Sugaring hair removal
First a sugar-based substance is applied to the skin, then a strip of reusable cotton cloth is pressed into the substance. After a few seconds the cotton strip is quickly pulled away, taking the hairs with it.
Advantages
- Inexpensive
- Fast form of body hair removal
- Can be performed at home
- Good for large areas of the body
- Sugaring can be applied to any colour of skin
- Can be applied to any colour of hair
- Sugar solution can be home made
- Easily cleaned
Disadvantages
- Messy
- Potential for hairs to break off and not be completely removed
- Consistent removal is difficult to get correct
- Potential for skin infection or irritation
- Some areas of the body are difficult to do yourself
Background
This method originated in Egypt and has been around for thousands of years. It is very similar to waxing but it has some significant advantages over waxing. For example:
- The sugar solution only sticks to the hairs, whereas the wax substance sticks to the hair and skin, causing additional discomfort.
- The solution is applied warm rather than hot like wax, minimising discomfort.
- Sugars contain natural substances and are gentle on the skin, whereas the wax substance contains chemicals which may irritate the skin.
- The sugar solution is easy to clean away with water, whereas wax is more difficult to remove due to its petroleum additives.
Treatment
Sugaring hair removal can be performed on all areas of the body including eyebrows, upper lip, underarms, legs, arms, chest, stomach, back, and the bikini line. There is one exception; men should not perform sugaring on the beard area due to a different root system for these hairs.
The application of a sugar paste is straight forward. The paste is warmed to room temperature and then applied thinly to the skin using a spatula in the direction of the hair growth. Then reusable cotton strips are pressed firmly onto the sugar paste and then pulled back sharply (in the opposite direction to the hair growth), removing the hairs together with the paste.
To obtain the best results, hairs should be at least 1/4 inch or 6 mm long. If the patient has longer hair it should be trimmed to this length. The patient should remove all creams and oils from the skin, towel dry, and then apply talcum powder to ensure the skin is completely dry.
This method of removing hair usually lasts between four and six weeks. Repeated sugaring treatments will often weaken the hair follicle, making it easier to remove hairs over time.
The sugar solution is natural and has healing properties. Some over-the-counter solutions also contain ingredients such as citric acid and Arabic gum. These ingredients will tighten the skin and improve the consistency of the paste, providing a more comfortable experience.
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