Monday, November 29, 2010

Temporary Hair Removal Methods

I think it's safe to say that to most women hair removal is a nuisance plain and simple. Whether we choose to shave, wax or use any other method removing unwanted hair can either be painful, time consuming and in our minds the end result never lasts long enough. Unfortunately, removing unwanted hair is a necessary evil, so I have dedicated this post to help you better understand the pros and cons of the most common methods of temporary hair removal. 

The bottom line is there are two different types of hair removal, epilation and depilation, and each type has different methods. Epilation is the when hair is removed from the follicle giving you longer period of time of being hair free. Depilation is removing the hair at the surface of the skin and because the hair was not removed from the follicle it'll grow out sooner, experiencing a shorter period of time of being hair free. 

DEPILATION

Shaving: Can either be done with an electric shaver, clippers or razors and is often used to remove hair from large areas of the body. Since the hair is not removed from the root, it usually grows back beginning with short stubble within 24-48 hours.

Chemical Depilatories: Usually a painless method that dissolves the hair at the surface of the skin. These chemicals come in different forms most common are cream, paste and powder. Always perform a patch test to determine sensitivity to product, if you develop itching, burning or inflammation you should not use this product. If you decide to use this method make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions and apply soothing lotion after product is removed. Since hair is removed at skin level, regrowth is usually in a couple days. 

EPILATION

Tweezing: May very well be the most common epilation technique but it is usually done on smaller areas such as eyebrows, upper lip, chin or to remove stubborn hairs that survived waxing.

Waxing: Depending on your pain threshold waxing can be somewhat uncomfortable to painful but the result of waxing is being hair free for about 4-6 weeks. Despite common believe it is more common to wax during the winter moths than the summer months because in order to wax, hair needs to be a certain length and for most women it is more convenient to let hair grow out when it's cold because wearing skirts or shorts is not as common in the winter. There are two types of wax, soft and hard, soft being the most common of the two and mainly used on larger areas of the body. It is applied to the skin in a thin layer with a spatula and covered with a strip of material, the material is then lifted off of the skin removing the wax and the hair simultaneously. Hard wax is ideal for smaller areas with thinner more sensitive hair. Hard wax is applied with a spatula in a thick layer and removed from the skin once it's harden. Certain guidelines should be followed before and after waxing . Before waxing avoid exfoliating at least 48 hours before. After waxing it is recommended to stay away from direct sunlight or tanning beds, avoid hot showers, saunas or steam rooms for several hours, do not apply makeup for at least a couple hours, do not exfoliate for the next 48 hours and stay away from fragrant lotions or oils over the waxed areas. 

Threading: This technique utilizes 100% cotton thread that is twisted and rolled along the surface of the skin, entwining the hair in the thread and then lifting it from the follicle. The results last approximately 3-8 weeks (same as tweezing) and side effects can be less severe than with other hair removal methods. 

Hope you find this information helpful ☺

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Yenuhen