Hand depilation: wax, razor or laser? Find out which method works for you!
Hand depilation and getting rid of unwanted hair in general are aspects that have long ceased to be taboo. Therefore it is not surprising that more and more women decide on various types of treatments. There are many ways to remove hair from the skin of the hands. Which one will be the best for us? It depends on several factors.
Hand depilation still raises doubts in many people. Should you shave your hands? Which depilation method is the most effective? Are there any contraindications to laser hair removal? We dispel doubts and suggest in which cases a particular method of hand epilation may work best for you.
Hand depilation: yes or no?
Removing unwanted body hair is nothing new. Shaving leg and armpit hair became popular in the 1990s. Increasingly, women also decide to depilate their hands. This is especially true for people with dark hair color, who usually struggle with visible hair. Is depilation of the skin on the hands safe? If a person does not have any contraindications (such as irritation or skin diseases and infections) and the procedure is done correctly, shaving the hands is perfectly safe. Whether we should perform such a procedure depends solely on our expectations and preferences.
Hand depilation: short term solution
How long we’ll be able to get rid of the hairs on our hands depends primarily on the method we choose to remove them. Shaving with a razor won’t be a long-lasting solution: hairs grow back quickly and can get thicker and darker, making them more visible after each treatment. A much better and longer-lasting method is to pluck hairs using wax, wax patches or an epilator. This will keep them from growing back for up to a few weeks, but… is quite painful. The most effective method of hair removal is the use of laser, which damages the follicles in a given area of the skin, which completely inhibits the growth of hair. A series of laser treatments is able to help us get rid of unwanted hair permanently, but is associated with a considerable expense. Depending on the location and prestige of a given beauty salon, such a service may cost from one hundred to even several hundred dollars.
Hand epilation: perfect smooth skin
Which hair removal method we should choose depends mainly on our expectations. Among the methods of hand hair removal we can distinguish:
- hand epilation with a shaving razor,
- hand epilation with a depilatory cream,
- hand epilation with wax or epilator (pulling hair out),
- Laser hand epilation.
Hand epilation with a razor
The easiest and fastest way to shave a hairy part of the body is to remove hair with a razor. The main advantage of this popular method is its ease of execution and price — the cost of a single razor is only a few dollars. Unfortunately, this method also has many disadvantages, and one of the biggest is its poor effectiveness. Hair trimmed with a razor blade grows back quickly, and on top of that, some say the regrowth is harder, darker and harder to remove. And to keep your hands smooth, this type of hair removal may have to be repeated…in some cases, even daily. …even daily.
But if you do decide to use a razor to shave your hands, there are a few important rules to follow:
- Never “dry shave” your hair. Always use a shaving foam, cream or lotion. In addition to preventing irritation, hair removers soften hairs so they are easier to remove.
- Before epilation, do a gentle exfoliation to lift hairs. This will make shaving much easier; it also exfoliates dead skin, preventing irritation and unsightly red dots.
- Always use a new razor! Disposable razors are not called that for a joke. For hygienic reasons, a disposable razor should be thrown away after one use. This will prevent infections, as well as irritation caused by shaving with a blunt blade.
Don’t forget to moisturize — to keep your skin healthy and smooth after epilation, apply body oil or lotion.
Hand waxing or epilating
Another popular way to epilate your hands is to use wax or an epilator. Both of these methods involve pulling hairs out of the skin, so they will last longer than shaving with a razor. Depilation done this way can keep your hands smooth for up to a month… At least that’s what beauty salons that specialize in waxing advertise. However, most people notice the first hairs growing back as soon as a week after the treatment (though this is obviously a very individual issue). Another downside is the unpleasant feeling associated with the treatment: both epilator and waxing involve pain, stinging and pinching. However, this method has a wide circle of supporters as it is relatively quick, simple and cheap to perform and its effect lasts much longer than using a razor. Waxing treatment is popular in beauty salons, but you can also do it yourself at home. The cost of a kit for this type of epilation is about $30 (wax warmer, wax, wooden sticks). Buying an epilator, on the other hand, will entail an expenditure of $100–$200 — depending, of course, on the company and the parameters of the equipment.
To effectively and safely pluck hair from the skin on your hands, follow a few simple rules:
- If you’re not experienced with waxing, start by making an appointment at a beauty salon and see how to use the product.
- Always apply wax or wax patches in the direction of hair growth and detach in the opposite direction.
- Don’t overheat the wax and don’t apply too hot a substance to your skin to avoid possible burns.
- Always wash and disinfect your epilator — both before and after epilation.
- Remember to moisturize your skin after the treatment (with lotion or oil).
Laser hand depilation
One of the most effective ways to remove body hair is laser hair removal. It consists in exposing given skin areas to laser beam, which irreversibly damages hair bulbs and prevents them from producing hair. The treatment should be performed at an interval of 3–6 weeks and the whole series may take up to 2 years (up to 80% of hair is removed after the first treatment). The main disadvantages of laser hair removal is the high cost of the procedure (a series for both hands costs up to 1000$) as well as the discomfort during hair removal itself. Laser hair removal may be associated with experiencing strong pain and burning. However, this is the price many people decide to pay for permanent hair removal.
Unfortunately, laser hair removal has quite a few contraindications, such as:
- a strong tan, sunbathing for 6 weeks before and after the procedure (also using bronzing lotions),
- consumption of photosensitizing herbs such as: St. John’s wort, calendula, field horsetail or sage,
- antibiotic treatment,
- infections and skin diseases,
- retinoid therapy,
- pregnancy and breastfeeding.
More and more often we can hear about laser epilators for home use. According to manufacturers, the device can help us get rid of hair completely in just a few months. According to many people, the truth is quite different: lasers for use at home emit a very weak beam of light, which will work much worse than the laser used by a professional in a salon. The device can help in getting rid of hair, but will not bring such spectacular results as a series of professionally performed treatments.
Hand waxing with depilatory cream
Popular products which can be found in drugstores are also depilating creams. The preparations are applied on the skin for several minutes (during this time the cream “melts” the hair) and then removed with an attached spatula. Depilatory creams were popularized in the early 2000s and were the most popular choice then. Unfortunately, their poor efficacy (they often don’t even remove half of the hair), short duration of action and the possibility of causing allergic reactions made them replaced by other methods of epilation. However, it is certainly a good alternative for people who, for various reasons, can’t decide on laser or waxing and are looking for a more permanent method than the one using a razor.
Hand epilation: wax or epilator?
As we mentioned earlier, one of the more effective methods of epilation is pulling hairs out of the skin. This allows them to come back later than shaving with a razor and regular use can make regrowing hairs lighter, thinner and therefore less noticeable.
So which is better: epilator or wax? Unfortunately, there’s no definitive answer to this question. It depends on your personal preference as to which method you should choose. Using an epilator is relatively easy and painless, and it costs relatively little (a 100$ for a device that will last you several years). Unfortunately, after using an epilator, unsightly red dots may appear on the skin of your hands. In some cases, you may also notice ingrown hairs.
Waxing is unlikely to carry the risk of these unwanted effects. However, it will be more painful than using an epilator. Using wax also requires more practice and performing the treatment on your own may be simply inconvenient. The easiest way to get hair removal is to have it done by a beautician. However, it is likely to be quite expensive and you should be prepared for it.
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