No matter if it is waxing or shaving, getting rid of unwanted armpit hair can be a tedious and painful task. But there are ways to permanently stop its growth at an economical and painless cost.
Laser hair removal and electrolysis are safe, reliable solutions that offer permanent hair reduction. Both methods use electrical current to destroy each individual follicle so it never grows back – an advantage over shaving which allows hairs to recur over time.
Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal is a fast, safe, and effective permanent hair reduction method that works particularly well on underarm hair growth. By eliminating or significantly decreasing armpit hair growth, this treatment makes wearing tank tops or swimsuits with confidence much simpler.
Laser treatments employ pulses of light from a laser that penetrate and heat hair follicles, damaging and rendering them incapable of producing new hair follicles. While some hair may still grow back over time, its growth should be much finer and sparser. For optimal results from your laser treatments, choose an experienced practitioner trained specifically in performing them on underarm skin.
Before your treatment begins, it is best to avoid deodorants and cosmetics in the area being targeted by laser. Also important is protecting skin from sunburn by applying a broad spectrum sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protection. Finally, ensure stubble is cleared from the area so the laser can target hair roots properly.
Laser hair removal often causes swelling and redness to the skin, with some people experiencing blistering, crusting or scarring as side effects of treatment. Most often this resolves itself quickly. However, longer term effects may take some time.
Although laser treatment is generally pain-free, underarms are generally more sensitive than other parts of the body. You can ease any discomfort by applying anesthetic sprays or lotions prior to your session and protecting the skin with cooling pads during treatment. Also be prepared for multiple sessions in order to effectively eradicate all hair follicles in an area being treated.
Electrolysis
Electrolysis is a safe and permanent hair removal technique. Suitable for people of all skin types and colors – even those suffering from hormonal imbalances such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). A needle-like electrode is inserted into each unwanted hair follicle before emitting an AC (alternate current) electric current with thermolysis that vibrates to heat its water molecules around it, ultimately killing off germinative cells that promote excessive hair growth.
Your electrologist will insert a probe into each follicle’s natural opening, known as the papilla, and use small amounts of electrical current to permanently disable their ability to grow hair.
This process can be considered fairly painful, although individual tolerance for it varies considerably. For example, upper lips and groin tend to be more sensitive than cheeks and chin when it comes to pain tolerance. Furthermore, pain threshold is determined by where hair follicles reside within your body.
Treatments usually require multiple sessions to effectively rid an area of unwanted hair, since each hair grows at different rates and requires individual treatment at its right moment in its cycle before reemerging onto your skin surface. An electrologist must intervene at exactly this moment.
Once an area is clear, it should not recur, though this can take several sessions. To determine how many treatments will be necessary for you, schedule an appointment with an electrologist.
Reputable electrologists provide free consultation and test treatment before providing an estimate of how many treatments will be necessary to get you completely hair-free. They’ll also offer payment plans without engaging in high-pressure sales tactics.
Threading
Many are content to rely on shaving and all its associated nicks, while some opt for waxing or hair removal creams as an attempt at permanently getting rid of armpit hair. Unfortunately, however, such methods only temporarily reduce hair growth; incorrect use can result in skin irritation.
Threading is an alternative to waxing and plucking that uses thin cotton thread to remove hair at its roots. While threading has been practiced in Asia and Middle Eastern countries for centuries, recently it has also gained widespread attention as an aesthetic procedure in Western countries (particularly for shaping eyebrows).
Threading sessions involve wiping down the area prior to beginning. After twisting and rolling the thread over areas with unwanted hair, plucking will take place swiftly and inexpensively – which makes this fast and affordable method popular among dermatologists as it doesn’t pull delicate skin like waxing which may lead to premature wrinkles.
Waxing
Waxing, unlike shaving, removes all parts of the hair follicle from root to tip – meaning hair grows back much slower and is less likely to cause itchy bumpy regrowth than shaving does. Many also find their hair becomes lighter and thinner after adhering to regular waxing schedule.
Waxing involves having an esthetician apply long strips of wax in the direction of hair growth to your underarm area, which will harden before being pulled off, pulling along with it the strands of hair they capture. While it may feel painful at first, this procedure should only last about an hour and you can reduce discomfort by applying cooling gel before heading for your appointment; caffeine consumption prior to waxing could heighten its effects further and heighten sensitivity to pain.
Waxing can be a safe option for most adults, provided that they heed all recommended guidelines and precautions prior to beginning. For instance, pregnant and nursing mothers, those living with diabetes or skin conditions such as psoriasis as well as those who use depilatory creams on their underarms regularly should avoid waxing for safety purposes.
At least 24 hours prior to your waxing session, avoid shaving or depilatory cream use as this could leave your underarms sensitive and cause ingrown hairs that could become infected and lead to serious consequences – potentially even life threatening ones!
Depilatory Creams
Depilatory creams offer an easy and economical way to quickly get rid of unwanted hair from your skin. By reacting chemically with proteins found in hair follicles, these creams work by applying to desired area before being rinsed off after set amount of time for optimal results. Depilatory creams may be painless for most users but should never be used on sensitive areas like the face or genital area as this may cause serious injury to these vulnerable areas of the body.
Permanent solutions exist but they require regular touch up sessions; however, if you can handle the discomfort associated with this technique it can be one of the fastest and least costly ways to permanently reduce underarm hair growth.
As it’s essential to choose products suitable for your hair and skin types, as some contain harsher formulas which could potentially cause irritation, it is also crucial that you follow all directions exactly as specified on the product, including patch testing and rinsing off within its specified time period to avoid chemical burns.
Depilatory creams work by targeting hair follicles just beneath the surface of skin where hair follicles reside, leaving behind only short strands which will re-grow faster than with waxing or threading but slower than shaving. They may leave behind small strays which need plucking or shaving once their chemicals wear off; regardless, this method remains one of the most popular DIY hair removal solutions around today.
