These days, a woman can’t just raise her hands without being sure her underarm is hairless. Smiling just won’t do anymore, she also has to get rid of any shade of moustache on her upper lip. And if you think she dons sleeveless shirts and mini shorts on her carefree days, think again. Most probably, she didn’t wake up and just put on those clothes at once. She still had to shave or wax her arms and legs.
While getting rid of hair is very normal for the women, some “macho” men likewise take off their excess hair on the body. While women will not raise a brow upon seeing a hairy man, they likely will not be anxious to present themselves to him as well. Some men think that cutting or getting rid of their face and body hair is more appealing to women. It can also be that they find being hairless more comfortable and sanitary than being covered with their own hair.
Taking off unwanted hair is an old practice. The practice has been present since the ancient civilization time. People are only continuing what they think works.
Those who want to remove outcast facial and body hairs can choose either to depilate or epilate. Depilating is the removal of the hair from above the skin surface, while epilating is getting rid of the entire hair from root to tip.
In depilating, the most popular ways are shaving, trimming, and applying creams that break the protein bonds of the hair, ripping it from above the skin. There are those who also use friction to buff away hair. For those who choose to epilate, most popular methods include plucking or pulling, waxing, sugaring, and threading. These techniques, though admittedly not pain-free, take the hair longer time to grow back.
For those who are ready to shell out more money, there are permanent techniques of hair removal and reduction. Electrolysis permanently gets rid of hair by using electricity to a solid hair-thin metal probe that is slid into every hair follicle. This will cause localized damage to the follicles, which is responsible for producing hair.
Permanent hair reduction methods include the popular laser and IPL. Laser hair removal uses laser to damage follicles, rendering it incapable to create hair. IPL, or Intense Pulsed Light, uses light of different wavelengths to remove hair. It is also used to cure various skin problems, such as hyperpigmentation.
Each technique varies on effectiveness, cost, convenience, and the length of time the hair grows back. As each has its own pros and cons, always take extra caution each time you use any of the aforesaid methods.
Dr. Komathy offers acne clearing among many others. Other aesthetic concerns such as hair loss is also available at The Lifestyle Clinic. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service
