There are several areas of the body people may want to have hair removed from, and one example that may not be the most frequent, but is still very important to some people, is the back. Hair on various parts of the back can be annoying and unsightly, plus may grow in different patterns than hair on other parts of your body.

At His & Hers Waxing, we’re proud to offer numerous men’s and women’s body waxing services, including for areas like the small of the back and several others nearby. There are a few options for back hair removal, including several different forms of wax, and we’re happy to help recommend the ideal choice. However, choosing the right wax for your back hair relies in part on understanding the type of hair growing on your back – this two-part blog series will begin by going over the three most common back hair types so you understand them, while part two will dig into the different waxes out there and which is best for your back depending on the type of hair you have and other factors.

Thick/Coarse

The majority of people in the world today have some type of coarse hair on the parts of their body that grow hair, and the back is no exception. To be clear, the term “coarse” often gets confused with “rough” – these don’t actually mean the same things. Rather, coarse hair refers to hair that has a wider circumference than other hair types.

And down similar lines, having coarse hair is not the same as having thick hair – but you can have both at once, and this is a very common reality for many people. Thick hair refers to density of hair follicles; if you have thick hair, then, there are a greater number of follicles on your back (or any other area). Thick, coarse hair on the back will look bushy and clumped-together.

Short/Coarse

To understand short but coarse hair, simply visualize what an average man’s face will look like just after they’ve shaved it – bits of stubble are coming in, feeling bristly and coarse (an alternate visualization is a woman’s legs that have been recently shaved). This same type of hair grows on the back for many people, and never actually gets longer – it stays short and stubbly, feeling uncomfortable to the touch and often presenting a look you don’t want.

Fine or Medium

On the other hand, some people have fine or medium hair on their back (and other parts of their body) instead of coarse hair. If you can take a single strand of your hair and can’t feel it at all between your fingers, this means you have fine hair; if you feel it slightly, you have medium hair; if you feel a thick, strong strand of hair, you have coarse hair.

Fine or medium hair on the back likely looks soft, but may have a variety of colors. Many people choose to remove darker back hair because of the unsightly way it looks.

For more on back hair types and how to evaluate your waxing options, or to learn about any of our men’s or women’s waxing services, speak to the staff at His & Hers Waxing today.