Frequently Asked Questions

It would be lying to say waxing it without sensation. It is pulling hairs by the roots after all. For many people the sensation doesn’t bother them at all. For a few it can be quite painful. The majority sit somewhere in between with waxing tolerable enough and worth the results. There's only one way to find out.

In any case, the sensation is short lived and a skilled therapist uses certain techniques, such as drawing the skin taut, to minimise discomfort.

The first time you have waxing done you’ll feel it the most. By maintaining a regular waxing patter every 4-6 weeks, the hairs will be weaker and the sensation decreases after about 3 sessions.

All sorts of men come for waxing and for all different reasons. There really isn't a type. Whatever your vibe, body type, your reasons or goals, so long as you have male anatomy I'm here to provide a safe and jugement-free service to help you get the results you want.

Man Maintenance offers waxing to adult men, therefore you will need to be at least 18 years old for treatment. That's why you need to provide your date of birth when you book online. If you're lucky enough to look younger than 18 or so, you will need to show photo ID before being waxed.

Ideally, yes, you should shower before coming for a treatment.

We understand that sometimes you will be coming for waxing after work or another activity and won't be freshly showered. That's fine, however, you must come with an acceptable level of hygiene, otherwise the therapist may decline to carry out the treatment, but payment will still be due in full.

Man maintenance does not provide shower facilities for customers.

• First of all you will need to have at least three weeks' hair growth, so don't shave or clip hair in the areas you want waxing. If the hair is shorter than about 5mm, the wax won't be able to get a good hold of it and the result is less likely to be satisfactory

• Examine the areas you want waxing for any cuts, rashes, lesions, sunburn or other sensitivity or abnormalities as you'll need to alert the therapist so they can work around them

• Ensure you have a suitable level of hygiene for your treatment. Ideally have a shower before you come. If you aren't clean when you come for your appointment, the therapist may decline to proceed with your waxing, but you will still be charged

• Please be on time. Another customer will likely be booked in after you and if you arrive late there may not be sufficient time for your treatment to be completed, but you will still be charged the full amount

It is normal for waxing to make the skin go red and for some blood spotting to occur during the treatment. Blood spotting can happen because each hair has its own blood supply and a bit leaks out of the follicle when the hair is removed. Urticaria (white blebs on the skin, similar to when you get stung by a nettle) are also possible and are a natural body response. These will all subside quickly, often by the end of the treatment, normally within a couple of hours, occasionally needing a day. Keeping the treated area cool and clean helps the process.

The day after waxing, spots (folliculitis) can develop. It's rare, but it does happen. Spots are caused by bacteria and other microbes getting into the follicles - the hairs having been lifted out, the follicles are open, increasing the risk. Keeping the area clean, using antiseptics lotions and body washes help, as well as wearing clean, loose clothing after waxing and changing bedding. Ultimately some people are more prone to folliculitis. If you're new to waxing and unsure how your skin reacts, it's worth factoring in that spots are possible and you should allow a week for them to clear before any event you have planned at which you want to show off your smooth skin.

For 24-48 hours after waxing:

• avoid heat, such as hot baths and showers, saunas, jacuzzis as they can cause irritation to the freshly waxed hair follicles

• avoid heavy exercise that may cause you to sweat a lot

• maintain good hygiene by showering daily, but with luke-warm water. Avoid soaps and shower gels, deodorants and perfume on waxed areas

• wear loose clothing to allow air to the waxed areas and to prevent chafing that might lead to ingrown hairs, as well as heavy exercise which might cause you to sweat lots.

Avoid exfoliating waxed areas for three days following treatment. After this it is a good idea to maintain a gentle exfoliation regime. This will encourage skin health and help prevent ingrown hairs.

It is normal after waxing to experience some skin redness or blood spots. This will normally subside in a few hours. If it persists, use of an unperfumed moisturising lotion with natural anti-septic properties, such as one containing tea tree is advisable.

It's a good question - if you're going on holiday or have an event at which you will want to show off your smooth skin it's worth thinking about this. If you're a regular waxer and know your skin has little reaction to waxing, a couple of days before you head off is ideal - it just allows the skin time to settle and recover before it's exposed to the sun, sea, the swimming pool, etc.

If you're new to waxing, I'd recommend allowing a week. This is because, occasionally, some people get folliculitis (ie spots) after waxing and these can take about a week to clear up. They're nothing to worry about, but perhaps you won't want to have them on your chest it you're going about topless. After a week, the spots will have subsided and you'll still have lovely smooth skin, set for sunnier climes.

This depends on how regularly you wax.

Wax regularly every 4-6 weeks and you will notice you stay smoother for longer, especially after about 3-4 treatments.

Wax intermittently - or if it's your first time - you may notice hairs start to reappear within a few days.

This is because hairs are all in different stages of the hair growth cycle. Newly growing hairs which haven't yet poked above the skin will not be removed by the wax. Regular waxing aligns the hairs in their growth cycles meaning results can last for weeks.

It pays to be committed!

It happens sometimes. It’s a natural phenomenon that we guys can't always control and is nothing to be embarrassed about. The therapist will have encountered it before and will pay it no attention to it and continue with the treatment.

If you want to look at the positives, the tauter skin that comes with an erection helps the waxing process and can make hair removal more comfortable.

For the avoidance of any doubt, Man Maintenance provides a professional waxing service only. If it's something other than hair removal you're looking for, I'm afraid we don't provide it.

The studio is on the first floor of a domestic home, accessible by a flight of a stairs. As it's a private house, there isn't a lift installed. As it's an old Victorian terraced house the doorway is also quite narrow and the stairs are a bit steeper than average. If you think this may present you with difficulties, please drop me a message so we can see if we can make it work for you.

Yes, indeed!

Waxing is recommended every 4-6 weeks for optimal results. To reward regular waxers, they will get 20% off their fifth regular treatment in any 26-week period.

The 26-week period starts from the date of the first treatment.

Regular treatment means that the discount applies to the treatment you usually have done. For instance, if you usually have an armpit wax, you couldn't apply the discount to a full-body wax. Reasonable discretion can be applied :-)

Yes, as I come across local businesses that are in some way related to male image, health and fitness I post them on my Recommendations page.