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Depilatory Hair Removal
- Depilatory hair removal method removes hair at the skin's surface.
- Depilatories are not a permanent hair removal method. Results last approximately a week.
- Available in gel, cream, lotion, aerosol, and roll on forms. Apply it, wait, wash or wipe it off.
- Amount of time to leave on - contact with the skin is kept to somewhere between 4 and 15 minutes, depending on how fine or coarse the hair is. (Read the product label)
- Depilatories should not be used for eyebrows or around eyes or on inflamed or broken skin.
- Depilatories are highly alkaline (or, in some cases, acidic) formulations that affect the protein structure of the hair, causing it to dissolve into a jellylike mass that the user can easily wipe from the skin.
- Some depilatories are for use only on the legs, while others are safe for more sensitive areas, such as the bikini line, underarms and face.
- Read all product labels, follow instructions, and select the formulation appropriate for your intended use.
- Depilatories are available at your local grocery store or drug store in the skin care or shaving section, example - Nair ® or Neet ®.
Pain Factor: Painless and easy to do at home.
Cost: Depilatories cost approximately $5 to $10 dollars (prices can vary).
Warning: Depilatory hair removal method is not for supersensitive skin. Also some depilatories can increase acne and cause skin irritation or chemical burns if the formula is too strong or the cream left on too long. The United States Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Office of Cosmetics and Colors has received reports of burns, blisters, stinging, itchy rashes, scarring, and skin peeling associated with depilatories and other types of cosmetic hair removal products. If you use this type of product, always do a patch test in accordance with the directions for allergic reaction and irritation, don't use it on broken or irritated skin, and keep the product away from eyes. Cosmetics don't go through FDA approval before they are marketed, though the agency can take action to get unsafe products off the market.
References:
FDA Consumer Magazine
March - April 2007
www.fda.gov