Hair Removal Myths
There are an abundance of hair removal tools, products and treatments -- all trying to sway you that their gadget or method is the best. You can simply reach for your razor or reach deep into your pocketbook for a more expensive hair removal treatment, such as laser therapy. But before you decide on a method of hair removal, know some of the common myths. Does this Spark an idea?
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One Laser Treatment Removes Hair
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It's not true. According to the Hair Removal Journal, four to seven sessions of laser treatment are needed to achieve 80-percent hair reduction in 80 to 90 percent of people. As of July 2009, the average cost of one treatment was $398. Multiply that by four -- or seven -- and you can see that this is a costly way of removing hair.
Laser Hair Removal is Permanent
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If you opt for laser hair removal, some of your hair will grow back between the typical once-a-month treatments, which is why multiple treatments are required. But even after the initial protocol is complete, most people need maintenance treatments once a year. In some cases, complete regrowth of hair can occur, usually in people with very fair hair.
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There's a Permanent Way to Remove Hair
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This is sometimes true, but generally speaking, it's a myth. The closest method of permanent hair removal is accomplished through electrolysis. In this method, a skilled practitioner inserts a slim needle into the skin and the root of the hair. A small electric jolt is delivered through the electrolysis machine, "killing" the hair root. However, some hair still grows back even after a single treatment and requires additional sessions. Electrolysis can eventually result in permanent hair removal, but it takes several sessions and can be costly, too.
Shaving Hair Makes it Grow Back Thicker
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Your mother may have told you this when you were a teen to dissuade you from shaving, but it's an old wives' tale. According to the Mayo Clinic, shaving hair won't result in it growing back any thicker or any darker -- this depends on your genes and your hormones. However, hair that is shaved does grow back "stubbly" and can appear to be more noticeable to your eye. But it won't be any thicker than it was before you shaved it.
If You Wax Hair, It All Grows Back
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It's true... it's false. According to the scientists who answer your questions at BeautyBrains.com, there's an ongoing debate as to whether hair grows back more sparse after repeated waxing or not. According to Onlinesurgery.com, the repeated damage to the hair follicles caused by waxing can result in some of the hair roots dying, and therefore, less hair. But the Symposium of Adolescent Gynecology and Endocrinology purports that waxing can actually make hair grow in thicker. It's fairly safe to say that whether waxing results in finer hair growth depends on the person and the location of the hair.
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- Photo Credit Wiki Commons photo / David Monniaux
