1.1 Definition of terms;

The terms below are the basic language of hair removal services, used when consulting clients, recommending a method and explaining aftercare. Knowing them precisely helps the therapist choose the right method for the client's hair, skin and expectations, and explain how long the results will last. Example: a client asks for "something permanent" for her upper lip, so the therapist explains the difference between waxing, which lasts a few weeks, and electrolysis, which aims to stop regrowth permanently.

Hair removal

Hair removal is the removal of unwanted hair from the face or body, either from the skin surface or from the root. Methods are grouped by how long the results last: temporary methods remove hair at the surface or from the root and the hair grows back, while permanent or long-term methods damage the hair follicle so that regrowth stops or is greatly reduced. The method is chosen according to the area, the hair type, the skin and the client's wishes. Example: a client wanting smooth legs for a holiday next week is advised to have waxing, while a client wanting long-term reduction of chin hair is offered electrolysis.

• Depilation: Removes hair at or just below the skin surface, as with shaving or depilatory creams; regrowth is quick.
• Epilation: Removes the whole hair from the root, as with waxing, tweezing and threading; regrowth is slower.
• Temporary methods: Shaving, depilatory creams, tweezing, threading and waxing, whose results last from days to a few weeks.
• Permanent methods: Electrolysis, which destroys the hair follicle so the hair cannot regrow.
• Long-term reduction methods: Laser and intense pulsed light (photo epilation), which reduce regrowth over a course of treatments.

Waxing

Waxing is a temporary hair removal method in which warm or hot wax is spread over the hair, allowed to grip it and then removed quickly against the direction of hair growth, pulling the hairs out from the root. Because the hair is removed from the root, the skin stays smooth for several weeks and regrowth is often finer. It is used on the legs, arms, underarms, face and bikini line. Example: a client books a half-leg wax before a wedding, and the therapist applies warm strip wax and removes it with waxing strips, leaving the skin smooth.

• Warm (soft) wax: Spread thinly and removed with a cloth or paper waxing strip; suits large areas such as legs and arms.
• Hot (hard) wax: Applied thicker, sets on the skin and is removed without a strip; suits sensitive areas such as the face and underarms.
• Hair length: Hair must be long enough for the wax to grip it.
• Direction: Wax is applied with the direction of hair growth and removed against it.
• Aftercare: The area is soothed and the client avoids heat, sun and perfumed products for a short time afterwards.

Electrolysis

Electrolysis is a permanent hair removal method in which a very fine sterile probe is inserted into each hair follicle and a small electrical current is passed through it to destroy the cells that grow the hair. Each hair is treated one by one, so a course of treatments is needed, but treated follicles cannot grow hair again. It works on all hair colours and is often used for small areas such as the upper lip and chin. It must only be carried out by a trained therapist using sterile, single-use probes. Example: a client with stubborn dark hairs on her chin attends weekly electrolysis sessions, with fewer hairs to treat at each visit.

• Galvanic electrolysis: Uses direct current to produce a chemical in the follicle that destroys the hair-growing cells.
• Thermolysis: Uses high-frequency current to heat and destroy the hair-growing cells.
• Blend method: Combines galvanic and thermolysis currents.
• Sterile, single-use probes: A new sterile probe is used for each client and discarded in a sharps container.
• Course of treatments: Several sessions are needed, as hairs are at different stages of growth.

Other terms used in hair removal

• Regrowth: New hair that grows back after a hair removal treatment.
• Ingrown hair: A hair that curls back or grows sideways into the skin, causing a bump.
• Patch test: A small test of a product or method on the skin before a full treatment, to check for a reaction.
• Hair follicle: The pocket in the skin from which a hair grows.
• Photo epilation: Long-term hair reduction using intense pulsed light.