June 04, 2006
Facial Hair Removal
Facial Hair Removal Options
Facial hair – it's everywhere. And on some faces, there's far more hair than is necessary or desired. Does this sound familiar? When you're making an effort at putting your best face forward, it's difficult not to wish that facial hair was anywhere but on your face.
How bothersome facial hair is, is really a personal matter. The eyebrows, the chin, the upper lip, the hair inside the nose, and the hair that covers the face can all be problematic, especially for women and especially if it's considerably darker than the surrounding skin.
Women with excessive facial hair usually see it along the upper lip, down the sides of the face, and on the chin. Unlike with men, shaving isn't the best removal option. So what's a woman to do? Because facial hair is typically much more than a few wayward hair follicles, plucking these areas isn't an effective method. It's time-consuming and painful! What's needed instead is a method designed for more widespread removal like depilatories and waxing or even electrolysis or laser treatment.
Depilatories are an inexpensive, short-term facial hair removal option. Extreme care must be taken when using on the face as these products can irritate and even burn facial skin. And because depilatories only dissolve visible hair, this method must be repeated frequently as new hair growth appears. The upside is, this process is inexpensive and can be done in the privacy of your own home.
Electrolysis and laser are better options. They're permanent facial hair removal methods and they work by damaging the base of the hair follicle so that hair growth no longer occurs. Both of these are expensive options and repeated sessions are generally necessary to remove all hair. But considering that relatively small surface areas are involved, many people are able to justify the costs, the risks and the discomfort involved.
Waxing offers many benefits and is the facial hair removal choice of men and women alike. Like with tweezers, when waxing the hair is 'plucked' from its root. This method doesn't damage the actual hair follicle, so new hair growth will continue to occur, but unlike depilatories, new hair growth won't appear on the skin surface as quickly. In fact, it usually isn't visible for several weeks. And, if you're brave enough, waxing facial hair can be done by you at home, however many opt to have someone else perform this procedure.
And there you have it, several good methods of removing unwanted facial hair.
Posted by KeyWest at 04:50 PM | Comments (0)
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)
