Get rid of unwanted hair!

Our bodies are naturally covered with hairs, a distant reminder of Mr. and Mrs. Cro-Magnon. Depending on their hormonal and chemical make-up, some women tend to be as hairy as men, and suffer for it. Legs are the most affected areas, but arms, underarms, the bikini area (well, what extends beyond), etc. aren't spared. Hair removal is the only remedy for this problem.

For beautiful hairless skin, and long lasting method, choose epilation. The hair is pulled out and the bulb, traumatized by the treatment, is weakened so that regrowth is lessened. Several methods are available, and there are two formulas, temporary or permanent hair removal. Arab women are the epilation specialists. They root out hair with a homemade caramel and, after a fairly nerve-wracking session, you end up with really soft and smooth skin. I've tried making this caramel, but I think I lack the necessary experience. The recipe is given here, in case you want to try it... but be careful not to burn yourself!

There's nothing more unattractive than seeing lovely legs covered with unsightly hairs that create shadows under nylons and that would never be allowed on bare legs! Especially because these days, there are many new depilatory solutions available. Waxes today are less aggressive and legs appreciate being beautiful and uncarpeted! Let's take an in-depth look at hair-removal methods. There's sure to be one in the list to suit you.

What method should I choose?
shaving
depilatory cream
cold wax
hot wax
warm wax
electrolysis
laser hair removal 
photoepilation - using bursts of light

Techniques
warm wax hair removal
bikini hair removal

Depilatory cream or milk

It acts like a razor, but in a slightly more pronounced way. The chemical substance dissolves the hair between the time it's applied and rinsed off, and the hair is gone with the water. Your skin is immediately soft. Regrowth time is a bit longer than with shaving, but hair still grows back fairly strong and actively. Neither hot or cold, it's perfect for women with circulatory problems, varicose veins, heaviness in the legs, etc. Once in contact with the skin, the depilatory cream dissolves the hair's keratin to disintegrate it - a little like nail polish remover - and all in record time (usually about 10 minutes).  And because there's a wide variety of products - mousse, gel, cream, roll-on - specially designed for bikini lines, underarms or legs, you can choose the formula you prefer. Once accused of being irritants, depilatory creams are now enriched with ultra-moisturizing and protective vegetable oils, so the integrity of your skin is preserved and redness almost non-existent. But despite all these precautions, it's essential to do a little tolerance test before using them: on your wrist, for example. If no reaction appears after two days,  you can use the product without risk of allergic reaction.

Cold wax

Strips of cloth covered with sticky wax are applied to the skin. The strips are yanked off and the hair is pulled off with the wax. The problem is then removing the wax residue remaining on the skin. Give me the name of the wax if you find one that completely removes hair without forcing you to start again on the same surface. Use cold wax on holidays or when you don't have a way to heat the wax or plug in your hair remover.

Designed to eliminate very fine hairs on small surfaces, it's the method recommended for removing unsightly fine facial hair (moustache, eyebrows, chin) or from very sensitive areas such as the underarms or bikini line. Quick and effective, it comes in the form of ready-to-use one-use strips that can be removed easily, leaving silky smooth skin for 15 to 30 days, depending on how quickly your hair grows. Intended for hair removal from small areas, it doesn't produce very good results on legs, but can nonetheless be a good alternative if you have serious circulatory problems in your legs.

Hot wax

This reusable wax has to be heated in an appliance or over hot water; but take care not to burn yourself. The wax strip is pulled off quickly. The wax has to be strained before being used again. Not very practical, and difficult to use. Don't forget to apply a moisturizing lotion to the area of your body that's been subjected to thisordeal!

Warm wax

This is the best method, in my opinion. The wax is warmed to the proper temperature and applied to the skin with a special applicator, in as thin a layer as possible. Then a strip of cotton is applied and removed with one pull. The advantage of this method is that you can choose the size of the area: if you're sensitive, just do a small surface at a time.

The warm wax relaxes the skin, which loosens the hair so that it can be pulled out more easily. There are devices available on the market that both heat the wax and act as applicator. Some can even be heated in the microwave - but check the required time and always test the heat on the palm of your hand first. The secret of successful warm wax hair removal is the thinness of the wax layer: the thinner, the better!

Hot wax is not recommended for people with circulatory problems. Warm or cold wax is preferable. Once available only in salons and spas, today warm waxing can be done at home, thanks to clever new products. This method slows hair's regrowth, meaning your hair removal sessions can become less frequent. The process is simplified by practical packaging: simply heat in the microwave, apply the wax to the skin and remove with the cloth strips supplied. Despite these advantages, and because of the heat released, it is still not recommended for areas where the skin is sensitive, like upper lip and eyebrows.

Sugar wax
Known as Oriental hair removal, this is the perfect sweet solution, being used by more and more women. In esthetics institutes, it's performed used a 100% natural paste made from sugar and lemon, applied with the fingertips to remove hair zone by zone. It can be washed off with water. The skin is much softer, almost exfoliated, and hair regrowth is slowed. At home, still using sugar, this paste can be heated over hot water or in the microwave, and the residue washed off with warm water. Remember to clean the rim of the jar to keep the lid from sticking on!

Electrolysis by your esthetician 

A needle is inserted into the hair bulb to the root of the hair. A weak (!) charge is released to kill the root. The hair comes out effortlessly and, deprived of its root, doesn't grow back. This is a lengthy, not very pleasant treatment, and one that is fairly expensive. But it's the only one that will really get rid of hair for life.

Laser hair removal

The laser emits invisible light that goes through the skin without damaging it and is then absorbed by the hair follicle pigments. The laser light, selectively absorbed by the follicle, damages its function and alters its ability to produce hair. This is long-term hair removal that reduces the number and diameter of hairs. Therefore, after every session, and depending on the zone, you'll notice increasingly long-lasting and more pronounced hair removal (4-6 weeks to begin, and several months after a few sessions), with a miniturization of the hairs that remain. This is a long and costly method. It's not unusual to have to start some sessions again after two or three years. Some skins (dark or black) require special precautions or the use of a special laser. Light or white skins are not altered by present-day hair removal lasers. Tanned skin reacts badly to the treatment. In other words, for the time being, only white women covered in dark hair should have this treatment! 

Photoepilation - hair removal using light pulsation

Light pulsation is part of the new generation of hair removal technologies. While a laser emits a monochromatic light, the technique of light pulsation produces polychromatic light. The skin and the hair's melanin transmit this energy to the hair bulb to atrophy it. The resulting heat promotes the elimination of germinal cells.

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Photo: Microkitten.