Waxing for men: pain, hair length, aftercare. 10 questions, 10 answers

Yes, waxing stings; it doesn’t go entirely without pain. With skin-friendly wax, the right hair length and professionals at work, though, it is a short pit stop and not an endurance test. Below are the ten questions men ask before their first waxing, and our answers from the Werkstatt. If you then want to get started right away, you’ll find all zones and appointments under Waxing for men in Munich.

1. Does waxing hurt?

Yes, a little. In waxing the hair is pulled out with the root, and you feel that more than a shave. In return the result lasts much longer.

How strongly you notice it depends on the spot. The skin on the face is more sensitive than on the rest of the body, so nose, ears and eyebrows feel different from arms or legs. With chest and back, larger areas are involved. How that goes is in our comparison Removing back hair as a man: waxing, shaving or laser?

Craftsmanship makes the difference. At our place, trained beauticians do the waxing, who know what matters in each zone, and we use a skin-friendly wax so that the treatment stays as low in pain as possible.

And what do the men who have already been say? A Treatwell review says quite openly “despite the pain during waxing”. So it may sting. It isn’t a drama, as another client writes:

“Took the fear out of it for me”

Review excerpt on waxing, Treatwell

2. How long does the hair need to be for waxing?

Ideal is 0.5 to 1 cm, but at least 5 millimetres. The wax has to be able to grip the hair, and with shorter hair it has too little to hold on to.

For face, nose, ears and eyebrows, our rule is: don’t shave for at least two weeks beforehand. On the body the same length rule applies. How long your hair takes to reach 5 millimetres is individual, so don’t book the appointment right after the last shave, but let the hair grow a bit first.

Not sure if the length is enough? Send us a quick message on WhatsApp or call beforehand. Then we’ll clarify it before you come for nothing.

3. May I shave before the appointment or between two appointments?

Before the appointment: not in the weeks beforehand. Every shave sets the hair length to zero, and then the wax lacks the necessary 5 millimetres.

Between two appointments: Technically that works, but you reset your service interval. After shaving, the hair is too short for the next waxing, and you have to wait again until it is 0.5 to 1 cm long. On top of that, with regular waxing the hair can become finer and less noticeable. When shaving, it grows back unchanged.

Our tip: plan the appointments so that you don’t have to reach for the razor in between at all. When the right moment for the next pit stop is, you discuss with your beautician at the appointment.

4. Cold wax or hot wax: what is used for waxing?

Waxing can be done with hot or cold wax. At the Werkstatt we mainly work with an especially skin-friendly cold wax, and that has two advantages:

• No risk of burns on the face. Cold wax isn’t heated. The risk of burns that exists with hot wax is therefore gone, and that counts especially at nose, ears and eyebrows.
• A little quicker. The cold wax comes on ready-made wax strips. This makes the treatment somewhat faster than with hot wax.

Depending on the treatment we also use hot wax. Which wax is used on which zone is decided by your beautician. You don’t need to worry about that.

5. How does the appointment work, and does anyone watch?

Nobody watches. All waxing treatments at our place take place in a separate room, out of sight, even for chest, back or legs.

The process depends on the zone. Using the underarms as an example, it looks like this:

1. Consultation: We clarify what is being waxed and how your skin ticks.
2. Preparation: The skin is prepared, with powder for the underarms.
3. Waxing: Wax on, hair out, zone by zone.
4. Post-treatment: the fine-tuning of the waxed zone.
5. Care: To finish, the skin is cared for, with aloe vera for the underarms.

For nose and ears it is shorter: preparation, waxing, aftercare, done. And because it’s the Männer Werkstatt, you get coffee, drinks, water or beer with it.

6. Will I go red after waxing?

Quite possibly, and that is normal. The skin can be slightly irritated by waxing; such irritation or redness is usually gone after a few days.

Even if you see or feel nothing, the skin can be more sensitive than usual straight after waxing. The rules from question 7 therefore apply even if everything looks calm.

An important appointment coming up, such as a beach holiday, a photo shoot or your wedding? Then allow a few days’ buffer between waxing and the big day. How best to plan that as a groom is in our grooming plan for grooms.

If a spot hurts or doesn’t settle, please see a dermatologist promptly.

7. What do I need to bear in mind after waxing?

The skin is slightly more sensitive after waxing. For the days afterwards there are a few simple rules:

• No sunbed. Neither straight after the appointment nor in the days after. The heat irritates the skin further, even if you see no irritation.
• No strong deodorant on the waxed areas, above all not under the arms. That can also irritate the skin unnecessarily.
• Take it easy on sport. You sweat during training, and sweat on freshly waxed skin is not a good combination. In the days after waxing it’s better to take a break or at least slow down.

Otherwise: you know your skin best. Give it a few days’ rest before you go full throttle again.

8. How long does waxing last?

As a rule, at least several weeks. Because the hair is removed at the root and not just cut, it takes much longer than after a shave before anything is visible again.

A second effect comes with time. With regular waxing the hair can become finer and less noticeable; for some, in the end only fine fuzz remains, which is easy to wax. We make no promise that the hair will eventually disappear completely. How your hair develops is individual.

Small bonus: dead skin flakes come off with the waxing.

For your service interval that means: come back when the hair has reached the necessary 0.5 to 1 cm.

9. And what about ingrown hairs?

Raise it at your next appointment. Your beautician will look at the spot and advise you on how to care for it until the next appointment. If a spot is red, hurts or becomes inflamed, it belongs with a dermatologist.

Of course, nobody wants red dots on a freshly waxed chest after the appointment. Still, we don’t recommend creams or home remedies from a distance, because what helps depends on your skin.

10. What does waxing for men cost at our place?

Waxing is available at both studios, at Wilhelmstraße 32 and Amalienstraße 41. On the face we work with skin-friendly cold wax, depending on the treatment also with hot wax. These are all the zones:

Prices: as of October 2026.

A small zone is a good way to dip a toe in, for example nose and ears. If you want to start big, take “WAX the Man”. You’ll find all details on the zones on our page Waxing for men in Munich. Booking is online: choose studio, choose service, choose appointment.

Waxing or shaving: which is better for men?

That depends on what matters more to you. Shaving is quick and doesn’t hurt, but the stubble is soon back. Waxing stings and costs an appointment, but the skin usually stays smooth for at least several weeks.

On the back, a razor reaches badly, and nobody likes fiddling around at nose and ears themselves either. There, waxing is usually the more practical choice. If you only need a smooth spot now and then and shy away from the sting, stick with the razor. You’ll find the detailed comparison, including laser, in the Werkstatt comparison for back and chest.

Frequently asked questions about waxing

Your first waxing appointment

If the hair length is right, pick a studio and an appointment. You can also give the pit stop as a voucher. #bockaufschön