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Epilation is a cosmetic procedure that removes unnecessary body hair. Effective epilation improves well-being and self-esteem, but is also sometimes necessary to maintain proper hygiene. What are the types of epilation and what are the most common places to epilate?
Types of epilation
There are two basic types of hair removal:
- permanent hair removal – it consists in permanent hair removal. This type of hair removal is popular due to the fact that the hair most often never grows back, and even if it grows back – it is weak, single, very thin and light. Permanent hair removal treatments are most often performed in specialized beauty salons, and include photo-epilation and laser hair removal;
- temporary hair removal – this is the most popular type of hair removal. Most of the treatments can be performed at home, using drugstore preparations or those that you can prepare yourself.
Temporary hair removal removes hair that grows back over time. This type of epilation can be divided into:
- temporary chemical epilation – this includes the use of depilatory creams available in drugstores,
- mechanical temporary epilation – this subcategory includes: wax, sugar paste and the use of razors and electric epilators.
Permanent hair removal, i.e. laser hair removal and photo-epilation
Both of the above-mentioned treatments look very similar – specialized equipment is used that emits a beam of radiation that reaches the skin, thereby permanently damaging the hair follicles, which is associated with the destruction of the hair bulb. Thus, it guarantees that the hair will not grow back.
For satisfactory results, it is recommended to repeat the laser hair removal and photo-epilation sessions from 3 to 10 times, depending on the thickness and number of hairs in the depilated area. Treatments are repeated at intervals of 2 to 4 weeks. What parts of the body can be subjected to permanent hair removal? First of all, the calves and thighs, armpits, intimate areas, hands and the face.
Also read: IPL as a form of permanent hair removal – the most important information
In laser hair removal, diode light is used, emitted by a traditional laser. The light pulse is conducted through the melanin contained in the hair, which is responsible for the dark color of the hair, so hair removal with older type lasers may not remove gray, red and blonde hair.
The photo-epilation uses a strong pulse of light, emitted by the so-called IPL laser. This one, unlike a standard laser, is capable of picking up light hair as well, and is also considered less painful. Buy a Beautifly epilator today – B-Beauty 5in1 epilator.
Temporary hair removal, i.e. depilatory creams, wax and sugar paste
Temporary hair removal is the type of treatment that can be performed at home. It is enough to stock up on the necessary depilatory preparations, available in drugstores, before epilation.
Chemical hair removal with creams is a painless alternative to epilators, wax and sugar paste. It consists in applying a special cream based on thioglycolic acid to the depilated area, which dissolves keratin, the natural hair component. As a result, the hair simply dissolves.
The cream should be left on the skin for the time specified by the manufacturer, and then collect it with a spatula or sponge, along with the hairs. However, it should be remembered that depilatory creams are quite a strong chemical compound that can cause an allergic reaction – so before using it on a large area of the skin, you should test it to make sure that the preparation does not cause allergies or other unpleasant side effects. The cream epilation should be repeated every 2-3 weeks.
Hair removal with wax and sugar paste: these two methods of hair removal have very similar effects, differing only in the method of application and the product itself. During wax depilation, the previously heated wax is applied to the skin, which is then covered with a special piece of paper or fabric, and after the wax cools down – the sheet is torn off with a quick movement, thus removing the wax and hairs.
In the case of sugar paste, the action is similar – the hair is removed by binding the substance and the hair and vigorously pulling it out with the root, but the sugar paste is most often available in the form of a ball that rolls over the depilated body surface.
Depilation with the use of an epilator consists in pulling out the hairs together with the bulb through a rotating head, equipped with up to a dozen tweezers, which catching duel hairs – they pull them out when the head rotates. This method of depilation is one of the most painful, but quite durable – after using the epilator, hair grows back only after a few to several weeks.
After using one of the methods of temporary hair removal, it is worth using a regenerating body gel that will soothe irritated skin (e.g. Aloesove moisturizing body balm).