Hair Removal Information

Do It Yourself - Facial Hair Removal

hair-removal — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 11:09:32 +0000

Do It Yourself (DIY) Electrolysis

Local resources

hair-removal — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 11:04:43 +0000

Hair Removal Clinics in the NorthEast

Vaniqa - Slow the Growth of Unwanted Facial Hair

hair-removal — Mon, 29 May 2006 10:32:43 +0000

Vaniqa, pronounced van-i-ka, a prescription cream that slows the growth of women’s unwanted facial hair. About 58% of women who tried Vaniqa in clinical trials had improvement, the other 42% had no improvement.

Hair growth cells and cancer cells share some interesting characteristics: rapidly dividing with multiple potentials for differentiation. This is part of the reason chemotherapy and radiation can result in hair loss: they disrupt the same kinds of cellular activity. It has been theorized that some cancer drugs may be used to induce a controlled amount of hair loss or reduction. Vaniqa’s active ingredient, eflornithine hydrochloride, has been observed to result in antitumor activity. It is the first commercially-available topical preparation to come out of this sort of research.

Vaniqa became available available on July 31, 2000. Originally made by Bristol-Myers Squibb in a partnership with Gillette, it is now a separate company under the name Women First Healthcare.

The active ingredient in Vaniqa is eflornithine hydrochloride. It inhibits an enzyme that affects hair growth, called ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). Clinical data indicates that taking an oral version of the drug can affect hair growth.

Vaniqa should not be used:

By men. It has not been tested on males.
By women who are pregnant or nursing, because Vaniqa has not been tested to see if it causes birth defects and miscarriages in humans
By females under age 12.
Anywhere except on the face and chin.
In the eyes, nose, mouth, or vagina.
If you have severe acne or broken skin.

Consumers should be cautious when looking to purchase Vaniqa online. Many websites offer come-ons like this:

Free Online Medical Consultation!
No Prior Prescription Needed!

Because it is a prescription drug, and because it’s not right for everyone, you should visit a doctor in person before getting a prescription. In fact, it is illegal to sell Vaniqa without a prescription, so many online companies are breaking the law or bending it with a “rent-a-doctor” who rubber-stamps all purchases. This is unsafe and probably against the law. Some consumers ordering prescriptions online have their orders confiscated by postal inspectors or simply never sent, so you run a risk by ordering through fly-by-night companies online.

Vaniqa website.

Tags: vaniqa, unwanted facial hair, hair removal, gillette, bristol-myers squibb, eflornithine hydrochloride, chemotherapy, radiation, tumor, antitumor, research, prescription, cream

Gillette M3 Power Nitro razor - a Revolution in Shaving?

hair-removal — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 19:42:49 +0000

Gillette M3 Power Nitro Razor is part of the first battery-powered shaving system from Gillette, for a totally new shaving experience.

The Mach 3 razor is the worlds first three-blade razor. Three blades allow fewer strokes and less irritation. This razor improved on a number of previous technologies, with improved spring blades, improved lubrication, improved microfins, and a pivot head with much greater bendability. It also was the first razor to use the indicator technology to show when a blade needed to be changed: a blue strip fades as the razor is used; when it is nearly white, you are supposed to change the blade. The grip on the Mach 3 was also a marked improvement over the Sensor Excel. Mach 3 cartridges are the world’s best selling razor blades. They are sold at virtually every supermarket, drugstore, convenience store and mass retailer in the western world.

The Mach 3 Turbo is a Mach 3 with ten microfins as opposed to five in the original. It also has an improved lubrication strip and a better grip.

The M3 Power is a Mach 3 Turbo with a fatter handle with a battery which, when turned on, causes the razor to vibrate, which theoretically lifts hairs off the face for a closer shave. It also has fifteen microfins as well as improved lubrication over the Mach 3 Turbo. Mach 3 blades are interchangeable across the line.

The Nitro edition of the M3 Power razor is black.

Tags: gillette, shaving, wet shaving, razor, grooming, m3 power, m3 power nitro, m3, three-blade, mach 3 turbo

Twenty worldly secrets to looking great: from coffee to rice bran, these natural ingredients will do amazing things for your skin and hair

hair-removal — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 11:19:47 +0000

Here In the United States, we think nothing of popping into the dermatologist’s office for a lunchtime laser peel or having unwanted hair removed with machines that rival some NASA gadgets on the sophistication scale. But in many parts of the world, it’s the goodies that grow from the ground that have time honored (not to mention clock-stopping) appeal. Here’s a round-the-globe look at some of the latest - and best - beauty ingredients.

Take a holistic approach

“Think of your beauty products not as cosmetics, but as food for the skin,” says Pratima Raichur, director of the Pratima Ayurvedic Skin Care Center in New York City. Underlying Raichur’s philosophy is ayurveda, the ancient Indian science that emphasizes the benefits of natural ingredients in healing and balancing the body. (Straight-from-the-garden extracts commonly used include licorice, basil, rose, mint, lavender and neem.) According to ayurveda, everyone is predominantly one of three doshas (or constitutions): vata, pitta or kapha, and should avoid a one-product-fits-all approach to beauty. Instead, different ingredients are used for each of the constitutions to keep them in balance (see “What’s ‘Your Skin Type?” at right).

Do-it-yourself tip “Ayurveda takes into consideration everything about an individual: diet, emotions and the five senses,” says Suzanne Dawson, Minneapolis-based Aveda’s executive director of spa development and skincare marketing. Try following Dawson’s four-minute morning massage ritual several times weekly: Using sesame oil, massage your way down your body from your scalp to your feet before you shower. “Use circular miotions on the joints and up-and-down movements on the limbs,” Dawson says. “It’s energizing and gives your skin a moisture boost.”

Must-have products Sundari Neem and Burdock Balancing Cream-Gel Cleanser and Neem and Avocado Balancing Moisturizer ($30, $52; sundari.com), Better Botanicals Ayurvedic Massage Oil, which also makes an effective eye-makeup remover ($15; 8B8-BBHERBS), and Aveda Personal Blends Massage Formula ($18; aveda.com)

Think of your beauty products not as cosmetics, but as food for the skin.

Secrets of Brazilian beauties

In the northeastern region of Brazil, near the Amazon, indigenous women harvest nuts from babassu palms. These nuts and those from a similar palm, the murumuru, are high in fatty acids, making the oil extracted from them a powerful emollient in body and hair products. Coffee is another popular harvest from South America; it’s found in body scrubs (the beans are effective exfoliators) and skin creams (the caffeine helps temporarily plump and smooth the skin).

Do-it-yourself tip Mix your favorite ground java with a body moisturizer or cleansing gel, and use it as a body scrub in the shower. Then rinse off and moisturize, suggests Anushka, owner of the Anushka Spa & Sanctuary in New York City and Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., who has incorporated coffee beans into a body scrub and wrap at her spas.

Must-have products Inara Babassu Milk Bath ($32; 888688-7565), Aveda Indigenous Purifying Hair and Body Cleanser with babassu oil ($10; aveda.com), Clinique Advanced Stop Signs Age Defending Cream with murumuru butter ($35; clinique.com) and Uhma Nagri Amazon Aktya Expresso Body Smoother ($30; uhmanagri.com)

Get smooth, flawless skin

Japanese beauties have been using the brown outer layer of the rice kernel, known as the rice bran, for centuries to achieve their legendary flawless complexions. Why? Rice bran is rich in oil, makes an effective exfoliant and contains phytic acid, a B-complex vitamin that seems to help improve blood circulation and stimulate cell turnover when used topically, according to Japanese studies, says Diana Howard, Ph.D., vice president of technical development for The International Dermal Institute in Los Angeles. Rice bran also contains proteins that help strengthen the hair shaft and prevent split ends — why you’ll find it in many hair-care products, explains Hollywood hair expert Philip B.

Do-it-yourself tip Polishing your skin with rice bran leaves your complexion feeling incredibly soft, says Dawn Gallagher, author of Naturally Beautiful (Rizzoli, 1999). Grind a tablespoon or so of rice bran (available from your local health-food store) into a fine powder (using the back of a spoon or a mortar and pestle), mix with your facial cleanser, lather and rinse.

Must-have products Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant ($40; dermaloqica.com), Fresh Rice Formula f2 1 c Sake Bath ($75; fresh.com), Peter Lamas Rice Protein Volumizing Shampoo ($10.50; lamasbeauty.com) and Dewi Sri Spa Aromatic Soap, Body Scrub and Body Lotion ($8-$26; 888-258-1070)

Banish dry skin and hair

A deliciously rich source of moisture extracted from the fruit of the karite tree, shea butter is a natural fat that is often used as an emollient base for a variety of hair and skin products. “Women in Africa use shea butter to strengthen and detangle hair and to moisturize skin,” says Gallagher. Just don’t use pure shea butter on the face; it can cause breakouts, adds Debra Luftman, M.D., clinical instructor of dermatology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Do-it-yourself tip Smear some on your lips any time or on elbows and feet right after a bath or shower for an intense moisture surge. Or rub into your scalp and leave in for 20 minutes before rinsing to fight dryness.

Must-have products L’Occitane 100% Shea Butter ($35; loccitane.com), Creative Nail Design Solar Butter with shea butter and almond oil for hands and feet ($21; creativenail design.com), The Body Shop Shea Sun Protection Facial Stick SPF 30 ($12; 800-263-9746) and Philip B. African Shea Butter Shampoo and Deep-Conditioning Creme Rinse ($21, $23; 800-643-5556)

RELATED ARTICLES: What’s Your Skin Type?

According to ayurveda, specific skin problems plague individuals of certain doshas or constitutional types. Identify your type - and follow the suggested treatment from ayurvedic expert Pratima Raichur, author of Absolute Beauty: Radian Skin and inner Harmony Through the Ancient Secrets of Ayurveda (HarperCollins, 1999).

YOUR SKIN/HAIR

Vata Slightly dry (chapped lips, britt e nails, dandruff); dark circles under eyes

Pitta Sensitiv skin (broken blood vessels, rosacea, allergic reactions); wrinkles around the eyes

Kapha Oily hair and skin (blackheads, enlarged pores); puffiness uner eyes

BALANCING BOTANICALS

Vata Sweet and sour: orange, lemor, basil, ginger, comfrey, rose and geranium

Pitta Bitter: sandalwood, jasmine, licorice, neem, coriander, mint, ylang-ylang and chamomile

Kapha Hot and spicy: lavender, bergamot, eucalyptus, sage, camphor and rosemary

PRODUCTS TO TRY

Vata Kiss My Face Citrus Cleanser ($7; kissmyface.com) and Neal’s Yard Remedies Geranium & Orange Massage Oil ($22.50; 888-697-8721)

Pitta Naturopathica Chamomile Cleansing Cream ($36; naturopathica.com) and Kiehl’s Coriander Deluxe Hand and Body Lotion ($17; kiehls.com)

Kapha Carol’s Daughter rosemary & Sage Herbal Foot Bath ($6.50; carolsdaughter.com) and Weleda Lavender Body & Massage Oil ($14; usa.weleda.com)

Born in the USA

Not all of the best beauty boosters are imported. Philip B., author of Blended Beauty (Ten Speed Press, 1995), gave us the lowdown on domestic goodies not to be overlooked.

* Apple cider It helps seal the hair’s cuticle and gives it shine. Our favorite: John Masters Organics Herbal Cider Hair Rinse & Clarifier ($14;johnmasters.com).

* Avocado This fruit’s high fat content makes it an effective skin moisturizer. Try OPI Avoplex Moisture Replenishing Lotion for hands and feet ($8; opi.com).

* Honey It’s a natural cleansing emollient that moisturizes and exfoliates. Opt for Lather Milk & Honey Soap ($1.50 per ounce; lather.com).

* Maple syrup This sticky stuff contains natural sugars that gently exfoliate skin. The sap is also rich in antioxidants. Try B. Kamins Chemist Maple Treatment Cream SPF 15 for dry skin ($88; bkamins.com).

* Soy When applied topically, it helps even out skin tone and moisturize skin and hair, according to recent research. We like Avon Weilness Edamame Exfoliating Shower Gel ($7.50; avon.com) and Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15 ($14; at drugstores).

Jenna McCarthy is a frequent contributor to Shape.

Tags: jenna mccarthy, looking great, united states, nasa, cosmetics, skin care, hair care, new york city, healing, skin type, ylang-ylang, , apple cider, avacado, honey, maple syrup,

Rotary epilation

hair-removal — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 11:06:17 +0000

How it works

Rotary epilators are devices who look similar to electric razors, except instead of a cutting blade, they have a rotary head with rows of tweezers. These tweezers rapidly grasp hairs and pull them out by the root.
Since rotary epilators don’t destroy the hair follicles, the unwanted hair will only be gone temporarily. The hair will grow back in a few days or in some cases up to a few weeks.

Rotary epilators works especially well on the arms and legs, and not so well on larger areas (for example the chest and the back).

Because the rotary epilator works like a tweezer it doesn’t work to well on fine hair, and the the hair has to grow to a certain length for the epilator to be able to grab it and remove it.

Advantages

Can last from several days to several weeks
Works well for arms and legs

Drawbacks

Hair as to be a certain length
Hard to use on fine hairs
Can cause irritated skin
Can cause ingrown hairs

Tags: rotary epilator, epilation, unwanted hair, arms, legs

Waxing

hair-removal — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 14:18:43 +0000

How it works

Waxing is a form of epilation, i.e. it removes the entire hair. It works by applying hot wax thinly over the skin. A cloth or paper strip is pressed on the area and then quickly pulled off with a movement against the direction of hair growth. The strip takes the wax, the hair and dead skin cells with it, leaving only smooth skin.

Waxing often results in a slower hair return. Each waxing permanently destroys some hair roots and when hair does grow back, it is soft and not coarse like shaved hair. Eventually, a lot of hair is permanently removed.

Advantages

Fast
Relatively inexpensive
Long lasting (three to eight weeks)

Drawbacks

Painful
May irritate your skin
Can cause inflammation of the hair follicle
Can cause ingrown hairs
Can be messy

Tags: waxing, wax, smooth skin, long lasting, epilation

Flashlamp/Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)

hair-removal — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 13:55:53 +0000

This is a hair removal method which can have a permanent effect, but there is limited research on typical hair reduction and how often hair reduction occurs.

The method of using a flash lamp for hair removal is commonly called IPL (Intense Pulse Light), ILS (Intense Light Source), full spectrum, non-coherent and broadband light. The differences between flashlight and laser are the kind of light and the size and shape of the spot or beam.

Flash lamps do not use one wavelength of light as a laser does. It uses the full spectrum of visible light and some wavelengths in the infrared spectrum, up to 1200 nm.

The flashlight covers a larger area with its beam than a laser. The spot is also rectangular in its shape, rather than the round spot of the laser.

The light from the flash lamp causes thermal and/or mechanical damage to the hair follicle while sparing the surrounding tissue.

Some patients have experienced long lasting hair removal or permanent hair reduction using flash lamp, and used properly it is considered safe.

Tags: ipl, ils, full spectrum, flash lamp, flashlight, hair removal, laser, flash light, flashlamp, permanent hair reduction, wavelength, spectrum

Ferriman-Gallwey score

hair-removal — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 11:02:24 +0000

The Ferriman-Gallwey score is a method for evaluating and quantifying hirsutism in women. Hirsutism is the condition of abnormal or excessive hair growth, a common disorder affecting up eight percent of women.

The Ferriman-Gallwey score is based on the hair growth level on nine different positions of the body. The hair growth level is rated from zero to four, where zero is virtually no hair at all, and four is completely covered with hair. The maximum score is therefor 36. The following table is for caucasian women. Other ethnic groups have different levels of expected hair growth, and the scale will differ.

Normal: < 8
Light hirsutism: 8-16
Moderate hirsutism: 17-25
Severe hirusitsm: > 26

The nine different positions where hair growth level is measured are the following:

Upper lip
Chin
Chest
Upper part of the back
Lower part of the back
Upper half of the abdomen
Lower half of the abdomen
Arms, thighs and legs
Front armlever

Tags: hirsutism, ferriman-gallway, abnormal hair growth, excessive hair growth

Laser hair removal clinics in Los Angeles, California by eTravelScout

hair-removal — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 20:20:26 +0000

Read more on eTravelScout about laser hair removal clinics in Los Angeles.

Hair Removal Information

Do It Yourself - Facial Hair Removal

Tweezing removes facial hair

Do It Yourself (DIY) Electrolysis

Home Laser Therapy

Unwanted hair removal