatening infections.
This is exactly what happened to an Australian 20-year-old suffering from type 1 diabetes; following a routine Brazilian wax, the woman ended up with a Streptococcus pyogenes and Herpes simplex infection of her external genitalia.
Is it Normal to be Sore After a Brazilian Wax?
Yes, it is normal to be sore after a Brazilian wax. The area being waxed is probably a little more sensitive than your legs or underarms. Some women have very sensitive areas, and there could be some pain involved.

If you are concerned, ask a waxing technician to apply a numbing gel to the area before starting, this should help ease discomfort. Another tip is to take some ibuprofen some 30 to 45 minutes before your appointment. Do go easy on it however, since ibuprofen can cause bleeding, which you don’t want to happen. In a nutshell, if you are a little sore, just take it easy.
If the soreness does not subside after a few days, or you are in severe pain, consult a doctor.
How Long will you be Sore after a Brazilian Wax?
It may take about a day or two for your skin to recover after your Brazilian waxing session. You may experience soreness and some of the abovementioned signs of irritation, such as inflammation, redness, or red bumps. Those with thick hair usually need a bit more time to recover.
However, you can speed up the recovery process by being extra gentle on the freshly waxed area for a couple of days following your waxing session. You should avoid anything that could further irritate the area and give your skin time to recover. This means no sun exposure, tanning beds, or prolonged heat exposure (sauna, steam room, hot baths, etc). Do not pick, scratch, or pull at your skin, and avoid exercising.
To conclude, Ii you want to be hair-free, a Brazilian wax is one of the quickest ways to get there. However, this waxing procedure definitely isn't the most relaxing thing in the world. Be sure to weigh all the risks and benefits before you decide to take this step.