Underarm Hair Removal

Brief History of Underarm Hair Removal

While Western women only started regularly removing their armpit hair early in the 20th century, other cultures have been sporting smooth skin for centuries. In Islam, for example, both men and women keep their underarms hair-free, citing cleanliness. In the days before deodorants, the bacteria that could thrive in body hair were definitely an issue for many people. However, for the bulk of the world’s women, shaving did not become a regular part of beauty maintenance until around 1915. The availability of the safety razor made it a fairly simple and inexpensive process and so sleeveless evening wear followed soon after.

Temporary Hair Removal

Shaving

Shaving has long been the most popular form of hair removal. It can be done in the shower, it’s quick and once you get the hang of it, painless. Underarm hairs do grow in several directions, so you have to watch what you’re doing and exercise a bit of care, but it’s still quick and easy. And no, shaving does not cause your hair to become thicker!

Underarm Hair Removal Creams

Depilatory hair removal creams, available in some form or other for decades, have been enjoyed because they can leave the skin smoother longer than shaving. Increasingly, however, women are discouraged from using them, as the chemicals can be irritating. They are especially problematic for the delicate underarm, because chemicals can seep more easily into the bloodstream from there than from the legs.

Waxing

For those who want a longer-lasting silky finish at a low cost, waxing is a better bet. Skin stays smooth for at least two weeks and sometimes much longer, depending on the thickness of the hair. You can even wax at home, if you like. Waxing has been seen to decrease hair growth over time. One problem, however, is that the pulling on the delicate skin can cause it to loosen if you wax regularly, which could be uncomfortable and unsightly.

Permanent Hair Removal

Stay smooth permanently!

Although slow, electrolysis is a guaranteed hair removal process. The electricity kills the follicle and so the hair does not grow back. The disadvantage to electrolysis is that it can take many weeks to remove the hairs and you have to go back for a number of sessions because hairs have so many growth cycles. It can also be painful, although there are topical anesthetics you can apply, as well as other hair removal pain relief methods you can investigate. In fact, most electrologists prefer that you use pain relief because then they can work more quickly.

Laser hair removal has been growing in both efficiency and popularity for several years. The light of the laser hits the follicle and damages it so that, while hair initially does grow back, it is thinner and lighter. A series of treatments spaced over a number of weeks will see permanent removal for some women. Others do have to go back, but almost everyone who has had the work done agrees that the improvement is tremendous. Also, it is a quick and relatively painless process. Downsides include the cost of laser hair removal, which can be expensive. Also, treated hairs do not fall out right away. While you can shave between treatments, you cannot use any other sort of hair removal procedure. For overall ease, many laser technicians recommend getting underarm hair removal treatments in winter, so you don’t have to worry so much about unsightly hairs.

Increasingly, more women are opting for permanent underarm hair removal. The pleasure of not having to shave every day and always having sexy smooth underarms is worth every penny to many women. Methods for temporary removal of underarm hair, however, are still widely available to keep your underarms smooth and beautiful no matter what your budget.