Facial hair has been a burden on women sense the dawn of time. Always wanting to look their best, they endure a monthly ritual of plucking or waxing. Primarily for self esteem issues and that's OK, because that is what it takes to be accepted in today's world. In the same sense, a man was once considered desirable if he was all big and burly and a little scruffy. Recently though that stereotype has been looked down upon; Hollywood and the tabloids are redefining what a 'good looking' man looks like.. baby smooth.. more like a woman. This has opened a financial windfall for companies offering there services for laser facial hair removal. There are even specialty salons that cater to all kinds of male hair removal needs.
The business and political world with their 3 piece suites would hardly give the time of day to bearded man or even a mustache for that sake. Face it. To be socially acceptable a man has to be at least hair free on his face. Of course there is the archaic routine of daily shaving, maybe even twice a day to avoid that 5:00 shadow. Shaving has become the norm because it is quick, easy to do, and also inexpensive on a daily basis. Whether by razor or electric shaver you're going to look good for several hours but get to look forward to it every day for the rest of your life which in that time the cost will add up significantly. This reality has prompted men to start looking for alternatives; and this is what they have to choose from:
Waxing:
While waxing is Ok for women, it is hardly practical for a guy when it comes to facial hair removal. It might work for the legs or chest if you don't mind risking getting burnt by the hot wax and if you were an athlete or swimmer or something like that, but not the face. Not even an option for the bikini / genital area in my opinion. It does however last longer than shaving because a razor only gets down to the skin surface, waxing will get much deeper by ripping hair out by the roots thus allowing one to stay smooth longer.
Facial Hair Removal Cream for Men:
Chemical depilatories, or better known as hair removal creams, can also be used for removing facial hair. These creams contain various chemicals such as sodium and calcium hydroxide which dissolve the hair follicles without affecting the roots which is only effective down to the skin surface. Word of warning though; these products warn against leaving it on the skin longer than 6 or 7 minutes to minimize the risk of chemical burn. It is recommended to do a test on a small piece of the arm first to test for allergic reaction. If all that goes well you still have to ask yourself.. Is it wise to apply these chemicals to your face every morning?
Plucking / Tweezers:
This is one option that may have an advantage over the others only in that very well use a laser, razor or cream on the delicate nose or ear area. Makes sense if you are just addressing the eyebrows as well. Chances are you won't need to repeat the prossess more than once every few months anyway so have at it.
Electrolysis:
Electrolysis is the first and oldest method of permanent hair removal dating back about 130 years. AC current is passed through the tip of a needle into each individual pore. As you can imagine, this can be very time consuming. Even just the face can take several sittings but it is relatively cheaper then laser hair removal. Electrolysis used to be the only option for clients with dark skin and light hair but not anymore.
Laser Hair Removal:
The latest and greatest innovation for facial hair removal has been the laser. The first commercial hair removal laser was the Ruby laser as early back as the mid 1990's. This first generation laser was limited to patients with dark hair and light skin because it targeted the darkness of the roots. Anyone with dark skin was apt to get burnt. A few years later the Nd:YAG laser: was developed which works on all skin types.
The business and political world with their 3 piece suites would hardly give the time of day to bearded man or even a mustache for that sake. Face it. To be socially acceptable a man has to be at least hair free on his face. Of course there is the archaic routine of daily shaving, maybe even twice a day to avoid that 5:00 shadow. Shaving has become the norm because it is quick, easy to do, and also inexpensive on a daily basis. Whether by razor or electric shaver you're going to look good for several hours but get to look forward to it every day for the rest of your life which in that time the cost will add up significantly. This reality has prompted men to start looking for alternatives; and this is what they have to choose from:
Waxing:
While waxing is Ok for women, it is hardly practical for a guy when it comes to facial hair removal. It might work for the legs or chest if you don't mind risking getting burnt by the hot wax and if you were an athlete or swimmer or something like that, but not the face. Not even an option for the bikini / genital area in my opinion. It does however last longer than shaving because a razor only gets down to the skin surface, waxing will get much deeper by ripping hair out by the roots thus allowing one to stay smooth longer.
Facial Hair Removal Cream for Men:
Chemical depilatories, or better known as hair removal creams, can also be used for removing facial hair. These creams contain various chemicals such as sodium and calcium hydroxide which dissolve the hair follicles without affecting the roots which is only effective down to the skin surface. Word of warning though; these products warn against leaving it on the skin longer than 6 or 7 minutes to minimize the risk of chemical burn. It is recommended to do a test on a small piece of the arm first to test for allergic reaction. If all that goes well you still have to ask yourself.. Is it wise to apply these chemicals to your face every morning?
Plucking / Tweezers:
This is one option that may have an advantage over the others only in that very well use a laser, razor or cream on the delicate nose or ear area. Makes sense if you are just addressing the eyebrows as well. Chances are you won't need to repeat the prossess more than once every few months anyway so have at it.
Electrolysis:
Electrolysis is the first and oldest method of permanent hair removal dating back about 130 years. AC current is passed through the tip of a needle into each individual pore. As you can imagine, this can be very time consuming. Even just the face can take several sittings but it is relatively cheaper then laser hair removal. Electrolysis used to be the only option for clients with dark skin and light hair but not anymore.
Laser Hair Removal:
The latest and greatest innovation for facial hair removal has been the laser. The first commercial hair removal laser was the Ruby laser as early back as the mid 1990's. This first generation laser was limited to patients with dark hair and light skin because it targeted the darkness of the roots. Anyone with dark skin was apt to get burnt. A few years later the Nd:YAG laser: was developed which works on all skin types.
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