Anyone use an epilator?

[chiquitapet]

I use an epilator on my legs and it`s excellent. Sure, it did hurt a bit the first few times, but after you do it couple of times you don''t mind at all anymore. I find it less painful than waxing but the effects are as long-lasting. I didn''t (and don''t plan to) try it elsewhere other than my legs though, as I am too chicken.

 

[LGK]

I just had to chime in on the Irish hairiness question

I get my looks from the Dark Irish part of my family. And although I have a LOT of hair on my head- black, curly and very very thick- I have very very little body hair (like my arm hair is literally invisible and my lower legs get shaved maybe once a month)- and barely any eyebrows. Same with the other women in my family that got the same Dark Irish looks. My mom doesn''t even have any armpit hair.

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

Date: 5/1/2010 11:44:28 AM
Author: bee*

Date: 5/1/2010 6:32:16 AM

Author: Porridge

Date: 4/30/2010 10:57:44 PM


Author: brazen_irish_hussy

Date: 4/30/2010 9:04:36 PM



Author: Porridge

Date: 4/30/2010 8:49:53 PM



Author: brazen_irish_hussy



I am pale and of Irish descent (meaning hairy)

Say what?!?!?

You don''t find this to be true? I get 3 seperate hairs growing out of the same pore all over my legs. My dermatologist at first though I had a hormone problem until he ran tests and met my dad. My father''s family is Irish, as are most of the people we works with, and any one of them have more hair in their eyebrows than my husband has on his whole body.



Maybe it is just the ones I know though

Eh, no, I do not find our population as a whole to be hairy. It''s not a term I''ve ever heard anyone use to describe us. I have to say I think you''re misinformed there.

I''d have to agree with Porridge. The Irish as a whole are not a hairy race. Never heard us descrived as such either.

I didn''t mean to start a debate. I seem to remember reading something about pilli follicles only being common in the Irish and that stuck with me.

Anyway, I have not tried many brands, but I think there are 2 things you want to look for. One is that it has different speeds so you have more control over what you are doing. The other is the actually length of the epilating part. A bigger one catches more hairs and will work faster, but for the same reason hurt more when it is doing it.

 

[bee*]

Thanks everyone! And thanks BIH for what to look for. Think I''ve narrowed it down to the Phillips Satinelle Premium Ice.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

My mom use to have one and would take pills before she used it! lol I''m not sure what she took b/c I was only in high school. . .pretty sure it was either valium or vicodin. lol

There is no way in h*ll I''d use one.

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

I shared an appartment with someone who used one. She used to give me advance warning of when she''d be using it, so I could be elsewhere. I was very fond of her and didn''t like to hear her wailing and screaming in pain.
I''m a) not very hairy and b) a coward, so I have never tried any method of ripping hair off my body. That was the closest I came to an epilator and I''m still traumatised!

 

[TravelingGal]

As far as using them on the legs...at first they are smooth, but if you are prone to have ingrowns, you''ll have lots of little bumps on your legs and so that smooth feeling doesn''t last long. Still, I don''t mind it because it''s so much easier than shaving.

 

[bee*]

lol thanks MC and Mrs Mitchell-I''ll have to stock up on valium from work

I''m not particularly hairy either and would only have to shave pits etc about once a week but I''d love not to have to worry about doing it even that much.
TGal-luckily I''m not prone to ingrown hairs but I had heard that before. It definitely does seem easier than shaving. Thanks again!

 

[Porridge]

bee* can you try one first? Do any of your friends have one?

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

Date: 5/3/2010 4:13:54 PM
Author: bee*
lol thanks MC and Mrs Mitchell-I''ll have to stock up on valium from work

I''m not particularly hairy either and would only have to shave pits etc about once a week but I''d love not to have to worry about doing it even that much.
TGal-luckily I''m not prone to ingrown hairs but I had heard that before. It definitely does seem easier than shaving. Thanks again!

Sorry!

I second the idea of trying one first, because from my albeit limited exposure to them, I would need a general anaesthetic...

 

[susimoo]

I have used a silk epil for nearly 20 years, well I have had 2 actually.

That is all I have ever used on my legs since. Previously I waxed, then turned to sugaring, which I loved, but it was expensive and the place was too far away. So, I invested in my first epilator. It was a bit uncomfortable at first but I soon got used to it. Oh and if I remember correctly you should avoid doing it just before and possibly even during your period, when you pain threshold is apparently lower.

I have tried it on areas other than my legs. Did not enjoy the experience. Shaving or the odd visit to the salon for those!! Good luck, I wouldn''t be without mine.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Date: 4/30/2010 11:48:16 PM
Author: Galateia

Date: 4/30/2010 10:57:44 PM

Author: brazen_irish_hussy

Date: 4/30/2010 9:04:36 PM


Author: Porridge

Date: 4/30/2010 8:49:53 PM


Author: brazen_irish_hussy


I am pale and of Irish descent (meaning hairy)

Say what?!?!?

You don't find this to be true? I get 3 seperate hairs growing out of the same pore all over my legs. My dermatologist at first though I had a hormone problem until he ran tests and met my dad. My father's family is Irish, as are most of the people we works with, and any one of them have more hair in their eyebrows than my husband has on his whole body.


Maybe it is just the ones I know though

My mother's side of the family is Irish, and my dad is Scottish, and I definitely am not hairy. I remember being shocked the first time I saw a movie (from the UK) that gave me a chance to compare. I demanded of my then-BF if that's what women 'were supposed to look like' and he admitted that most ladies he had known did not look like a 12 year old boy trying to grow his first beard (this is MY paraphrasing of the discussion, for the sake of delicacy), and that most had considerably more body hair in general.


I have never shaved my upper legs, nor ever needed to, as the hairs are sparse, baby-fine, and so blond as to be invisible.

Gala, I'm Scottish too and I'm a hairless wonder. I can go for a LONG time without shaving my legs (like too long to state cause it's embarrassing) and everything else grows at a very manageable length, well within the respective "boundaries" of that area. I shave more to comply with social norms than a real need and like you, I don't have to go above the knee ever and I have no hair on my arms.

It's definitely a genetic trait in my family, my brother has like two chest hairs and my grandmother never had to shave her legs in her life.

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

Interesting! I wonder if it''s because I''m Scottish? Some sort of genetic blessing to even out the blue skin or something...

I have a few leg hairs from the knee down, but not many. I shaved and plucked and even tried electrolysis when I was in my teens / early 20s but I don''t bother now. There isn''t much there. I don''t think my mother ever shaved her legs. I don''t know if I would bother if there was more / darker hair. Possibly. I''m still too chicken to use an epilator though. I only waxed once.

 

[bee*]

ok I bit the bullet and ordered the Phillips Ice one. I''ll let you know how I manage once it arrives. Thanks again everyone! And unfortunately I''m not able to try one before I bought-not one of my friends has one.

 

[Porridge]

Good girl! I really don''t find it that bad. Just don''t think about it and go for it. When I''m doing it, I find if I kind of press it into my leg rather than skimming lightly over it it hurts way less...do you know what I mean? And I tend to do it fairly quickly and roll up and down over one area a few times rather than slowly going over it once.

 

[bee*]

Yep I think I know what you mean Porridge. I can''t wait till it gets delivered now and try it out.

 

[Kay]

I bought an EpiLady when they came out in the late 80''s. I trust the technology has improved since then. I used it on my legs and it hurt like heck. I ended up getting a staph infection in the hair follicles from the hair being ripped out. The dermatologist prescribed antibiotics and Retin-A cream. I had tons of tiny scabs on the hair follicles of my shins and faint scars that lasted for years.

 

[asscherisme]

I have one and use it on my arms. I have super pale skin and very dark hair and unfortunately my arms made me very embarased. I use to wax but it was a pain in the neck and expensive to go to the salon.

I bought one on drugstore.com as an impulse a few years ago after researching hair removal methods. I love it! I will say that for soem reason it hurts more on my legs and I can't use it there. Only arms. I have saved a TON over the past few years by not waxing.

But the hair comes back much finer and it barely hurts anymore when I use it. Mild sting. Its like waxing and gets it from the root.



Amethyst- you use it down there

You must have a very high pain tolerance!

 

[bee*]

sorry for not coming back to this thread. I''m in the middle of exams and things are a bit hectic! Thanks Kay and asscher for your posts! Well it arrived yesterday and I tried it out today-and I love it!! I got the phillips satinelle premium ice one so it came with an attachment that you put in the freezer. I took it out this evening and tried it with an without the attachment and although it does hurt, especially on the back of my legs, it''s far easier than waxing and I don''t think it hurts as much! I tried doing underarms as well and I think I''ll be able to manage that too. So far, so good. Once my exams finish on friday I''ll give it another go and spend a bit more time trying it but legs are all done. Thanks again everyone for your help!

 

[DiamanteBlu]

Late to the party here! Apologies if my response is redundant.

I have been using an epilator for 15 years or more and I love it - for my legs - and upper lip.

The first time I used it on my legs I was pretty sure I was going to die but I did not. After the first time it was not painful - just a bit of a tickle - and the hair has gotten progressively less dense. Highly recommend an epilator for the legs. You just have to get used to it.

As far as the upper lip goes . . . it is still painful each time I use it. Then, again, I am to cheap to spend $20 to get my upper lip waxed so I suffer. I have developed a technique which is less torturous that I can tell you about if you like.

Tried the epilator on the underarms on a few occasions - never again!!! Shave daily there! LOL!

Hope this helps!

 

[bee*]

Thanks for that DB! I will definitely continue to use it on my legs and will try doing full underarms next but will revert to my razor if it''s too painful!