Uuuh, I'd say it's not the wax itself that is causing the problem, but the poorly-trained idiots doing the waxing! Just like anything else (ear piercing, anyone?), you have to have someone who knows what they are doing. Perhaps they should look into THAT instead of banning it!

I should be able to get a dam brazilian wax if I want, good lord.

@nakedscience: Thats right, shoot the messenger.

Except in this case, it actually makes sense :P

So two people are injured from infections...uh, what is the infection rate of other wax jobs? If they are the same, why is this even an issue?

This will lead to more home waxings. I'm sure this will be much more dangerous, at least the people at the salons have some experience.

You can have my Brazilian wax when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers!

Somehow I doubt that people are going to be chomping at the bit to wax their own ass and genital hair. There are some things that are so uncomfortable or painful that we can only bear to have them done by other people while we squint our eyes in fear. Brazilian wax is one of those things.

My state needs RED LIGHT CAMERAS and bans on cell phone drivers, I will admit.

What kind of infection are we talking here? Ingrown hair or something more pernicious?

These infections are probably a result from dipping the sticks to apply the wax multiple times. This practice is typically to lower the cost. $25 dollars for a Brazilian wax is too cheap to be legit.

2 people get an infection and it's time to ban the practice? How many people get infections from tattoos, piercings, or simply not brushing properly? Pretty damn ridiculous imo. Nanny state anyone? How about simply making a law that makes it mandatory for some kind of training or at the very least, warnings posted that you may get an infection?

Perhaps we should ban surgery in the hospital...I hear you can get infections from it, pretty routinely.

I worked at a spa, brazillians are far more popular than most people think and furthermore, most people say they don't hurt at all.
As to infections, if the equipment was not properly heated/sterilized it could cause bacterial infections that could spread, so this potentially could be a big deal.
However, I don't see why they would ban brazillian waxing. Terrible cosmetologists exist, just like every other job. That's just life.

@Gokuhouse: Back Alley Brazillians. Abortion Reference WIN!!!!!

So it's chill for legislators not to do jack shit when thousands of people get salmonella poisoning from the food supply annually, but this is somehow worthy of a ban? I realize I'm coming dangerously close to comparing apples and oranges, but this just seems silly.

Also: Bikini line infections!? In New Jersey, of all places?! The Jersey girl jokes practically write themselves.

I'm a single man in NJ. So I'm not crazy about this.

"waxing is allowed only on the face, neck, abdomen, legs and arms in NJ"

Allowed by New Jersey? Allowed?! Fuck you New Jersey. Or... wait. I guess it could be dangerous. Though, why is the face and neck allowed but not the back or chest? Is "abdomen" supposed to mean the entire torso?

Whatever. I think it's time to look for real estate on Mars.

Now that is what I call a "close shave"!

Hey-o!

Shouldn't a woman have a right to decide what is done to her own body? I say, keep the government away from my pubes!

Seriously, this is as bad as the Oklahoma legislator trying to outlaw eyeball tattoos. Glad we have that economic thing fixed so we can move onto more serious issues.

If we outlaw bikini waxes, only outlaws will have bikini waxes!

Time to outlaw manicures then, too.

@Ananelle: Those people that say they don't hurt at all, well they're just a bunch of lying bastards. I will admit it hurt FAR less after the 2nd or 3rd time, but painless, oh hell no.

And I agree, just because some places are dirty does not mean the practice should be banned. I won't go to a place that charges less than $45 because I'm afraid. My girl will charge $35 if I go in every 3 weeks though and I'm down with that.

@Steel_Pelican: Brilliant.

@Saboth: Won't someone please think of the hot waxed honeys?

What's the difference between a regular bikini wax and a Brazilian wax?

Does anyone know if it's already illegal to involuntarily wax someone down yonder? I want to make sure I'm protected.

@Steel_Pelican:

That's Hawt!

Time to ban surgeries and hospitals because people can get infections there as well.

@kyleorton: a brazillian removes EVERYTHING, a bikini wax is any thing less than that

WTF? Reply not working for me again...

Anyways I agree: shit happens that doesn't mean ban something. That's what drives me nuts about this country. "The Land of the Free" except for Bikini Waxes, getting drunk at a bar (illegal!), lemonade stands, etc., etc.

@KyleOrton: Bikini wax = bikini line, the skin exposed when wearing an "average" bathing suit. Brazilian = bald 100%.

Reply is sometimes working today, sometimes not. In other news, the NJ legislature has waaaaaay too much time on their hands.

maybe instead of banning it they should just require that it be disclosed to the clients recieving the wax that in order to avoid infection they will need to keep the area clean and dry.....

Brazilian waxes are already banned in my jurisdiction, that is, my house. No F'in way

This company brings "tearing you a new one" to a literal reality.

@Subsound: B/c it has been against the law for awhile, just never enforced. Now since these deaths popped up, they are going to step up enforcement.

Did this quote make anyone else laugh?

"The genital area is not part of the abdomen or legs as some might assume," Lamm said.

Here's a little tip: If you're at work, DO NOT search for "Brazilian bikini wax" at Wikipedia.

@ Ananelle: Those people are liars. There is no way to rip all the hair out of someone's crotch without having it hurt.

Most spa type treatments carry a risk of infection. They are just banning them because it's cheaper than enforcing new standards for waxing.

People should be warned about risks and then make up their own minds. Don't go to sketch places where they use dirty equipment. Don't get waxed if you have a bad immune system or diabetes. Don't have dirty fingers on that skin when it is still raw and prone to infection. It's all really common sense stuff.

Death by waxing? I thought it said infections.

@Subsound: Hey, when you vote for people who believe in big government, you get big government.

@IcePirate_GitEmSteveDave: Hospitalizations, not deaths. Unless you know something USA today isn't reporting....

Typical NJ nanny-state bullshit. 2 people out how many thousands get this done and it's suddenly a crisis. Not like they have better things to worry about, like Corzine raping and pillaging the entire state with his new budget while the state payroll is still bloated like the Sta-Puff Marshmallow Man, and officials that are so corrupt that it makes the Nixon administration look like a model for good, clean government.

What do you expect from a state that is so liberal and owned by the unions, mainly the NJ Education Association. In a state where there are 600 school districts, some even without a single school, and 32 of those districts get 55% of the funding (hint: they ALL vote over 95% democrat), and the state's largest city has 90% of it's budget handled by other town's taxpayers, this is crap they choose to focus their attention.

New Jersey has become a hell on Earth. If you want to see what this country is going to be like under Obama and the Democrats and their attempt to legalize mob rule that is the Employee Free Choice Act, come to NJ. As the state moto (which we spent millions on and needed 3 times to get to) says, "New Jersey: Come see for yourself."

A friend of mine hobbled around on crutches for three months because of an overenthusiastic pedicurist with a dirty rasp. Why not try cracking down on dirty salons instead of banning a practice that's mostly harmless? Or enforce existing cosmetology/skin care licensing laws?

Hell, I don't even get waxes or live in NJ and I find this stupid and annoying.

I was waiting for someone to start bitching about Obama, and TheFuzz53 didn't disapoint.

@edwardso: ++++++!

@edwardso: oh so you can't get pregnant from having a guy hump your belly button or back of the knee?

@curtisawa: Eww.

@Bladefist: ...but this legislation is coming from the State level (NJ).

@Runs With Gophers: TFA stated that the affected women were hospitalized. If it was just a rash or ingrown hair, I'm pretty sure that would be considered 'normal' after any sort of waxing.

@Bladefist: Jesus Christ man, every friggin discussion you have to bring left/right politics into the mix. You are seriously the worst.

@thefuzz53: I was under the impression that New Jersey has always been hell on earth.