Hair removal is a general term for any method of eliminating hair from the body or face. There are countless modalities which can be used at home, or provided professionally, to remove hair. However, all have pros and cons and some are far more effective for some patients than others. Remember that hair growth patterns and follicle activity are highly individualized criteria and vary considerably from person to person. In order to find the ideal hair reduction and elimination process typically requires a bit of experimentation and a bit of luck.
Luckily there are many choices in this particular sector of the aesthetic industry.
Hair Removal Choices
There are many, many options for removing hair on the anatomy.
Depilation removes hair above the skin surface, while epilation treats the hair below the surface.
Here are some of the many popular methods utilized by people around the world:
Shaving is a depilatory method of using a manual or electric blade to remove hair on the surface of the skin. It is fast and effective, but extremely temporary.
Waxing uses hot wax to literally rip hair out at the root level.Waxing is painful, but effective and moderately long lasting.
Threading uses a thread, which is expertly wielded by an aesthetician, to remove hairs in a regional area. This method is fast and moderate in duration.
Laser hair removal is fast, expensive and highly effective. Results may be permanent with continued treatment sessions or at least long lasting in most patients. Laser removal is one of the best all around choices.
Epilators are electric devices which grab hairs and rip them out at the root. This therapy can be painful, but is moderately long lasting.
IPL is similar in theory and practice to laser hair removal and very effective and long lasting.
Electrolysis uses electric current to treat hairs at the follicle, reducing or eliminating regrowth. The process is painfully slow and requires many, many treatments for permanent results.
Pharmaceutical therapy uses drugs to change the hair growth patterns of the body. Many drugs are risky or have multiple side effects.
Depilatories are chemical compounds that remove hair at the root. Many have minor unwanted side effects, but the results are long lasting.
Plucking uses tweezers to remove hairs one at a time. Simple, effective, but slow and moderate in duration.
Sugaring is similar to waxing, but less irritating to the skin.
Friction removal buffs away hair using a sandpaper-like surface. These treatments provide short to moderate duration in most instances.
Herbal and botanical treatment can produce conservative results in some patients. Tumeric is a popular substance used to remove unwanted hair.
Photodynamic treatment uses light treatment to treat hair follicles. Results are still being studied.
X-ray therapy is proven to be very effective, but also incredibly dangerous. X-rays are typically not used in regulated countries.
Hormone therapy will change hair growth patterns, but always has side effects, which can be severe.
Enzyme treatment can prevent follicles from producing new hairs. Treatment is likely to remain effective for as long as the enzyme is continued topically.
Professional Hair Reduction Therapy
Most people utilize common everyday methods of removal for typical cases of unwanted growth. Shaving, depilatories, waxing, threading, tweezing, buffing and epilators are all effective, but short-term solutions.
In the modern aesthetic industry, electrolysis used to be popular, but is now being replaced almost universally by the many laser hair treatments that are available, including IPL therapy. Laser hair elimination is fast, a good value over time and long lasting, making it the recommendation of this author, as well as most dermatologists and plastic surgeons.
Hair Removal Motivations
There are countless reasons for wanting to be rid of hair on the face and body. While primitive methods are still used today, some people simply get tired of the routine use of tweezing, shaving and waxing and seek more permanent hair removal modalities.
Luckily for them, the aesthetic sector has risen to the challenge and invented a plethora of new products and procedures, which can get rid of that uninvited hair from anywhere on the anatomy.
To learn more about your many, many options for enacting hair reduction and removal, talk to your cosmetic surgeon or dermatologist today.
