In recent years, plucking armpit hair has become increasingly popular. The benefits of plucking armpits rather than shaving or waxing are clear: plucking lasts longer than shaving and creates a smoother feel in the armpit, and it can be much less painful than waxing. Read on to learn some important tips to pluck armpit hair effectively.
First, be sure to clean your armpits thoroughly before beginning. It is important to keep the area as clean as possible to prevent irritation and infection. You might also consider exfoliating your armpits to remove excess skin cells before plucking.
Second, be sure you have a quality pair of tweezers on hand. Make sure the tips come together perfectly; otherwise, you will lose your grip on the hair as you try to pluck it. Also, you should make sure the tweezers are clean and sanitized. Try rinsing them in rubbing alcohol to disinfect them before beginning. It is important to make sure you use clean tweezers to prevent bacteria from getting into your pores, causing irritation and ingrown hairs.
After getting a pair of clean tweezers, you may begin plucking. Grab one hair at a time, and always pull in the direction of the hair growth. The goal is to disturb the hair follicle as little as possible. Pulling in the wrong direction or frequent tugging before removing the hair will cause more pain and possibly lead to an infection in the root or follicle.
Continue tweezing the rest of your armpits, moving quickly but firmly. After you have removed all of the hair you wish, splash your armpits with cool water. This will help seal the follicles closed, to prevent them from absorbing bacteria and becoming infected. Dry your armpits thoroughly and allow them to rest for a few minutes before applying any underarm deodorant or other products to the skin.
If you find that plucking your armpits leads to inflammation or frequent ingrown hairs, consider moving to an alternative form of hair removal. For a few ingrown hairs, you could try using a glycolic acid treatment on the area. This will help soothe the follicle and dissolve the buried hair.
Ultimately, the most important things to remember to help armpit hair removal successfully are to keep the area clean and to try to disturb the hairs as little as possible. By following these tips, you will have smooth armpits that last for weeks!