You may know lanugo hair as “ peach fuzz . ” Some people don’t mind it, while others prefer to remove it because it makes the skin smoother. It also makes applying makeup easier when there is no hair on the face.
Most people turn to waxing to remove those thin, unwanted hairs from their body and face. But is waxing the right way to remove lanugo hair? Are you having problems after waxing lanugo hair? Here's why you shouldn't wax it and what you can do instead!
Table of contents:
- Part 1: What is Lanugo Hair?
- Part 2: Why is it not recommended to wax lanugo hair?
- Part 3: How to remove lanugo hair?
- Part 4: Will lanugo hair grow back thicker if I remove it?
- Part 5: Conclusion
What is lanugo hair?
Lanugo hair is soft and thin, it is present in unborn babies and falls out before birth. Few babies are born with peach fuzz, which is later replaced by lanugo hair. Lanugo hair is thin, fine and light and lies on your body to keep it warm.
It also cools you down by wicking away sweat. Therefore, these hairs are known to regulate body temperature. They are usually found on the legs, arms, trunk, neck and face, including the earlobes and nose. They look tiny and are blonde to brown in color. As we age, their number decreases, so older people have very few lanugo hairs.
During puberty, these hairs become darker and thicker and turn into terminal hair. Sometimes medications can also cause the terminal hair to turn back into lanugo hair.
Why is it not recommended to wax lanugo hair?
Removing lanugo hair can be a little more difficult than removing the thicker terminal hairs because they are small and located in sensitive areas of the skin. Most people opt for waxing when it comes to removing the thin and sensitive lanugo hairs. But here is the Reason why you shouldn't wax them !
irritation and skin sensitivity
First of all, using wax to remove lanugo hair can cause skin irritation and increase skin sensitivity. Waxing removes a thin protective layer of skin. Since lanugo hair is more visible on sensitive areas such as the face, applying wax to the face can irritate the delicate facial skin.
But this also increases the sensitivity of the skin. Even small irritants can make your skin itch. Since the protective barrier is weakened, the skin becomes sensitive and the risk of infection also increases.
pain
Waxing itself is a painful process. If you wax sensitive areas, the pain may be more severe than usual. This is because the wax sticks not only to the hair but also to the skin. Since the hair is removed forcefully, the roots are ripped out with the wax, so the experience can be painful.
Imagine waxing your neck and face. These are the areas where you feel more pain than the other areas. So waxing these areas to remove lanugo hair would be a no-no, especially if you have a low pain threshold.
You have to use the wax that is made for sensitive areas, but the chances of pain are still not zero.
Unreliable results
Lanugo hairs are very short and thin, so the wax may not stick to them. Therefore, completely smooth skin may not be possible. The wax only removes the top layer of skin, not your hair.
There is also a chance that the wax will stick to the hair but not all of the hair will be removed. Some of the hairs may break off when the wax strips are removed, which can lead to patchy skin. The broken hairs can also curl back into the skin, causing painful ingrown hairs.
How to remove lanugo hair?
Here are some ways that can help you remove lanugo hair safely.
Shave
Shaving is one of the oldest methods of hair removal. It works equally well on all hair types and on all parts of the body. Shaving allows for a more thorough result, so that even small and thin hairs, such as lanugo hair, can be easily removed.
However, since these hairs are shorter, you need to be careful when shaving. Before removing the hairs, wash them with warm water as this will soften them and make them easier to remove. When shaving, use a sharp blade to ensure that the hairs are cut in one go.
depilatory creams
Depilatory creams are also useful for removing lanugo hair on the body and face. These creams remove hair by destroying the structure of the proteins that make up the hair. That is why they can easily work on lanugo hair and remove it effortlessly.
Removing hair with depilatory creams is painless. And unlike shaving, there is no risk of cutting your skin with a razor blade. But these creams contain chemicals.
So make sure you use separate creams for removing facial and body hair. Creams for facial hair removal are usually gentler.
pulling threads
If you don't like shaving or using hair removal creams, you can try threading instead. Threading involves removing hair with a thread. All you have to do is move the thread in the right direction and it will remove the hair.
Threading can be a bit difficult and painful at first, but you get used to it over time. It offers precision. Plus, multiple hairs are removed in a single pull, so it's really quick. This method uses only one thread, so it's also budget-friendly.
IPL hair removal
IPL hair removal offers a permanent solution to the small and delicate lanugo hairs that are difficult to remove with temporary hair removal methods such as waxing, shaving or threading. It uses heat to burn the hair follicles to slow down hair growth, resulting in a reduction in hair growth.
You can't afford to go to a clinic every month for hair removal? Try this Ulike Air 3 IPL device . This device allows you to get smooth skin at home. It has four modes that are suitable for all hair types, including thin lanugo hair and stubborn thick terminal hair.
Plus, it features Sapphire Ice Cooling Technology that keeps the temperature within the range to prevent burns and reduce pain during use. Plus, you'll see visible results in just two weeks.
electrolysis
Finally, you can also opt for permanent hair removal with electrolysis. In this procedure, an electric current flows through the hair deep into the hair follicles and damages them completely. This prevents hair regrowth for a lifetime.
This method is precise and works well on all hair types, including lanugo hair. Unlike semi-permanent procedures, the method is independent of hair and skin color, so you don't have to worry about your blonde lanugo hair before undergoing electrolysis.
However, since the technique involves the use of electricity, you should make sure it is performed by a trained professional to minimize the risk of skin damage or burns during the treatment.
Will the lanugo hair grow back thicker if I remove it?
The hair follicles remain intact when the hair is removed by shaving, waxing, epilation or threading, so that the hair grows back after just a few days or weeks. How long the hair takes to grow back depends on the method used to remove the lanugo hair.
However, there is a notion that lanugo hair will grow back thicker and darker once you remove it. This is completely false. The thickness or color of the hair is independent of the hair removal method you use to get rid of the unwanted hair.
If you remove them by shaving, the hair may look thicker, but it is not. Shaving creates blunt ends that appear thicker. Once the hair grows out, you will notice that it is thin, just like before.
One reason lanugo hairs become thicker and longer could be your age, not hair removal. As you age, the production of androgens increases, causing the small lanugo hairs to turn into thick terminal hairs.
Conclusion
Lanugo hair is a tiny hair on the body and face that is present from birth. It starts as lanugo hair and then becomes lanugo hair, which turns into terminal hair as we age because of increased androgen production during puberty.
Lanugo hair can make your skin look rough, so it's normal to want to remove it. However, you can't wax it as easily as you can other parts of your body. Waxing lanugo hair can be painful and the results aren't always 100%.
To achieve smooth skin in a safe and less painful way, you can opt for shaving, depilatory creams, IPL or even permanent hair removal with electrolysis.
