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 Body hair may be annoying but it does has a reason for existing - its designed to keep us warm. When we get goose bumps it stands up trying to trap heat close to our bodies. Although we don't need as much of it anymore, evolution hasn't quite caught up with fashion.
Temporarily removing body hair has been becoming less painful with the introduction of better shavers and hair removal creams known as Depilatories. A new product called Vaniqa® is the only prescription product approved by the FDA and clinically proven to reduce the growth of unwanted facial hair. Vaniqa works by slowing growth of the hairs rather then just removing them.
Why Remove Hair
Puberty, pregnancy and the menopause are all responsible for hormonal changes which contribute to increased hair growth. Generally speaking, hair growth follows a genetic pattern. If you're in your 30s, 40s or older, you probably have noticed it: hair sprouting in places where you've never had it before.
Both females and males face an ever increasing battle as we get older to keep hair away from places where it just isn't in fashion. Your back. Your shoulders. Your ears. Don't forget that Rapunzel-like growth from your nose. Underarm hair should be removed regularly simply because deodorants can't work effectively, even on two-day old fuzz.
Facts About Hair Removal
Forget all those old wives tales about methods of hair removal causing hair to grow faster, darker or coarser. Some methods actually help to weaken the growth of hair. Dark skins are less likely to be aware of body hair than someone with pale skin as in Caucasian skin.
Shave It Off
Shaving has always been popular as it is quick and can be done as often as you like. The downside however is that it can cause nicks and you may be left with itchy red bumps. These form because the hair that has been shaved is left with a thick blunt end. As the hair grows it irritates the follicle walls. But razors have recently advanced by leaps and bounds. Moisturising shaving creams, gels and oils minimise the chance or nicks and rashes and some even help you stay smoother for longer. The oil swells the hair gland so it sinks further back into the skin. Avoid shaving creams that contain alcohol, as alcohol is dehydrating. After shaving a little TLC goes a long way. Moisturising afterwards is the main thing that helps prevent rashes and also shaving in the shower helps. The warm water swells the hairs and softens the skin.
Rip it Out
Waxing works on every part of the body and its the preferred method for those who like their skin seriously smooth. You can wax at home with a range of kits, or have a salon treatment. When hair is waxed it grows back more slowly, as the hair is pulled out from the root and hair eventually becomes finer as the root is weakened.
The main downside to waxing is that it hurts. After all, you're ripping it out from the roots. But the pain thresholds vary from person to person. Also the hair has to regrow a little before re-waxing so you will be a little hairy for a few days. There are more types of waxes than you can count, so find a salon that used a soft wax. Your beauty therapist should wear gloves, should not re-dip spatulas into wax and you should be given a disposable g-string to wear if you're having a bikini wax. And women aren't the only ones getting waxed. Guys get their chest, backs and arms done for that clean look and to show off their well toned muscles.
Dissolve Hair With Depilatories
Hair removal creams are also known as Depilatories. A depilatory is a cream or liquid that works by dissolving the protein in the hair shaft, so you can literally wipe hair off with a wet cloth. They last several days to 2 weeks.
The good side is that it works quickly, are readily available at drugstores and grocery stores, and are inexpensive and you can get it done at home. They're best on the leg, underarm, and bikini areas. Special formulations may be used on the face and chin.
Depilatories may not be as effective on people with coarse hair. Applying depilatories can be messy and many people dislike the odor. If you have sensitive skin, you might have an allergic reaction to the chemicals in the depilatory, which may cause a rash or inflammation.
Cook It
There are two types of electrolysis. With thermolysis, the most common form, a needle is inserted into the hair follicle to "cook" it with radio waves. This only kills the hair if it's in the growth stage, which is why successive treatments are required. Galvanic electrolysis is less painful and knocks out hair with a direct electric current. This current transforms the fluid surrounding the follicle into sodium hydroxide, which destroys it. Generally it takes an electrolysis practitioner about 12 months to remove a bikini line hair permanently. The best thing about electrolysis is that it's permanent - eventually. The downside is that it hurts. And as you may need dozens of treatments it's expensive.
Pluck It
You could always use the good old tweezers to pluck out eye brows and upper lips. Also threading is a traditional middle eastern method that feels like tweezing. It leaves the skin very smooth and retards hair growth. Strong cotton is woven through the therapists hands and used in a scissor motion to pluck the hair from the root. You could use it over the whole body, but a leg would take about half an hour. Its best used for eyebrows and upper lips. Threading is inexpensive but it hurts. The more skilled the threader the less it should hurt. However salons who have threaders are very hard to find as not many people even know about this technique.
Latest Hair Removal Creams
Vaniqa® is the only prescription product approved by the FDA and clinically proven to reduce the growth of unwanted facial hair. Vaniqa works by slowing growth of the hairs rather then just removing them. Many women will see results within 4-6 weeks when used twice a day every day but for some women it may take longer.
Vaniqa became available on July 31, 2000. It was originally made by Bristol-Myers Squibb in a partnership with Gillette. Its now a separate company under the name Women First Healthcare. VANIQA is only tested and recommended for use by women on the face and chin. It should not be used if you are pregnant or under 12 years of age.
Some interesting background information is that Vaniqa is the first commercially available topical preparation to come out of anti cancer research. Hair growth cells and cancer cells share similar characteristics in that both involve rapidly dividing cells with multiple potentials for differentiation.
This is part of the reason chemotherapy and radiation can result in hair loss. It has been theorized that some cancer drugs may be used to induce a controlled amount of hair loss or reduction. Vaniqa's active ingredient, eflornithine hydrochloride, has also been observed to result in antitumor activity.
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Face, Skin and Hair 
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