Hair Removal: Know All The Methods

Most of us are concerned about the amount of hair on our bodies, and there are many options for those who desire to rid themselves of unsightly hair. Shaving and plucking are the most popular methods of hair removal, but there are also methods known as waxing, sugaring and threading.

Shaving is the most popular method of hair removal. It's simple and can be accomplished with a straight razor or an electric razor. Some electric shavers provide best results after use of pre-shaving gels, creams or lotions, as can shaving with a straight razor.

Plucking is used as a method of hair removal for unsightly or unwanted facial hair. Using tweezers, hair removal from eyebrows is generally accomplished by hand held or electric tweezers. Tweezing pulls the hair out by its roots but it can be time consuming, depending on the results you're looking for, as each hair must be pulled out individually. Until the skin around the area becomes desensitized, this process can be on the painful side, and redness, inflammation can occur. For most, the effects of tweezing can last anywhere from three to eight weeks.

Threading is becoming a more popular trend in hair removal methods. This ancient hair removal process continues to be used in various parts of the world today, including parts of southwest Asia and the Middle East. To facilitate hair removal with this method, a long loop of thread, mostly cotton, is twisted into a figure-8 type shape and rolled along the surface of the skin. Hairs caught between the coiled pieces of string are pulled out by their roots, resulting in near perfect smoothness. This method suits hair removal from eyebrows and other facial areas, and is considered by many to be less painful than the plucking hair removal method.

Waxing is a hair removal method that is a little more time intensive and messy, though such inconveniences are more than outweighed by the fact that this method is extremely effective in hair removal of just about any type of body hair. Waxing facilitates the removal of entire shafts of hair, from below the surface of the skin. This method can be accomplished using either cool or hot wax. Be advised that waxing for hair removal, however effective, can cause skin irritations that may last several hours, and if not done carefully, can produce burns and other unpleasant results.

A hair removal method similar to waxing is one called sugaring. In this method, a sugar mixture is used instead of wax. Blending and heating sugar, water and lemon juice until it develops into a pasty mixture creates this concoction. This mixture is then applied to the surface of the skin, like a wax treatment, followed by a strip of cotton, which is then rapidly pulled off the skin in the opposite direction of the hair growth. This method of hair removal is popular among those who are sensitive to the ingredients in wax.

So take your pick, try them out and decide which method of hair removal best suits your time and your preferences.