Do you enjoy having silky smooth hair? Of course, you do.
The problem is, in the pursuit of that elusive dream, we are ready to try anything and everything. And that is where problems start.
Some of these myths sound silly, but people still believe in them. And some just end up misguiding you.
With that in mind, we want to help you understand these myths, and where they are coming from. And of course, debunk them.
Myth #1 Shaving body hair will make it grow back coarser
One thing is true here, the texture and feel of your body changes after shaving.
However, that is not because it grows back coarser. It is because the tips of the hair follicles are changed, not the texture.
When you shave body hair with a razor blade, it cuts the tip at an angle, leaving it feel sharper and coarser when running the fingers over it.
To help you understand it, let’s imagine the following scenario.
You have a drinking straw, and you cut it with scissors on a diagonal angle, rather than straight across. It will appear thicker when cut an angle.
This is one of the most common hair removal myths, and it has been around for a while.
Myth #2 Home hair removal is the same as professional
No, you cannot get professional-grade results at home, no matter how crafty and talented you are.
Yes, you can get the job done by picking up a waxing kit at your local pharmacy or drug store. Yes, these products promise results the same as for professionals.
But think about this for a moment. You will have to wax yourself, which means you have far less reach than a professional.
If someone else was waxing you, they have more reach. And it makes things challenging.
With that in mind, you can still get a decent job.
Myth #3 Laser hair removal is permanent
Truth be told, this myth has been debunked in the past several years. Some 10 to 15 years ago, people believed that laser hair removal eliminates unwanted hair forever.
But that is simply not the case. Laser hair removal works by zapping hair follicles with a laser, targeting the dark pigment.
Because of the heat, laser kills the follicles, and the hair falls out 10 to 15 days later. You need six treatments to treat all of your hair since the laser does not work on hair that is in a resting phase.
After six treatments, you are likely to experience a hair-free body for one year, up to one and a half year. After that, you have to get another treatment.
Myth #4 Laser Works on all hair types
More on the hair removal myths related to laser hair removal. No, it does not work on all hair types.
The laser removal industry might tell you that it will work just as well on everybody. Sadly, that is not the case.
The reality is that if you have fair hair, laser treatment will not remove all of your hair.
Myth #5 Laser hair removal is painless
Being that laser hair removal is one of the most popular lately, we need to pay special attention to the myths surrounding it.
No, laser hair removal is not painless. Yes, it is an impressive and futuristic way to remove hair, but it is far from perfect.
If somebody tries to convince you that it is completely and perfectly painless, he is trying to sell you something. You will still feel slight stinging pain.
No matter the laser, no matter how expensive the treatment is. Laser treatment works by zapping away hair follicles at the roots. It just makes sense to feel a bit of discomfort.
Yes, it is possible to minimize the discomfort, and laser hair removal might be the best in that area.
Myth #5 You absolutely have to remove body hair
There was a time, our grandparents might remember it when body hair was nothing special. There was no reason to remove it.
But nowadays, it seems like the ideal and perfect picture is a hair-free body. But no matter what anyone says, there is no need to completely remove all of your hair.
Nowadays, the body and facial hair stigma might convince you otherwise.
However, the movement for challenge body hair stigma is getting bigger, with celebrities like Cardi B encouraging people to rethink the conventional grooming methods.
Just do whatever makes you feel most comfortable. In recent years, women have stopped shaving their armpit hair.
Myth #6 More razor blades equal more cuts
This is just plain wrong. In fact, the opposite is true. In the past few years, the myth has gained traction, saying that additional blades increase the likelihood of cuts.
But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The reality is that we have started using more blades to decrease the chance and risk of cuts.
Modern shaving products have four, five, or even more blades to distribute the pressure. And by distributing the pressure to more blades, razors ensure that your skin will be protected.
Simply put, multi-blade razors make you feel more comfortable.
Myth #7 Leave the depilatory on longer for thick hair
You should never leave a depilatory on longer than the recommended time. Depilatories contain ingredients that can cause inflammation and a rash if they are not removed on time.
Instead of a hair-free body, you might get irritated skin and rashes all over.
Stick to the suggested time. Also, check with your doctor. Some ingredients can make your skin too sensitive, for example, retinol.
Myth #8 There are painless waxing techniques
Same as laser hair removal myths, there is no painless method. There will always be a pain, no matter the technique.
The simple idea of applying wax to the body and then ripping it off sounds painful at the start.
There is no way to eliminate the pain in the process. Yes, waxing will be less painful with every next treatment. And for ladies, the first time you wax is not as painful as you expect.
And the same as any hair removal method, it is best to leave it to the experts. They know all the tricks in the bag to reduce the pain.
Myth #9 Plucking gray hair will cause more gray hairs to grow back
There is a saying, “pluck a gray hair, and three more will grow back in its place”. But it is simply not true.
Yes, gray hairs seem to multiply quickly, but that is because of other factors, including age, stress, diet, and more.
What happens when you pluck a gray hair is that another grows in its place. Nothing more, and nothing less.
Myth #10 If you wax at a young age, you will have less hair
One of the common hair removal myths related to waxing is that if you start at a young age, you will have less hair when you grow older.
Waxing will gradually reduce the amount of hair you have over the course of your life. But it does that by slowing down the rate of growth. You will not have less hair.
Waxing works by lengthening the time to wait for your hair to grow back.