lkg4healthyhair
2005-06-13, 08:17 AM
I thought I would share this article that was in my July 05 issue of Lucky on hair removal. I hope you find it helpful.
http://www.luckymag.com/images/main/mainissuepop02.jpg
Shaving and Depilatories
The Pros:
*They're both quick, easy, and cheap.
*Depilatories - like Nair --dissolve hair just below the surface of the skin, so legs feel silky for a few days longer thatn if you shave.
The Cons:
*A razor blunts the tip of the hair, so it grows back rougher and pricklier.
*Nicks, stubble, and ingrowns.
*Depilatories dry the skin
Expert Tips:
*"My trick has always been to use a man's razor-it generally has triple blades and a better, flexible head", says NY/LA dermatologist Dr. Karyn Grossman. But I love the Schick Intuition razor with the moisturizer built in. It's the best on the market."
*Use a clean blade--you'll get fewer nicks and cuts.
*"Shaving cream with menthol contracts the skin, which helps you get a closer shave," says Grossman.
*Post shave, Grossman recommends a hair-minimizing hydrator like Aveeno Positively Smooth Moisturizing Lotion.
Waxing
The Pros:
*It's fast and fairly inexpensive (about $40 at most day spas), and results can last as long as a month.
*"Stick with a once-a-month routine and your regrowth will be sparser and softer" says Greetchen Monahan, owner of Boston's Grettacoole salon and spas.
The Cons:
*Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!
*You need to let stubble grow out before you wax, so you might not be beach-worthy for a week or so each month.
Expertips:
*Experience is Key: A good technician--with low-melting-point (less painful) wax--makes a huge difference.
*Make sure the technician works in small sections. "You don't want someone to put on big globs of wax and finish in 10 minutes," says Monahan. "A Brazilian should take half an hour or longer."
*Schedule waxing two or three days before you hit the beach. That gives follicles a window to calm down.
* Exfoliate 48 hours before--not the day of your appointment. "That really extends the life of your wax," says Kilgore.
*Aspirin, Tylenol, Advil etc. seriously take the edge off.
*Don't wax right before your mestrual cycle, when your skin is most sensitive.
*Don't wax if you're sunburned, using topical retinoids or AHAs recovering from a laser peel, or if you've taken Accutane withing the last six months: Waxing could tear your skin or even cause scarring.
Lasers
The Pros:
*As close to permanent as it gets, and you're ready for the beach that day. Plus, compared to waxing and electrolosis, this is all but painless. "It will change your life," insists Cindy Barshop, owner of NY's Completely Bare Spas. "You never have to worry if you go to the beach, or about what you're doing that night, or if you jeans are too low. You do it and your're done, pretty much forever. And if you do need touch-ups, they're easy"
The Cons:
*It's pricey. So think of it as an investment. A bikini line typically requires a minimum of six laser treatments and a few annual touch-ups , with sessions starting around $330 each. Legs run higher, about $900 a session, with a touch-up every few months (your hair gets thinner and finner with every treatment).
*It might not be as effective for your profile. The ideal candidate has dark hair and lighter skin. "Lasers take aim at a follicle by targeting the melanin inside it." notes Barshop. "If your skin is darker than your hair follicle, it won't work."
Expert Tips:
*Look for a specialist, ideally in a physician-supervised setting. "There are a lot of little places that rent a laser machine once a month." Barshop Observes. "Don't just go by price. To avoid scarring, you wan to make sure that you go tot a techincian with extensive experience in laser hair reduction, and ask for a complimentary test patch."
*Don't be emabarrased--the technician has seen it all. "We're like waxers in that way," say Barshop. "We do Brazilian-syle, we do people's buttoks- it's no big thinkg. Women are embarrassed to ask about that, but it should be a normal line item on the list."
*Specificy the shape you want for bikini line. Otherwise you're getting the technician's idea of what's hot, not yours.
Don't pluck between laser sessions. It sets the hairs on different growth stages.
*Discontinue topical retinoids or glycolic products for a minimum of five days before each session.
*If you're on Accutane, laser treatments are strictly off-limits.
* Subject to cold sores or herpes? "Check with your doctor." Says Grossman. "A course of prescription-only Valtrex, started the day before each treatment, helps prevent outbreaks."
Electrolsis
The Pros:
* It absolutely does thin out and reduce the amount of hair growth.
The Cons:
*It takes forever. "Electrolosis is about the same price as laser, but requires more treatments," says Joanna Czech of New York's Sava Spa. (A metal probe must be inserted into each hair follicle, at which point a mild electrical current zaps the root.) "If it's properly done, it really does work, but it can take a while--about two years to do your lip and chin, with visits every other week."
*"The results are only semi-permanent", says Monahan. "You might get regrowth anyway."
*As with lasers, you need an expert--and word of mouth is key. Many states don't regulate the practice of electrolysis, so results are simply a reflection of a techinician's skills.
Why choose electolysis over lasers??
*If you have pale hair or peach fuzz on your cheeks.
*If you're dealing with a few tiny, stray hairs, say, just beneath your brows.
*"Electrolysis offers tighter control than lasers, though over a long time tweezing would help get rid of those hairs anyway," Grossman notes.
http://www.luckymag.com/images/main/mainissuepop02.jpg
Shaving and Depilatories
The Pros:
*They're both quick, easy, and cheap.
*Depilatories - like Nair --dissolve hair just below the surface of the skin, so legs feel silky for a few days longer thatn if you shave.
The Cons:
*A razor blunts the tip of the hair, so it grows back rougher and pricklier.
*Nicks, stubble, and ingrowns.
*Depilatories dry the skin
Expert Tips:
*"My trick has always been to use a man's razor-it generally has triple blades and a better, flexible head", says NY/LA dermatologist Dr. Karyn Grossman. But I love the Schick Intuition razor with the moisturizer built in. It's the best on the market."
*Use a clean blade--you'll get fewer nicks and cuts.
*"Shaving cream with menthol contracts the skin, which helps you get a closer shave," says Grossman.
*Post shave, Grossman recommends a hair-minimizing hydrator like Aveeno Positively Smooth Moisturizing Lotion.
Waxing
The Pros:
*It's fast and fairly inexpensive (about $40 at most day spas), and results can last as long as a month.
*"Stick with a once-a-month routine and your regrowth will be sparser and softer" says Greetchen Monahan, owner of Boston's Grettacoole salon and spas.
The Cons:
*Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!
*You need to let stubble grow out before you wax, so you might not be beach-worthy for a week or so each month.
Expertips:
*Experience is Key: A good technician--with low-melting-point (less painful) wax--makes a huge difference.
*Make sure the technician works in small sections. "You don't want someone to put on big globs of wax and finish in 10 minutes," says Monahan. "A Brazilian should take half an hour or longer."
*Schedule waxing two or three days before you hit the beach. That gives follicles a window to calm down.
* Exfoliate 48 hours before--not the day of your appointment. "That really extends the life of your wax," says Kilgore.
*Aspirin, Tylenol, Advil etc. seriously take the edge off.
*Don't wax right before your mestrual cycle, when your skin is most sensitive.
*Don't wax if you're sunburned, using topical retinoids or AHAs recovering from a laser peel, or if you've taken Accutane withing the last six months: Waxing could tear your skin or even cause scarring.
Lasers
The Pros:
*As close to permanent as it gets, and you're ready for the beach that day. Plus, compared to waxing and electrolosis, this is all but painless. "It will change your life," insists Cindy Barshop, owner of NY's Completely Bare Spas. "You never have to worry if you go to the beach, or about what you're doing that night, or if you jeans are too low. You do it and your're done, pretty much forever. And if you do need touch-ups, they're easy"
The Cons:
*It's pricey. So think of it as an investment. A bikini line typically requires a minimum of six laser treatments and a few annual touch-ups , with sessions starting around $330 each. Legs run higher, about $900 a session, with a touch-up every few months (your hair gets thinner and finner with every treatment).
*It might not be as effective for your profile. The ideal candidate has dark hair and lighter skin. "Lasers take aim at a follicle by targeting the melanin inside it." notes Barshop. "If your skin is darker than your hair follicle, it won't work."
Expert Tips:
*Look for a specialist, ideally in a physician-supervised setting. "There are a lot of little places that rent a laser machine once a month." Barshop Observes. "Don't just go by price. To avoid scarring, you wan to make sure that you go tot a techincian with extensive experience in laser hair reduction, and ask for a complimentary test patch."
*Don't be emabarrased--the technician has seen it all. "We're like waxers in that way," say Barshop. "We do Brazilian-syle, we do people's buttoks- it's no big thinkg. Women are embarrassed to ask about that, but it should be a normal line item on the list."
*Specificy the shape you want for bikini line. Otherwise you're getting the technician's idea of what's hot, not yours.
Don't pluck between laser sessions. It sets the hairs on different growth stages.
*Discontinue topical retinoids or glycolic products for a minimum of five days before each session.
*If you're on Accutane, laser treatments are strictly off-limits.
* Subject to cold sores or herpes? "Check with your doctor." Says Grossman. "A course of prescription-only Valtrex, started the day before each treatment, helps prevent outbreaks."
Electrolsis
The Pros:
* It absolutely does thin out and reduce the amount of hair growth.
The Cons:
*It takes forever. "Electrolosis is about the same price as laser, but requires more treatments," says Joanna Czech of New York's Sava Spa. (A metal probe must be inserted into each hair follicle, at which point a mild electrical current zaps the root.) "If it's properly done, it really does work, but it can take a while--about two years to do your lip and chin, with visits every other week."
*"The results are only semi-permanent", says Monahan. "You might get regrowth anyway."
*As with lasers, you need an expert--and word of mouth is key. Many states don't regulate the practice of electrolysis, so results are simply a reflection of a techinician's skills.
Why choose electolysis over lasers??
*If you have pale hair or peach fuzz on your cheeks.
*If you're dealing with a few tiny, stray hairs, say, just beneath your brows.
*"Electrolysis offers tighter control than lasers, though over a long time tweezing would help get rid of those hairs anyway," Grossman notes.