What Is Epilation?

Epilation is the process of removing hair from the body. Hair is removed by various methods, including waxing, epilation devices, electrology, sugaring, lasers or by plucking with tweezers. Epilation differs from depilation (another hair removal method) because it removes hair from under the skin's surface, leaving the skin hairless for a longer amount of time.

History

There is no real pinpoint in time when epilation became a common practice. Hair removal has been going on throughout the centuries in one form or another. Cultural values usually dictate whether hair removal is "necessary." During the 20th century, hair removal became common place for both men and women in North America and Western Europe. The sociological values dictated what was considered attractive and body hair was considered a masculine quality. Women who had body hair would have been perceived as unattractive and lacking good hygiene. Currently, epilation and other forms of hair removal are viewed differently for religious and cultural reasons, depending on the part of the world and what standards the society and cultural have placed on hair.

Types of Epilation

Hair removal can be performed in many different ways. Since epilation removes the hair from beneath the skin, only certain methods work to draw up the hair and remove it at its roots. With waxing, wax is smoothed on with a small spatula-like device in a thin layer over the skin. A long strip of paper or cloth is then pressed on top of the wax and smoothed. The paper or cloth is ripped off, pulling out the hair beneath it. Epilators are electric devices that almost look like an electric razor. The difference is that the gears roll over the skin, grabbing the hairs with multiple tweezer-like blades that pull the hair up and out. Electrology, often referred to as electrolysis, uses electricity to cause localized damage to the hair follicle so it will stop generating hair. Laser hair removal is becoming more of a common practice, although it has been experimented with since the 1980s. Lasers and light-based hair removal methods are done with lasers passed over the skin.

Advantages of Epilation

There are several advantages to using epilation for hair removal rather than depilation. First, epilation lasts longer. Since the hair is pulled from beneath the skin's surface, it gives the appearance of lasting longer than shaving. Over time, with a consistent epilation routine, it is possible to damage the hair follicle so that it will prevent any new hairs from growing.

Disadvantages of Epilation

Epilation can be a risky endeavor for some people. Speak with a doctor before using any of these hair removal methods. Pain, itching, ingrown hairs, burning and/or allergic reactions may occur, depending on epilation method used.

Considerations

Electrology, lasers and light-based hair removal methods can get very costly and time consuming. These methods are still in an experimental stage and should be looked into with caution. More than one treatment session will be needed to keep the body hairless. Waxing, plucking and using epilation devices can be very painful and cause burning sensations on the area waxed or plucked. Wax can be difficult to clean up after, as it sticks firmly to the skin. Sugaring is a type of waxing that uses a sugar substance instead of wax that is water soluble and much easier to clean off than wax. Plucking and tweezing are very time consuming methods of epilation because each individual hair follicle will need to be plucked or tweezed. This is also the most painful of epilation processes.