Spreading hot wax on the skin? Ripping hair out by the root? Zapping yourself with lasers?

This might sound like some type of horrific torture, but it isn’t. Shedding layers as the weather gets warmer means finding ways to shed our body hair, even if the process does occasionally make us say, “Ouch.”

Elaine Sauer, corporate spa director for Mario Tricoci, said a bikini wax will always hurt a little. But there are ways to ease and reduce the pain, she said.

“It’s like taking off the Band-Aid,” Sauer said. “Whether you’ve done it once or done it a hundred times, you still feel that smarting.”

Mario Tricoci offers two methods of waxing, one of which uses cloth strips and a warm wax made of pine resin. The other method uses a hard wax that allows the hair to be removed once the substance hardens.

Sauer said certain exfoliating products and medications with retinol can make the skin more sensitive during a waxing. Clients should disclose to the aesthetician whether they’ve used anything that might make their skin tender. For women, all waxing should be avoided if they are within three days of their menstrual cycles, Sauer said.

Taking a pain reliever such as Advil about 30 minutes prior to the wax also can help with the pain. And ice chips or a cold compress are recommended if the skin turns red afterward.

As for those home waxing kits, you might be using them at your own risk. Not only is the bikini line tough to wax at home, it’s an area best left to the professionals. Sauer said the dangers of home waxing include rashes and tearing the skin. If a rash occurs, Sauer suggests using hydrocortisone. Neosporin with pain relief should be applied to any skin tears.

Another option for ridding yourself of unwanted hair in time for summer is laser treatments. The laser detects the melanin in the skin and combusts the hair follicle, said Denise Croft, licensed medical aesthetician and laser technician at Dermatique Laser and Skin in Geneva. The lasers are equipped with cooling devices to help with any pain or sensitivity.

Laser treatments on the bikini line cost about $500, Croft said. The most popular treatment request is for facial hair removal, which costs about $640 for the upper lip and chin.

Although the treatments, sold in packages of five, result in a nearly 100 percent reduction in hair, Croft said hormones sometimes can affect whether it returns someday.

“I had one lady who said she wanted a touch up after 10 years,” Croft said. “Your hormones come into play. If you become a high testosterone producer, your hair may grow back. We can’t control that.”

Because the treatment will make the skin more photo-sensitive, Croft said clients must use plenty of sun block afterward and consume

antioxidants.

But the question amongst all the tweezing, shaving, waxing and treatments we undergo for hair removal is this: Is it worth it? If the sight of a unibrow or ungroomed bikini line makes you uneasy, then the answer likely is “yes.”

“People tend to want to have that really smooth, hair-free skin,” Sauer said. “We are wearing more revealing clothing.”

Off with your hair

– Don’t shave before a leg or bikini wax. The hair should be about the length of a long grain of rice for removal.

– Do use Neosporin and hydrocortisone if a rash or tearing occurs.

– Don’t have a wax within three days of your menstrual cycle. The skin is more sensitive then.

– Do try taking a mild pain reliever about 30 minutes before a wax. Ice chips or cold compresses afterward can help to ease any redness.

Source: Kane County Chronicle

If you’re worried about body hair showing up on the beach as summer approaches, there is now a new, less painful way to zap away hair.

In laser hair removal, doctors shoot a beam of light down to the base of the skin. While these lasers have been around for awhile, the procedure is now less painful.

Laser hair removal specialist Dr. Brian Treon said, “The root of the hair absorbs the light, heats up, and it’s burned from the inside.”

Before the procedure, the patient puts on protective goggles. The specialist applies temporary darkening agent which draws the light from the laser into the skin.

Cold water sprays the surface of the skin every time the laser fires. That freezes the top layer of the skin so that the laser can go down to the base layer and do its job, while the skin remains protected.

The results can be pretty dramatic. They are not considered permanent, but hair production will stay reduced for life.

The most common complication is redness of the skin.

Treatment costs range from about $100 to $600 per session. Most patients require several sessions to get desired results.

Source: 13 Wham

Here are several popular procedures available at medical spas:

* Laser hair removal is the most popular medical spa procedure nationwide. About 10 percent to 15 percent of customers are men. About six treatments are precisely timed over several months. Touch-ups might be required. Hair is permanently removed or greatly diminished. Prices range from less than $200 for the upper lip to several thousand dollars for the legs. The procedure can be uncomfortable. Potential problems can include burning, scarring, blistering or pigmentation problems.

* Botox injections, which smooth wrinkles, last about three months. A single injection costs about $375, but they usually are sold as a discounted package. They can be uncomfortable but not extremely painful. Problems are rare but potentially can include drooping, double vision and asymmetry in the face.

* Tattoo removal is painful and expensive, requiring a minimum of six laser treatments that hurt more than getting the tattoo, according to William Nelson, medical director at Skinovative Laser Center at the Chandler Fashion Center in Chandler, Ariz. Results and cost depend on the size and type of tattoo and can cost thousands of dollars.

* Skin resurfacing is achieved through abrasion, chemicals or lasers. Recovery time can vary, but the newest laser treatments claim no pain or downtime. It can take a few weeks to see noticeable results, and it can last several months. Costs vary, but expect to pay at least $1,000.

* Fillers, such as Restylane or Radiesse, plump the folds of the skin and smooth out wrinkles. They’re minimally painful, injected with small needles after a topical anesthetic is applied. There can be some swelling, but there’s little downtime. Fillers last several months and can be repeated. Expect to pay about $400.

* Vein treatments remove spider or small varicose veins, either through laser or chemical treatments. Both have little discomfort, although multiple treatments might be required.

* Accent cellulite treatment is awaiting approval by the Food and Drug Administration. It will use radio waves to stretch the connective tissue that dimples the fat deposits.

Source: Sauk Valley