Epilation or depilation?

We prepare our body especially carefully for the season of short skirts, T-shirts and swimsuits. "Heavy artillery" is used: subscriptions to fitness clubs, morning jogging, diets, anti-cellulite products and hair removal ... or depilation? Let's take a closer look at the difference between these procedures and what advantages and disadvantages you should pay attention to when choosing your ideal way to get rid of body hair.

The difference between these methods of hair removal is only one, but significant, because the main pros and cons of the procedures follow from it. Depilation is the removal of hair from the surface of the skin. That is, the invisible part of the hair - the base and root, which are located under the skin - remains intact and safe. Epilation is a corresponding complete removal of hair from the root.

Changes in technology and novelties in the world of cosmetology have led to confusion with concepts, since some experts believe that epilation should be called procedures that directly affect the hair follicle and lead to the death of hairs. This means that waxing and shugaring should safely migrate to the epilation section. We will still, perhaps, old-fashioned adhere to the first theory and refer these procedures to hair removal. But in this case, it is not the terminology that is important for us, but the definition of the pros and cons of the procedures, which will help us make a choice.

Since depilation involves the removal of only the visible part of the hair, in which the root remains intact, the same hair continues to grow further and rather quickly becomes noticeable to the eye and to the touch.On the other hand, when depilation you do not injure the hair follicle and skin, and the procedure is absolutely painless.

Another simple and easy-to-use tool is depilation cream. It must be applied to the surface of the skin where you want to remove hair, and leave for 3-10 minutes (depending on the manufacturer), then remove along with the hair with a special spatula. The active ingredients soften the structure of the hairs, and when mechanically influenced by the scapula, they flake off. After such a procedure, the hair also grows back quite quickly, however, some manufacturers may add substances that slightly slow down their growth, make them soft and thin. Ingrown hair is less likely because the skin is not injured during the procedure. However, it is worth remembering that intense chemical compounds in the composition of the cream can cause allergic reactions, so be sure to test the product before starting the procedure.

For epilation, we include hair removal both with the root and with the follicle. This technique allows you to keep the skin smooth as long as possible, and the hair after it grows weakened and thin. These procedures are often expensive and require prior planning, as most of them are performed by a beautician. Epilation has another indisputable disadvantage - an unpleasant sensation and relative painfulness of the procedure, the degree of which depends on the type of epilation, the hair removal zone, your pain threshold, as well as the professionalism of the master. Also, epilation is not recommended during pregnancy.

We will conditionally divide epilation into two types, so that further there is no confusion with terminology.

This type includes the following tools and techniques:

• Waxing - hair removal with melted wax. Warm and hot wax and wax strips are used. The wax envelops the hairs and once it hardens, they can be easily pulled out by the root in one motion. To do this, it is necessary that the hair is not shorter than 3 mm, but preferably 5–7 mm. The procedure can be carried out at home using special strips and warm wax. For example, you can pick up such wax for hair removal in EVA.UA. Hot wax is more difficult to use and requires certain skills, there is a risk of burns or injury to the skin, so the best option is to consult a beautician.

• Shugaring - the procedure is similar to waxing, but using a special paste made on the basis of sugar and honey. The main advantage of sugaring over wax is to reduce the likelihood of ingrown hairs.

• Phytoepilation Is a popular alternative to wax, which uses natural phyto-resin.

• Epilator - an electric device for hair removal from the root. The epilator includes a rotating cylindrical piece with dozens of miniature tweezers that automatically pull out hairs. The disadvantage of the epilator before waxing and shugaring is to pull out each hair separately, which is why this method is longer and more painful. But the epilator is easy to use and intended for home use.

Modern cosmetology does not stand still and regularly offers novelties in personal care. Epilation is no exception, and in recent years there have been several innovative ways to remove hair. The essence of the technique is that it affects the hair follicle in various ways, leading to its death, which means that the hair stops growing altogether. Among them, the following are worth noting:

• laser hair removal - destroys the follicle by heating;

• photoepilation - high-pulse light deprives the hair follicle of blood flow and nutrition;

• electrolysis - produces chemical and thermal burns of the hair follicle, leading to necrosis of its stem cells and cessation of nutrition;

• elos hair removal - hair removal with ELOS technology, which is similar to laser hair removal, but less painful and suitable for everyone.

Despite all the advantages of the technology, there are some pitfalls to consider.

1. To carry out the procedure, you need not only equipment, but also specific knowledge, therefore, it is carried out only by certified specialists.

2. The procedure is quite expensive and time-consuming. To achieve the expected result, a minimum of 8-10 sessions will be required. Then it is necessary to undergo procedures supporting the result 1–2 times a year.

3. For the most part, it is not as painful as pulling out live hairs, but it is definitely extremely unpleasant.

4. Laser hair removal is categorically not suitable for owners of light hair, because due to the peculiarities of the mechanism of action, the laser simply "does not notice" them. However, it can be replaced by the less popular ELOS technology.

A variety of modern methods of dealing with unwanted hair, which take into account a lot of nuances and wishes of customers, allows you to choose the one that is right for you.