Everyone, it seems, wants a smooth, silky, hairless body. But, in reality, the human body is literally covered with tiny hair from head to toe. Some people are blessed with body hair that is the same color as their skin. This means the hair is not very visible, at least from a distance. But for many others, especially on those with fair skin, visible body hair can look quite repulsive. No wonder they are always on the lookout for a treatment that can help them get rid of it easily and permanently. The good news is that a number of hair removal options are available for getting rid of unwanted body hair.
Hair Removal Options
Hair removal is one of the most ancient beauty treatments known to mankind, or rather, womankind. Over the years, hair removal has developed from a do-it-yourself shaving session to an advanced, laser based treatment administered by professionals in well-equipped clinics. The hair removal options currently available are:
- Shaving
- Waxing
- Using Depilatories
- Electrolysis
- Laser hair removal
Shaving, waxing, and using depilatories are methods for removing hair temporarily. If these methods, hair regrows within one to three weeks. Electrolysis and laser are means for removing hair permanently, or at least for a very long time.
Shaving
Shaving is one of the most popular methods of removing unwanted hair. The reason for its popularity is easy to understand. It is easy, inexpensive, painless, and can be done at home. It is ideal for those who are shy about having another person treat certain areas of their body. But shaving has its fair share of disadvantages. One it is very time-consuming if you want to treat your entire body. In addition, the effect of shaving does not last long so that you need to re-shave after a few days.
Waxing
In waxing, hot wax is poured over the area that needs to be treated. The area is then covered with waxing strips. When the strips are pulled off, the unwanted hair is also pulled off from the root. Re-growth is slow as the hair is completely removed. This method is inexpensive and lasts longer than shaving. It can be done at home or can be administered professionally in a salon. However the downside is that waxing is often painful. There is also some risk of receiving burns from the hot wax.
Using Depilatories
A depilatory is a chemical mixture, containing Thioglycolate along with sodium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide. This mixture is typically sold in the form of a cream that literally melts the hair from the roots. You can apply the depilatory cream to the area that you want to treat in the privacy of your own home. You need to leave on the depilatory from three to fifteen minutes, depending on the size of the area that you are treating and the amount of hair being removed.
After the chemicals have had time to kill the hair, you can wipe off the cream along with the unwanted hair to leave the area of skin completely smooth. After using a depilatory, you can also follow up with a hair growth inhibitor, which prevents hair from growing back after any method of hair removal. Hair removal with depilatories is completely painless. In addition, most depilatories keep areas smooth and free of unwanted hair longer than shaving. However, this method is not suitable for people with sensitive skin. The strong chemicals in the depilatories often cause skin irritation in people with sensitive skin.
Electrolysis
Electrolysis is a growing trend in hair removal. In electrolysis, a technician uses a needle to project an electric current or radio wave energy into each hair follicle, one at a time. This destroys the follicle at the root and prevents hair from growing back. Electrolysis typically takes longer than laser hair removal but permanently removes hair from the treated area. It is ideal for permanent eyebrow shaping and hairline corrections. If you opt for electrolysis, you must ensure that you are treated by a licensed electrologist. The price of the treatment depends on the length of the session, ranging from $30 for a 15 minute session to $70 for a 60 minute session. In some cases, electrolysis can be painful. However, it is a good choice for those who have very light skin and gray hair and for whom laser treatment is not suitable.
Laser hair removal
In laser hair removal, bursts of laser light-energy or pulses are used to destroy the hair from its root. Facial hair and bikini area can be treated in less than 10 minutes whereas larger regions, such as legs or back can be treated in less than an hour. An advantage of laser treatment is that your skin looks and feels smoother and silkier after the treatment. It is a quick and effective method for removing unwanted body hair. This treatment is also quite safe as it does not damage the pores and structures of the skin in any way. However, it may take four to six treatments to see final results. Also, the cost of laser hair treatments is relatively higher than that for other treatments.
Additionally, laser treatment is not suitable for everyone. It works best for those people whose skin and hair color contrast is high. The basic principle of the laser treatment is that dark colors absorb light energy whereas light colors reflect light energy. Now imagine someone with very fair skin but dark body hair. When the laser beam is directed at the hair follicles of this person, the dark pigments in the follicle absorb the laser light energy whereas the skin reflects it. This causes the follicles to die. The outcome of the treatment can thus vary depending on the skin and hair color of the person undergoing the treatment. People with dark skin and dark body would not get good results with a laser treatment.
Identifying a Suitable Option
When selecting you ideal hair removal option to go for, decide what is most important for you – convenience, cost, or effectiveness – and then choose your option accordingly. If you decide to go for a profession treatment, make sure that the treatment selected is ideal for your hair and skin type.