Hair Removal
Introduction We are born with all the hair follicles we ever have. At puberty, as a result of androngenic effects, some of these follicles enlarge and produce their characteristic growth pattern (e.g. beard growth, pubic hair) . Options for removal of unwanted hair include Methods that temporarily remove hair - plucking, waxing, shaving, chemical depilatories, and pharmacologic methods; and Methods that may be able to permanently remove hair - electrolysis and laser/light treatments. Decisions among these options involve patient preferences, tolerance of discomfort and pain, risks of complications, and cost. Plucking/Epilation A relatively safe and inexpensive method of hair removal is epilation, better known as plucking. The term "epilation" means to extract hair. Plucked hairs can remain absent for 6-8 weeks. However, plucking can be very uncomfortable and time consuming. Moreover, epilation can cause irritation (folliculitis) due to the traumatic nature of the procedure. ...