We have saved the best (and most painful) to last in our final article on your guide to becoming superman.
You are almost there and there is only one niggling thing standing in the way of you and the best version of yourself and that is hair!
We are here to help by bringing you the hair removal grooming trends for men. We most certainly aren’t advocating waxed legs (we think that’s even a step too far for superman) but we do suggest taking the time to understand what’s best for you. Get your waxing strips at the ready…
Waxing (maxing)
Waxing for men, also called manscaping or more recently maxing, is a popular choice in salons for men. Most men prefer to have a waxing treatment as opposed to some of the other temporary hair removal methods available because of the numerous advantages that waxing provides.
The benefits of waxing
– Areas that have been waxed often remain hairless for at most 8 weeks. This is because the hair is removed from the root, not just on the surface.
– Continuous waxing will mean that your hair will have a slower regrowth.
– Smoother skin: Areas that are subjected to waxing often have smoother skin. The wax serves as a natural exfoliant since it removes dead skin cells once the skin is removed. It doesn’t just uproot the hair but the dead skin cells on the skin too.
– Softer hair: The hair that grows after waxing is usually much softer (girls will love it!) also; there are no signs of stubble after waxing unlike shaving.
– Reduces skin irritation: Shaving may cause irritation to the skin especially if the blade touches sensitive parts. You may often have cuts, razor bumps and even ingrown hairs from shaving. Not so with waxing. If you opt for waxing, we recommend that you go to a professional.
Ideal parts to wax
Eyebrows (unibrow), back of the neck, back, chest, genital areas, toes and knuckles.
Pain factor
8/10. With repeated use, hair gradually becomes thinner because the roots are weakened, but the hair WILL grow back (this isn’t a permanent solution to hair removal) albeit at longer intervals.
Sugaring
Sugaring is another popular hair removal option. The sugaring mixture is made up of sugar, water and lemon juice. These ingredients are combined in a lukewarm temperature. They are then applied to the skin where unwanted hair grows. This technique originated in Egypt.
Sugaring for some male grooming clients offers the same benefits as waxing in terms of the appearance of the skin, the regrowth period and the smoothness of the skin.
But waxing and sugaring do have differences. Sugaring is ideal for sensitive skins like Eczema, Psoriasis, Diabetics and heat sensitive skins as it is made from natural ingredients. Sugaring paste is heated gently, so it removes the risk of burning your skin.
Electrolysis
Electrolysis may sound pretty painful and threatening as opposed to waxing and sugaring but the premise behind this method is that a needle zaps the hair at its root and kills it. Electrolysis weakens hairs at the root and it will eventually eliminate hair regrowth.
Electrolysis offers a permanent result for hair removal, but, of course, there is no guarantee and it varies from man to man, hair follicle to hair follicle. This procedure must be performed by a professional electrologist and requites weekly appointments for optimal results.
The benefits of electrolysis
– Electrolysis is a permanent hair removal system.
-It is a fairly natural procedure as other methods like creams may use chemicals. Electrolysis works with the natural saline and water deep in the skin to destroy the hair follicle.
– Electrolysis is great for coarse hair that is likely to suffer from ingrown hairs when shaven or waxed. It zaps the hair from the root of the skin, leaving it permanently destroyed from growing back.
Ideal parts to zap
Eyebrows (unibrow), sporadic hairs on the face or neck, chest.
Pain factor
6/10. It’s significantly more expensive and more time consuming than waxing (it can take up to a year to eliminate body hair completely).
Laser Treatments
Laser hair removal is one of the most common cosmetic procedures in the UK. It beams highly concentrated light into the hair follicles. Pigment in the follicles absorbs the light, which then destroys the hair.
The benefits of laser hair removal
– Is a permanent hair removal system.
– The lasers can selectively target dark, coarse hairs while leaving the surrounding skin undamaged.
– Each pulse of the laser takes a fraction of a second and can treat many hairs at the same time. The laser can treat an area approximately the size of a quarter every second.
– You are likely to have permanent hair loss after an average of 3 to 7 treatments.
While laser hair removal offers a permanent reduction in quantity of hair, it’s also the most expensive method, with each session possibly costing you a few hundred pounds. The total cost depends on the size of the desired body part, as well as factors like hair density and the number of treatments required.
Ideal parts to laser
Back, unibrow, nape of neck and legs.
Pain factor
7/10 (feels like an elastic band flicking your skin).
This is a great hair removal method but as mentioned it is pricey although highly efficient. To keep it this treatment wallet friendly opt for other hairy parts with another hair removal treatment such as waxing.
Bottom line… You could always stick to shaving, but there are some areas that require more care. Shaving can cause irritation, ingrown hairs and razor burn.
Congratulations you should now be seeing the best version of yourself reflecting in the mirror.
