Women's 2 day : Take It Off Your Hair-Removal Guide
Upgrade your fuzz-busting routine with these tips for shaving, waxing, depilatories, and lasering
Nicks,
redness, stink, sting: These side effects have always made hair removal a
necessary evil—emphasis on evil. But this season, good prevails: The
latest advances are making the dreaded process not only easier, but even
skin-friendly. "In the past, there was little thought placed on skin
condition, and the main goal was just to remove hair," says Anne Chapas,
M.D., director of Union Square Laser Dermatology and a clinical
assistant professor of dermatology at NYU Medical Center. Read on to
learn how to say sayonara to stubble and get softer, healthier skin at
the same time.
The Technique: Shaving
The latest: New razors come with improved lubricating bars
that help cut down on irritation (and shaving cream). The Venus &
Olay Razor ($11, at drugstores) contains glycerin and petrolatum, a
combo found in Olay's body lotions, which "helps condition the skin, so
it'll look and feel better," says Baltimore dermatologist Noelle S.
Sherber, M.D. And the Schick Hydro Silk razor, ($10, at drugstores), emits a seaweed-rich serum that "helps moisturize and provides anti-inflammatory effects."
Lasts for: One day—then pesky stubble appears.Best for: Legs—you can cover a lot of ground fast.
Get it right: "Skin needs to be wet for seven minutes to
soften the hair," says Boston dermatologist Ranella Hirsch, M.D. (Any
longer and your skin might swell, making it harder to get a close shave,
says Sherber.)
The Technique: Waxing
The latest: Honey waxes of the past weren't so sweet for your
skin. They were hydrating but sticky—and, says Sherber, "the stickier
the wax, the more it tugs on the skin, which leads to more irritation
and pain."
Hard, resin-based waxes are the smarter choice: "They wrap only the
hair, rather than sticking to—and yanking off—your fragile skin. Plus,
some have skin-calming lavender and azulene," says Cindy Barshop, owner
of Completely Bare Spas in New York City and Dallas
Lasts for: Four to six weeks
Best for: Any area—especially the bikini line and underarms.
"Puberty makes the hair in these areas grow in thick and coarse, which
makes it more prone to ingrowns," says Sherber. When you pull out hair
from the root—as opposed to shaving it off—it grows back straighter,
slashing the risk that it will curl back in and form a bump.
Get it right: Ditch abrasive scrubs and acids (alpha hydroxy,
lactic glycerol, and salicylic) one week before waxing. "If you don't,
you risk tearing the skin, because these exfoliants
can make skin more fragile," says Sherbet. The ouch factor is higher
just before your period too, so time your treatment mid cycle or take two
220-milligram provenance capsules an hour before waxing to decrease pain.
The Technique: Depilatories
The latest: Older depilatories tried (and failed) to mask the
stench of the active ingredient, thioglycolate, with perfume-y notes.
But new formulas are less offensive: "Special molecules are attached to
the thioglycolate, making it so large that your nose can't detect it,"
says Jim Hammer, a cosmetic chemist. which is also infused with the
anti-inflammatories bisabolol, vitamin E, and aloe to help prevent
redness.
Lasts for: Approximately three to five days
Best for: Bump-prone areas like the bikini line. "Razors leave
sharp tips that can push back into the skin—depilatories don't," says
Chapas.
Get it right: Look for ones containing calcium—not
potassium—thioglycolate. Though it takes a bit longer to work, it's
gentler on the skin, says Bernadette Devaney, a manager of skin-care
research and development at Nair.
The Technique: Lasering
The latest: Though the procedure still isn't totally painless,
most new machines nix a bit of the sting with a cooling spray that
numbs the area. Also, says Chapas, "one like the Candela Gentle LASE
treats a large area at once and at a higher energy, so each appointment
takes less time." (You'll still need around six treatments to see full
results.).
Read More : Women 2 Day : 6 Things You Didn't Know About Laser Hair Removal
Lasts for: Years, with maintenance appointments every 12 months
Best for: Any area, as long as you have dark body hair.
"Lasers target only pigmented hair, so they won't work if yours is red
or blonde," says Chapas. Unlike older models, some newer lasers can be
safe for dark hair on any skin tone, but experts stress that they're still the most effective on those with lighter skin tones and dark hair.
Upgrade your fuzz-busting routine with these tips for shaving, waxing, depilatories, and lasering
Nicks,
redness, stink, sting: These side effects have always made hair removal a
necessary evil—emphasis on evil. But this season, good prevails: The
latest advances are making the dreaded process not only easier, but even
skin-friendly. "In the past, there was little thought placed on skin
condition, and the main goal was just to remove hair," says Anne Chapas,
M.D., director of Union Square Laser Dermatology and a clinical
assistant professor of dermatology at NYU Medical Center. Read on to
learn how to say sayonara to stubble and get softer, healthier skin at
the same time.
The Technique: Shaving
The latest: New razors come with improved lubricating bars
that help cut down on irritation (and shaving cream). The Venus &
Olay Razor ($11, at drugstores) contains glycerin and petrolatum, a
combo found in Olay's body lotions, which "helps condition the skin, so
it'll look and feel better," says Baltimore dermatologist Noelle S.
Sherber, M.D. And the Schick Hydro Silk razor, ($10, at drugstores), emits a seaweed-rich serum that "helps moisturize and provides anti-inflammatory effects."
Lasts for: One day—then pesky stubble appears.Best for: Legs—you can cover a lot of ground fast.
Get it right: "Skin needs to be wet for seven minutes to
soften the hair," says Boston dermatologist Ranella Hirsch, M.D. (Any
longer and your skin might swell, making it harder to get a close shave,
says Sherber.)
The Technique: Waxing
The latest: Honey waxes of the past weren't so sweet for your
skin. They were hydrating but sticky—and, says Sherber, "the stickier
the wax, the more it tugs on the skin, which leads to more irritation
and pain."
Hard, resin-based waxes are the smarter choice: "They wrap only the
hair, rather than sticking to—and yanking off—your fragile skin. Plus,
some have skin-calming lavender and azulene," says Cindy Barshop, owner
of Completely Bare Spas in New York City and Dallas
Lasts for: Four to six weeks
Best for: Any area—especially the bikini line and underarms.
"Puberty makes the hair in these areas grow in thick and coarse, which
makes it more prone to ingrowns," says Sherber. When you pull out hair
from the root—as opposed to shaving it off—it grows back straighter,
slashing the risk that it will curl back in and form a bump.
Get it right: Ditch abrasive scrubs and acids (alpha hydroxy,
lactic glycerol, and salicylic) one week before waxing. "If you don't,
you risk tearing the skin, because these exfoliants
can make skin more fragile," says Sherbet. The ouch factor is higher
just before your period too, so time your treatment mid cycle or take two
220-milligram provenance capsules an hour before waxing to decrease pain.
The Technique: Depilatories
The latest: Older depilatories tried (and failed) to mask the
stench of the active ingredient, thioglycolate, with perfume-y notes.
But new formulas are less offensive: "Special molecules are attached to
the thioglycolate, making it so large that your nose can't detect it,"
says Jim Hammer, a cosmetic chemist. which is also infused with the
anti-inflammatories bisabolol, vitamin E, and aloe to help prevent
redness.
Lasts for: Approximately three to five days
Best for: Bump-prone areas like the bikini line. "Razors leave
sharp tips that can push back into the skin—depilatories don't," says
Chapas.
Get it right: Look for ones containing calcium—not
potassium—thioglycolate. Though it takes a bit longer to work, it's
gentler on the skin, says Bernadette Devaney, a manager of skin-care
research and development at Nair.
The Technique: Lasering
The latest: Though the procedure still isn't totally painless,
most new machines nix a bit of the sting with a cooling spray that
numbs the area. Also, says Chapas, "one like the Candela Gentle LASE
treats a large area at once and at a higher energy, so each appointment
takes less time." (You'll still need around six treatments to see full
results.).
Read More : Women 2 Day : 6 Things You Didn't Know About Laser Hair Removal
Lasts for: Years, with maintenance appointments every 12 months
Best for: Any area, as long as you have dark body hair.
"Lasers target only pigmented hair, so they won't work if yours is red
or blonde," says Chapas. Unlike older models, some newer lasers can be
safe for dark hair on any skin tone, but experts stress that they're still the most effective on those with lighter skin tones and dark hair.
