There are two idea I've heard (mostly from electrologists) that I'm seriously doubting the veracity of.

Firstly, I've heard that tweezing hairs causes blood to rush to the area and activates inactive hair folicles thereby making hair grow back thicker.

But if this is the case, why do old ladies who plucked their eyebrows their whole lives end up losing their eyebrows. If this myth is true, shouldn't they have Groucho Marx brows?

Secondly, that tweezing makes it harder to get electrolysis in the future. This one at least slightly makes sense since the hairs might grow back crooked, but if tweezing damages the root, might that not make electrolysis easier?

Of course, electrologists have a fairly obvious reason for badmouthing other forms of hair removal. I've read conflicting things about both claims and I can't find any actual scientific basis to back up either. Are they just myths?

Since you have thrown down the gauntlet, let me ask you a preliminary question that will answer these questions for you:

1) When you tweeze out a hair, what is that thing that looks like a root composed of? Yes, we call it the "hair root," but what actually is this?

I don't know, but I'm guessing you do, so just say it.

It would be helpful for you if you would follow along first with your own conceptions of what you think is going on. I'm assuming you are an esthetician. Not comfortable with a guess? Well, that's okay. Try this question for a moment ...

2) It's said (by a few estheticians) that waxing will eventually reduce hairs on a person's legs. When I was a young man, I had luxurious leg hair. Now that I'm an old fart, my legs are virtually hairless. I have NEVER waxed or shaved my legs. How did that happen?

Enough with the guessing games and tangents. It's patronizing and arrogant. If you have a point to make, make it.

" ... I'm seriously doubting the veracity of [ideas from electrologists] ... Of course, electrologists have a fairly obvious reason for badmouthing other forms of hair removal." (Re: my first question): "I don't know [the answer], so just say it."

Your statements feel like accusations. It's like the Creationists that say, "How can we be descended from fish when we don't have gills?" Guess what? We DO!

I'm trying to "soften you up" a bit so you will be more receptive to the waxing/tweezing theory upon which electrology is confidently based. With some basic understanding, you might be more receptive, and not dismiss 100-years of observation and study as being a "fairy-tale" electrologists concocted "for badmouthing other forms of hair removal."

Some of us DO have groucho marx brows after years of tweezing. I can tell you personally, that I have thick terminal hairs from the bottom of my brow to the edge of my eyelid which are very noticeable after 15 years of tweezing the area. That is the result of plucking. On a bad day I look like Fru-Fru from Dune.
http://i.guim.co.uk/static/w-620/h--/q-9...ne-1984-007.jpg


They arent myths.

Seana

In other words: You got "Theo-Waigel-Eybrows" (Theo Waigel is a former German Minister of Finance):



http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theo_Waigel

To the OP:

The committee regrets to inform you that you won't be winning the "Miss Congeniality" award. All seriousness aside, I hope you are receptive to some solid information.

So, here's one tiny factoid to consider.

Most people think the hair "root" is a separate structure that fits into a tube-like configuration called a follicle. This is not the case. That "root" you pull out is the skin itself and, upon tweezing, you tear out a good portion of the follicle (skin).

If you have the opportunity to tweeze out a chunk of a man's beard ... quickly squeeze the skin and you will see blood oozing out from the torn-out follicles (hair roots). Tweezing breaks tiny blood vessels and injures the skin ... (and creates an opportunity for infection).

A large portion of the follicle lies well into the reticular dermis. This layer of skin heals (only) by laying down collagen (a lot of visible collagen we term "a scar").

With each and every "plucking," some scar tissue forms in the injured (dermal layer) follicle. This can do several things. It can eventually cause an irregular appearance to the surface of the skin (pebbling). It can cause the regrowing hair to grow "crooked." In some specific cases, perhaps, the hair growth might be eliminated (this might be the case with some eyebrow cases).

As far as waxing being a competitive form of hair removal? The idea is preposterous.

Waxing is temporary and electrolysis is permanent.

Waxing/tweezing only makes the job more difficult for electrologists.

Excellent post, M.