Hair Removal: Waxing, Electrical Epilators

by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

(Page 2 of 3)

Waxing, too, is mostly done to shape the eyebrows and remove hair on the chin and upper lip, says Brenda Ruffner, a cosmetologist in Rockville, Md., although, she says, many women also have their legs, underarms, and bikini line waxed.

"Men usually come in for treatment on their chest or back," Ruffner says. "I have male clients who are bodybuilders and want their skin to look smooth for competitions. And some men are uncomfortable with the hair on their back or are embarrassed by it," she says.

Epilatory waxes are also available over the counter for home use. They contain combinations of waxes, such as paraffin and beeswax, oils or fats, and a resin that makes the wax adhere to the skin. There are "hot" and "cold" waxes.

With hot waxing, a thin layer of heated wax is applied to the skin in the direction of the hair growth. The hair becomes embedded in the wax as it cools and hardens. The wax is then pulled off quickly in the opposite direction of the hair growth, taking the uprooted hair with it.

Cold waxes work similarly. Strips precoated with wax are pressed on the skin in the direction of the hair growth and pulled off in the opposite direction. The strips come in different sizes for use on the eyebrows, upper lip, chin, and bikini area.

Labeling of over-the-counter waxes cautions that these products should not be used by people with diabetes and circulatory problems, who are particularly susceptible to infection. Waxing — and tweezing as well — can leave the skin sore and open to infection. Waxes should not be used over varicose veins, moles, or warts. They should not be used on the eyelashes, inside the nose or ears, on the nipples or genital areas, or on irritated, chapped, sunburned, or cut skin. A small area should be tested for sensitivity or allergic reaction before treating the entire area. Some hair removal experts recommend professional waxing for the best results.

Electrical Epilators

Two types of devices use electric current to remove hair: the needle epilator and the tweezers epilator.

"Needle epilators introduce a very fine wire close to the hair shaft, under the skin, and into the hair follicle," explains Anthony Watson, a materials engineer in FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health. "An electric current travels down the wire and destroys the hair root at the bottom of the follicle. The loosened hair is then removed with tweezers. Every hair is treated individually."

Needle epilators are used in electrolysis. Because this technique destroys the hair follicle, it is considered a permanent hair removal method. The hair root may persist, however, if the needle misses the mark or if insufficient electricity is delivered to destroy it.

"Also," Watson adds, "the stimulus for hair growth in an area is never permanently removed. For instance, you can't control hormonal changes that cause new growth. Most people would probably define permanent as 'never comes back,' but from a medical standpoint that may not be practical."

Successful electrolysis usually requires considerable time and money. Mona Wexler, an electrologist in Bethesda, Md., says she is careful to explain the process to her clients at their first appointment.

"Electrolysis requires a series of treatments over a period of time. It's not just a one-, two- or three-time thing," she says. "For example, the process for a forearm takes a series of appointments once a week for about a year. You may have a first clearing of both forearms in about eight hours of treatment over two months. After that, you have to catch the hairs that are coming in on a different cycle of growth. For the best results, you want to treat each hair during its active growing stage."

Electrolysis may not always be the best approach, Wexler adds: "Some men who begin electrolysis to get rid of the hair on their back soon stop, because it can be a huge, costly, and very time-consuming job, depending on the amount of hair."

More often, she says, men are treated for the area between the eyebrows, around the outside of the ears, and the shoulders.

"Women mostly come in for facial hair — the lip, chin, eyebrows, and neck, but I also do a tremendous amount of body work — bikini line, abdomen, breast, forearms, underarms," says Wexler.

The major risks of electrolysis are electrical shock, which can occur if the needle is not properly insulated; infection from an unsterile needle or other infection control problem; and scarring resulting from improper technique.

There are no uniform standards governing the practice of electrology. Only 31 states require electrologists to be licensed, and, among those, the licensure requirements vary.

"Training requirements vary from as few as 120 hours to 1,100 hours," says Trudy Brown, president of the International Guild of Professional Electrologists. "Some states may require continuing education classes, others not, and there are no national standards for testing," she adds.

Two organizations — the American Electrology Association and the Society of Clinical and Medical Electrologists — have certification programs, however, both based on a written exam, Brown says. A list of licensed and certified electrologists is available from the International Guild of Professional Electrologists, 202 Boulevard St., Suite B, High Point, NC 27262; [phone].

About the Author

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FDA is A United States government body that oversees medical devices, including contact lenses, intraocular lenses, excimer lasers and eyedrops. In the US, these products must be approved by the FDA before they can be marketed.