Many consider the removal of unwanted hair to be merely a cosmetic concern. However, the effects of having unwanted or unsightly facial or body hair can result in far reaching emotional and/or social problems. Here we will look at several different methods of hair removal, both temporary and permanent.
Hair can be removed temporarily by either depilation or epilation. Depilation removes the hair above the skin’s surface, whereas epilation removes the entire hair including that which is below the skin’s surface.
The most notable methods of depilation are shaving, depilatories and friction. Shaving is done manually with either a manual razor or electric shaver. Depilatories are creams or lotions which dissolve hair through the use of chemicals. Friction uses a rough surfaced tool to buff hair off of the skin.
Epilation is longer lasting than depilation and can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Epilation is done by tweezing, waxing, sugaring, threading or rotary epilators. Tweezing is performed manually and consists of pulling individual hairs out by the root. In waxing, a layer of either hot or cold wax is applied to...