Worried about your unwanted hair on your body? i have tried to club up all the techniques available today,look at the measures and go for the one which suits you best.
PERMANENT METHODS
- ELECTRIC EPILATION:This is the only proven method of removing unwanted hair permanently. Here hair is destroyed by either chemical or thermal energy. In thermolysis, an electric current is passed into the hair follicle which produces heat and destroys the hair. The major limitation in this technique is speed.
- THE BLEND METHOD: This uses both thermal and chemical and thermal energy to destroy the hair follicle. It is an effective and less painful method of hair removal.
CAUTION: Redness and an acne-like rash are common. If the needle has been repeatedly inserted into the same area the rash can persist for several days.
- LASER-ASSISTED HAIR REMOVAL: this is relatively new method of permanent hair reduction. The lasers available for permanent hair reduction include Alexnadrite laser, diode laser and Nd:YAG laser. Cost is a major limitation of laser hair removal and the multiple sessions required for hair reduction further add to the expense. Please remember that only dark hair(not grey) can be treated with laser. Its side effects: Redness (resolves within 1 to 24 hours) and pigmentation (usually temporary). Dark-skinned people experience the side effects more.
TEMPORARY METHODS
- WAXING:It is a popular method accepted by the maximum crowd. It is low-cost and cosmetically acceptable way of getting rid of unwanted hair, mostly from arms and legs. Interestingly, Men too are getting their skin waxed, especially if they need to flaunt a bare chest! Although there are two methods of waxing- hot and cold- it is the application of hot wax which is more effective. Cold waxes are a popular DIY method.Cosmetic benefits of waxing last for 2 to 6 weeks. Waxing should be avoided in certain sensitive areas like nipples, genitalia, and inside nostrils and ears.
- THREADING: It is used to shape the eyebrows and plucking removes stray hair from the face and nipples.
CAUTION: In about one in 10 people a pimply rash appears after waxing. The reason being that hair growth in some areas is also random. As a result, the beautician ends up pulling her/his wax strip against the direction of the hair growth, leading to a rash. Avoid waxing if you break out.
- HAIR REMOVAL CREAMS: This is anothe popular strategy. Depilatories (substances used to remove unwanted hair) weaken hair protein, breaking the hair below the skin surface giving a marginally longer "hair-free-period" than shaving. Since most depilatories are thioglycolate-based, it means they can be an irritant and must be test-applied (on the arms) to check for any adverse reactions.
- SHAVING: It is a quick, painless, effective and inexpensive way of epilation. Yet it is not popular with women because of its association with "manliness". Since the results lasts just 1 to 3 days and are followed by a cosmetically "unacceptable" stubble, shaving requires a commitment to repeat if one wants to maintain a "air-free" appearance. Also, there is misconception that shaving increases hair growth. The truth-based on science- is that shaving does not affect the rate of hair growth nor its thickness. What it actually does is to give the re-growing hair a blunt tip (instead of normal tapered ones) which gives the illusion of thickness.Apart from the routine cuts, rash resembling acne sometimes develops after shaving.