Are you considering plucking your facial hair and wondering if it's a bad idea? Your face is precious and certainly not a testing ground for every hair removal method. If you care so much about how you look, this article is worth reading several times.
While I'm assuming you already know what plucking is if you're asking this question, it's important to revisit it for newbies. What is hair plucking and how is it done? That's what the next section will cover.
Table of contents:- Part 1: What is hair plucking?
- Part 2: 5 reasons why you shouldn't pluck your facial hair
- Part 3: Helpful tips if you need to pluck your facial hair
- Part 4: Excellent alternatives to plucking
- Part 5: Conclusion
What is hair plucking?
Plucking involves pulling hair out of the follicles using tools such as tweezers. A more localized form of plucking involves pulling out body hair by the root with the hand. The most common areas of the face where women use this method are the eyebrows, chin and upper lip.
Unless you use local anesthesia, you will definitely feel uncomfortable with this type of hair removal. The advantage of this method is that it is very cheap and you will remain hairless for at least four weeks. But is this method of hair removal even suitable considering the pain involved and other disadvantages? We will find out in the next section.
5 reasons why you shouldn't pluck your facial hair
From the headline alone, you can already guess our stance on this method: plucking hair is not good for your face. And if you're wondering why? Here are seven solid reasons. Many of these reasons are scientifically backed and you can independently verify them.
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It is very painful
There's no point sugarcoating this fact: plucking isn't exactly painless. It gets even worse when you're plucking hairs from sensitive areas of your body, like your face. You'll get a shiver down your spine every time you pluck, and without local anesthesia, you might not be able to complete the process. But why put yourself through that hell when there are less painful alternatives that are just as effective?
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Inflammation and irritation
Don't like skin problems like redness, inflammation and irritation? Avoid plucking. Two out of three people who use this method always experience one or all of these skin problems. People who are prone to allergies or sensitive skin are even more likely to experience this. And of all places, the face is actually the least prone to inflammation or irritation. This can have a negative impact on your self-confidence.
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Hyperpigmentation
Pulling hair out of the follicles stimulates the production of melanin, the pigment that gives skin and hair color. The more hair that is pulled, the more melanin production is stimulated, which can lead to dark spots on the skin , especially in dark-skinned people. Again, the face is not the best part of the body to risk this potential side effect.
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Ingrown hairs
If you pluck your facial hair, there is a chance that the direction of future regrowth will change and the hair will grow back into the skin. The result is an unsightly, painful and itchy cyst or bump on your face. Is that something you want to risk? Probably not. To avoid that, don't pluck your facial hair.
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Unpredictable hair growth
There's no way to know for sure what will happen after plucking your facial hair. Some people notice that the hair grows faster and thinner, while others report that it takes a while before they see a strand again. Plucking can cause permanent damage to your hair follicles and lead to irreversible hairlessness, so if you're hoping to grow hair back or don't want to live in uncertainty, you should stop plucking.
Helpful tips if you need to pluck your facial hair
Even if plucking isn't the best way to get rid of facial hair, there may be a reason why you need to do it. In that case, consider the following tips to reduce the potential side effects.
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Peeling and cleansing for your face
Before you pluck your facial hair, use a gentle cleanser and warm water to remove oil, dirt, and makeup residue. For dead skin cells, a gentle exfoliator is just the ticket. Doing these two things will significantly reduce your chances of getting ingrown hairs.
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Disinfect and sterilize all tools
The most common tool for plucking hairs is a pair of tweezers. You may also have other locally made removal tools that you prefer. Either way, make sure to disinfect these items by either boiling them or wiping them with 70% ethanol. And for your facial skin, you can use a topical antiseptic or antibiotic to clean it before plucking. This will reduce the risk of infection or inflammation.
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Be careful
The best way to minimize injury and ingrown hairs is to pull one strand at a time, and do so gently. You must first pull the skin taut and then pull in the direction of hair growth. If your facial hair is too short, wait until it is a few inches longer and pluck gently but quickly. In general, it is not safe to pluck hair near your nose, eyes or mouth due to the high risk of infection and safety concerns.
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Moisturizing and soothing
The usual moisturizer after waxing or plucking is aloe vera. It is very effective and can soothe your skin after the treatment. Alternatively, you can use a cold compress to reduce pain and swelling. In the first few days after plucking your facial hair, avoid sun exposure and do not apply makeup. This can irritate your skin and delay its recovery.
Excellent alternatives to plucking
In the 21st century, you no longer have to endure the pain of removing unwanted body hair. There are many alternatives, but they all have their advantages and disadvantages. Below, you will learn more about some of these methods and what benefits they can offer you.
Shave
Shaving is the easiest way to get rid of facial hair, even if it's only temporary. You'll probably get tired of having to shave every few days, but it has the least downsides and can be done at home without needing any special skills or anything. You can use electric shavers and clean razors. You might see this as a lot of work because you can only be hair-free for a few days, but it's the safest method.
Depilatory creams
There are hair removal creams that will dissolve your unwanted hair in a few minutes and give you smooth skin. These creams are called depilatory creams. They are relatively cheap, harmless and easy to apply. However, many of them have an unpleasant smell that may not disappear immediately. In addition, the ingredients in these creams are not entirely safe if the hair is near your eyes or nose.
Sugaring
Similar to waxing, sugaring is an ancient Egyptian method of removing body hair from the root. As the name suggests, it uses a combination of sugar, lime and water that is melted and mixed together. This method is slightly better than waxing because it uses natural ingredients and is gentler on the skin than waxing. However, it is not completely painless and can lead to various skin problems.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)
A newer and more advanced method of hair removal that is particularly safe for the face is IPL. This involves sending light beams deep into the skin to destroy hair follicles and alter the growth cycle. Leading hair removal device manufacturers produce various devices that work on this principle and that you can use quite safely at home.
If you want a recommendation for a great IPL device that you can use on your face and other body parts, then that would be the Ulike Sapphire Air 3 IPL Hair Removal Device . This makes hair removal almost painless and you can use a single device for a lifetime. Plus, the device is FDA approved and certified dermatologists attest to its efficiency. Within two weeks, your facial hair should be gone and if you use the device continuously, you can say goodbye to it too.
The downside of IPLs is that you can't get instant results. The device needs at least two weeks to produce satisfactory results and it can be expensive in the short term. However, with high-quality devices like the Ulike IPL, it's a good investment that's worth it.
electrolysis
You may want to put an end to the endless cycle of hair removal and sign up for an electrolysis session. This method is the only FDA-approved technique to permanently stop hair growth. You can't do it yourself, but a trained electrologist will perform the procedure for you. Essentially, it involves passing a weak electrical current through a tiny needle into your hair follicles. The current destroys the follicles and puts an end to hair growth.
The disadvantages include the high cost, which usually requires multiple sessions, and the slight inconvenience it causes. But once it's done, you can finally give yourself a break from annoying facial hair.
Conclusion
It is obvious that not all methods of hair removal are suitable for the face. Plucking is certainly not recommended for removing facial hair because of its numerous disadvantages. But as we have seen in this article, there are alternatives, of which IPL is the best. Electrolysis is also good, but it can be expensive and sometimes painful. It is not even a home method and that means you have to constantly step out of your comfort zone to use it.
Anyway, it is important to mention that facial hair is not a disease that you have to do everything to fight. It is cool to show it off even as a woman. But if it constantly gets in the way of your makeup or becomes too much, you should have the Ulike IPL device on hand to remove it yourself professionally at home.
