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"A date with a dreaded bowl of hot wax can really be a cringe-worthy experience. But there are simple things you can do to make your next appointment a lot less painful.\\n\\n[Bonus: 5-Minute Body Image Boosters](http://www.ivillage.com/bad-mood-busters/4-b-230978?ftr=iv:self:conde)\\n\\n Do:  \\n  \\nTake a warm shower (not hot as this can make skin more sensitive) before your waxing. It will help help open your [pores](/beauty/2010/08/look-younger-in-one-month) and make removing your hair easier.  \\n  \\nExfoliate with a body scrub so the waxing strips don't have to cut through dead skin cells and oils left from [your moisturizers](/beauty/2010/11/ten-ways-to-keep-skin-fresh-all-winter-slideshow). They'll be able to nab hair more quickly.  \\n  \\nTaking an ibuprofen or aspirin about 30 minutes before your wax can help lessen the pain by slightly dulling your pain receptors.   \\n  \\nTry to relax as the more tense you are, the more you'll feel the pain. Take the focus away by sucking on a mint or chewing some gum, mentally planning your day, etc.  \\n  \\n Don't:  \\n  \\nDrinking [coffee and other caffeinated beverages](http://nutritiondata.self.com/) and even alcohol can make your skin much more sensitive. Try to avoid these for a few hours before you wax.  \\n  \\nAlthough you might be tempted to numb the pain away with ice, the cold can [tighten your pores](/beauty/2010/05/hair-and-skin-recipes-from-your-fridge), making your hairs harder to remove.  \\n  \\nDon't wait until your hairs are too long to wax. This can make the process a lot longer and more uncomfortable. Also, make sure they are long enough (at least a quarter of an inch) for the wax to adhere and grab them easily  \\n  \\n  \\nMake sure you have enough time to get to your appointment so you're nice and relaxed and have a happy waxing!   \\n  \\n  \\nCheck out these fun extras:  \\n[Pick from 500 prizes and enter to win](/tips/recipes/popular)  \\n[Sign up to receive 15 favorite healthy fall recipes](Sign%20up%20to%20receive%2015%20favorite%20healthy%20fall%20recipes)  \\n[Free! Design your own workout video](http://workouts.self.com/)  \\n  \\n  \\n*Posted by Pia Bhattacharya*  \\n[  \\n  \\n  \\n](http://workouts.self.com/)"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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