Cosmetic Hair Removal | Permanent Laser Hair Removal | Professional Electrolysis and Body Waxing

Hair Removal

Millions of women, and a growing number of men, spend millions of dollars each year on products and services that promise smooth, silky skin free of "unsightly," "excessive" body hair.

Laser Hair Removal

Hair removal entered the "laser age" in the mid-1990's when FDA cleared the first laser for hair removal. The first laser for hair removal was essentially a standard dermatological laser similar to others already on the market for treating skin lesions, acne scars, age spots and removing tattoos.

Some side effects can be expected whenever a laser is used to treat the skin, FDA says. These include redness, caused by heating the tissue; possibly some darkening of light-complexioned skin and lightening of dark-complexioned skin; and a risk of some scarring in some patients.

Following laser hair removal, the area may stay hair-free for several months to several years. After several treatments, the hair may never come back.

Types of lasers used for hair removal include:

• Ruby Laser for fine or light hair
• Alexandrite Laser
• Diode Laser for darker skin
• Long pulse Nd:Yag laser
• PPX (Photonuematic & Intense Pulsed Light Hair Removal) Photoneumatic Therapy

Important factors for anyone considering laser hair removal are:

• hair color - laser hair removal is most successful on people with dark hair. Brown hair and black hair tend to be most successfully removed. Blonde hair or red hair, less so. This is because the light gets absorbed by the melanin (pigment) in the hair follicles, and darker hair has more melanin.
• skin color - laser hair removal is most successful on people with lighter skin, although it can be used on people with darker skin. Again, this is because the light gets absorbed by the melanin (pigment) and if you have a darker skin tone, the laser gets absorbed by the pigment in the skin instead of reaching the hair follicle.

Usually the treated area is covered to prevent infection during the healing period, and then kept covered with a moist solution for a period of time. Sunlight should be avoided during healing also, to avoid a change in pigment. Sunscreen and sun protection are essential.

For do-it-yourselfers, a variety of home-use hair removal products are available over-the-counter. These include shaving creams, foams and gels; waxes; chemical depilatories; and electrolysis devices. Professionals at beauty and skin care salons and in dermatologists' offices provide waxing, electrolysis, and, most recently, laser treatments to remove hair.

The cost, safety, effectiveness and ease of use of the various methods, as well as the area and amount of hair growth to be treated, are some factors to weigh in choosing a method and deciding whether to go to a professional. Often, different methods are better suited for different areas.

Electrical Epilators

Two types of devices use electric current to remove hair: the needle epilator and the tweezers epilator.

Needle epilators introduce a very fine wire close to the hair shaft, under the skin, and into the hair follicle. An electric current travels down the wire and destroys the hair root at the bottom of the follicle. The loosened hair is then removed with tweezers. Every hair is treated individually.

Needle epilators are used in electrolysis. Because this technique destroys the hair follicle, it is considered a permanent hair removal method. The hair root may persist, however, if the needle misses the mark or if insufficient electricity is delivered to destroy it.

The stimulus for hair growth in an area is never permanently removed. For instance, you can't control hormonal changes that cause new growth. Most people would probably define permanent as "never comes back," but FDA says from a medical standpoint that may not be practical.

Successful electrolysis usually requires considerable time and money. Electrolysis requires a series of treatments over a period of time. It's not just a one-, two- or three-time thing. For example, the process for a forearm can take a series of appointments once a week for about a year. You may have a first clearing of both forearms in about eight hours of treatment over two months. After that, you have to catch the hairs that are coming in on a different cycle of growth. For the best results, you want to treat each hair during its active growing stage.

Electrolysis may not always be the best approach. Some men who begin electrolysis to get rid of the hair on their back soon stop, because it can be a huge, costly and very time-consuming job, depending on the amount of hair.

More often, she says, men are treated for the area between the eyebrows, around the outside of the ears, and the shoulders.

Women mostly use electrolysis for facial hair - the lip, chin, eyebrows and neck, according to the FDA. But it can also be used on other parts of the body such as - bikini line, abdomen, breast, forearms, underarms.

The major risks of electrolysis are electrical shock, which can occur if the needle is not properly insulated; infection from an unsterile needle or other infection control problem; and scarring resulting from improper technique.

Home-use electrolysis devices work the same way as those for professional use and carry the same health risks. The American Medical Association (AMA) says the success of electrolysis self-treatment depends largely on the condition of the hair and skin, the equipment, and the level of skill developed. The AMA recommends limiting self-treatment to readily accessible areas, such as the lower parts of the arms and legs. Because working on facial hair requires use of a mirror, and, therefore, reversed movements, this area is best done by a professional, according to the AMA.

Like needle epilators, tweezers epilators use electric current to remove hair. The tweezers grasp the hair close to the skin, and applied current travels down the hair shaft to the root. And, like needle epilators, electric shock is possible if the tweezers touch the skin instead of grabbing the hair.

Tweezing and Hair Waxing

While depilatories remove hair at the skin's surface, "epilatories," such as tweezers and waxes, pluck hairs from below the surface. Waxing and tweezing may be more painful than using a depilatory, but the results are longer lasting. Because the hair is plucked at the root, new growth is not visible for several weeks after treatment.

Tweezing is impractical for large areas, however, because it is such a slow process. Women mostly use tweezers for shaping eyebrows and removing facial hair.

Waxing, too, is mostly done to shape the eyebrows and remove hair on the chin and upper lip, although, many women also have their legs, underarms, and bikini line waxed.

Some men will use waxing on their chest or back. Bodybuilders may want their skin to look smooth for competitions. And some men are uncomfortable with the hair on their back or are embarrassed by it.

Epilatory waxes are available over the counter for home use. They contain combinations of waxes, such as paraffin and beeswax, oils or fats, and a resin that makes the wax adhere to the skin. There are "hot" and "cold" waxes.

With hot waxing, a thin layer of heated wax is applied to the skin in the direction of the hair growth. The hair becomes embedded in the wax as it cools and hardens. The wax is then pulled off quickly in the opposite direction of the hair growth, taking the uprooted hair with it.

Cold waxes work similarly. Strips precoated with wax are pressed on the skin in the direction of the hair growth and pulled off in the opposite direction. The strips come in different sizes for use on the eyebrows, upper lip, chin and bikini area.

The labeling of over-the-counter waxes cautions that these products should not be used by people with diabetes and circulatory problems if they are susceptible to infection. Waxing - and tweezing as well - can leave the skin sore and open to infection. Waxes should not be used over varicose veins, moles or warts, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They should not be used on the eyelashes, inside the nose or ears, on the nipples or genital areas, or on irritated, chapped, sunburned or cut skin. A small area should be tested for sensitivity or allergic reaction before treating the entire area. Some hair removal experts recommend professional waxing for the best results.

Depilatories

Depilatories act like a chemical razor blade. Available in gel, cream, lotion, aerosol and roll-on forms, they contain a highly alkaline chemical - usually calcium thioglycolate - that dissolves the protein structure of the hair, causing it to separate easily from the skin surface.

It's very important to carefully follow the use directions for depilatories and to do a preliminary skin test both for allergic reaction and sensitivity. Hair and skin are similar in composition, so chemicals that destroy the hair can also cause serious skin irritations - possibly even chemical burns - if left on too long."

The concentration of calcium thioglycolate is generally kept as weak as possible to avoid skin irritation, yet strong enough to work in a reasonable amount of time.

You should be sure to read the product label and select the formulation appropriate for the intended use, because skin sensitivity varies on different parts of the body. Some depilatories are for use only on the legs, for example, while others are safe for more sensitive areas, such as the bikini line, underarms and face.

Depilatories should not be used for the eyebrows or other areas around the eyes, or on inflamed or broken skin. To minimize the chance of skin irritation, they should not be applied more often than recommended on the product label.

Shaving

Shaving is by far the most common method of hair removal for both men and women. Men have been shaving their beards and mustaches for thousands of years, but cosmetic hair removal in women was relatively uncommon until after World War I. Now, many American women routinely shave their legs and underarms.

A clean razor with a sharp blade is essential for a safe and comfortable shave. Skin should never be shaved dry; wet hair is soft, pliable and easier to cut. Contrary to what many believe, shaving does not change the texture, color or rate of hair growth.

Cosmetic hair removal can be quick and easy or time-consuming and somewhat uncomfortable. It can be costly or inexpensive. But, for just about anyone who so desires, there's a way to get rid of the hair you don't want.

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Updated June 2009

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