Epilators - any good?

Pyjamarama

Hi all knowledgeable ladies!

Anyone have any experience of using these on their legs? Have sensitive skin so looking for an alternative to shaving. I've always heard mixed reports about them?

l3LoWnA

I've used them.....ouch! But the pain numbs after a few minutes and you can epilate away to your hearts content. I've found they always did a good job and hair stayed away for alot longer than shaving too. Go for it!

Pyjamarama

l3LoWnA wrote: »

I've used them.....ouch! But the pain numbs after a few minutes and you can epilate away to your hearts content. I've found they always did a good job and hair stayed away for alot longer than shaving too. Go for it!

Excellent! I was hoping someone would have positive feedback! I think the pain would be worth it at this stage!

Femelade

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055098528&highlight=epilators

i finally got one..
used it once on a small part of my leg and put it away in the back of the wardrobe..
the thing is..you need your hair to be a bit long to do it...i think..i mean if i could break it off with my boyfriend for like a week or two, let it grow, and then try it maybe??
i dont think i'd like him rubbing my hairy legs while i wait for them to grow long enough to use the epilator.

Pyjamarama

Thanks for the link Femmy! Hmm I'm not so sure now!! Think I might give it a try anyway

Clifford Chance

Hi

I just got one recently and though the first use was painful - it's actually growing on me (sorry about the pun).

Would definitely recommend getting one but would advise spending that little bit extra on it to ensure that it hurts less.

hello_kitty

It's worth it and the pain lessens and the hairs grow finer and slower as you keep doing it. Just pull the skin taut and put a light dusting of talc on your legs before you do it. However I notice from your other post that you have exzema so I would be cautious as it does irritate slightly (leaves redness and some bumps for a few hours after).
I have the braun silk epil which has an easystart head for beginners. http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=30001&langId=-1&catalogId=1500000801&productId=1500127551&clickfrom=name

Pyjamarama

hello_kitty wrote: »

It's worth it and the pain lessens and the hairs grow finer and slower as you keep doing it. Just pull the skin taut and put a light dusting of talc on your legs before you do it. However I notice from your other post that you have exzema so I would be cautious as it does irritate slightly (leaves redness and some bumps for a few hours after).
I have the braun silk epil which has an easystart head for beginners. http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=30001&langId=-1&catalogId=1500000801&productId=1500127551&clickfrom=name

Yeah after more googling most epilator brands say they are not suitable for eczema sufferers guess I will just have to continue having hairy legs indefinately :eek: I want a skin transplant!

Thanks for the advice, I officially give up!

watna

Pyjamarama wrote: »

Yeah after more googling most epilator brands say they are not suitable for eczema sufferers guess I will just have to continue having hairy legs indefinately :eek: I want a skin transplant!

Thanks for the advice, I officially give up!

Sure, tis all the range in Europe. When you're travelling people will just think you are a liberal, feminist, hairy European!

Have you tried the veet stuff or does that irritate your skin!

SW81

ah god that's awful...have you tried Veet? or there's another one out now too that smells nicer, it's aimed at teenage girls but it's really good.

Gauge

I bought an epilator last year as a substitute for wax strips and I haven't looked back since. I love it. I have sensitive skin and eczema too (no eczema on my legs though) and it doesn't irritate at all- the hair grows back really fine too.

Tails142

I dont think an epilator would bring on a rash of eczema, I'd say this disclaimer is that it could pull the skin off an area where there was eczema; fire ahead imo.

I use my gf's one on my back and it stings like a mofo but then I'm as smooth as a baby's arse... until it grows back and I get loads of ingrown hairs and break out in spots... hey... maybe I should stop using it

Kazobel

They are sore, especially on some areas, but if you want to stop ingrowing hairs and spots you need to exfoliate afterwards and do it everyday. The first time is sore but it gradually gets easier as the folicle gets more and more damaged. It'd be now harded on a person with eczema, the first few times everyone reacts the same but as the folicles weaken it becomes easier.

@ Tails - Exfoliate, the ingrowing hairs and spots will stop then

Malteaser!

I'd imagine they're quite painful, it's funny I don't mind waxing at all but the thought of these things freak me out!!

Crumble Froo

SW81 wrote: »

ah god that's awful...have you tried Veet? or there's another one out now too that smells nicer, it's aimed at teenage girls but it's really good.

on a side note... does veet actually work for anyone here? i've treid it a few times, and i could never get any sort of even hair removal, always ended up having to shave afterwards as well. was never impressed.

Peared

I always thought I had a fairly high pain threshold til I tried an epilator. Less painful tweezing the hairs out one by one I should imagine. It was a few years ago though, maybe they have got more snazzy since then.

I used my epilator for all of 32 seconds it has been gathering dust eversince.
I have an extremely low pain threshold.

Kaz I imagine you have tried a couple of permanent hair removal methods, what is your opinion on them?

Pyjamarama

watna wrote: »

Sure, tis all the range in Europe. When you're travelling people will just think you are a liberal, feminist, hairy European!

Have you tried the veet stuff or does that irritate your skin!

I'm afraid that will have to be my look :eek: alluring!!!

I tried Veet on my legs a while ago (only ever used it on my bikini line) and Jesus! It stung like hell so won't be doing that again!!!
Narco - yeah hair removal creams aren't great as the root is still there and feels stubbly almost immediately.

Think I'm gona go to the doc (put a gun to his head to give me some alternative medication!) to try get the eczema calmed down and then try an epilator cos I think shaving would bring on a rash more so than epilating.

I also says on the blurb of all the epilators that it doesn't remove a tan which is also an added bonus as I plan to spend a considerable amount of next year in the sun!

Kazobel - you mentioned exfoliating. I can't do this with scrub etc cos of the sensitive skin but don't want ingrown hairs. There's a massage head attachment on most epilators, would using that be kind of the same?!

Malteaser!

narco wrote: »

on a side note... does veet actually work for anyone here? i've treid it a few times, and i could never get any sort of even hair removal, always ended up having to shave afterwards as well. was never impressed.

I've used it a few times but it was crap!! I've always ended up getting some of the hairs off but then there'd be strips of hair left and I'd have to shave those parts...more trouble then they're worth imo!

Kazobel

Moonbaby wrote: »

Kaz I imagine you have tried a couple of permanent hair removal methods, what is your opinion on them?

Laser is the best but it's very expensive, the first 4 session are pretty painless but after that the machine is set to a higher level and by christ it's sore. It might be less painful in other areas but I got it on my face and under the nose and around the mouth is so painfull it's what I'd imaging it's like to get your face slowly tattooed. I never left the place not crying after my 4th session but the advantage is it's permanant after about 8/9 sessions. The hair needs to be dark for it to work so there's no real point in trying it on blonde/fair hair. Next option to that is electrolysis, it's slow, painfull and can scar you and I wouldn't bother tbh unless you felt you absolutly needed it because you're talking at least a year before you see any real results, I have friends who skin is wreaked now because of the scaring.

Kazobel

Pyjamarama wrote: »

Kazobel - you mentioned exfoliating. I can't do this with scrub etc cos of the sensitive skin but don't want ingrown hairs. There's a massage head attachment on most epilators, would using that be kind of the same?!

No I'm afraid not, the massage head it their mainly to make the hair stand up and the process less painful. You need to exfoliate because the folicle can become clogged by dead skin cell that everyone sheds everyday and this causes the hair to grow at an angle. Even if you just use an exfoiliating sponge in the shower with your regular shower gel it'll be fine.

There is this magic stuff called tend skin that prevents ingrown hairs.
Maybe it would be less rough on your skin.

Its available in most decent salons in Dublin. AFAIK.

Lipperes

Epilators are great. i have been using it on my arms for a few years now and i'd be lost without it!
i used to do it on my legs and it was great BUT so time consuming that eventually i gave that up. going to get laser done on them instead!

blahhh

Can you use epilators on the bikini line?

I have one, but it brought tears to my eyes...so I never tried it there, I'd imagine it would leave ingrown hairs too

togster

My ex convinced me to use one on my ass inner thigh. I have tears in my eye just thinking about the pain. :eek:

april2007

Epilators are good used one for years, it does hurt at first but after a couple of times doesnt hurt at all. Hairs grom back finer and slower too.
have recently started getting laser done on legs and have had 3 sessions and hairs are barely growing back it may be pricey but so worth it!

MizzLolly

blahhh wrote: »

Can you use epilators on the bikini line?

I have one, but it brought tears to my eyes...so I never tried it there, I'd imagine it would leave ingrown hairs too

Yep, they're absolutely fine. It's more painful to do your legs actually
Good Luck

(I have one but it just isn't getting proper use, they're great but I find waxing much quicker)

olaola

Bought a Braun Silk-epil (with starter head) a few years ago and kind of forgot about it. Was just about to mow the lawn on my legs on Sat and I remembered it. The hair was plenty long (prob toooo long) on my legs so I gave it a go. To note! I have dark black thick hair, so I'm probably a good candidate for testing here.

First impressions... ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch!
When your legs are really hairy the first 'run' is a killer. But the pain goes away the minute you stop epilating. You forget how sore it was and give it another go
I found the pain worse in certain places (maybe there was more hair there) It took a while, but considering it lasts longer - you'd probably spend an equal amount of time shaving to keep your legs hair-free for the same amount of time. I didn't get any redness or rash either.

OK! So day 3 regrowth?
Just checked my pins and there are a couple of hairs (nothing you'd really see) there. I dunno if they were 'broken' instead of tweezed, missed or just growth from hair that was too short to epilate.

Verdict so far?
Defo worth it - I shall be doing it again! I flirted with the idea of attacking the bikini line (I usually wax). I did a weeee bit around the edges - (more my upper thighs) and it wasn't any worse than the legs. I might venture farther north this weekend.