This morning, as I used a chemical depilator to remove hair from my legs, arms, and breasts for the umpteenth time, I wondered about alternatives like Epilady.Here are the top three reasons Epilady cites for using their product:
• Results last for up to 4 weeks. Epilating takes about 15-20 minutes per leg, but is only done once a month.
• Hair grows back more slowly, and diminishes over time.
• New hairs grow back softer and lighter – “like a new blade of grass.”
So, what is your experience good or bad with electronic depilators like Epilady?
Please comment below or e-mail me if you prefer. I look forward to reading your views on this subject.
I've been using a Braun Silk épil on my legs and arms for a couple of years now and all in all I would recommend it. Some things to keep in mind though:
ReplyDeleteThe pain can be pretty intense the first time you use it on an area. I have not been able to ever make it past the pain trying to use it on my chest and abdomen. Narcotic drugs would probably help. I've heard people recommend having the area waxed first and then use the epilator as the hair starts growing back. I have also heard that a couple shots of your favorite beverage imported from Kentucky or Scotland is a good alternative.
If the skin is not kept taut the rotating tweezers can and will grab flesh. I can highly unrecommend letting it do that. Keeping the skin really tight on the upper, inner arms and thighs can be hard at times. It is for me anyway.
Up to four weeks is a bit misleading. Any hair removal process is only going to remove hair that is in the active part of its growth stage. There are going to be hairs that decide to wake up from dormancy the day after you use the epilator. So the results may be adequate for up to four weeks but you are not going to be hair free. I use mine about once a week but it doesn't take long as there isn't much hair after only seven days. There is a lot less than if you had shaved or depilated.
All those little hairs are not being disintegrated. They are flying around. Use it someplace easy to clean up after like in the tub or shower.
In theory if you keep yanking the hairs out violently by the roots you will distort and damage the follicle. And that will slow the regrowth and make the hair finer. After using the epilator for a year I really couldn't see any of that. I've been on hormones for a year now and I can definitely see changes in my hair, but it's hard to say if it is due to the HRT or the continued genocide on the hair.
My t partner just can't use it -- too painful -- and ditto waxing. Fortunately, w/ hormones, hair removal is less frequent and onerous, and chemical hair removal pretty much just a bad memory for both of us. For myself, a natal female, I use an epilator on my calves and occasionally chin, but no way can I use it on my upper lip. The one time I braved it, I really damaged the skin.
ReplyDeleteClaims are mainly true. While the hair you pull out takes a while to return don't forget there are more coming. The hair does thin out an lighten as time goes on. Some area can be rather sensitive if the hair is fairly dense but again as time progresses it gets easier.
ReplyDeleteI use the Braun Silk-épil Xpressive. The claims are for women whose hair doesn't re-grow as fast as men. In my case, the hair doesn't pop up again for about a week. The first time you use it, it hurts. But repeat use doesn't cause any pain, you just feel it tuging at the hair. Also repeat use causes the hair's to get thinner, and since there are 3 hair's to a folicle, and they don't all grow back at the same time, there is less to trim off afterwards. The Braun comes in a kit with several attachments to use on different parts of your body. Where the eplilady is a rotating spring that grabs the hair, the Braun is a series of tweezers on a rotating drum. Good Luck. Barbra Anne Taylor
ReplyDeletei've used an emjoi emagine for over a year. i'm not extremely hairy but it works better than anything else. once you get things under control the effects last for a couple of weeks. it's my preferred method, with veet coming in second and shaving third.
ReplyDeleteI have been using the braun Silk-epil Xpressive for 3 months now. The regrowth of hair on my legs and arms, chest and belly(and my forehead just outside of the brows to the hairline at the temples) has seriously declined and the pain is now completely gone. At first it hurt quite a bit. I can now go two weeks without having to epilate and it foreseeable that this will soon be a 15 minute once a month exercise.
ReplyDeleteI love it and it is much preferable to shaving.
Kathryn
I'm a redhead and I've been using epilators for about 18 years now. I own 3, but haven't seen the oldest one (straight edged Braun Silk Epil) since my sister-in-law (wife's sister) borrowed it to try several years ago. :)
ReplyDeleteThe beginning of a hair that has been pulled out (tweezed, waxed or epilated) is rounded, smaller in diameter and less pigmented than normal, and it tapers back up to normal as it grows. Removing hairs regularly avoids getting back to full thickness. I'm not really convinced that epilation permanently reduces the thickness or pigmentation, it just removes the hairs before you see it.
Sparseness is also something that people sometimes claims improves over time. Fewer hairs growing per square inch. I'm dubious of that, too. In practice, there are 3 things that a hair root can be doing: resting (no hair), actively growing, or finished growing (hair still attached but not growing). Rip them all out and the stopped ones are either gone or snapped off. Keep doing it and you never have stopped hairs between the ones actively growing, so it looks more sparse.
I definitely recommend paying for professional waxing first up, then epilating the regrowth. That also applies if you stop removing the hair for a few months as it is much more painful clearing the hairs when each hair has thickened up and you've got stopped hairs to be removed.
I find that taking ibuprofen before waxing or epilation can reduce the pain considerably. Other pain medications might work better for other people.
My second epilator is an Emjoi Gold Caress with a curved head and little vibrating pads at the end that are supposed to reduce pain. I don't honestly know if it makes any difference. I use it to epilate my face weekly, and during the hotter months I do my armpits as well.
My third epilator is a small Braun brand one, which is shaped like an oversized pen, with the head spinning about its axis instead of across the end. It has only about 6 plates on one side of the head, and works beautifully for eyebrows, which I do about once a fortnight.
I generally just trim my arm hair short every week or two rather than shaving or epilating. It's mostly a time thing.
Also for time reasons, I have resorted to paying someone else to wax me from the waist down because otherwise I just don't get around to epilating and end up shaving and having to deal with stubble. Yuck!
I used the Remington rotating-tweezer variant for a while, and yes, it hurts. Lots. Especially the first time. And especially if it manages to grab loose skin. I never did get bold enough to try it on my neck or face.
ReplyDeleteI suggest instead taking a good look at a more-permanent solution. I've got a Silk'n SensEpil pulsed-light removal device, and it's doing some good for me, even after just a couple of treatments. And it is approved everywhere from the cheeks down--mostly. And at its' lowest level, it doesn't hurt, at all. Higher levels have a mild tingling sensation.
Pricey? Yup. But check Amazon and eBay for new ones at a bit cheaper price.
Another Braun Silk Epil user here. I can see regrowth the day after using, but epilating every day is too tiring for me! I just make sure to use it before I'll be wearing anything that will leave my legs bare. I'm cisgender, but have heavier hair growth than most females. I only use it on my legs and feet, as anywhere else is way too painful.
ReplyDeleteEpilady is by far the most torturous depilating device ever! Use only if you enjoy pain.
ReplyDeleteFor me, the pain was not unbearable, but maybe my leg hairs just have really strong deep roots or are particularly slippery, because the epilator kept on missing a lot of hairs. I'm assuming they were grabbed and slipped out of the little grippy things rather than coming out of my skin.
ReplyDeleteEpilation means nor stubbly which is a real selling point and once you get over the first harvest is no big deal.
ReplyDeleteGoing back to shaved skin is ghastly after epilation, believe me I know because I have washed and misplaced the head of my machine and foolishly shaved!
If you have the patience and a bit extra a home IPL machine sounds like an excellent idea though pairing up with a friend would be a good idea to split cost and help in hard to reach areas.
Caroline xxx
I use a Silk epil by Braun and have been using epilator for years now. It is true what they say. Yes in the early going you could use some pain tolerance from my generation( will be 75 in November). Once you get used to the results you will never touch a razor to your skin again.You can stay smoothe for weeks . I use it on all parts of my body.The hair that does grow is soft and silky and comes out easily. You need to be patient with your self I assure you the results are worth the early pain in the long run
ReplyDeleteMarilyn