FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the options of hair removal available to me in a salon or at home?

SHAVING:

The most common form of at home hair removal using a razor to remove hair on the surface, but not at the root.

Pros:

A good twin blade razor can give a quick, close shave. Cons: Hair grows back very quickly and so has to be repeated often. There are chances of cuts and nicks if the blade isn’t sharp enough plus stubble and regrowth can be very itchy with a high chance of causing ingrown hairs. Women should never attempt to shave hairs on their face, eyebrows or arms as the short stubble that grows back may look thicker than before. And men are susceptible to irritated, bumpy skin if they don’t use a good lubricating shaving gel or cream.

CREAMS:

Smooth onto hair and leave before showering off. These work with a special chemical that dissolves the hair. Never use on your face unless the bottle says you can as they are very strong and can be damaging to delicate skin.

Pros:

There isn’t any pain and it can be fairly easy to do. Cons: It can be time consuming, messy and smelly! It dissolves the hair just beneath the surface of the skin, so the re-growth is faster and also the chemicals can make the skin more sensitive.

WAXING:

A quick, easy option for all areas of the body for both men and women. Click here for more information on waxing methods.

Pros:

Waxing removes the entire length of hair from the root so hair will take a longer time growing back and will be finer when it does. Even though there are wax products available for home use, a professional therapist will often do a more thorough and less painful job.

Cons:

It can be a bit painful in some delicate areas!

PLUCKING:

Using a pair of tweezers, hairs are individually plucked away, removed from the root.

Pros:

Hair is removed from the root and so regrowth will be slower and it’s a good method for shaping eyebrows or keeping them neat in between salon treatments.

Cons:

It’s painful, so not a good idea to try on areas where there are lots of hairs to be removed.

THREADING:

This ancient Middle Eastern technique is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. Therapists use a doubled up strand of thread to twist around individual hairs, pulling out from the root.

Pros:

It’s very quick and clean, and able to remove shorter hair.

Cons:

It can really only be used on lips and eyebrows as it is very time consuming.

EPILATOR:

An epilator is a small electrical hand held device used to remove hair from the root by mechanically pulling it out.

Pros:

As hair is removed from the root, hair will eventually grow back finer and less quickly.

Cons:

Pain, pain, pain!!

ELECTROLYSIS:

Or electro-epilation is an efficient and permanent technique of hair removal and is suitable for most areas of body and face. Disposable, sterilised needles are always used. Click here for more information.

Pros:

After a certain amount of sessions, depending on your needs, hair can be gone for good.

Cons:

It can be quite expensive to have a course of treatments. IPL (Intense Pulsed Light): This is a light energy that is applied to certain parts of the body, so that the target structure – whether hair or blood vessel in the skin – absorbs the energy and is destroyed. Click here for more information.

Pros:

This can be the ultimate solution for permanent reduction in hair growth after a course of sessions.

Cons:

Like electrolysis, a course may prove expensive.

 

Why am I so hairy?

Many women feel embarrassed about hair growth in places such as around the nipple, the abdomen and on the face, but our experienced and sympathetic therapists will be able to offer you a solution to your problem and will make sure that you are at ease.

You may feel you are alone, but many women suffer from hirsutism – excess facial hair – which can be caused by male hormones such as testosterone, often in overdrive during times such as puberty, pregnancy or the menopause. The texture and amount of hair you have can be a family trait and is usually more common in women from Southern Europe, the Mediterranean and some parts of Asia. Most common areas of unwanted hair in women are the upper lip and chin and sides of face. In men, it’s often the back, shoulders and neck. However, sudden hair growth may point to an underlying medical problem such as polycystic ovaries, so check with your GP if you’re worried. How can I avoid ingrown hairs?

Shaving is the most common culprit of ingrown hairs, so if you shave any area, it’s best to do it in a warm bath so that the heat enlarges the pores and prevents hairs becoming trapped in the hair follicle. 24-48 hours after any hair removal method, it’s a good idea to gently exfoliate the depilated area with a soft loofah or sponge to remove dead skin cells and also avoid wearing tight fitting clothes for a day after hair removal to prevent chaffing.

Also, make sure that skin is moisturised well in between hair removal treatments to keep it supple and smooth.

I’ve read about the Brazilian and Hollywood style of hair removal in the pubic area and know that many modern women and celebrities favour this look, but surely it’s really embarrassing?

Not at all! Our therapists have carried out this waxing technique on many different women of all shapes, sizes and nationalities and all with different hair types. It is part of their training to be able to make you feel at ease and make sure that you feel as comfortable as possible. Of course, you can feel free to chat to them about how you feel beforehand to make sure it is the right decision for you. The area can also be treated with IPL and electrolysis for permanent reduction, even though waxing is the most popular form of hair removal. Click here for more information on Hollywood and Brazilian waxing procedures.