Across the globe and throughout history
different concepts of beauty have varied and changed. One basic rule, however, seems to have stayed
with us; hair should only be visible in certain places. Since the very earliest civilizations women
have been more affected by the rules and regulations surrounding body hair
although more recently men have also begun to be more sensitive to their own
unwanted hair. Unfortunately the hair doesn't seem to have got the message and it’s still an annoying problem for
many people of both genders. Despite the
fact that we live in a technological age the options are still relatively old
fashioned so what are the choices and is it possible to get permanent results?
Home Hair
Removal Options
·
Shaving is one of the oldest
techniques for removing unwanted hair.
Fashions for men have changed and continue to vary across the world but
many men shave their facial hair daily.
Shaving hair when its wet and shaving in the direction it grows usually will
reduce the irritation and risk of cuts but it’s a very short term
solution. For women, shaving body hair
is time consuming, can lead to irritation and ingrown hairs, and needs to be
completed frequently.
·
Depilatory creams, available
from retailers such as Veet, have also been
with us in one form or another for many centuries. Modern creams use chemical compounds to
‘melt’ the hair at the skin surface, this can then be washed away. In the past, ingredients included highly
toxic substances which not only got rid of the hairs but quite a few of the
users as well. However, modern creams
are safe to use for most people. It’s
important to follow the instructions to avoid damage to the skin. Those with more sensitive skin can find that depilatories
cause irritation, burning and skin rashes.
·
Waxing, sugaring and threading
all remove the hair by ‘plucking’ it out at the route. Waxing is well known for being one of the
more uncomfortable hair removal methods, and sugaring is certainly not without
the pain factor. Sugaring is likely to
appeal to those with more sensitive skin as it doesn’t use harmful (or
potentially harmful) chemicals. Both
techniques are time consuming, but the results do last for several weeks.
·
Laser, IPL
and Electrolysis. These three treatments
are the result of many years of technological advances. Electrolysis was actually developed in the
nineteenth century and it’s effective for all hair and skin types. The treatment is, however, costly as each
hair must be treated and it can take up to two years to completely remove
hair. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL ) treatment removes hair at the root by
effectively ‘burning’ it away, the effects are a medium term solution, but the
hair will re-grow. Laser treatment has
been commercially available for twenty years (available at Tria Beauty). The lasers work by targeting
the dark pigment in hair, disrupting it in its growth stage and, although not
permanent, it has been shown to offer long term reduction of hair growth.
With the exception of electrolysis every
hair removal treatment is available in a home system. Obviously shaving is the most common and
oldest home hair removal treatment, but waxing and sugaring have also long been
available to use at home. Both waxing
and sugaring should be safe for most people to apply for themselves but they
require frequent treatments. IPL and laser
hair removal home systems are now both available and have been shown to be safe
for home use. For those looking for more
long term results these systems offer a competitively priced alternative to
salon treatments and the chance to wave a cheery goodbye to those razors!
Author Bio
Laser hair removal home treatment is now
available to offer long term reduction in the growth of problem hair; it may
have taken some time to develop but finally a solution to the irritation of
shaving is at hand.
