Smooth body completely devoid of hair - this is not a fashionable trend of our time, as many think. For thousands of years, people have practiced different ways to remove unwanted hair. The first information about depilation techniques dates back to the ancient world, when women got rid of hairs on their bodies with a thread, winding it around a hair, and then pulling it out by the root.
For hair removal, herbal infusions were also used, special mixtures of natural products and plants, acting similarly to modern depilation creams. Egyptian priestesses, Roman matrons, and medieval ladies followed the fashion for a smooth body. Various methods for hair removal have emerged these days, each with its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. When choosing one of them, it is worth comparing at least the most popular methods and means.
Using a razor
This is a good option for those who like to do everything with their own hands - quickly and easily. You can take and shave off unnecessary hair at any time of the day or night, you do not need to enter a trip to a beauty salon in your schedule, and do preparatory procedures. Plus, you save money by ditching the newfangled techniques in favor of good old shaving.
Manufacturers divide shaving machines into men and women. If you have tried shaving at home and decide that it is not for you, since the razor does not remove all hairs, then you should try the men's version.
According to reviews, men's machines shave cleaner and blunt more slowly, since they are originally designed to work with harder bristles. Regardless of the type of machine chosen, be sure to use shaving gels, as well as creams and lotions for subsequent skin care. They minimize the unpleasant effect of breaking the integrity of the upper layer of the skin, nourish it with useful substances, turning the shaving process into a kind of peeling.
It is worth trying products with tea tree extract, it is believed that they are most effective:
- The cost method - from 150 rubles. for a set of machines.
- Contraindications: moles, papillomas, skin inflammation.
Creams, gels, depilation ointments
Creams, gels, special ointments are another way to quickly get rid of unnecessary vegetation at home with your own hands. The most popular among them are special products, such as Rivanol-Dep, Rivanol solution or Veet hair removal gel.
Most creams contain thioglycolic acid in their composition, which adversely affects the hairs, dissolves their structure, making them brittle. After some time, it will be enough for you to treat the skin with a spatula or a jet of water to get rid of the remaining hairs.
It is not recommended to keep the cream on the skin for more than 10 minutes, otherwise irritation may occur.
The effect of depilatory creams tends to accumulate. With regular use of cosmetics, you will soon notice that new hairs grow slowly, they become thinner and more brittle. However, this applies only to girls of the European type, Asians and southern beauties have naturally thicker hair, so not every depilatory cream is able to cope with them.
Features:
- The cost: from 150 rubles.for a tube of depilatory cream.
- Contraindications: allergic reaction, dermatitis and other skin diseases.
Hair removal with floss
As mentioned earlier, among people who have tried to maintain proper body hygiene, this method has been considered one of the most effective since ancient times. Removing unwanted hair in this way will allow you to forget about this issue for a long time. The use of thread has been very common over the centuries in the Middle East and Asia. Experts agree that this method is simple, safe and one of the most affordable. Due to the simplicity and speed of the procedure, the hair removal thread has become very popular in the West lately.
Unlike other methods like wax and tweezers, people can get a more accurate result with floss. The method basically involves using a cotton thread that is twisted and wrapped around unwanted hair to pull it out of the follicles. Unlike tweezers, the thread will pluck a row of hair, leaving a cleaner line. It is great for those who want perfect eyebrows. Besides being effective, this method is hygienic. It's just a cotton thread that comes into contact with the skin and is thrown away after use.
The method does not use any chemicals, making it ideal for people who, for example, are taking medication or undergoing medical treatment. Flossing hair removal can be used by people who have used other methods of hair removal, such as wax.
The thread procedure requires the right movement. But, if you adapt and understand what and how to do, hair removal occurs quickly, which makes this method very convenient.
An important advantage of this method is that with prolonged use, the hair will stop growing altogether. This gives people long-term results. But this method also has its drawbacks. The first is the hair length required to make this method effective. This means that people with very short hair cannot use it. In order for the cotton thread to be tightly wrapped around the hair, it must have a certain length - at least 2-3 cm.
Another drawback is that if you do not strive, do not understand what and how to do, the method will not bring the desired result. Another drawback is the limited scope of use. Basically, this method is used on the face to correct the eyebrows. In other parts of the body, this method can be difficult to apply quickly and efficiently. For some people, this method is quite painful.
So that the process does not bring discomfort and pain, it is recommended to take an anesthetic before the procedure, you need to treat the place on the body with a special anesthetic ointment, an anesthetic spray, and also be sure to apply a warm compress to relax the hair follicles. This will make them much easier to pull out. Along with other methods, cosmetologists give this method a right to exist, since it is quite effective. And also he has a lot of positive reviews from people. Therefore, it may be worth paying attention to him.
Using the epilator
Regardless of the manufacturer, most epilator machines are arranged according to a similar principle. At the heart of the mechanism is a metal drum with small clamps, which, when rotating, grab the hairs and pull them out of the bulbs. The duration of the effect from one use of the epilator depends on the individual hair density and the rate of their growth. Usually skin smoothness lasts from a couple of weeks to a month.
If you have never used an epilator before, check out the models with two drum rotation modes, low and high speed. At low speeds, epilation is less painful, and it is easier for a beginner to operate the machine.As your experience increases and your skin becomes less sensitive, you will be able to move to high speed and complete the procedure faster.
The low speed is ideal for hard-to-reach sensitive skin areas such as bikini and underarms. For these areas, many manufacturers produce special epilator attachments; there is also an attachment for removing facial tendrils.
Using an epilator is extremely painful, so many manufacturers go to various tricks to increase the popularity of their products: speed change mode, special attachments, massage during epilation, skin cooling. But in fact, all these measures can only partially relieve pain. If you have sensitive skin, get anesthesia before your session.
Features:
- Cost: from 3000 rubles for an epilator.
- Contraindications: skin diseases, moles and papillomas, varicose veins of the legs.
Waxing (waxing)
This method is considered very painful, but the smoothness of the skin after the procedure remains up to a month. There are two methods of waxing: hot and cold. In hot waxing, the melted wax is applied to the skin, pressed on top with a paper or cloth strip and allowed to harden. As soon as this happens, the strip is removed in one quick and sharp movement along with unnecessary hairs. This is accompanied by quite painful sensations, but if the procedure is carried out regularly, the pain will gradually be replaced by a little discomfort.
Remember that strips should be applied only according to hair growth, and removed, on the contrary, against their growth line.
For completely painless hair removal with hot wax, you should make an appointment with a beauty salon. The beautician will prepare the skin for epilation, offer you anesthesia, and wax it quickly and professionally, so that discomfort can be completely avoided. The composition of salon wax is very soft, but at the same time tenacious, it painlessly, but effectively epilates such delicate areas as décolleté and bikini.
Home waxing is more convenient with the cold method. However, you do not risk getting burned or staining clothes and furniture by spilling hot wax. For epilation, it is enough to apply a paper strip with wax from a factory-made set to the skin, wait a few seconds, and then tear it off with a sharp movement. After epilation, it is recommended to apply an anti-irritation lotion to avoid the appearance of red spots.
Features:
- Cost: from 1000 rub. for 1 session in a beauty salon or a set for wax depilation at home.
- Contraindications: skin diseases, papillomas, warts, moles, varicose veins, low pain threshold.
Sugar depilation (shugaring)
This technique comes from the East, otherwise it is called Persian waxing. The technique of the procedure is similar to wax depilation, however, sugar paste is used as a substance enveloping the hair, which can be prepared from improvised ingredients at home.
Sugar paste contains ingredients found in every kitchen: honey, sugar, water and lemon juice. More information about how shugaring is carried out at home, and how to prepare a paste for sugar depilation, can be found in the corresponding article on our website. Please note that shugaring is considered less painful than waxing, so everyone can try this method at least once.
Features:
- Cost: from 600 rubles when buying ingredients for sugar paste from scratch, from 1000 rubles per session in a beauty salon.
- Contraindications: individual sugar intolerance, skin diseases, papillomas, warts, moles.
Laser hair removal
This is an innovative technique in the field of hair removal. The impact on the hair follicles and shafts occurs using a light wave. Laser hair removal is a completely safe and modern procedure.If the device is configured correctly, and the process is monitored by a specialist, you can not be afraid of burns and other complications. The laser procedure can only be performed under the supervision of a specialist in a beauty salon. Laser devices for self-epilation at home have not yet been invented.
The safest is considered to be epilation with ELOS devices. After a properly performed procedure, there are no ingrown hairs and red spots, but the skin remains smooth for up to a year. The laser beam acts primarily on the pigment melanin in the hair. Therefore, if the hair is too light, then, unfortunately, it is necessary to choose another method to remove it.
The second disadvantage of the procedure is its duration. According to safety regulations, the time of laser treatment for leather is limited. In addition, not all hairs are removed during the session, but only those in the active phase of growth. Therefore, you will have to go to the salon from 3 to 8 times, saying goodbye for each visit with a tidy sum. After each session, it is necessary to follow the special rules of skin care within 2 weeks. Recently, diode laser hair removal has become increasingly popular.
Features:
- Cost: from 4000 to 7000 rubles. for 1 session in a beauty salon. Requires 3 to 8 sessions.
- Contraindications: skin diseases, varicose veins, diabetes mellitus, menstruation, pregnancy, herpes, hypertension, oncology.
Electrolysis
This procedure is carried out using a special needle, to which an alternating electric current is supplied. As a result, the needle heats up, and due to the heat generated, the hair follicles are destroyed. Electrolysis is accompanied by severe pain, therefore, before the start of the session, anesthesia is required in the beauty salon, the most popular drugs are lidocaine and novocaine. It takes about two minutes to get rid of each hair, so it is also necessary to visit the salon several times for the perfect result.
Features:
- Cost: from 1000 rub. for 1 session, depending on the duration of the procedure. Pain relief increases the cost.
- Contraindications: skin diseases, varicose veins and other cardiovascular diseases, menstruation, pregnancy, mental illness, diabetes mellitus, oncology.
What type of hair removal is the most effective depends on the individual characteristics of the skin and hair. You can try different methods of hair removal, and then choose one, or visit a beautician to find the most suitable option. It should be remembered that the result of hair removal depends on the quality of the devices and materials used, as well as the experience of the person who performs the procedure.
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