Body Report: This is what women of colour need to know when it comes to body hair removal
When it comes to various body hair removal options, women of colour may react differently because of their skin colour.
More Videos
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard ShortcutsEnabledDisabled
Play/PauseSPACE
Increase Volume↑
Decrease Volume↓
Seek Forward→
Seek Backward←
Captions On/Offc
Fullscreen/Exit Fullscreenf
Mute/Unmutem
Seek %0-9
Next Up
Health Matters: New COVID-19 vaccines approved & viruses travelling to Canada
Embed<iframe src="https://globalnews.ca/video/embed/5183028/" width="670" height="372" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen scrolling="no"></iframe>
Copied
Linkhttps://globalnews.ca/video/5183028/body-report-this-is-what-women-of-colour-need-to-know-when-it-comes-to-body-hair-removal/
Copied
Live
00:00
00:00
00:00
Have you ever looked in the mirror and, to your surprise, found a hair on your chin that wasn’t there before?
It’s not an uncommon experience — especially for women, according to dermatologist Dr. Julia Carroll of Compass Dermatology in Toronto.
READ MORE: What to know about laser hair removal as a woman of colour
Why these hairs — which are often longer and darker than your other hair — grow is “a bit of a mystery,” Carroll told Global News.
She speculates that hormones are often at play, “but it can also happen randomly,” Carroll said.
“They do tend to show up in areas that are hormonally influenced.”
READ MORE: 5 reasons why you keep missing your period (other than pregnancy)
This can include the skin around your chin, jawline and your areolas (the tissue surrounding your nipples).
Chronic illnesses like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and certain medications can also contribute to the growth of these hairs.
How to get rid of them
If you’re looking for a quick fix, Carroll recommends plucking.
“It’s a good option… but it’s not the best option,” she said. “For anyone who wants a more permanent solution, laser hair removal is better.”
The treatment uses light to target hair underneath the skin and kills it at the root.
WATCH BELOW: Critics roast Kylie Jenner’s new walnut-based face scrub
Unfortunately, this treatment only works if your hair is dark. “The laser doesn’t see light colours, like blond, light brown or red hair,” said Carroll. “It has to be black or dark brown”
If you want to undergo laser hair removal, you need to resist the urge to pluck hair at all costs.
“Once the hair is out, you have to wait for that hair to grow back,” Carroll said.
READ MORE: Hyaluronic to salicylic: A guide to using acids in your skincare routine
Get weekly health news
Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.
Sign up for weekly health newsletter
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.
“Instead, you should just trim it at the skin’s surface… otherwise, the laser won’t be able to target that hair follicle.”
Dr. Lisa Kellett of DLK on Avenue, also a board-certified dermatologist, recommended laser hair removal and another treatment known as electrolysis.
“It’s using electricity to basically treat the hair,” Kellett said. “It’s multiple treatments over time, and what it does is it treats the hair follicle by heating it up.”
WATCH BELOW: How can your diet make your skin healthier
1:32
If neither of these options is right for you, Carroll recommends consistent exfoliation in the areas where you most commonly find these random hairs.
“You can’t prevent their growth, but if you exfoliate, you can prevent them from becoming ingrown,” Carroll said.
Ingrown hairs
Ingrown hairsthey
These “random” hairs are more prone to becoming ingrown because they are so thick and coarse, said Carroll.
“Usually the hair is protected by the follicle [and] the rest of your body doesn’t see it… then it comes out of the skin, and it’s not in your body technically anymore,” she said.
READ MORE: Want healthy skin? Stop these 8 bad skincare habits now
“When you get an ingrown hair, that hair follicle and the proteins associated with it are then exposed to the immune system, which sees it as foreign.”
This can lead to redness, inflammation and itchiness.
Given the discomfort these hairs can cause, a lot of people will try to get rid of them. However, using at-home techniques can leave you vulnerable to infection.
WATCH BELOW: What’s the best skincare routine for your 30s?
The safest way to remove an ingrown hair is by gently exfoliating the area until the hair comes out naturally.
If you’re prone to ingrown hairs, Carroll says there are more permanent options for you.
READ MORE: Reality check: Is it safe to drink collagen powder?
“I might put them on a medicated lotion — maybe one that has glycolic acid in it — so that it’s slowly taking layers off the skin, and that’s also preventative along the way,” she said.
You could also use a physical exfoliator with “grains” or “beads” in it that would help guide the hair out.
“You want to do that gently,” Carroll said.
WATCH BELOW: Is it safe to drink collagen powder?
Whatever you do, don’t try to pluck an ingrown hair.
Often, the damage can present similarly to acne scars — but it’s completely preventable.
READ MORE: Why ‘fat acceptance’ movement leaders decide to lose weight
Carroll recommends always consulting a board-certified dermatologist before attempting anything by yourself at home.
Does your hair grow back thicker after you pluck it?
This is an old wives’ tale that “doesn’t make any sense,” said Kellett.
“That’s the same thing as people saying if you cut your hair, it will grow faster,” she said. “Cutting your hair has absolutely nothing to do with the growth at the dermal pillow, which is at the base of the hair follicle.”
Meghan.Collie@globalnews.ca
