Body Hair Removal

Our bodies grow hair all over, save for a few exceptions such as palms, soles of our feet, and lips, etc..

However there are two types of hair: vellus hair and terminal hair. Vellus being that short fine fuzz, most noticeable in babies.

Terminal hair on the other hand is the coarser hair that grows on our scalp, genital area, legs, and more generally in males' cheeks, and sometimes back, arms and legs.

Hairs grow at different paces and individual hairs will be at different stages of growth at any one time. This is one of the reasons why some of the modern hair removal systems require more than one session.

Most women today remove hair to some degree from their bodies. More commonly leg hair and from the under arm as well as stray hair appearing on the cheeks or chin. Eyebrows are often stylized or reduced.

In recent times pubic hair removal, either partial or total, has become more popular. Many athletes and models go for a full body hair removal, both for practical reasons (speed and reduced air or water resistance) and for their image.

Temporary or Permanent Hair Removal

Temporary hair removal can last for a few hours (shaving) or up to a few weeks (waxing, lasers, etc.)

Although there are various hair removal options, they can be generalized into two types:

- Epilation removes the hair from the root. This eliminates hair from a few days and up to a few weeks. Some of the methods are waxing, plucking, tweezing, and threading.

- Depilation removes hair at skin level, such as shaving, and where the regrowth is quicker. The principle types of method are shaving, either with razors or with electric shavers, and chemical lotions or creams which dissolve hair.

As for Permanent hair removal, there is currently only one method that can be classified as such, this being electrolysis, where by means of electricity the hair is effectively destroyed.

Lasering does however cause a reduction in hair over time as the hairs are considerably weakened, and this method can be described one that causes permanent hair reduction, according to the FDA. It is generally accepted as an effective method and is widely used.

Both these last two methods, electrolysis and lasering, require expertise and proficiency in their application as one of the risks is damage to the surrounding area.

For more specific information on temporal or permanent hair removal methods go to Hair Removal Methods.

Hair Removal for Women

Body Hair Removal

Temporary or Permanent Hair Removal