We will describe in great detail through audio, video, pictures and text the ten different ways you can permanently or temporarily reduce or remove unwanted hair from your body. Were betting you didn't even know ten different hair removal methods even existed! Shaving or trimming(razor or electric shavers)
Description: A sharpened metal blade cuts hair off at the skin's surface.
Advantages: Inexpensive, fast, usually painless, very safe, can be done at home, available almost anywhere.
Disadvantages: Effect lasts a short time. From a few hours to several days. Dark-haired people may have visible "shadow" of dark hairaround skin. Often requires daily use. Can cause skin irritation and cuts. For some, it causes ingrown hairs (especially in women's bikini area and African-American men's facial hair). Blades require frequent replacement.
Depilatories(Cream or powders that chemically are suppose to dissolve hair)
Description: A chemical (like infamous Nair) dissolves hair at the skin's surface. Advantages: Inexpensive Fast Sometimes painless Can be done at home
Disadvantages: Effect lasts a short time anywhere from a few hours to several days. Dark-haired users may have visible "shadow" of dark hair under skin. Often requires use every two or three days. Can cause skin irritation and cuts. Can be a severe skin and eye irritant. Friction(Hard surface mitt is used to rub hair away).
Description: A rough surface is used to buff away hair at the skin's surface. The mitt usually has rough strips or a smoothing surface coated directly onto the mitt.
Advantages: Inexpensive, fast, essentially painless, can be done at home, available widely, also exfoliates and smooths skin. Many types can be used wet or dry. Good for legs with fine hair. Some use it between shaving or waxing sessions.
Disadvantages: Effect lasts a short time-- anywhere from a few hours to several days. Dark-haired users may have visible "shadow" of dark hair under skin. Often requires use every two or three days. Can cause skin irritation if rubbed too hard. Do not use on face, arms, or bikini area. Do not use on irritated or damaged skin.
Tweezing
Description: Metal forceps are used to manually pull hairs out by the root, one or a few at a time.
Advantages: Very useful for eyebrows or stray hairs on face.
Disadvantages: Should not be used for nose hairs to avoid potentially dangerous infections. Can be a little painful. Difficult for large body areas. May cause ingrown hairs. Some areas are difficult to do yourself.
Waxing
(Funny clip from movie showing how painful waxing can be)
Description: Hot wax is applied to the skin, and a strip of cloth or paper is pressed into the preparation. The strip is then quickly pulled away, taking hairs with it.
Advantages: Can be done at home Fast Inexpensive
Disadvantages: Hairs can break off at or below surface Can be very messy Consistency is difficult to get correct One must be careful to avoid infecting your skin Very Painful (ever see waxing scene from the movie, “40 Year Old Virgin” enough said).
Sugaring
(This video is in German, but used to show you Body Sugaring.)
Description: A sticky rubbery like paste is applied to the skin, and a strip of cloth or paper is pressed into the preparation. The strip is then quickly pulled up and away, taking hairs with it.
Advantages: Can be done at home Inexpensive
Disadvantages: Hairs can break off at or below surface Can be very messy Consistency is difficult to get correct
Threading
(Also called fatlah or khite, a twisted thread catches hairs as it's rolled across the skin).
Description: The practitioner holds one end of the cotton thread in his or her teeth and the other in the left hand. The middle is looped through the index and middle fingers of the right hand. The practitioner then uses the loop to trap a series of unwanted hairs and pull them from the skin. There are also devices made that can hold the thread during the procedure.
Advantages: Inexpensive, fast, neat, considered less painful than plucking for many. Good for eyebrows and facial hair. Like plucking, results can last up to two to four weeks.
Disadvantages: Hard to find a professional practitioner outside very large cities. Can be painful Can cause itching afterwards. Can get folliculitis, a bacterial infection in the hair follicles. Includes skin reddening or puffiness, and changes in skin pigment.
Rotary Epilators (Devices which grasp hairs & pull them out by the root)
Description: These devices are similar to electric razors, except instead of a cutting plade on a rotary head, they have rows of tweezers which can pull hairs out by the root.
Advantages: Good for legs and arms Can last from several days to several weeks.
Disadvantages: Can be hard to use on backs of legs Skin must be pulled tight to avoid pinching Some find it uncomfortable, especially on sensitive areas Harder to use on fine hairs Hair must be grown long enough for tweezers to grasp Plucking hairs can lead to irritated skin and ingrown hairs.
Only two FDA approved permanent hair removal methods in U.S.
Electrolysis
Description: A hair-thin metal probe is slid into a hair follicle. Electricity is delivered to the follicle through the probe, which causes localized damage to the areas that generate hairs.
Advantages: FDA approved for permanent hair removal By far the best and longest track record of results. Over 125 years of clinically proven safety and effectiveness.
Disadvantages: Can be expensive. Can be painful. Can be tedious. Can be difficultto do onlarge areas of the body
Laser Hair Removal
Description: Light at a specified wavelength is delivered from a handpiece into the skin, where it targets dark material (usually the pigment in hair). This is intended to cause thermal and/or mechanical damage to a hair follicle while sparing surrounding tissues.
Advantages: Long-lasting hair removal or permanent hair reduction. Considered safe if performed properly. Useful for large areas such as back, chestor legs. Regrowth can come back lighter in color or finer in texture. Light-skinned consumers with dark hair have the best results. FDA approved
Disadvantages: Generally not as effective on unpigmented (gray) hair, red or blonde hair. Must be used very cautiously (if at all) on darker skin tones. Improper treatment can cause burns, lesions, skin discoloration lasting several months. Requires eye protection. Can be expensive. Some find treatment painful.
