If you study the history of hair removal carefully, you will find that humans have been trying to remove hair since they had hair. Neanderthals practiced primitive forms of shaving and shearing, perhaps to avoid lice or long, bulky hair that would get in the way of mammoths when they hunted. Furthermore, hairy elders in a tribe die "younger" than hairless young men, so there is a false connection between hair and beard length and lifespan. As humans evolved, beards became a fashion statement, so shaving off part of them to achieve a trendy effect became a necessity.

In many parts of the world, women are required to keep their legs and armpits hairless, and a neat bikini line is a must when wearing swimwear. Today, hair removal is often viewed as a cosmetic issue, removing hairy backs or embarrassing female facial hair.

Most cultures have acceptable and unacceptable areas and amounts of hair, so it is necessary to enforce these unwritten rules to avoid being ostracized. We'll review five hair removal methods throughout history, from Neanderthals using abrasive tools to modern laser technology.

1. Abrasives

People have long used abrasives or friction to remove excess hair. Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans are believed to have used dull stones such as pumice and sharp volcanic glass to remove hair. This inexpensive and relatively painless procedure uses a rough surface to "abrade" fine body hair from the surface of the skin. Pumice stone is still used today as a popular abrasive to not only remove hair from the body, but also to remove dead skin cells and calluses. There are also gloves with built-in abrasive surfaces. Using the glove in a circular motion over the problem area will remove the fine hairs, exfoliating and smoothing the skin in the process.

2. Use thin thread to remove facial hair

Cotton thread is another ancient hair removal technique that has become popular again. It involves pulling hair out from the root with a coiled thread and is often used to shape brows. The method of lassoing unwanted hairs and pulling them out is said to be less painful than plucking. It's also cheap and lasts six weeks. A Chicago beauty salon charges $5 for two eyebrows. Although beauticians in the United States are not trained in the cotton-thread brow technique, it remains popular in India and the Middle East, and is available in salons in Indian and Muslim communities in large U.S. cities.

3. Use glycoenzyme hair removal

Although this sounds like some kind of medieval torture method, it is actually relatively mild. Glycozymes were first used in hair removal in ancient Egypt, but are now having a resurgence in high-end spas and salons. It's like waxing, where a warm mixture is applied to the skin and then removed with a cotton swab. The difference is how painful the user experience is. This soft sugar paste only sticks to your hair, not your skin. This makes the removal part of the process more bearable. The sugar mixture is also cooled to a pleasant room temperature, rather than the hotter wax. Finally, sugar paste is all-natural and, therefore, easier on the skin than many petroleum-based waxes.

4. Electrolysis Hair Removal

If temporary hair removal methods don’t work for you and you want to permanently remove the hair on the back of your neck, electrolysis may be a good option. . This technique uses a thin metal needle to reach the base of the hair follicle, where it is shocked with an electric current. This effectively cauterizes the hair follicle and prevents future hair growth if done correctly. The downside is that if you have a large area to cover, it can be expensive and it can hurt. And because each hair is electrocuted individually, it’s also quite time-consuming. On the plus side, this method has been around since 1875 when Dr. Charles Michel first used it to remove ingrown eyelashes. Just make sure you find a technician with experience and a good reputation so you can achieve the desired results.

5. Laser

Laser hair removal is a common alternative to electrolysis when it comes to permanent hair removal. In this method, laser light is projected onto the skin, ultimately targeting hair follicles in the form of heat. This causes inflammation and causes the hair follicles to permanently enter the telogen phase. Although it had been patched with fiber optics since 1969, it wasn't until 1995 that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first laser removal system. Although many consumers claim minimal hair regrowth, there is still no data on how long-lasting laser treatments are. If you have light skin and dark hair, you are a good candidate for this technique because the laser targets darker areas of the body. It is non-invasive and large areas can be treated in one session. But it's also expensive and can cause burns, skin discoloration and plaque regrowth if not done properly. So just like with electrolysis, do some homework and find an experienced and reputable technician.