--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What kind of tweezers are best?

If you are serious about tweezing, buy a good quality pair of tweezers. Don't skimp on price. Make sure the two tips of the tweezers meet and form a good grip on the hair.

See Tweezerman page for details of top quality tweezers.

What is the best way to pluck hair?

Stretch the skin slightly, grip the hair close to the root, and pull gently, firmly and evenly. Yanking the hair may cause it to break off thus increasing the risk of ingrown hair.

Make sure you are in good even light.

Pull the hairs in the direction of growth.

Tweezing after a bath or shower is easier when the skin is warm.

Rub an ice cube over the area after tweezing to reduce redness.

Avoid tweezing just before a period as more pain or discomfort may be felt at this time.

Which body areas are particularly suitable for tweezing?

Tweezing is ideal for stray eyebrow hairs, scattered hairs in the abdominal region, stray hairs on the nipples and chin hairs in women past the menopause.

Eyebrow hair differs in that the majority of them at any given time are in the resting or telogen phase. This means their regrowth rate is slower than other hair. It is wise therefore to avoid over tweezing eyebrow hair.

Where are electrical epilators most and least effective?

Most effective:

Large, flat areas like the arms and legs.

Least effective:
Curved areas like the underarms, and may cause significant trauma to the face and other thin skinned areas.

How do electrical epilators work?

Many of these devices have tweezing discs in the head which rotate picking up the hair in the process and tweezing them from the root. Many are contoured in such a way as to glide easily over all parts of the body.

How long before the hair reappears after tweezing?

Many weeks, between 3 and 8.

How painful is tweezing?

A slight stinging or pricking sensation is often felt with tweezing. Red bumps may appear due to swollen hair follicles but they usually disappear after some hours.

The risk of infection with epilating can be reduced by using an antibacterial agent before and after tweezing.

What are the main advantages and disadvantages of tweezing?

Tweezing is generally a very economical method depending on how much one wishes to spend on good quality tweezers.

Electrical devices range anywhere from $30 to $60.

The main disadvantage of hand tweezing is the time required. It is a painstaking process and requires much patience.

On the other hand some have expressed that they enjoy it and find it therapeutic with the procedure becoming almost compulsive.

Are electronic (Radio Frequency) tweezers effective?

Controversy surrounds the use of electronic tweezers.

The method:

The hair is grasped with the electronic tweezers and held for 15 to 20 seconds while a current travels through the tweezers and down the hair shaft. The hair can then be slid out.

The effectiveness of this treatment has been questioned by some as hair is not a conductor but rather an insulator. Some conclude the effectiveness is no better than with ordinary tweezers.

Additionally there are some precautions:

As small amounts of radiation are emitted, electronic tweezers should not be used by pregnant women as harm may result to the fetus.

Electronic tweezers should not be used by anyone wearing a pacemaker as the high frequency emitted can interfere with the frequency of the pacemaker.

Additional warnings concern possible damage to the eyes from the small amounts of radiation.