Hair Removal 101
by Jolene
Schwartz
zone3
Simple fact or a cruel joke, but as men age, they get less hair where
they want it and more hair where they don’t. Excessive, patchy or
ill-placed body hair can be the bane of any man; fortunately today’s
average guy can add hair removal to his regular grooming routine.
De-foresting options abound, the most popular of them are listed
below:
Shaving. A centuries old process common to virtually every man on
earth, hair removal is immediate, but grows back almost as quickly.
Pros: Inexpensive, convenient and non-invasive
Cons: Very short-term; razor burn, subject to ingrown hairs and
bleeding at the shaky hand of the fearful
Waxing. Hot wax is spread on, capturing the hair, when cool it is
removed with a yank of a fabric strip. Cold wax or hard wax does not
require the fabric strip and is best on shorter, thinner hair in smaller
sensitive areas. Waxing is fast, efficient, immediate and provides longer
term results than shaving.
Pros: Quick and cheap; lasts longer than shaving (3-4 weeks)
Cons: Messy, painful, also rashes or acne breakouts may occur
Electrolysis. An electrical current is emitted from a probe that
is inserted into every hair follicle to permanently destroy the root.
Electrolysis is the most effective process for removal of unwanted hair.
Look for a certified and very experienced Electrologist when considering
this option.
Pros: Permanent
Cons: Painful, expensive, time-consuming and results totally dependent
on the skill of your Electrologist
Laser Hair Removal. Lasers destroy hair follicles by targeting
the melanin within. The light beam passes through skin into the hair while
energy is transformed into heat disabling the hair follicle. This
Procedure should only be performed by a licensed plastic surgeon, or
dermatologist. Maintenance visits may be required.
Pros: Effective, faster and less painful than electrolysis; last 3-6
months
Cons: Expensive, potential burning or scarring, and once again must be
performed by a highly experienced professional
Intense Pulsed Light. This next generation of technology promises
better results than lasers by using concentrated bursts of wide-spectrum,
multidirectional light. The manufacturers claim it is suitable for a wide
range of skin types and hair colors.
Pros: Effective; faster and more precise than lasers; near permanent
Cons: Very expensive, new technology, not available everywhere
Chemical Depilatories. If you can't stand the thought of yanking
your hair out by the roots, shocking or burning out your hair follicles,
then depilatory creams and foams offer an alternative. Hair-removal creams
are composed of acids that actually dissolve hair just below the surface,
but the strong chemicals can irritate skin, especially if you leave the
stuff on too long.
Pros: Quick, easy and cheap; not painful like waxing
Cons: Unpleasant odor to some; may cause skin irritation
Sugaring. An ancient method of hair removal that originated in
Egypt; sugaring is an alternative to waxing for highly sensitive skin. A
sugar paste is applied at body temperature and removed with cotton strips
or directly with the hands.
Pros: All-natural, gentler on skin than waxing
Cons: Not effective on men’s beards
Threading. Another ancient hair-removal method still used widely
throughout the Middle East to remove unwanted facial hair. 100% cotton
thread is used to entwine the hair, which is lifted from the follicle. The
practice, while not as common as other methods in the U.S., is effective
and precise.
Pros: Great for those allergic to wax
Cons: Time-consuming and moderately painful removing more than a
single strand of hair
Epilators. Early models used coils of wire that grabbed
indiscriminately, and as subtly as a tractor. Newer models like the
Silk-Epil use rows of tiny tweezers, which cause (relatively) less pain,
and at least one model actually includes an ice-pack attachment to numb
your targeted body parts.
Pros: Cleaner and quicker than shaving or waxing, can last for weeks
Cons: Can produce irritated skin, ingrown hairs and the sight of grown
men crying
Only you can decide which process works best for you!
© August 2005 Jolene Schwartz
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jolene Schwartz is a grooming specialist for over 20 years; as a master
barber and licensed cosmetologist in her own men’s salon. She launched http://appearancesformen.com/ e-com site; writing monthly
columns about men’s products, lifestyle, and offering the finest in men’s
grooming products.
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