Hair removal methods for sensitive skin

Hair removal methods for sensitive skin

Bumps and redness after waxing? Chances are you’re not using the right wax. bh's Rosie shares her tips by using the Veet EasyWax™ Electrical Roll-on Kit with the Legs & Arms Sensitive Refills to ensure you end up with super-smooth skin – minus the irritation.

Trying to remove hair from sensitive skin can be a daunting task. We cover the different methods, from what to stay away from to how to get rid of the hair without irritation.

BEST 7 methods: Hair removal methods for sensitive skin

If we had to recommend one hair removal method for sensitive skin it would be sugaring.

Here's why: It's removed from the root so you can be hair-free for weeks on the face or body. Made from all natural ingredients, there's also less chance of skin irritation that artificial ingredients in wax often cause. The method using the paste (there's also sugaring gel) can remove hair as short as 1/16" (see gel vs. paste).

You don't have to wait to the 1/4" hair length like with waxing. And because the paste removes in the direction of hair growth, it leads to minimal pulling on skin, which means less pain and irritation.

Shaving

Image Doran / IStockPhoto

Using a razor can create nasty side effects, but it definitely doesn't have to end in disaster. 

Often the problem with shaving isn't the method but the wrong products and tools being used. Other times an allergy to a common ingredient in shaving products or poor shaving techniques can be the culprit. Finding the cause is key. 

Waxing

Image Jo Unruh / IStock Photo

There are circumstances when you shouldn't wax at all or you should avoid a certain area as it could lead to extreme redness, peeling and scabbing. Many times being overly red, having a lot of pain, or bruised skin is because of choosing the wrong type of wax for the hair or area, using a poor quality wax, not prepping the skin correctly or removing it the wrong way.

Threading

Image © 2008 Facial Threading

This method is quite unique in that it pulls hair out from the root with a thread. It doesn't use any chemicals or heat so there's no need to worry about product allergies or burns.

Generally, it's gentle to the skin with a good tech. And while people sometimes get bumps and redness, it often doesn't last that long. 

Looking for something to do at home? While they don't use a string, coil hair removers like Lindo and Epicare look like little slinkies and manually remove the hair without the use of chemicals. They can only be used on the face, except for the eyebrows.

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Laser / IPL Hair Removal

 Professional laser hair removal. Image Todd Keith / IStock Photo

Lasers use pulsed light to disable the follicle by targeting the pigment. Generally, you will feel some heat and a snapping against the skin.

Sensitive skin (even in the safe zone range) will get overly red or swell sometimes. It's important to do a patch test to see how skin reacts.

Most professional clinics apply a gel to protect the skin during treatment, which also helps cool it. Gels or calming products to be used during and/or after treatments are often sold by those that make home devices like Tria Laser 4X, Lumi Evoderm and the ​Silk'n family of products.

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Electrolysis

Yanik Chauvin / IStock Photo

This is the only method that's FDA-approved for permanent hair removal as it has the best track record. It uses an electric current and it's a match for all tones of skin and hair colors.

There are three different modalities used in electrolysis. The discomfort, potential side effects, and results have a lot to do with which modality is used as well as the skill of the electrologist. It can be a bit painful, which is why Emla, a topical anesthetic is often recommended.

For those who often have side effects from temporary hair removal methods, getting rid of all or most of the hair can bring great relief.

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DON'T Use Depilatories (Hair Removal Creams)

Image Source / Getty Images

This is one of the harshest hair removal methods because it uses strong chemicals to break down the hair so that it can be wiped off. It has been known to make skin burn, turn red, peel and scab—even for people that don't consider themselves to have touchy skin.

It doesn't usually create a sharp tip like shaving does, but it lasts just about as long (a day or two). You're likely to experience problems with a depilatory, no matter the brand, if skincare products generally irritate your skin.

Self Assessment of the body and fitness

The following is a fairly basic one in that I will give you an indication of your general flexibility in the limbs and trunk. Keep in mind, however,that 

if you need to establish specific flexibility issues,you will need a professional assessment. This would include an evalution of the strength in opposing muscle groups, because when muscles cause a limbto move through the joint’s range of motion,they usually act in cooperating groups.an imbalance will have an effect on flexibility.

TRUNK

Test 1: PELVIS

Stand sideways in front of a mirror in what feels like a naturally relaxed position. Place two fingers of the hand furthest from the mirror on your public bone . place two fingers of the other hand on top of the hip bone of the leg closest to the mirror.

If the finger of your hip bone are in front of the fingers on your public bone,it indicates POSTERIOR PELVIC TILT. If your figure are in line with each other it indicates a neutral posture.

If your pelvis is held In an anterior tilt,you would benefit from doing 

stretches for the lower back,since it is usually arched in people with this posture.you may also benefit from stretches of the hip flex or muscles,which are often flexed in this case.

If your pelvis is held ina posterior tilt, you should include some stretches for the abdominal,which are normally contracted in this type of posture, and for the hamstrings,also often contracted.

With correct posture, the pelvis lies in a neutral position, neither for-ward nor back.

Test 2: SPINE FLEXIBILITY/MOBILITY

Sit on a chair, placed sideways to a mirror, so that you can see the shape of your spine,with your knees bent, lean forward slowly and attempt to rest your chest on your thighs.

When you have reached the point where your trunk stops moving forward,look sideways in the mirror and take note of whether your upper, middle and lower spin is rounded or straight.

If your trunk touches your thighs in this forward-leaning position and is rounded in all three areas of the back,it indicates that you do not have a problem with tight back tensors nor with tight posterior leg muscles,which cross the hip joint and can effect lower back pain frequently stems from compression of the vertebral discs in this area of the spine.

If any particular area shows tightness and does not curve easily,this would be the area on which to concentrate in your flexibility programme.

To maintain good posture you should stretch all the muscles that cross the hip joint, as well as those on the back of the trunk.

Test 3: SPINE FLEXIBILITY /MOBILITY

Sit on a stool,sideways to a mirror,Elongate your spine and extend it backward as much as possible with out rolling the pelvis forward. Look in the mirror to see the shape of your spine.

If your upper, middle and lower spine concave or straight?

If you cane see stiffness on any area of the spine, you should select stretches for that particular area.

Test 4: PECTORALS (CHEST)

Stand in a relax manner sideways to the mirror and look at the position of your shoulders in relation to your chest. Do your shoulders droop forward or in your chest open, with shoulders drawn lightly backward?

If your shoulder droop forward a possible reason is that your chest muscles are tight. Although there may also be other contributing factors,such as a weak serrate anterior muscle, It is recommended that you do the stretches given for the chest area.

Test 5: RHOMBOIDS (UPPER BACK)

Stand side n to the mirror,with a slight turn,so that you have a better view of your back and shoulder blades .Better still,ask apatner to stand behind you and look at your shoulders. Are your shoulder blades drawn together, or are they lying flat against your back?

 The optimal position of the shoulder blades is approximately 5¹/₂  cm (2in) from the Spine.

If they are retracted, your rhomboid muscles may be tight,so include stretches for this area of the middle back.

Test 6: MIDDLE AND UPPER BACK

Lie on the floor with your legs bent,feet on the floor,and at your side. Keeping your naval pulled in towards your spine, raise your arms above your chest with the palms facing your feet. Slowly lower the hands towards the floor behind your head,without arching your lower back.

If you are loose in the middle and upper back muscles, you will probably be flexible enough to be able to touch the floor with the back of your hands.if you are unable to do so without arching your lower back.

Test 7: NECK 1

Sit or stand and drop your neck forward. Your chin should touch your chest. If not,do some stretches for the back of the neck.

Test 8: Neck 2

Drop you head to side and note how far you can go  and hoe it feels.

Stiffness in this area will be quite uncomfortable,in which case you need to add some side neck stretches to your program. 

SUPER-FIT BODY TIPS

GOOD TO KNOW ;

APPAREL:

No doubt that you will wear the clothes you feel most comfortable, but you also need to consider moisture absorption, climate and shape when choosing your work attire.
Start with stretch, choose a fabric that moves with your body(imagine trying to perform the splits in pair of jeans). Most gym wear is made to allow for that, with an emphasis on comfort (and,like it or not fashion).
COTTON being a natural fiber, absorbs sweat well and is comfortable against the skin. if you do not  sweat a great deal, stretch cotton apparel will be fine. If you do sweat a lot, this fiber tends to hold moisture and does not dry quickly, which means that you may be working out in soggy clothing. in that case, a nylon/spandex fiber, which dries really quickly, will be better. There are also  "moisture management"fabrics that have been treated with a finish, causing the clothing to act as though it were a natural fabric in terms of sweat absorption. the same effect is also offered by fabrics that have been specially constructed, as opposed to treated.

Anti-bacterial fabrics are useful in situation where,for example,you are unable to shower immediately after your work out.
   The second consideration when choosing workout apparel is climate.
while it is more effective stretching in warmer rather than cooler temperatures,you don't want to make yourself hotter than you need to be,so wear short- sleeved,short-legged clothing which is light & porous.
Equally,if the whether's cool,you will definitely want to maintain body heat, so long-sleeved, long-legged clothing made of thicker fabric would be best. A beanie or woolly hat wouldn't go amiss either.
The third consideration is shape. Whether you're choosing to join a group stretch class,attend a private session with an instructor,or simply work in front of your mirror at home,it can help(either a teacher or yourself) tremendously to see what's happening to the line of your body while you stretch. Although this doesn't mean you need to be kitted out in the latest breathtakingly tight stretch gear,you should give some thought to wearing non-baggy clothing.  

Hydration 
Water intake during flexibility training sessions is a very subjective issues.
if u tend to sweat a great deal during your workouts, you will want to keep a water bottle with you and try to drink at regular intervals through-out the session. Even if you do not sweat great deal but feel comfortable drinking during this type of work out, or if it is a really hot day, it is recommended that you do the same.
    A good way to establish whether or not you are dehydrated is by the color of your urine. A hydrated body shows pale yellow or clear urine. 
While a dehydrated one shows dark yellow urine. Tea, Coffee & alcohol are all diuretics and thus dehydrate the body, even though your urine may look clear, so if u drink a lot of these beverages make sure you drink additional water.
in general,six to eight glasses daily of good quality water should be fine, unless you are particularly active.
water is usually adequate,but if you will be taking part in an intense stretch for longer than an hour, you may consider some from of sports drink, which supplies energy and electrolytes & encourages further fluid intake...

WORKOUT TUTORIALS

The Science of stretching…

The Stretch Reflex..

The stretch reflex is the muscle’s response to asudden, un experted increase in is length. Muscles contain proprioceptors- nerve endings that detect changes in physical displacement and changes in tension or force with in the body. When a muscle is stretched rapidly, one of these, the muscle spindle,sends out an impulse that initiates a converse reflex action, namely, to contract the muscle. The more sudden the change in muscle length and,up to a point, the harder a muscle is stretched, the stronger the reflex contraction. The basic fuction of the muscle spindle is to help maintain muscle tne and pevent injur. For this reason the old practice of bouncing to increase a stretch is counter-productive and can lead to injury.

   When tension exceeds a certain threshold, however, the Golgi tendon organ sends a signal to stop the contraction, allowing the muscle to relax. The sudden relaxation is a protective mechanism to prevent tendons and muscles being torn away from their attachments. Careful, controlled static strectching makes use of this reflex to improve flexibility.

Methods of stretching

There are a number of techniques used for flexibility training. Some are used specifically by athletes to optimize their performance, while others are used in various medical disciplies to rehabilitate damaged muscles, tendons or ligaments. Yet other techniques are more appropriate for anyone simply wanting to achieve a state of postural and muscular balance.

·         Ballistic.

This method of stretching involves rapid,un controlled bouncing or jerking movements. It takes the muscle to its fullest range of movement and then adds momentum or weight to the motion. However, there is the risk of loading soft tissue structures beyond their normal capabilities, leading to injury. Also,the muscle spindle may be activated,causing a reflex contraction, which can put the muscle at further risk of tearing and also putting ligaments and tendons at risk. Although used by trained individuals such as dances,it is not recommended for use by the general population.

·         Dynamics.

Although sometimes confused with ballistic stretching,this technique can also be described as mobilization stretching. Dynamic stretching consists of controlled movement that takes you gently to the limits of your range of motion, whereas ballistics stretch involve trying to force a part of the body beyond its range o motiobn. In dynamic stretches there are no bounces or jerky movements.

·         Static

This method involves a slow,radual and controlled stretch,which is then held. This reduces the muscle’s reflex action and instead facilitaes the golgi tendon organ,allowing the muscle to lengthen without risk of injury. Although an unfit, inflexible person may experience post-stretch muscle soreness with this method,it will ease with practice.

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FITNESS WITH A COACH

AEROBICS AND YOGA EXERCISES