Friction Basic facts
Less common method of removing hair at skin's surface, but some
consumers find it primaritly useful for fine hair on legs.
Description:
A rough surface is used to buff away hair at the skin's surface.
The mitt usually has rough strips or a
smoothing surface coated directly onto the mitt.
Advantages:
Inexpensive, fast, essentially painless, can be done at home,
available widely, also exfoliates and smooths skin. Many
types can be used wet or dry. Good for legs with fine
hair. Some use it between shaving or waxing sessions.
Disadvantages:
Effect lasts a short time-- anywhere from a few hours to
several days. Dark-haired users may have visible "shadow"
of dark hair under skin. Often requires use every two or three
days. Can cause skin irritation if rubbed too hard. Do
not use on face, arms, or bikini area. Do not use on irritated
or damaged skin.
Clinical data:
Costs:
Mitts: From $2.00 to $6.00 per mitt
Pumice stones
Emery/sandpaper
Background facts
Marketing terms and tactics:
Historical overview:
Government regulation:
Brands
Hair Off
Sugi-Soft
Leg Smoothers by Garden Club
WAX-A-WAY SMOOTHAWAY MITT
Silky Mitt.
Tips
Legs should be clean and dry. Slip the
mitt over your hand with abrasive side facing the legs.
Select an area of skin surface approximately the size of the
mitt. Use small circular movements and gentle pressure
to smooth the surface of your skin. Without lifting mitt
off the skin surface, alternate between clockwise and counterclockwise
motions until all hair is removed. Do not rub too hard
or you may irritate the skin.
Wash the mitt in warm soapy water
to maintain its cleanliness and effectiveness.
Surgi-Soft Mitt is made for use
on legs only.
Do not use on face, arms, or bikini area.
For sensitive skin, “condition”
the mitt by gently rubbing on palm for a few seconds to remove
the coarser grit.
Do not use on irritated or damaged skin.
If irritation occurs, discontinue use.
Do not stroke up and down or apply too
much pressure.
Keep out of reach of children.
follow up with a mild lotion.
Consumer comments
Woolly Woman by Devonie Baker (devronika@yahoo.com)
Hmm, okay, here is the REAL reason I
wanted to share these stories. Today I bought a couple of those
"Leg Hair Mitts" or whatever. "Buff Off Body
Mitten" "Precision Buffer" it says. Hmm, Nair
makes it. I read the box to make sure it wasn't "New Cat
Piss Scent!" on it and upon discovering it wasn't scented
at ALL, but was Aloe Coated, I figured what the heck? It was
stamped "Dermatologist Tested" and looked like it
was worth a shot. Now, I bought two brands of this "hair
removal mitt" thing, the other was from Sally Hansen. I
figured two reputable names at least. I have yet to try the
Nair one, but I did bust out the Sally Hansen and gave it a
shot here at my desk. I rubbed around in a circle both clock
and counter-clockwise as instructed. I waited for something
to happen. I have determined that you must rub a hole through
your skin before the hair comes off. I re-read the instructions
expecting to find a disclaimer that said, "Works best for
people with little or no body hair at all." Or perhaps,
"This is not recommended for people who are over 8 years
of age." I read the small print looking for a clue, expecting
to see, "This is best used if you are a hairless space
alien with skin of tissue paper." I found no evidence that
I didn't "qualify" as an adequately hairy candidate
for this product. I figured I must have been doing something
wrong though, so I tried again. This time pressing down harder
and increasing my RPMs. AHH! Yes! The smell of burning flesh
let me know it was working! You actually are removing the hair
by FRICTION! In other words girls, you can probably get the
same effect if you duct tape a square of sandpaper to your hand
and go for it! Oh but be careful not to set your legs on fire.
I will let you all know how the Nair product works out, if you
are interested. I think I'll pick up a small fire extinguisher
before I go home and try this though just in case.
Tips on Hair Removal By
Pat Mestern http://www.mestern.net/pm/simple/memo13.html
During the 2nd World War, girls
from across Canada worked in a local factory. A few boarded
with grandmother where they had a "common" room for
relaxing after work to chat and "do their girl things."
I was VERY young and not allowed to bother them, but one day
I sneaked in and before being detected and relegated to the
back yard, found them all "rubbing" their legs with
paper. Being only four years old I never connected legs, paper
and hair removal.
When my turn came to deal with unwanted
hair, I went the usual route of creams, potions, lotions,
razors (electric and otherwise) & etc. As a dark-haired
person there was always a nice luxurious growth to deal with,
especially as my 40th birthday came along and maturity began
to set in. Hair growth is directly related to estrogen
levels, hormones and ancestry. Having babes can really produce
a healthy crop in unwanted places. So can memopause.
One day while cruising a local pharmacy,
I found a product that consisted of small strips of material
that resembled fine "emery" paper and a plastic holder
to use while removing hair. Also in the display as another
product, a mitt for removal of leg hair.
Dubiously, I bought both products and tried them. My goodness,
they worked. The hair, of course, returned but as time
went on it got less "heavy" and more "manageable".
I enjoyed the facial "massage" as I carefully rubbed
in small circular motions as per directions. Remember though
that hair roots are still alive and will grow again unless
removed by electrolysis. This "rubbing" is not a permanent
solution, just a better one than smelly creams, lotions, potions
& etc. It has been successful for some men too.
As every pharmacy does not carry the
product, I bought when and where I found it. I also called the
company to congratulate them on an excellent product and was
told - it has been around since World War 2 - thousands of units
are shipped overseas where it is very popular (especially in
Japan) - the product is available in one of the big box stores
in the U.S.A.
One time when away on a speaking engagement,
horror of horrors, I forgot to pack my hair removal strips.
I was going to stand before two hundred people as the bearded
lady with ape legs. The local pharmacy hadn't heard of the product.
What to do? For some reason, when
under pressure things "connect". A bubble burst in
my feeble, overworked brain. Sandpaper! Going to a hardware
store (have you ever tried to find a hardware store in the middle
of a large city?) I asked for the finest sandpaper in stock.
It was not fine enough. The clerk suggested an automotive supply
store that sold to auto body repair shops for a very fine 400-600
grit. When he asked why I needed such a fine girt, he did not
blink an eye when I said "to remove body hair."
He replied that his grandmother used the technique all the time
and that actor friends used sandpaper to remove unwanted hair
from backs and legs for certain scenes. One friend had to have
his back constantly sandpapered for a stage production of "Joseph
& his Amazing Techni-coloured Dream Coat." After finding
a 12" x 12" sheet of very fine 600 grit paper and
working CAREFULLY, an effective job of "hair gone"
was accomplished.
Back home experimentation with sandpaper
went into high gear - what grit worked best - how to use large
sheets effectively. The professional product has a sticky back
that adheres to the plastic remover aid. While talking the situation
over with my ninety-year-old mother, she said. "Why the
girls just used to wrap the sandpaper around a wooden block.
Some pasted it down to the back of a hair brush. They
used sandpaper because it was war-time and other products were
not available." Why had she not told me about sandpaper
hair removal nearly forty years ago when as a young woman
I needed the information?
"My dear, it was something the girls
did as part of the war effort. And it was mentioned in one of
those beauty books I gave you to read around age eleven."
What eleven year old read beauty books in the 1950's?
I still buy (and like) the manufactured
product but not in such great quantity. The bought product is
easier to pack for holidays and for "spot jobs". 400-600
grit paper works best for me. Cut a strip. Wrap it around a
small wood cube - or rubber spatula and GENTLY (working on one
small area at a time) rub in a half dozen small circles one
way - then a half dozen small circles the other - until the
hair is gone and the skin feels smooth. Do not scrub.
Do not rub up and down. Do not attack the skin as though it
was a wooden table leg. GENTLE is the key - gentle circular
motions in both directions. A white "powder" will
develop on legs (and maybe face). This is dead skin that has
come off with the hair. Finish with a nice body lotion
to moisturize the skin. Your skin will glow and feel great!
I DO NOT GUARANTEE SUCCESS. I DO NOT
RECOMMEND THE PROCESS FOR EVERYONE. If it works for you
- great. I have tough "Canadian" skin that has been
exposed to sun, wind, cold. I have no problems. Some people
try the system and love it. A few say that their skin is too
sensitive and turns red after rubbing. Some have better success
with the bought product when it can be found. Do not give up
after the first try. DO NOT PURCHASE COARSE SANDPAPER.
The time between rubbings varies with your own hair growth
cycle. If you continue with the procedure, hair will
be finer and less enthusiastic about growing. As home "grown"
remedies are not for everyone, if you can find the professional
product, do try it. It might be best for your situation, skin
condition and sensitivity.
Pumice stones
No matter how much moisturizer I use
in the winter, I develop itchy, excema-like dry-skin patches
on my calves. Several months ago I was taking a shower and,
thinking this problem must be related to circulation, decided
to take a different approach to combat it. I picked up my pumice
stone and lightly massaged my skin. I didn't want to irritate
my dry skin, so I was careful to apply light pressure but to
rub the skin briskly, in a circular motion. (This felt great
on my itchy skin.) It had been a few weeks since I shaved my
legs, and after several minutes (two or three at most) of massaging
with the pumice stone, I noticed little clumps of hair
falling into the tub. This didn't really phase me until I began
noticing more and more clumps. Then I saw that the area I had
been rubbing was almost hairless.
It occurred to me then that this would
probably work anywhere on my body, but I was reluctant to rub
my body with a pumice stone. I had used those hair-removal
pumice mitts (SoftMitt is one brand) that look like sheets of
fine-grade sandpaper, but I had to rub so hard to remove any
hair that it caused a painful burn, not unlike rope burn.
However, a regular, three-dollar pumice stone (I bought mine
in a natural-foods store, but I don't think there's anything
special about it*) is much courser (and more durable) than a
pumice mitt, so it's easier to acheive the effect of
rubbing the hair briskly without actually grinding into
the skin, and I believe it more effectively pulverizes hairs.
*(Possibly, some pumice stones are better for hair removal
than others—I used one that crumbled a bit, and I was careful
to rinse well when I was finished so that little particles of
pumice didn't stick to my skin and cause itching later. My favorite
pumice stone doesn't crumble; it has a nail brush attached to
its flip side, which makes it convenient, too.) The more I thought
about it, the less convinced I was that this method would damage
my skin, as long as I took precautions. After all, I've used
loofahs, scrubbing granules, and even buffing gloves—along
with all those other hair-removal methods, which
can't be easy on the skin. As long as I didn't rub hard—as
opposed to briskly—I didn't think it could be too abrasive.
The next day I decided to test my "discovery."
I started gradually. I first rubbed the pumice stone with a
thick layer of unscented white Dove soap for lubrication. Without
applying much pressure, I started on my forearm, again rubbing
briskly in a circular motion, clockwise then counterclockwise,
and repeated this several times. To my amazement, hair
fell off in more clumps. More stubborn hair, I reasoned,
might require a few days of treatment.
Note: This is a gradual process. It took
about two weeks for me to see really satisfactory results. In
my case, patience paid off. Please see the section on drugs
for information about the medications I take which might have
influenced my results using the pumice stone. For the first
week or so I alternated days to give my skin a rest. After showering,
I applied unscented baby oil to my wet skin then patted dry
with a towel; I followed that by using unscented generic-label
moisturizer (most drugstores sell their own generic brand of
Lubriderm; about $5 for a large bottle). I make sure to follow
this procedure every day; this prevents dry skin from the pumice
stone, especially during the first few treatments. I have found
that my skin becomes less sensitive the more I use this method,
and any irritation—on the first day I experienced a mild
rash, which was alleviated by moisturizer (again, I only use
unscented moisturizer formulated for sensitive skin)—was
nothing compared to what I've endured from other hair-removal
methods.
I now do this procedure daily, on nearly
every part of my body (except my pubic hair)—even
hard-to-reach places, and even on my face (I am very cautious
about using this method on my face, and I still tweeze the few
stray hairs that get through). It's least effective on my legs.
I believe that's because after shaving my legs for years, the
hairs are more resistant. However, I have made some progress,
and the remaining hairs are much finer. The areas I treat are
essentially now hairless (remaining hairs are soft and barely
noticeable). I can wear sleeveless shirts without feeling that
people are staring at my hairy arms. If I wanted to, I could
wear clothes that expose my stomach without feeling like a freak.
I can sit at a table with someone without hiding my hands (I
even use this method on the my hands and fingers, and even my
toes). I can be intimate with a partner without feeling repulsive.
Aside from costing practically nothing
(pumice stones last a long time—I've used the same one
for four months now, and it shows no signs of expiring), this
method doesn't take any extra time out of my day. I scrub my
body when I shower anyway, and I've always had to moisturize.
There's no offensive odor, no heating up wax or cleaning it
off my skin or the sink afterward, and very little stubbly "regrowth."
(Any regrowth is soft, probably because the end of the hair
shaft has been "thinned.") But regrowth isn't an issue,
since I can do this every day, anywhere I can take a shower.
No one would know what I was doing. In addition, the ingrown
hairs (and resulting folliculitis) I used to get from waxing
or shaving have been eliminated, and my skin is smooth—no
more dry patches on my legs. After thirty years, hirsutism is
no longer an obsession for me. (But if and when the price of
laser hair removal goes down—way down—I'll
probably be first in line.)
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