Many consider the removal of unwanted hair to be merely a cosmetic concern. However, the effects of having unwanted or unsightly facial or body hair can result in far reaching emotional and/or social problems. Here we will look at several different methods of hair removal, both temporary and permanent.

Hair can be removed temporarily by either depilation or epilation. Depilation removes the hair above the skin’s surface, whereas epilation removes the entire hair including that which is below the skin’s surface.

The most notable methods of depilation are shaving, depilatories and friction. Shaving is done manually with either a manual razor or electric shaver. Depilatories are creams or lotions which dissolve hair through the use of chemicals. Friction uses a rough surfaced tool to buff hair off of the skin.

Epilation is longer lasting than depilation and can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Epilation is done by tweezing, waxing, sugaring, threading or rotary epilators. Tweezing is performed manually and consists of pulling individual hairs out by the root. In waxing, a layer of either hot or cold wax is applied to the skin and then quickly pulled off with strips of cloth. Sugaring is similar to waxing, but uses a “sugary”, sticky substance instead of wax. Threading is a method of removing hair by using a twisted thread which catches hairs as it is rolled back and forth on the skin. Rotary epilators are implements which grab hairs and pull them out by the roots. Rotary epilators are often electric or battery-powered and are more efficient than tweezers because they remove many hairs at a time.

In searching for more permanent hair removal, there are several options which have varying degrees of success. There are a number of methods available which use chemicals, electricity or both.

The most highly regarded of these permanent methods is electrolysis. It is the most “permanent” of all the methods when executed properly. A hair-thin metal probe is inserted into the hair follicle without puncturing the skin. Then an electric pulse is sent through the probe to the follicle, which in effect kills the follicle so that it can no longer produce hair.

The next most successful method of hair removal is done with lasers. While some people have reported permanent hair reduction, there isn’t much known about how long the reduction typically lasts or how often the reduction truly is permanent.

In laser hair removal or reduction, a specific wavelength of light is transferred from a hand-held wand into the skin. The dark pigment in the hair attracts the laser light. This causes damage to the hair follicle so that new hair growth is diminished or non-existent. There is no damage to the surrounding skin. Dark hair seems to have the higher success rate in removal. Lighter hair does not have as much pigment to attract the light.

There are also various methods of restricting hair growth through the use of prescription medications. These methods need to be discussed with a physician and most require a doctor’s prescription. There are a variety of oral medications as well as topical medications which can be used with varying degrees of success in eliminating unwanted hair.

If a person chooses the more permanent routes of electrolysis or laser treatment, he or she should spend some time researching the availability of each in their area. They should then contact several different clinics and gather as much information as possible. It is always a good idea to check out the office or clinic for cleanliness of the establishment and staff. The staff should be friendly and welcome questions.

Ask for rates and payment options. Get a written copy of any guarantee the clinic may make in regards to results and always get a copy of your consultation form. Visit several places offering either electrolysis or laser before making your decision. Doctors are essentially salespeople, too, and they want your business. Make sure you are familiar and comfortable with everything involved before going forward with your treatment.

About the Author

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Hair Removal

Yoga defines yama and niyama as the positive and negative aspects of behaviour respectively. Traditional texts mention ten yamas and ten niyamas but Patanjali’s Yogasutra, which is considered the original treatise on yoga, defines five yamas and five niyamas. It has been mentioned that in Manusmirti that it is more important to follow yamas than niyamas. Here we give a brief description on the yamas and niyamas to be followed:

* Ahimsa (Non-violence): this is one of foremost yamas. It means the lack of intention to hurt others. This intention need not be just physical but includes mental and emotional cruelty. Here the attitude is more important than the actual act of killing. You should not even have the intention of offending others.

* Satya (Truthfulness): this quality implies the honesty and sincerity in thoughts, words and deeds. This is possible only when one has conquered greed and ambition since these are the two major culprits which take you away from the truth.

* Asteya (Non-theft): in Sanskrit, “steya” denotes the enjoyment or keeping with oneself the things that do not rightfully belong to them. This is basically the act of stealing or theft. A person is inclined to steal only when he has no love and has some selfish motive. A yogi or a student of yoga has very few basic needs. He has learnt the art of loving himself as well as the others. Hence he does not feel the need to exploit or steal from others.

* Brahmacharya (Celibacy): sex has been defined as on of the vital necessities of human existence. It ranks next only to food. Since ancient times, very few people have been able to master their sexual urges. If not satisfied, these urges lead a person to depravation and develop psychotic tendencies. Yoga lays a great stress on the celibacy. It considers not only the act of sex itself as sexual but even thinking, talking and looking at opposite sex as a part of sex and hence has to be avoided. Patanjali has declared that brahmacharya increases the mental strength also called veerya in an individual.

* Aparigraha (Non-gathering): this yama means not going on collecting wealth and objects just for enjoyment. Yoga teaches one to collect wealth and objects just to meet his primary needs. This is important because greed causes distraction and thus leads to increased strain on his mind and body.

The above mentioned points deal with vairagya or the negative aspects of one’s behaviour. Now we take a look at some of the niyamas or the positive aspects of the behaviour as described by yoga:

* Shoucha (Cleanliness): This includes the cleanliness of the mind and the body. Yoga has described a clean mind as the one free of any prejudices, false beliefs, ignorance and ego. Generally speaking, all the yamas come under this niyama since they deal with eliminating some or the other impurities.

* Santosha (Contentment): a yogi is taught to be happy and satisfied with his lot. He does not need to achieve any ambition.

* Tapas (Religious austerities) : This niyama describes the rituals like fasting: needed to fortify the mind. Yoga believes that this increases the resistance power of the body and makes your body and mind stronger and thus you can face adverse conditions effectively.

* Swadhyaya (Reading of religious literature): This practice is very useful for overcoming ignorance and facing the adversities of life calmly. It helps to fill your mind with peace.

* Ishwarpranidhana (Devotion): this teaches you to rely on the divine will and to ascribe the effects of your action to the divine providence. This is a very useful habit to cultivate as you can accept everything as God’s will and can achieve peace of mind. This eliminates the fear and worry.

About the Author

Kevin Pederson, the webmaster for Yogawiz, mentions the importance of yoga and the benefits one can reap by it which has cured serious illnesses.

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