Hair Removal Methods

Hair removal describes method of removing hair, especially from the human body. There are many options available to remove unwanted hair, but few options to get rid of hair permanently. Hair removal methods are temporary (shaving, mechanical epilators, depilatories, tweezing, and waxing). Hair removal can be achieved through depilation (removing part of the hair above the skin's surface) or epilation (removing the entire hair). For many consumers, temporary methods at regular intervals are acceptable.

Mechanical epilators pulls out the hair and should not be used on sensitive skin areas such as face, genitals, or armpits because the method tends to be painful. In addition, the hair must be about 1/4 inch long to work, and the epilator could still miss some hair. Tweezing tug hair out from its root, but is a very laborious method since each hair must be removed severally. Some pain, skin irritation, and inflammation of the hair follicle can occur. Shaving is the most temporary method of hair removal because it nothing else cuts the hair off at the skin surface. Shaving does not make the hair shaft thicker, darker, or grow faster or slower.

Plucking hair with tweezers is an effective way to remove hair but can be very time consuming. The hair shaft must be long enough to grasp with tweezers. Waxing pulls sections of hair out from its root. This method can be very painful and pain-reducing gel is often recommended before applying the wax.

Some skin irritation can occur from pulling off the wax as well as inflammation of the hair follicle. The wax is then quickly pulled off in the opposite direction of the hair growth, pulling the hairs out of the follicles. Cold waxes are available usually attached to strips, which are patted onto the skin. Wax should not be on skin that is chapped, sunburned, or on the face if you are using a facial product. Sugar waxing is a popular form of hair removal that works in the same way traditional waxing does.

Sugaring is a method of hair removal that has been in use for thousands of years. A thick sugary substance similar to caramel is spread on the skin in the direction of hair growth. The hair becomes embedded in the caramel. A cloth or paper strip is patted onto the caramel and then pulled off quickly in the opposite direction of the hair growth, pulling the hairs out of the follicles. Sugaring" uses a thick sugar paste consisting of sugar, lemon and water.

The advantage of this method over traditional waxing is the clean up. Threading is an ancient method of hair removal which originated in parts of India, the Middle and Far East, and is now gaining popularity in Western countries. Electrolysis is a permanent form of hair removal but it has several drawbacks Electrolysis involves inserting a fine needle into the hair follicle and applying an electrical current to the follicle root. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is a method of hair removal from the body involving the use of a specially constructed xenon flash lamp and focusing optics.Depilatories use a chemical called thioglycolate mixed with sodium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide to literally melt the hair away.

Juliet Cohen writes articles for skin care blog and hairstyles picture. She also writes articles for celebrity hairstyles.