Should armpit hair be plucked at puberty?

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The appearance of armpit hair and how to deal with it is one of the worries of puberty. Accordingly, armpit hair removal at puberty has many different advantages and limitations that need to be carefully considered. Some methods may not be suitable for the body which is in the stage of rapid development, is sensitive and vulnerable, such as plucking armpit hair for children; Instead, choose safer ways to remove armpit hair.

1. Different types of armpit hair

Before choosing and performing hair removal, you should know about the different types of body hair in general, armpit hair in particular. In essence, all hair on the skin is made up of keratin, a tough protein - also found in fingernails and toenails. Hair begins to grow below the surface of the skin at the base of the hair inside the hair follicle and penetrates the epidermis, beyond the skin.
There are two types of body hair. Vellus fur is soft, smooth and short. Most women have hair on their chest, back, and face, which can be darker and more noticeable in some women than in others, especially those with darker skin tones. Vellus hair helps to maintain a stable body temperature by creating a layer of insulation.
The back hair is coarser, darker and longer than the vellus, which begins to grow around puberty in the armpits and pubic area or other parts of the body such as the chest, legs and back. The back feathers provide cushioning and protection.
In some cases, excessive hair growth, called hirsutism, can be the result of certain medical conditions. In girls, polycystic ovary syndrome and other hormonal disorders can cause dark, coarse hair to grow on the face, especially the upper lip and chin, as well as on the chest, abdomen, and back. Certain medications, like anabolic steroids, can also cause hirsutism.
In addition, when hair grows in sensitive places, like the skin under the arms, these are things that cause low self-esteem, limiting clothing choices as well as social interactions. Therefore, the need for armpit hair removal arises from puberty.

2. Ways to remove armpit hair

Shave How To: Use a razor to remove the tip of the hair that has grown through the skin. Some razors are completely disposable, some have disposable blades, and some are electric. Common locations are underarm hair, legs and bikini area; Men usually shave their faces.
Effective maintenance time: 1 to 3 days
Advantages: Shaving is low cost and pubescent kids can do it themselves. All that is needed is some warm water, a razor, and optionally extra shaving gel or cream.
Cons: Razor wounds, bumps, cuts, scrapes, and ingrown hairs are side effects of shaving. The mechanism of ingrown hairs is that when growth begins, the hair will grow in the surrounding tissue instead of having to grow out of the hair follicle. At the same time, the hair will become curled around and start to grow into the skin, causing discomfort.
Tips: The shaving effect will be more thorough if shaved under the shower after the skin has been softened with warm water. Pull the knife slowly, pulling looser areas of skin before shaving through them. Change your razor regularly to avoid bacterial infection. Using a shaving cream can also help protect sensitive skin. If you're worried about shaving yourself, you can try an electric razor.
Although most people shave against the direction of hair growth, if you want to avoid ingrown hairs, you should shave in the direction of hair growth.
Plucking How to: Using tweezers, stretch the skin and grasp the hair near the base to pull it out.
Effective duration: 3 to 8 weeks
Advantages: Underarm hair removal is inexpensive as all it takes is tweezers. But this method can be time consuming as only one hair can be removed at a time. Cons: Plucking can be painful especially on sensitive skin, so pubic underarm waxing may not be suitable. If the hair breaks underneath the skin, a person may experience ingrown hairs. At the site after extraction, temporary red acne may be seen due to swelling and irritation of the hair follicle.
Tips: Make sure to sterilize your tweezers or epilators with alcohol before and after use to reduce the risk of infection.

Apply hair removal cream How it works: A hair removal cream is a cream or liquid that removes hair from the surface of the skin. They work by reacting with the protein structure of the hair, so the hair dissolves and can be washed or wiped away.
Effective retention time: A few days to 2 weeks
Pros: Fast acting hair removal cream, available at pharmacies. In addition to underarm hair removal, the drug is also effective in the legs and bikini area; Special formula can be used on face and chin.
Cons: Applying hair removal cream can sometimes irritate the skin, can cause rashes or inflammation, and many people don't like the smell of the cream. In some cases, hair removal creams may not be effective for people with coarse, dense hair.
Tips: Read the product instructions carefully and make sure to only use the product for the recommended time and location for the best results, avoiding adverse effects on the skin.
Hair Wax How To: An adhesive wax is applied evenly over the area of ​​skin with unwanted hair growth. A cloth is then applied over the wax and quickly pulled off, removing the hair roots and dead skin cells. The wax can be warmed or it can be applied cold. Waxing can be done at a salon or at home.
Effective maintenance time: 3 to 6 weeks
Advantages: Wax hair removal makes the skin smooth and long lasting. Wax kits are available at drugstores. The regrown hair looks lighter and less noticeable than after other hair removal methods, such as shaving.
Cons: The biggest drawback to waxing is discomfort: Because this treatment works by pulling hair down to the root, there can be a slight sting when the hair falls out - luckily the part that's fast. People may notice temporary redness, inflammation, and swelling after waxing.
Professional waxing is more expensive than other hair removal methods. However, the first hair removal treatment should be done at the salon to see how the professionals do it. Teens who use acne medications like tretinoin and isotretinoin for pubertal acne may skip waxing because those medications make the skin more sensitive. People with moles or skin irritation from sunburn should also avoid waxing that area.
Tips: For effective hair removal, the hair must be at least 6mm long. So skip shaving for a few weeks before waxing.
Electrolysis How to: This method of armpit hair removal must always be shown first to perform at the beauty salon. A professional electrologist inserts a probe into the hair follicle and sends an electric current through the hair follicle, destroying and killing it.
Effective retention time: Electrolysis is a permanent hair removal method. However, a small number of people may have hair regrowth but very few.

Advantages: Most achieve permanent hair removal effect.
Cons: Electrolysis takes a lot of time and is very expensive, so it is usually only used on small areas like underarms, eyebrows. Electrolysis can cause pain and dryness, scaling, scarring, and inflammation after treatment. Infection can be a risk if needles and other equipment are not properly sterilized.
Advice: Consult your doctor thoroughly if interested in this method, weighing the benefits and risks.
Laser Hair Removal How it works: The laser is directed through the skin to the hair follicles, stopping them from growing. This method works best on light-skinned people with dark hair because the melanin (color pigment) in the hair absorbs more light, making the treatment more effective.
Effective retention period: May be permanent, but users often need to return every 6 months to a year to maintain the results achieved.
Advantage: This type of hair removal is long lasting and can treat large areas of skin at once.
Cons: A laser hair removal session can be expensive. Side effects of treatment can include inflammation and skin redness.
Tip: Using a cold pack can help reduce inflammation after laser hair removal. Avoiding the sun before treatment can make the results more effective.
Treatment with a doctor's prescription A cream called eflornithine is available by prescription to treat unwanted hair growth in women. The cream is applied twice a day until the hair becomes softer and lighter - like vellus hair. Side effects may include skin irritation and acne.
Exogenous hormones can be another method prescribed by doctors to reduce the appearance of unwanted hair in women. Since androgens may be responsible for hair growth in unwanted areas, these drugs can reduce hair growth by blocking androgen production. Doctors often prescribe oral contraceptives in combination with these drugs to enhance their effects, prevent pregnancy (because antigens can harm a developing fetus), and help regulate menstrual cycles in those women. girlfriend in need. Accordingly, this method of armpit hair removal is contraindicated for children in puberty.

In short, the decision to remove body hair in general or armpit hair in particular is a personal choice. It is necessary to learn and choose how to remove armpit hair at puberty appropriately, without affecting the health that is sensitive to external influences. At the same time, parents or carers need to care and guide children, beauty and confidence in puberty also need to be built and trained in many different aspects.
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