Tuesday, 29.07.2008
Hair Removal

Pride may be one of the seven sins but it is also an undisputed constant in today’s society. As much as we may claim to be above and beyond shallow appearances the growth of the beauty industry in Ireland negates these pretensions and reflects the popularity of self grooming.

Hair removal is just one element of beauty care but it is a service that is in large demand. It falls into two categories; depilation and epilation. Depilation is the process of removing hair from above the surface of the skin; shaving and the use of depilatory creams would be examples of this. This is a temporary method and regrowth occurs in a short space of time; these disadvantages have led to many people seeking out more efficient forms. Epilation methods are often the preferred avenue as they remove the entire hair, including the part below the skin which makes the effects longer lasting. The most common methods are waxing, laser, epilation devices, threading and plucking.

Most beauty therapy courses now include electives focusing on waxing in the curriculum and it is steadily becoming more widespread for other areas like laser hair removal training to be included on a course. Specific advanced courses are also available. A course in hair removal will be concerned with more than teaching students the different processes. A great deal of attention is also given to topics like hair anatomy, hair growth cycles, health and hygiene, communication, first aid and the Endocrine system. This is due to the need for professionals to understand the causes for superfluous hair and to train them for situations which may be unexpected and therefore for which they may be unprepared. The typical areas that students will be trained to attend to in waxing will be the bikini line, lower and upper leg, lip, chin, forearms and eyebrows. This will entail applying a warm substance (the wax) to a prepared area, leaving it to cool and then removing it by stripping, peeling and rubbing it away.

Permanent hair removal is swiftly becoming the preferred option for many. Although waxing is effective and longer lasting than shaving it is still only a temporary measure making maintenance inconvenient and costly in the long run. Laser hair removal and electrolysis are enjoying a surge in their number of disciples these days and increasing salons are offering services at cheaper prices demand is spiralling, meaning that those trained in these methods have impressive employment prospects. Laser hair removal was performed experimentally for about 20 years before it became commercially available in the mid 1990s. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) epilators, though technically not a laser, use xenon flash lamps that emit full spectrum light and work on eradicating the hair. Usually 6 – 8 sessions are required to keep the entire area clear although for some touch up treatments may be needed. Due to the modern nature of this method there are many misconceptions about what it is; as a result salons usually offer a free consultancy where potential customers can ask questions and have their skin and hair tested for suitability. It is commonly agreed that the best candidates have dark hair and pale skin as results are most impressive with this colouring.

Electrolysis is suited to smaller patches. It consists of inserting a fine needle into each hair follicle and switching on a low electric current which prevents any further growth. Since it treats just one hair at a time it is an option for smaller areas (like eyebrows or upper lip) where precision is necessary. It usually takes many treatments compared to laser to complete a large area, and the extreme cost and discomfort are such that electrolysis is rarely used for large areas.

A cheap, painless and effective way of erasing hair growth is yet to be invented; until it is people will continue to go to extreme lengths and expense for results. Even Ancient Egyptian priests shaved all over on a daily basis to present a pure body before the images of the gods. Whatever the reasons there’s no doubt that there are plenty of them meaning that a course in the idiosyncrasies of hair removal will prove to be a valuable investment in your future…