There are many methods of hair removal; some remove it temporarily for between a few days and a month, and some remove it all but permanently.
Usually hair removal is done to achieve a more feminine appearance, to reduce dysphoria, or to get smooth skin for some other reason.
This entry will review the different methods of hair removal as well as the recommendations for before-care and aftercare for each method.
Temporary hair removal
Shaving
In this method, you use a manual razor or electric razor to remove hairs without harming the roots. For this reason the effects of shaving last only until the hairs grow back, between a day and a week later.
Shaving is mainly used to remove facial hair but can be used on every part of the body.
Shaving with a manual razor
There are three common types of manual razor: multi-use razors where you replace the entire razor head, safety razors where you replace only the blade, and straight razors which only need to be resharpened. In razors where you replace the blade, it must be replaced after a few weeks of use or when it becomes rusty or dull.
Before using a razor you should put shaving cream or foam on the area you plan to shave (sometimes even hair conditioner can suffice), to reduce the friction between the blade and the skin and prevent cuts and unnecessary harm to the skin. For smooth results you should shave against the direction of hair growth. Shaving areas besides the face should be done during or after a shower in hot water.
לאחר סיום הגילוח מומלץ לקרר את האזור על ידי שטיפה קלה במים קרים. המים הקרים גורמים לכלי האדם להתכווץ ומפחיתים את הסיכוי לדימומים קטנים ופצעונים.
Shaving with an electric razor
Shaving with an electric razor is simpler than shaving with a manual razor, and can be a better option for people with sensitive skin. It’s not as close of a shave as with a manual razor, and is more expensive in the short term. To shave with an electric razor you should run it over the areas of skin where you want to remove hair. When using an electric razor you don’t need to use shaving cream or foam (and with some razors you shouldn’t use them), but some razors get better results when shaving on damp skin.
Do not use an electric razor while showering.
Hair removal creams
There are creams you can get for hair removal. You spread the cream on the desired parts of your skin and leave it on for a few minutes. This weakens the hairs and makes them fall out easily. Since the hairs weren’t removed by their roots, they will grow back out after a few days. Most creams are intended only for body hair and are not recommended for use on your face, but there are some types made for the face.
A cream is a relatively simple method of removing hair, but it has a few downsides: it usually smells bad, and some creams might not work for everyone. You should also make sure not to leave the cream on your skin for too long, or you could get a chemical burn on your skin that will require medical attention.
Removing hairs by the root
Another method for removing hairs is by pulling them out by their roots, using a mechanical device or a sticky substance, usually wax or sugar. This process can hurt, but it removes the hairs for between 3-6 weeks until they grow back out. With regular use this can lead to a significant decrease in the amount of hair that grows back and the speed it grows, but this depends on the body part and on hormonal effects. This method is usually meant for body hair, but can also be used to remove facial hair by using tweezers or other products intended for this. When using wax or sugar, it’s best to avoid tight clothes and hot showers for a while afterwards.
Wax
Hair removal with wax is done using hot or cold wax that is stuck to pieces of cloth (you can buy kits where the wax is already attached to the cloth, or buy the wax and cloth separately). To remove hair with wax the hairs must be long enough to stick to the wax.
לכן לפני שימוש בשעווה מומלץ לחכות כ2-3 שבועות לאחר גילוח ו4-6 בין טיפול שעווה אחד לבא אחריו.
When using wax that’s separate from cloth you should spread some wax on a desired area (when using hot wax make sure it isn’t too hot so you don’t get burned), attach the cloth adequately to the wax, and then pull it off against the direction of hair growth so that the hair gets ripped out by the root. In prepared kits, the wax often comes attached to a piece of cloth or paper. You should follow the manufacturer’s instructions, but usually you’ll need to warm the wax between your hands and then attach it to the skin and rip it off against the direction of hair growth.
After waxing, to decrease irritation of the skin, you can put on a natural cream like calendula or shea butter. To remove leftover wax from your skin you can use warm water or coconut oil.
Sugar
Hair removal with sugar (called sugaring) is done using sticky sugar. Compared to wax, the material will be at body temperature, not hot. Sugaring is usually less painful than waxing, and tends to create fewer ingrown hairs. Compared to wax, the sugaring paste is usually not sold in stores and needs to be prepared at home using ingredients that are easy to obtain (sugar, lemon juice, and water). A video explaining how to prepare the sugaring paste. The hair removal is done similarly to waxing.
Epilator
An epilator is a device that looks similar to an electric razor, but instead of blades at its end it has a wheel with small ‘tweezers’ on it. When using the device the wheel spins and the tweezers rip hairs out by their roots. At first this process will hurt a lot, especially in areas with sensitive skin. After regular use (once every 3-4 weeks) the pain usually decreases, since the hair dwindles and weakens. Most epilators are intended only for body hair and can hurt the face. In addition, like a manual razor, the epilator wheel should be cleaned after every use, and replaced after a while if possible and especially if it’s necessary on a particular device.
After using an epilator there will usually be redness or discomfort at the hair removal area. For this reason it’s best to use it around the evening hours, to wet the skin before use, and to use one of the aftercare methods we’ll review next.
Hair removal aftercare
After hair removal you should take care of your skin to prevent redness, wounds, discomfort, and ingrown hairs. You should pay attention when your skin reacts badly to a hair removal method, and to consider replacing that method if needed.
Aftershave
A cream used after shaving which prevents itchiness, irritation and redness of the skin or discomfort in the shaved area. Aftershave usually comes in the form of a liquid or alcohol-based cream. You should spread it on the skin and then wash it off.
Taking care of cuts
While shaving we might accidentally get hurt. A common type of wound is small bleeding cuts, which usually don’t hurt. You can use cold water, ice, or vaseline to settle down the bleeding. You can also buy special ‘pens’ for taking care of these cuts
If you’ve been seriously cut you should sterilize the area with a disinfectant cream and put a band aid on it (if possible). In the event of a large wound you should see a doctor.
Taking care of ingrown hairs
Ingrown hairs grow into the skin instead of out of it. This can happen after removing hair by shaving, waxing, or similar methods. They can cause redness and itchiness in the area where they grow, and can cause infections in extreme cases.
If an ingrown hair has come out of the skin and then grown back into it, you can use tweezers to pull it out. If the hair hasn’t come out of the skin at all, usually you can wait until it does (1-2 weeks) and then remove it. In case of an infection you should see a doctor.
Exfoliation
Exfoliation is a process that removes dead skin cells from the skin to make it look fresh and feel good. There are two main ways of exfoliating. The first is running a tool such as a brush, sponge or special fabric over the skin. The second is applying a chemical substance in the form of a liquid or cream to the skin. In most cases you can exfoliate after hair removal, but you should wait a few days to a week after laser or electrolysis (which will be explained further down). מומלץ לא להגזים בשימוש באקספוליאציה, עד כ2-4 פעמים בשבוע כתלות בסוג ורגישות העור.
Permanent hair removal
Laser
Laser hair removal uses a powerful laser beam aimed at the root of the hair. The melanin in your skin absorbs the laser, which hurts the hair follicles, their ability to grow new hair and the strength of the hair. Since using laser can be dangerous, you should get it done by a professional technician and not on your own.
While one laser treatment hurts hair growth it doesn’t prevent it completely. For that you’ll need to repeat the laser treatment every 3-4 weeks until you get the desired result (usually between 8-16 sessions, depending on the strength of the laser, your skin tone, and the treated area).
Laser hair removal can hurt a lot, especially on the face (but after a few treatments it hurts less). You can use an anesthetic cream before the treatment, which numbs the treatment area and reduces pain. You should adhere the cream to your skin with nylon wrap for about half an hour. In addition you should shave up to about 24 hours before the treatment so the skin isn’t irritated and the hair doesn’t grow above skin level.
The treatment itself takes between half an hour and two hours, depending on the body part. During the session you’ll need to wear protective goggles to protect your eyes from the laser. During the treatment the technician will put a cold gel on the treated area, and will activate a powerful stream of laser on that area to hit the hairs. Since the laser can hurt, sometimes you can ask the technician to reduce the laser’s strength. You can also use a stress ball or similar tool during treatment to reduce the pain.
After the treatment you should apply burn treatment cream to alleviate the skin. In the week after treatment you should avoid exposing the treated area to direct sunlight, use sunscreen if it is exposed to sunlight, and avoid using powders (such as makeup materials)
Possible side effects (especially after the first treatment) are skin redness for a few days, leftovers of burnt hairs remaining on your skin, and a kind of new “birthmarks” on your skin. These are known effects that pass with time.
בעלי.ות שיער בהיר לא יכולות לבצע הסרת שיער בלייזר וצריכות לבחור באחת מהחלופות.
בעבר לא ניתן היה לבצע הסרת שיער בלייזר על בעלי.ות עור כהה, אך כיום ישנן טכנולוגיות לייזר ייעודיות להן.ם. מומלץ לוודא מול הטכנאית שהטכנולוגיה מתאימה לצבע העור שלך.
Electrolysis
Electrolysis is a hair removal method where, using a thin needle, an electric shock is sent to the hair follicle to prevent it from growing back. Since electrifying the root of the hair doesn’t hurt the hair itself, after the treatment the hairs are removed using tweezers, so you need to come to the session with some amount of hair growth so the hairs can be easily caught with tweezers. This treatment is good for people with pale skin and hair, and also for removal of ‘stubborn’ hair that didn’t come off with other methods of permanent hair removal.
Like laser, this method should only be done by an expert, and not on your own. The electrolysis process can hurt. The hair is not completely removed after one treatment, so you should do several sessions after checking your hair growth
Important points
- While it’s possible to buy laser hair removal devices for home use, most are low quality and can easily hurt the skin or have little effect on your hair. So we don’t recommend using them.
- Many types of anesthetic cream can cause a negative reaction in people with a lack of G6PD (which is usually expressed in a sensitivity to fava beans). You should check for any sensitivity in advance.
- You must not remove the safety goggles while you’re in a session of laser hair removal.
- In many cases of burnt hairs on the skin after treatment, you shouldn’t try to remove them yourself.. This may cause dirt to enter your skin and lead to pimples and infections. You can hide these hairs using makeup (of a non-powder type).
Trans-friendly hair removal businesses
- From inside the community:
- Additional trans-friendly institutes and clinics can be found in the following places:
- Searching in the Zchuyotrans [Trans rights] facebook group
- Searching in other trans community groups