May 31, 2006
Unwanted Hair Removal
Facts about unwanted hair removal
Whether you suffer from hair growth conditions like hypertrichosis or hirsutism, or you simply have some hair growing in places where you wished it didn't, there are an endless number of hair removal options available today. There are essentially two categories of hair removal procedures. 'Permament' procedures seek to remove unwanted hair in such a way that it never returns. Sometimes these techniques turn out to be semi-permanent and have to be repeated over time. Temporary hair removal techniques work for short periods of time and are subject to the body's normal hair growth cycle.
There's as many reasons as there are hairs on your body. Most woman treat hair removal as part of their normal cosmetic routine. They shave their legs and underarms, pluck their eyebrows, and have pubic hair trimmed or removed to accommodate today's fashions. Some men also shave their body hair for cosmetic reasons, and most men shave their facial hair unless they are purposely growing it out as a beard, goatee, or moustache. Many athletes, particularly swimmers and body builders, will undergo hair removal procedures in order to enhance their performance, their appearance, or both. Then there are medical reasons for removing hair and just plain old 'because I felt like it' reasons as well.
Examples of Permanent Hair Removal Techniques
ELECTROLYSIS
Electrolysis treats every hair follicle individually by injecting a needle into the hair follicle and subjecting it to an electric charge. This process can go on for months depending upon the size of the area undergoing treatment. This is a relatively painful process, and side effects can include scaring and infection. Costs can run as high as $1,000-$3,000 for the legs or pubic area.
LASER
Laser hair removal is an FDA approved process which should only be performed by a licensed and trained professional. During this procedure, a small laser beam is used to destroy the hair follicles. This is a relatively painless procedure which works best on people who have light colored skin and dark hair. It is not recommended if you are deeply tanned. Costs run around $1,000 for the removal of facial hair, and anywhere from $2,000 to $3,000 for hair removal from the legs and pubic area.
PHOTO EPILATION/PULSED LASER
Similar to LASER treatment, this FDA approved procedure uses a pulsed light beam to destroy the hair follicles. This method is especially effective for removing hair from the underarms and the bikini area. There are no restrictions regarding skin color, tanning, or hair color. Costs run from $500 to $2,000 and up, depending upon the area of the body treated.
Temporary hair removal methods include a wide variety of hair removal creams, shaving, plucking, waxing, and more exotic procedures. What a dichotomy. While millions of people are spending billions of dollars to grow new hair, make it soft and shiny, or have it cut just right, the rest of us are sending our money trying to get rid of it!
Posted by KeyWest at 05:01 PM | Comments (0)
May 30, 2006
Home Hair Removal - Part 2
Home Hair Removal Techniques Part 2
Now that you've read the shaving, tweezing, and depilatories tips in Part 1 of this two-part series, it's time to take a look at some of the additional home hair removal treatments that are available.
Tips for Waxing
Bleaching
Bleaching is not technically a hair removal technique. It lightens the hair which makes it more difficult to be seen. Don't use laundry bleach! Purchase cosmetically approved bleaching creams that are designed to be used on the body. Bleaching is commonly used on the hair above a woman's lip although some women use it on other parts of their body. Skin irritation is a common complaint, so test an inconspicuous area first. Bleached hair may stand out against tanned or dark skin, so it might not be appropriate for all women. The bleaching process must be repeated every two to three weeks.
Tips for using Abrasives
Fine hairs can be removed by rubbing the skin with abrasive pumice stones or special 'hair removal gloves' which are lined with a fine sandpaper. Rub the stone or gloves in a circular motion over the area to be treated. Use a light pressure to avoid damaging the skin. Expect a certain degree of skin irritation despite your best efforts. The effects of abrasive treatment usually last for three weeks or more.
Tips for using Epilation
Epilation is a generic term for hair removal methods that remove the hair from below the skin's surface. Common forms of epilation include waxing, electrolysis and laser treatments. We discuss each of these methods more fully in the article series.
Tips for Using Electrolysis
Home electrolysis methods are not as dependable as electrolysis treatment provided by experts with professional equipment. Electrolysis can result in permanent hair removal if the right equipment and techniques are used. Read the label and warnings carefully before you purchase or use any home electrolysis equipment. Choose only equipment that comes with a blunt needle that gets inserted alongside of the hair follicle. 'Electric tweezers' do not provide good results. Use a depilatory or wax the area to be treated before using electrolysis. Wait for the hair to start to return and then begin the electrolysis process. Hair responds better to electrolysis when it is in the growing cycle rather than once it is fully emerged. Keep your equipment clean and sterilized. Serious infection can result from using a dirty needle. Work on only a square inch at a time. Expect skin swelling after the treatment. Because most home electrolysis treatments do not result in permanent hair loss, you may have to repeat the process every other month.
Hopefully you've learned enough about your available hair removal treatment options to decide which one is most likely to work for your particular situation. Before using any treatment, remember to read and follow the product's instructions exactly as they are written.
Posted by KeyWest at 07:10 AM | Comments (0)
May 29, 2006
Home Hair Removal
Home Hair Removal Techniques Part 1
If you're one of the millions of men and woman who want to remove hair from places where you wished it wasn't, but you don't want to pay thousands of dollars to hair removal professionals, take heart! There are plenty of home hair removal procedures that are easy to do and relatively inexpensive. In this two-part series we'll take a look at some of the most common ones.
Shaving Tips for Men
Shaving Tips for Women
Choose razors made specially for women. They are more conveniently shaped and hold the blade at the right angle for legs and underarms. Run warm water on legs and underarms before massaging in your gel or shaving cream. You don't need expensive shaving lotions, hair conditioner works just fine. Women are better off shaving at night when body fluids are not so tightly packed around the hair follicles. Be careful when shaving the bikini area. Your underwear can chaff you if you leave a shaving rash behind. Shaving facial and moustache hair will not make it grow back thicker. That's an old wives tale. Underarms are usually shaved twice per week depending upon the desired look and how fast the hair grows. Legs may also require the same frequency although many woman find that once per week works well.
Tips for Tweezing
Always clean your tweezers in hot water before using. Wiping with alcohol is even better. Tweezing is great for shaping eyebrows or removing stray hairs on the face and chin. Never tweeze nose hairs. Infection could result. Tweeze in the same direction as the hair growth. Cover the area to be tweezed with a hot face cloth for a minute to open the pores. Don't apply creams or moisturizers before tweezing. It can cause infected or blocked pores and it might make you slip with the tweezers. The effects of tweezing usually lasts for two weeks or more.
Tips for using Depilatories
Check for allergic reaction by applying a small dab to the spot that you want to treat. Follow label instructions and then wait 24 hours before doing the entire area. Depilatories work best after a bath when the hair is softened and your pores are open. Follow label instructions exactly! Keep a timer handy so you don't keep the product on for too long. Wait for another time if you have a rash, cuts, mosquito bites, or acne blemishes in the area you are planning on treating. Most women apply depilatories twice per month, although that frequency depends upon how fast your hair grows back in.
In part 2 we'll continue examining home hair removal options.
Posted by KeyWest at 05:07 PM | Comments (0)
May 28, 2006
Hair Removal Tips
Tips on Choosing the Right Hair Removal Treatment
You've got some unsightly hair and you want to remove it, but how? How do you know which of the many methods currently available is the right one for the job at hand? Before making a decision, ask yourself a few questions. Here are some tips on what you should consider.
Once you've determined the area of the body you want to focus on, next determine whether your hair 'problem' is hereditary. Some people are simply more prone to growing darker, coarser hair and if that's in your genes, know that no amount of treatment is going to completely solve your excessive hair situation.
Now before you decide on total body hair removal, it's going to be very important to determine your budget. That's right; you've got to have the means to pay for your chosen method(s). And remember that most methods will require multiple treatments at various intervals. Hair removal methods range from a few dollars a month to several thousand dollars per treatment. Typically four, five or more of these costly treatments will be required. Only you can decide whether that is going to be the best use of your money.
Another tip is to determine your pain tolerance level. Don't laugh. How much pain you can handle will impact your selection of hair removal methods. Many are painful, and although the pain is temporary, they result in pain nonetheless. Waxing and electrolysis cause the most pain, so if you can't tolerate pain, you should select a different method.
Finally, it's very important that you make sure you're undergoing the hair removal process because you want to. The decision to take this step should be made by YOU and only YOU. Don't be pressured into this by somebody else.
The above tips should help you get started in the decision-making process. Once you've given thought to the above areas, you've got one more decision to make: should you choose a permanent or a temporary hair removal method. First of all know that most methods are temporary, and there is just no way around that fact. The only way to permanently stop hair growth is to damage the hair germination structure within the follicle. Electrolysis is the only method that has been proven to achieve this goal. Laser therapy comes close, but more studies are needed.
Considering that these two are the most expensive of all the options, you need to refer back to the budgeting tip above. If you can't afford this method, you can't take advantage of it, period. A temporary method will be your only option. If you can afford the costs, then compare the risks against the benefits and go from there!
Posted by KeyWest at 07:05 AM | Comments (0)
May 27, 2006
Biology Of Hair Growth
The biology behind hair growth
Nothing in life is as simple as it seems, so it should come as no surprise that the strand of hair that you found on your brush this morning is an amazingly complex part of your body. Hair begins appearing on the human body while it is still in the womb. By the time a developing fetus reaches 22 weeks old, there are already 5 million follicles on the body. Interestingly enough, that is all of the follicles that will ever develop regardless of how long we live. None will ever be added.
Hair Anatomy
Surrounding the follicle are two sheaths, inner and outer, which are designed to both protect the hair shaft from damage, and to help it grow out in the proper direction. The inner sheath runs next to the hair shaft and ends at the oil (sebaceous) gland. The outer sheath runs to the gland and ends at the erector pili muscle. This is the muscle that causes our hair to "stand on end" when it contracts.
The hair shaft is comprised of three layers of dead protein cells called keratin. The innermost layer, known as the medulla, is not always present in every hair shaft. The second layer, known as the cortex, provides the bulk of the hair shaft. The hair color is mostly determined by the pigmentation contained in this layer. The outermost layer is called the cuticle. It is comprised of a series of overlapping cells. The hair's luster and sheen comes from the cuticle.
How Hair Grows
Scalp hair grows at an average rate of six inches per year, or only .3-.4 mm per day. There are three distinct stages of hair growth.
- Catagen Phase
This transitional phase runs about two to three weeks. At any given time approximately 3% of your hair is in this phase. There is no hair growth during this period while the out portion of the hair root sheath shrinks and attaches itself to the root.
- Telogen Phase
This phase, known as the "resting period" is experienced by approximately 15% of your hair. Telogen lasts for around 100 days for scalp hair and significantly longer for other body hair.
- Anagen Phase
This phase defines a period of activity where the hair cells are dividing and new hair growth occurs. This phase can last for as long as two to six years. Shorter growth periods are indicative of people who have trouble growing their hair long.
Hair Growth Disorders
There are two hair growth disorders that affect humans. Hirsutism is a condition affecting mostly females. It is defined as a condition where excessive thick and dark hair growth is experienced in areas typically reserved for males. These areas include the face, chest and the areolae or area surrounding the nipple. Hypertrichosis is a condition which causes excessive hair growth in areas of the body where visible hair is not normally present. Both of these conditions are treatable.
Posted by KeyWest at 05:13 PM | Comments (0)
