Waxing time is very much dependent on how much hair has to be removed and the surface area of the body part. Sparse eyebrow or lip hair removal will be very quick compared to a full Brazilian wax or leg wax. Those with coarser hair may find that several swipes are necessary to achieve optimal results.

It also pays to go to a spa or salon that specializes in waxing procedures if speed is key. Specialty shops such as Completely Bare can perform a bikini wax in under 10 minutes, while a nail salon technician make take longer. Waxing salons also offer different varieties of wax for specific skin and hair types that facilitate removal.

Facial waxing is short, lasting about 5 to 7 minutes. The technician may do some residual plucking to clean up the few remaining stray hairs. Underarms also take a short time. Arms and legs are longer to do, since there's a good amount of skin to take care of.

For men, the chest and back are the prime waxing areas. Those take about as long as an arm or leg, so assume 10 to 15 minutes of work on those parts.

The prime area most women want to know about is the bikini area. This is one zone where things may go slowly the first time.

The esthetician may first use clippers or scissors to trim hair if it's too long. After that, depending on the client and their comfort level or pain tolerance, waxing may take 15 to 30 minutes. Brazilian waxes are more thorough, and can take up to 40 minutes the first time.

Repeat visits will go more quickly as the client becomes accustomed to the sensations and positions needed to remove all of the hair. Also, regrowth is thinner after each waxing, so there's subsequently less to remove.