How To Get The Best and Longest Lasting Results From Your Sugaring Service
There are four key stages of hair growth that are essential to understand for optimal results from your sugaring service. Regardless of whether your hair is fine and light or thick and dark, these stages remain consistent, and your chosen hair removal method will influence the regrowth period.
The four stages of hair growth are Anagen, Catagen, Telogen, and Exogen. It's important to note that various hairs on your body, even within the same area, can be at different stages of growth simultaneously.
Stage 1: The Anagen Stage
Known as “the growing stage,” this phase is when the hair shaft is at its strongest, lasting as little as 4 weeks for eyebrows and up to 4 months for Brazilian and leg hair. During this stage, the hair shaft remains connected to its "food source," the dermal papilla. The Anagen stage of hair growth is ideal for waxing or sugaring services because removing hair from the root at this time damages the papilla, which is essential for hair nourishment. Consequently, the follicle shrinks, the papilla becomes "damaged," leading to reduced hair regrowth
Stage 2: The Catagen Stage
In this stage, the hair shaft breaks away from the papilla, stops growing, and starts to move up a bit. It usually lasts about 1 to 2 weeks.
Stages 3 & 4: The Telogen and Exogen Stages
These stages, referred to as the "resting stages," mark the final phase of hair growth. Usually lasting from 6 weeks to 6 months, depending on the area of the body. During this period, the hair is ready to shed, allowing new hair to emerge that's already growing in its Anagen Stage (Stage 1). If you wax or sugar while in the Telogen stage, you'll notice faster regrowth as the new hair pushes through. The Exogen stage is when the old hair sheds and the new hair continues to grow.
Why do we recommend maintenance appointments every 4-5 weeks?
If you’ve been shaving, your hair is probably growing in all kinds of stages. That’s why your first few sugaring or waxing sessions might not leave your skin as smooth as you want. What you’re feeling are those hairs that were just under the surface popping up because they’re in stages 2, 3, or 4. If you wait about 5.5 weeks or longer between your Brazilian or leg wax, the hairs won’t be in stage 1 anymore and won’t be attached to the papilla. So, while you’ll enjoy about 3 weeks without hair we miss the chance to damage that papilla and permanently reduce hair growth, which is really the goal!