As a woman, there are three main ways to manage unwanted body and facial hair, each has its pros and cons.
Shaving is still possibly the most common approach, and whilst it probably arrives at the smoothest solution, it becomes very time consuming due to the frequency needed to maintain silky smooth legs etc.
Then comes waxing, and whilst frequency is less of an issue, waxing is painful, expensive and clearly the least convenient of your options.
The third way, and the one we want to focus on today is using an Epilator.
Using An Epilator
No doubt you have heard that Epilating hurts, and there is no getting away from the fact that the first time, or the first few times you Epilate it will be very uncomfortable or painful, but the good news is that pain reduces rapidly after a few sessions, and from there the process is relatively pain free, is less frequent than shaving, and one heck of a lot cheaper and easier than Waxing.
Here’s why.
Basically a modern Epilator is a machine that assembles a series of tweezer like tools designed to quite literally pull your hair out by the roots. Now, without some preparation and understanding, that is going to hurt.
The good news is that there are ways to prepare for your first Epilation that will reduce ( not remove) the discomfort.
Firstly it’s good to understand that these machines are intended to remove very short hairs. So unless you have a very high pain tolerance, (or a desire to develop one), do not just buy an Epilator, take it from the box, and set it loose on unprepared arms, legs, under arms or Bikini lines.
So what are the steps?
Decide what day you can set aside for your first Epilating session and work back from there.
1. Prepare the Area
To start I would recommend thoroughly shaving the intended area 3 to 5 days before your first Epilating session. Allowing regrowth will give you the short hairs Epilators like, and greatly reduce the pain.
2.Remove dead skin Before Epilating
Secondly, when taking a shower one day before your first use, exfoliate the area completely.
The big day
3. The power of a Hot Shower
You simply can’t over estimate the importance of a Hot Shower before you start. This helps to open the pores and will make hair removal easier.
Whether you have an Epilator intended for Wet (Shower or Bath) use or one meant for Dry Operation only, the first time out I recommend you use it Dry, post shower….but you must make sure the skin is completely dry first, even Wet Epilators will destroy DAMP skin.
If your model is designed for wet use, it can probably be used with the assistance of lotions, or creams. Read the instructions closely and by all means use these as directed if the manufacturer suggests them.
Why the first time is the toughest
The first time out, your Epilator is going to be literally trying to remove every single hair by the roots. When you use it on the same area a second time, it will only be dealing with those hairs that have grown back since, and the third time that pattern is repeated.
Over time, two things will be working in your favor, firstly with regular use each Epilation session will be dealing with fewer hairs, and secondly, over time those hairs will become finer and easier to remove….leading to a pain free, cost free solution for ever.
Self Preservation.
First time out you should use every trick in the book to make the process less daunting.
4.Preventative Pain Relief
We talked about a hot shower to reduce discomfort but as well as that, many recommend pain killers 20 minutes or so before. Also having a gel freezer pack on hand can be very soothing when placed on the cleared area immediately after Epilation. It is tempting to spread a soothing balm after, but many creams and lotions actually enter and block the hair shafts, leading to ingrown hairs. For this reason it’s better not to use them for at least 30 minutes after hair removal.
So take a couple of pain killers, jump into a Hot Shower, Dry off completely, have your Gel pack handy and you are ready to begin.
5.Select the right Speed
Next, your Epilator will likely have 2 or more speeds, for now, to reduce discomfort, and get the job done properly CHOOSE THE LOWEST SETTING.
6 Work against the Grain
Many Epilators have features designed to add tension to the skin as you go, either way, gently pull your skin taught ahead of the Epilator and move the machine in the OPPOSITE direction to the hair Growth.
7 Time
Allow plenty of time first time out, this is not a race, and once you get through it you will be on your way to pain free, mess free, cost free hair removal forever, but you probably don’t want to be trying this the first time an hour before a date or social function.
It is also worth considering that when it comes to Epilators, the better the unit you buy, the less pain and discomfort you will deal with in the years ahead.
Buying the Best Epilator
In our review of the Top 5 Epilators for Women, we found many less expensive machines, but upon studying hundreds of user reviews it became clear that saving $50-$70 on the purchase of an Epilator came at a high cost not only in discomfort but also durability.
Many manufactures have created instructional Videos on the use of their Epilators, we have included one from Philips and another from Panasonic with our Top Epliator reviews. Although those brands did not win our #1 position I think you will find them encouraging and easy to understand.
Using an Epilator the first time takes a little preparation, a good deal of courage, a liberal dose of pampering and a clear view of the benefits which lay ahead
Don’t skimp on the purchase of your Epilator, and life will become hair and hassle free.
If you are not sure which Epilator to buy please read our reviews. As we do not make or sell Epilators we are free to recommend any we believe in, and to help you buy them at the best prices.