Beauty Doc

Beauty Doc Hairy Belly

I have a lot of hair on my tummy so I shaved it once but now it has grown back and there is a lot more hair there now and since summer is coming up I can see it as becoming a possible problem and embarrassment. What do you suggest I use to keep the hair from growing or is it ok to shave your belly???

HELP I NEED SOME ADVICE
from hairy gal

Hi hairy gal

Beauty Doc tip:
Be true to yourself, and play your best features up! Remember that you are who you project yourself to be :)

Yeeks!! This is indeed a summertime situation that you do not want to exacerbate, and shaving will do just that…

To say good-bye to your unwanted hair, you have a couple of options, some gentle and inexpensive, but short lived; and others a little higher in the pain threshold, and altho not cheap, worth the long term investment if your self esteem is boosted.

Shaving: shaving is fine for legs, and guys do it (mostly thru lack of choice and convenience) just about everyday for facial hair, but when it comes to tummy’s, there are far better options – albeit, shaving is cheap, easy and convenient, but the stubble regrowth comes back all too fast, and the possibility of ingrowns and shaving nicks is not pretty… If you are up for clippering your belly every other day, that is your choice, however, the itchy prickle of regrowth may end up driving you mad…

Depilatory cream or gel: this is pain free, easy to use and gives longer lasting results than shaving. The cream or gel works to dissolve the hair, so hairs tend to grow back softer than shaving as they are new hair as opposed to bluntly cut regrowth. Nads or Nair are the better known brands, and the nasty smell (of times bygone) is heavily disguised by fragrance these days.

Bleaching: pain free like depilatory creams, but not hair free. Bleach is available from the chemist and will remove the darkness out of your hair. If your hair texture is fine, then this way may suit you enough, however if the hair is coarse or thick then you would be better to go for one of the hair removal options.

Waxing: Waxing is one of the most effective methods of hair removal. Hot wax will give longer better results than strip wax. It is preferable to let a beauty therapist do your waxing, as if your technique is incorrect, you will end up breaking the hair rather than removing it, which kind of defeats the purpose of being hair free for 4 – 6 weeks. However, if you are confident in waxing, then there are supermarket / chemist home waxing kits available.

Over the long term, this method will give you greater time in-between waxes, however for most, waxing is not pain free, but the smooth results are worth it. The only problem is the time between while your hairs grow long enough to be waxed, so you may prefer one of the more permanent options.
An epilady type device gives similar results to waxing, and is equal on the pain threshold barometer.

Tweezing : great for eyebrows and in-between waxing – an easy, do anywhere type formula. If your tummy only has a few hairs then tweezing may be for you, however if you are seriously hairy, then I wouldn’t be attempting to go the big pluck – there are far more effective ways to remove hair!

Electrolysis: now we are talking serious permanent hair removal! There are various methods of permanent hair removal by means of electricity, mostly referred to as Electrolysis. It is essential to find a skilled operator who is trained and licensed to perform permanent hair removal treatments such as electrolysis, as an unqualified operator can cause irreversible damage. A personal recommendation is always preferable.

Electrolysis destroys the hair follicle by a fine wire which zaps the root of the hair with a very mild electric current. Regrowth can occur if the follicle is distorted (waxing and tweezing can be the culprit here), and it is not always possible to destroy all hairs in one treatment, so a couple of treatments may be required to prevent regrowth and ensure hair removal is permanent.

As you can imagine, the pain factor for electrolysis is a personal issue depending on your pain tolerance.

Laser: is an alternative to electrolysis, giving similar permanent results. Laser techniques are used for a variety of skin conditions (from spider veins to skin resurfacing) and new developments in laser technology make it one of the fastest growing permanent hair removal methods. The laser works to destroy the hair in the follicle, and is fast and effective. You may have to have a couple of treatments to ensure full and permanent removal of unwanted hair, as with electrolysis.

To find out more information, check out:http://www.skinlaserdirectory.org.uk/Australia.htm, as not all laser clinics perform hair removal services.

As far as the pain element, hair removal by laser is often compared to the sting of a rubber band.
*If you choose to go with either of the last two options, I would suggest a consultation with the technician prior to your treatment to find out more details and to see if this method is for you.

http://www.cosmeticphysicians.org.au/VIC.htm will help you track down a cosmetic physician in your area.

Your unwanted hair growth may be related to a hormonal imbalance or it could just be heredity, other known influences effecting hair growth include certain drugs, pregnancy and weight problems. If you are concerned that any of these may be related to your condition, then please check with your health care professional.

I’ve just given you a brief overview of the options available, it is up to you to decide which method suits your budget and the results you are wanting :)

Bella *}{*
Let your natural beauty shine!