From vellus hair to leg hair, and all of the hair in between, hair removal is a monthly (or weekly) beauty regimen for a lot of Black women. Whether you remove hair with a razor in the lavatory or book a dermatologist appointment for laser removal, a hair-free body would be the preferred appearance. Nonetheless, the beautification of hair removal in Africa and the diaspora could also be more of a results of cultural conditioning. 

In West Africa, Igbo women were stereotyped as hairy in literature like Igbo Village Affairs with pubic hair in connection to pride. In Zimbabwe, the Shona people saw pubic hair as an emblem of fertility; in Latest Guinea, for the Kwoma people, hair was an emblem of beauty; and hair is seen as power for the Himba women. For Africans and the Black diaspora, the hair on our head (and for a lot of Africans, the body) is held to a high cultural status. 

Nonetheless, in Black diaspora culture, body hair is stereotyped as masculine. Hair removal is an emblem of beauty in popular culture with a spread of tools used to remove body hair for a more smooth, silkier feel. From dermatologist-conducted laser hair removal to waxing, sugaring, and shaving, the treatment process for unwanted hair could be temporary, everlasting and at times, painful. If you would like to move away from the razor bumps induced by shaving, or just in quest of more long lasting alternatives, follow below for our Essence Beauty guide to hair removal.

Waxing

In keeping with the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD), you possibly can apply hot or cold wax to your skin, then remove the wax with a quick motion to tug hair out from the basis. Black women will often book an appointment for a pubic hair, leg hair, or armpit hair wax with results to last a number of weeks or longer. A painful choice to hair removal, waxing stays an especially popular hair removal tool for longer-lasting results. We might recommend receiving knowledgeable wax at a studio. 

Sugaring

Sugaring is an ancient method to remove hair with a more moderen increase in popularity. In comparison with waxing, sugaring is an identical technique nevertheless the mixture is applied in the wrong way of hair growth, then pulled in the conventional direction. “Most sugaring products contain sugar, lemon and water or similar ingredients, and are heated to make a sticky syrup that may adhere to the hairs to assist pull them out,” said dermatologist Amy Kassouf, MD. “Waxing is usually done in a single treatment, while sugaring may take several passes,” explained Dr. Kassouf. “Sugaring doesn’t remove as many additional skin cells for the reason that cooled mixture doesn’t adhere to your skin.”

Lasering

Laser hair removal, a more everlasting hair removal tool, emits a light-weight beam which the pigment in your hair absorbs. With the laser, the hair follicle is broken over time and might not grow back. The method will take roughly 6 treatments to effectively remove hair, nevertheless removal is everlasting, apart from on the face. After each treatment, the hair will grow back more thin and positive until the ultimate laser removal session. 

Suggestions

Whether you select to shave, or not, you’ve gotten options for how you can cope with body hair. Just remember—to remove body hair, your follicles need to grow out really long first. As you approach hair removal, remove the stigma towards body hair and permit yourself to feel beautified throughout the hair growth process—not only the final result.