Ouch! If only we had naturally smooth hair free skin. Here is the my spa guide to the different hair removal methods on offer delivering quick and long lasting results.
Waxing
Waxing is one of the most common methods of facial and body hair removal for both women and men.
You can choose between hot or cold wax, strips or molten wax applied with a spatula.
While waxing is certainly not a pain free option it is incredibly effective at removing unwanted hair and can take anywhere between 4 and 6 weeks to grow back.
Hair should be at least 2 – 5mm long before it can be effectively waxed and it is recommended that you book a waxing treatment every 4 – 6 weeks, depending on how fast your hair grows.
Top Tip:
Taking painkillers an hour before your waxing treatment may reduce some of the pain associated with waxing and some say it’s a good idea to avoid booking a waxing appointment in the week before your period is due as your pain threshold can be lower at this time.
As with all spa treatments you should always advise the spa if you have any allergies or if you may be pregnant so they can ensure the treatment and products used are suitable for you.
Electroloysis
Electrolysis removes hair and discourages it from growing back. A very fine, needle-shaped electrode is inserted into each hair follicle to destroy the root. It is a treatment which requires a lot of patience and accuracy. Electrolysis is effective but very time-consuming and potentially expensive as you may require multiple sessions to achieve permanent hair removal. Electrolysis will usually feel like mild stinging but this could be much worse or much better depending on your pain threshold!
As with all spa treatments, you should always advise the spa if you have any allergies or if you a may be pregnant so they can ensure the treatment and products used are suitable for you.
IPL or Intense Pulse Laser
IPL is a permanent form of hair removal using a hand held laser device that sends out pulsed light onto the skin to seek out the dark colour of hair. The laser then impairs the hair follicle and you can expect the hair to begin to fall out 10 – 14 days later.
Hair doesn’t need to be a minimum length before you can have a laser treatment and as it covers a large area at the one time it is much less time consuming than other permanent hair removal treatments, such as electrolysis. Multiple treatments will be required to remove all hairs permanently. Laser hair removal works best on dark hairs, light hairs such as facial hair may not be suitable for laser hair removal.
As with all spa treatments, you should always advise the spa if you have any allergies or if you may be pregnant so they can ensure the treatment and products used are suitable for you.
Threading
Threading is an ancient method of hair removal in which the therapist uses a pure thin twisted length of cotton thread to remove hairs at the follicular level by rolling the cotton thread over stray hairs.
Unlike tweezing this method can remove several hairs at a time and is great for a defined look and for those with sensitive skin.
Threading is usually carried out in on a treatment bed or on a reclining chair and the therapist may use a magnifying light.
As with all spa treatments you should always advise the spa if you have any allergies or if you are or maybe pregnant so that they can ensure the treatment and products used are suitable for you.
