since for the rest of the week, the images are going to be 'interesting', i decided to start off with something less stomach churning. what is the first thought that comes to your mind when a lady raises her arms and you see an unshaven, hairy underarm?
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| Michelle Chong as Lulu |
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| Julia Roberts |
a fashion convention that we have accepted is the image of the shaven woman. truly, it seems like society at large is unable to accept ladies who do not shave. hence, one of the processes that women (and some men) subject themselves to is hair removal. we are not talking about just haircuts but the process of waxing and shaving so that they can fall into the category of 'soft, silky and smooth'. it's always interesting to note reactions when people catch a glimpse of a hairy situation. literally, faces change colour. hence, whether we like it or not, society has created processes for hair removal. let's thus explore the methods:
1) waxing is a form of semi-permanent hair removal which removes the hair from the root. new hair will not grow back in the previously waxed area for two to eight weeks, although some people will start to see regrowth in only a week. almost any area of the body can be waxed, including eyebrows, face, bikini area, legs, arms, back, abdomen and feet. there are many types of waxing suitable for removing unwanted hair.
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| Kerry Degman |
2) shaving is the removal of hair, by using a razor or any other kind of bladed implement, to slice it down to the level of the skin. shaving is most commonly practiced by men to remove their facial hair and by women to remove their leg and underarm hair.
3) intense pulsed light, commonly abbreviated as ipl, is a technology used by beauty studios and medical practitioners to perform various skin treatments including hair removal and photo rejuvenation. light travels through the skin until it strikes the hair shafts or the bulb (root) of the hair. the bulb is usually where the highest concentration of melanin is located, as opposed to the rest of the hair shaft. as the light is converted to heat energy, the bulb and most of the hair shaft are instantly vaporized. the intense heat radiated by the hair also destroys the hair-producing papilla or the entire hair follicle. contrary to what is often claimed, photoepilation is not a permanent hair removal method but a permanent hair reduction method. this means that although IPL treatments with these devices will permanently reduce the total number of body hairs, they will not result in a permanent removal of all hair.
so let's list some drawbacks of hair removal:
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| ingrown hairs |
a) hair removal of any kind can cause some issues: skin inflammation, minor burns, lesions, scarring, and increase in rate of growth, thickness of hair, ingrown hairs, bumps and infected hair follicles.
b) waxing can be painful when the strip is removed from the skin. although the pain is not long-lasting, it can be intense, particularly in more sensitive areas. just watch this video.
c) when removed against the direction of hair growth, the wax strip may disturb hair follicles, causing hair to begin to grow in different directions. this may cause hair growth to be more noticeable and make other methods of hair removal more difficult. fortunately, this risk is negligible if the waxing is performed properly.
d) another drawback of waxing is that some people experience ingrown hairs, red bumps, and minor bleeding. this is more likely to occur when waxing areas with thick hair, especially the first few times when follicles are strongest.
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| razor burn |
e) razor burn is an irritation of the skin caused by using a blunt blade or not using proper technique. it appears as a mild rash two to four minutes after shaving (once hair starts to grow through sealed skin) and usually disappears after a few hours to a few days, depending on severity. in severe cases, razor burn can also be accompanied by razor bumps, where the area around shaved hairs get raised red welts or infected pustules.
fash'on... BAM!
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