Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1153325
60 ascp skin deep september/october 2019 WHY WAX? There are many options in bikini hair removal—from shaving and sugaring to modern laser treatments. Waxing, however, remains a highly viable option. Proper waxing removes hair with relatively little pain and provides a prolonged period of smooth, hair- free skin. Compared to laser hair removal and electrolysis, waxing is considerably less expensive and can be done quickly and easily to remove large areas of unwanted hair. In general, there are two types of wax: hard, also known as stripless wax, and soft, which requires a form of cloth, such as natural muslin, for removal. Hard wax is applied directly to the hair; this wax shrinks and tightens as it cools, and is then lifted at the edge and removed by the professional. This form of wax does not adhere to the skin. With soft wax, a layer is applied and then a strip of muslin is immediately placed over the area. Pressure is applied over the strip. This is removed in one quick motion in the opposite direction of hair growth. To make the waxing experience more skin friendly, it's important to understand how hair and skin work together on the skin's surface. THE HISTOLOGY OF SKIN AND HAIR Hair is composed of 65–95 percent protein. It can contain lipids that increase in puberty and decrease as we get older. The hair grows from within the skin surface from the dermal papilla attached to the hair bulb, which is fed by blood vessels below the skin's surface. From the hair bulb, the follicle (which is connected to the sebaceous glands) grows vertically through the hair shaft. The mature hair shaft emerges from the skin's surface. Hair has two distinct structures: the follicle itself, which resides in the skin, and the shaft, which is visible above the skin. The hair follicle is a tunnel-like segment of the epidermis that extends down into the dermis. It contains several layers that each have individual functions. At the base of the follicle is the papilla, which contains capillaries, or tiny blood vessels, that nourish the cells. The living part of the hair is at the very bottom, surrounded by the papilla, called the bulb. The cells of the bulb divide every 23–72 hours, faster than any other cell in the body. HAIR GROWTH PHASES A. Anagen Phase: Anagen is the active phase of hair growth, when the cells in the root are dividing rapidly. A new hair is formed and pushes the club hair (a hair that has stopped growing or is no longer in the anagen phase) out of the follicle. Hair on the head has a much longer growing, or anagen, stage than the hair on arms, legs, eyelashes, and eyebrows, which have a relatively shorter growth phase of about 30–40 days. B. Catagen Phase: The catagen phase is transitional. About 3 percent of all hair is in this phase at any time. This phase lasts for about 2–3 weeks, and is when growth stops and the outer root sheath shrinks and attaches to the root of the hair. This is the formation of club hair. C. Telogen Phase: This is the resting phase, and usually accounts for 6–8 percent of hair at any time. This phase lasts about 10 days for hair on the scalp and longer for hair on the eyebrows, arms, and legs. During this phase, the hair follicle is completely at rest. Pulling out a hair in this phase would reveal a solid, hard, dry, white material at the root. About 25–100 telogen hairs are shed normally each day.