Epilators for the Face

Using an epilator on the face can get rid of the fine hair on the jaw line, cheeks and brow. For women, facial epilators from Braun, Panasonic and Emjoi are a good alternative to plucking, waxing and electrolysis, but it's not for everyone. It's painful! And for men, epilating facial hair is a definite no-no.

Epilators are handheld devices that remove multiple hairs all at the same time. People like them because they are fast & efficient and can be used in the privacy of your own home. However, it does take time to get used to the sharp pain as the hairs are pulled out by the root.

For men, epilators for the face should be avoided since male facial hair is coarse and thick. Yanking them out may lead to large, bleeding sores prone to skin infection and ingrown hairs. Epilation for men is more excruciating than for woman.

Facial epilators have small rotating disks and openings that are smaller than units meant for the larger body parts. Look for a compact unit that has skin guards to prevent the sensitive facial skin from being pulled, pinched and injured. A unit with an LED light may also help to illuminate the unwanted hairs.

Smooth skin from an epilator lasts longer than other methods since the entire hair is removed, including the root. It's a good way to get rid of hair on the upper lip but it does have limited accuracy, and may not be effective at shaping eyebrows. And it requires the unwanted hair to be at least 1/8" before it can grasp the strands. "Peach-fuzz" will definitely be visible at that length!

 

People with sensitive skin need to first experiment with epilation on the face. For some, the hairs can get twisted as they are yanked out, causing possible breakage under the skin that lead to ingrown hairs. Epilating may work well on one area, like the eyebrows but not for other more delicate areas like the jaw line. Be careful when epilating the upper lip since this area has fewer muscles to keep the skin taut.

Tips for Facial Epilating

• Before epilating, take a shower to soften the hair and open the pores. This will help decrease the pain but it's still going to hurt.

• You can use a dry or wet epilator but make sure to use a mirror to avoid missing areas.

• At first, only epilate a small area on each part of the face to see how the skin reacts. It's normal for the pores to bleed for the first few attempts.

• Epilate well in advance of when you need smooth, silky skin to give enough time for the follicles to heal and the swelling to go down.

• Do not epilate when you have dry, flaking skin. Damaged skin is more prone to further dryness and even infection from open pores & cracks.

• Exfoliate every few days to prevent ingrown hairs.

Hair epilation isn't the right method for everyone, but for some people, epilators for the face are a good way to get longer lasting, smooth skin. It's also convenient since many types of epilators are widely available to use from home.