Depilatories, Depilatories Advantages of Depilatories, Causes of Depilatories.

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Depilatories

Millions of women and a growing number of men spend a fortune each year on products that promise a smooth skin, free of "unattractive" excessive body hair. For do-it-yourselfers, a variety of home-use hair removal products are available over the counter. These include shaving creams, foams, and gels; waxes; chemical depilatories.

A depilatory is a lotion or cream that is chemical based and used to soften and melt hair at the skin's surface. This agent breaks down the disulfide bonds in keratin and weakens the hair so that it is easily scraped off where it emerges from the hair follicle. Chemical depilatories are available in cream, lotion or gel form. Chemical depilatories are used mainly on the arms and legs. They should be avoided on the face.

Advantages:

They are available in different strengths to dissolve the strongest of hairs, even coarse hair.
They are quick and easy to use.
There are different formulations for body and face.
Inexpensive (easily available over the counter), painless and fast
Can be easily done at home.
Depilatories act as an exfolient that is it removes dead skin cells on the surface of the skin.

What are the cons:

Very short time effect - maybe just a couple of days.
Can cause skin irritation if left for a long time.
Can cause severe eye irritation and cuts in skin.
Chemicals present can cause allergic reactions
Not very effective on coarse hair.
Sometimes the product will not remove all the hair in the first round, in which case you need to reapply.

How to be used:-

For best results-

Try a patch test first to check if you are sensitive to any of the chemical ingredients.
First apply a warm cloth to the area. This will soften the hair and open the follicles so the depilatory can be easily absorbed.
Never exceed the recommended time for leaving the cream on the skin as it might lead to unwanted reactions.
When removing the cream, use a wet cloth to wipe it off. Apply slight additional pressure to help remove more of the hair shaft.
Never apply depilatory to an area that has any sort of cuts or bruises. Also avoid eyebrows or around the eyes, or on inflamed and broken skin.

What to use - depilatory cream or lotion?

A depilatory lotion is useful for larger areas of the body such as the legs, underarms and bikini area.

A depilatory cream has a thicker consistency, so it can be applied to specific areas without the risk of running on to skin you don't want treated. A cream is therefore ideal for the face.

A word of caution:

Pregnant women should avoid, as it can cause an allergic reaction.
Don't use depilatories on the genital area, face or internally (eg nasal hair).