What are the commonly used methods for removing unwanted hair today?
Hair removal methods can be classified as
- Temporary
- Long-term
Temporary methods of hair removal include
a. Shaving – Contrary to popular belief, shaving does not make the hair coarser or grow faster. However most ladies with hair growth shun it as a masculine act, although shaving is quick and cheap.
b. Plucking / Tweezing / Threading / Waxing – These methods are also quick and cheap but sometimes lead to the development of black marks, boils or allergic rashes. Additionally, the hair has to be grown to a certain length before the procedure can be performed.
c. Chemical depilatories – These are also simple to use but may produce a primary irritant or allergic dermatitis. Chemical depilatories are salts of thioglycolic acid, which were patented in the 1930s for dehairing cattle hide.
d. Eflornithine cream – This is a prescription cream and contains Eflornithine HCl 13.9%. It does not remove hair but slows down its rate of growth when used in combination with other hair removal methods.
Long-term methods of hair removal include
a. Electrolysis – This may be performed using a DC current (galvanic electrolysis), an AC current (thermolysis) or a mixture of AC and DC current (blend). Electrolysis is an effective method of long-term hair removal. However, it is painful and time-consuming and may lead to light or dark coloured scars.
b. Lasers – Laser machines emit light of a fixed wavelength. Melanin, the pigment present in dark hair, possesses the property to absorb light energy within a certain wavelength range. The hair then conducts this energy into the depth of the follicle. The cells in the follicle responsible for hair growth get heated up and eventually destroyed. The skin is not damaged. This is called selective photothermolysis.
c. Intense pulsed light – Unlike lasers, this system emits a broad light pulse spectrum (570 – 1200 nm). The wavelength is adjusted using cut-off filters.
My preferred method of long-term hair reduction is use of the diode laser.