Fact Or Fiction – Lets Bust Some Hairy Myths

I want to sport hairy limbs, said no well-groomed female ever. That being said, the biggest dilemma every female faces in the unwanted-hair-department is: what method of hair removal should I adopt? Nowadays we have a plethora of choices that cater to female body grooming that range from shaving, chemical depilation, waxing, threading, mechanical epilation, lasers and IPL assisted permanent hair reduction. Which one is the best? It’s not an easy question to answer. One simple answer is: it all depends on you, your lifestyle, your threshold of pain, and off course affordability.

 

To get clarity and expert opinion on the topic, Gillette Venus recently conducted a survey. Three hundred and fifty dermatologists across Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman were contacted to identify what in their opinion was the safest, most convenient and least painful method of female hair removal. And guess what? ---- Female Shaving ranked as the top-of-mind method for all ages.

This survey also honed on to the top aspects dermatologists and women consider while choosing their preferred method of hair removal. The top considerations that got highlighted while filtering available choices included: a chemical-free process, hygiene factors, the element of convenience and pain during hair removal.

The survey asked skincare experts to shed some light on the myths of shaving as a primary method of female hair removal. While answering the misconceptions and myths that surround the shaving concept, 70% of the dermatologists agreed that shaving exfoliates the skin, and does not cause faster or thicker hair growth. All dermatologists pinpointed the fact that hair traits are genetically inherited and shaving can’t change that.

As the hair grows naturally through the skin the tip of hair gets tapered off and thinned. When we shave the hair shaft thickness appears more because the tapering journey of hair as it happens from under the skin to the top is omitted. We perceive that the hair is thicker but in fact hair diameter remains exactly the same. Thicker means blunt when it comes to shaving.

Additionally the dermatologists were questioned about the side effects commonly reported with depilatory creams (chemical burns, allergic reactions, etc). Over 80% of the respondents cited that they preferred shaving because it is chemical free and hence safer than creams.

Additionally the dermatologists were questioned about the side effects commonly reported with depilatory creams (chemical burns, allergic reactions, etc). Over 80% of the respondents cited that they preferred shaving because it is chemical free and hence safer than creams. 

The Scientific Truth

Taking this survey into account lets get you all the valid scientific information that dermatologist and skincare expert rely on to dispel the notorious myths pegged with shaving: Will shaving cause my hair to grow back thicker, darker & faster?

Scientists have actually conducted multiple studies over the years to test whether shaving affects hair growth, size, and texture, this research has been published in dermatology textbooks as well as scientific peer review journals. All these studies unanimously conclude that shaving has no effect on hair's color, texture or growth rate.

Fact #1 - Hair Color And Thickness

Hair color, texture, length, and thickness are genetically determined. Apart from genetics hormonal changes, low level laser stimuli, and certain medications can have some affect on the hair morphology and they can alter the hair color, length, and thickness. Hair bleaches and chemical depilatory formulations can seep under the skin and irritate the hair root, hence over time change the hair texture or length. But shaving only cuts hair from the skin surface it has no effect on the hair roots, which lie deep under the skin, hence it can never change those traits.

Fact #2 - Hair Growth Rate

Research has shown that hair grows quarter of an inch every month. Hormonal changes and certain medications can alter the hair growth rates, but shaving can’t do so. As shaving only clips hair from the skin surface and has no access to or affect on the hair roots which lie deep under the skin. Hence scientifically speaking shaving can have no effect on hair growth rate.

No matter which method of hair removal you adopt, it’s always important to know the science behind the procedure of your choice and the right way to go about it. Shaving done with a proper razor, under hygienic conditions is a great choice for any modern girl who doesn’t want to break her bank while achieving smooth limbs on the go.

References:

- Bulliard H. Influence de la section et du rasage repete sur l'evolution du poil. Annales de Dermatologie et de Syphiligraphie. 1923; Series 6:386-91

- Seymour RJ. The effect of shaving upon the rate of hair growth. Am J Physiol. 1926; 78:93-8

- Raymond J. Myers, James B. Hamilton. Regeneration and rate of growth of hairs in man. Annals Of The New York Academy of Sciences, March 1951; Volume 53, P 562-568

- Trotter M. Hair growth and shaving. Anat Rec. 1928; 37:373-379

- Lynfield YL, Macwilliams P. Shaving and hair growth. J Invest Dermatol. 1970 Sep; 55(3):170-2.

- Peereboom-Wynia JD. Effect of various methods of depilation on density of hair growth in women with idiopathic hirsutism. Arch Dermatol Forsch. 1972; 243(3):164-76.

- Elise A. Olsen. Methods of hair removal, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Volume 40, Issue 2, February 1999, Pages 143–155

- K. Cowley, K. Vanoosthuyze. Insights into shaving and its impact on skin, British Journal of Dermatology, March 2012. 166: 6–12.

Uncovering The Dark Secrets Behind Panda Eyes

You sleep 8 hours a night and still suffer from Raccoon eyes – you are not alone, dark circles can be genetic. Though most people associate them with fatigue, but lack of sleep and hours on electronic screens are not the only reason dark circles exist around your eyes. These murky halos underlining the eyes can also be shadows cast by puffy eyelids. Loss of fat under the lower eyelid can also causes deep hollows that develop as a normal part of aging.

Let’s Dig Deeper — Most common causes leading to dark circles include:

• Allergies like dermatitis leading to skin irritation with frequent rubbing or scratching of the eyes or sinusitis leading to engorged blood vessels and heme (iron) deposits under the skin.
• Fatigue in the form of too much time staring at electronic screens and late nights.
• Heredity has its part to play here too, as Panda eyes run in families.
• Pigmented Skin Type which presents itself as a common concern in people prone to irregular pigmentation patches on different parts of the body especially Middle Eastern, blacks and Asians.
• Excessive sun exposure prompting melanin production can lead to exaggerated pigment deposits under the sensitive eye areas.
• Aging leading to loss of fat and skin thinning in the delicate area around the eyes is the most common cause in people above 35 years of age.

You Are In A Hurry — Let’s Decipher The Easy Way Out For A Quick Fix

The right concealer can do just that — hide dark circles. While choosing the concealer it is important to know the color palette to conceal. If the circles under your eyes are bluish, use a peach-colored concealer, not one that's white or gray. Avoid scented products and those containing salicylic or glycolic acid, which can irritate delicate eye tissue, making redness and swelling worse. Covering up the nebulous shadows using makeup concealers coupled with dark circle preventing cosmeceuticals gives you dual benefit — camouflage as well as treatment (I recommend Isispharma’s Light eyes or DDF’s Erayse Eye Gel). 
Auriga’s Cernor Coverstick and XO kit has also got you covered real well when it comes to 2-in-1 action. The moisturizer-enriched coverstick covers up pigmentation while protecting the delicate skin around the eyes. Couple it with Cernor XO kit containing vitamin K oxide, vitamin C, phytic acid, rutin sulfate, ferulic acid and helenalin tiglate and you have treatment as well as camouflage all taken care of.

Make A Real Difference - Treatments

Peels: Chemical or laser peels can help remove the extra melanin deposits in the skin. When coupled with skin lightening and tightening home skincare deliver beautiful results in a short span of time.

Lasers: Pulse dye or Nd-Yag lasers that help treat the exaggerated blood vessels under the skin because of heredity or life style are extremely useful in eradicating dark circles on long term basis.

Injectables: Low G prime hyaluronic acid injections done strategically can give instantly glorious results. The shadows are also wiped away partially as the deep groove under the eye gets filled-up. The filler spread under the skin like an invisible layer lifting and supporting the damaged skin and masking engorged blood vessels (red, blue or green tint) or heme deposition (brown color) under the skin.

PRP: Platlet Rich Plasma drawn from your our own blood holds the power to heal and regenerate the delicate area around the eyes.

Banish ‘Em For Good - Long Term Solutions & Prevention

Once you have ruled out all medical reasons for pigmentation around your peepers and sought treatment to erase them the next big task is to stop them from coming back. Here’re some of my tried and tested suggestions:

Sleep Well: Sleepless nights cause blood vessels to engorge around the eye area leading to excessive leakage. Iron in the blood collects under the thin skin and once oxidized leaves dark stains. Lack of sleep also makes you paler and more hollow-eyed, so shadows and circles you already have appear more obvious.

Use Extra Pillows: Sleeping with your head elevated prevents fluid accumulation around during night. Puffiness and dark circles develop as a result that.

Healthy Eating: One life mantra you can always count on is: the healthier you eat, the better your skin is going to look. For dark circles, you need a healthy dose of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, iron and folic acid. So gorge on healthy does of citrus fruits, berries, green leafy veggies, nuts, whole grains, avocado, seafood, beef, cheese, green tea etc. and do away with processed and greasy foods.

Cold Therapy: Chilled teaspoons or cucumber slices help reduce dilated blood vessels hence preventing dark circles from reappearing. Cold slices of potato or refrigerated used teabags work equally well.

Sunscreen: People prone to skin pigmentations should avoid sun. Excessive melanin production can also be controlled with religious use of sunscreens and dark UVA & B protective glasses.

Keep Sinusitis Under Check: Rinsing your sinuses with a saltwater solution or over-the-counter saline spray can help relieve nasal congestion. To make your own sinusitis check concoction mix 1/4 teaspoon sea salt with 2 cups warm water and flush away allergies and resulting dark circles.

Cosmeceuticals: Hundreds of skin creams that claim to reduce or prevent under-eye circles crowd drugstore shelves. When looking for eye-creams look for active ingredients like: Vitamin A, C, K, and caffeine. I recommend: Dermaceutic K Ceutic, Cernor XO Kit, SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Eye Complex and Comfort Zone Sublime Eye cream.