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Professional eyebrow shaping: waxing, threading, and electrolysis

Three ways to have beautiful eyebrows

Author: Charlotte Kuchinsky April 27 2008

The eyes are truly “the windows of the soul” and, as such, they deserve the best treatment that we can possibly give them. That, of course, includes the eyebrows. Unfortunately, a lot of us don’t pay very close attention to our brows. That is sad, since the brows are to the eyes what a frame is to a photograph; they frame our face, our personal work of art.

Our brows say a lot about what we are feeling. Raising a brow shows one emotion while dipping one shows something else altogether. They telegraph our emotions to those who are looking at us. More than that, they show how much respect we have for ourselves. Unruly and untamed brows say we don’t really care how we look, while well-arched, carefully tamed brows say that we hold ourselves in high esteem.

Most women try to do their own brows and, in doing so, often break a cardinal rule; that of over-plucking. What is left behind is often a poorly shaped, sad mass of hair that has no clear definition and which, instead of opening and lifting up a face, actually has the opposite effect. To stress the importance of a well-shaped brow, many of Hollywood’s finest makeup artists say that women with good brows and skin often need little or no make-up at all.

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There are a number of brow shaping methods that can help any woman find the perfect brow for her. Three of the most popular are:

1. Waxing
2. Threading
3. Electrolysis

Eyebrow Waxing

Eyebrow waxing is nothing new. Many women have been doing it for decades. It isn’t overly expensive and it lasts between three and ten weeks, depending upon the woman and her natural hair growth pattern. The cost isn’t bad either, averaging between $10 and $40, depending upon the condition of the brows, the hair’s texture, and the facility doing the procedure.

Both hot and cold waxing is usually available at most spas and even at many salons. The wax can be applied in a specific way to help shape the brows or it can be applied to those straggling hairs that just won’t behave. After wax application and the appropriate waiting period is complete, a special tape strip is placed on top of the wax and then pulled off in a straight, fast, ripping motion.

The pain factor involved in this method varies from woman to woman. Some women have a lower pain threshold than others. Anyone can get a feeling for their personal pain factor for this treatment by placing an old-fashioned Band-Aid on a hairy part of the body. After pushing it down hard to make certain that it adheres to both the hair and the skin, it is ripped off in the same manner as waxing. That is a good simulation of a brow wax treatment.

The consequences of waxing may include red, irritated skin, a slight burning or itchy feeling, or even a minor rash in the area where the wax was applied. This can often be soothed with a cotton ball dipped in cold water. Once the irritation or itchiness subsides, an application of moisturizer can help to re-hydrate the skin. Any remaining redness can be covered up with makeup concealer.

Threading

Threading is relatively new in America, but the procedure has been practiced in Asia for many years. Europeans are also familiar with this way of shaping brows. The procedure is fairly quick and cost effective, averaging between about $15 and $50. It lasts about the same amount of time as waxing.

Threading uses a strand of cotton thread, which is twisted. It is pulled along the skin anywhere that stray hairs exist. It can pull one or many hairs up from the roots in a single pass. A single threading may capture all of the unnecessary hair if it is clumped together in the same spot. However, for shaping purposes, it may take between six and eight passes to complete the technique.

The pain factor involved in threading is more like a scraping vibration than anything else. Many women find it much less painful than tweezing. The consequences of the procedure as are also much less than with waxing. The skin may appear slightly red for a short period of time because of the scraping motion; however, it usually goes away within a couple of hours. Threading rarely irritates or causes the skin to break out, but if it does, the same procedures used for waxing can help to soothe upset skin.

Electrolysis

Electrolysis isn’t new either, but it has finally become more affordable for the average woman. There are even a few home electrolysis systems on the market for those who are willing to take the risk of doing the job themselves. Most women will opt for a professional treatment, which is most often done by an aesthetician trained in the art of hair removal. These individuals can be found in some spas, at extremely versatile beauty salons, and in the office of dermatologists or even plastic surgeons.

The treatment doesn’t take very long; about 10 to 20 minutes. The cost varies according to the job, the woman’s individual needs, and the facility. Prices can range from about $20 to $100 per visit. The good news, however is that the treatment generally doesn’t have to be repeated after it is complete. Even when it does, it can be years between procedures.

Electrolysis involves the use of a special electrode that delivers a minor electrical shock current to the hair follicle. The current kills the follicle at the same time as it removes unwanted hair. Because the hair is often in different stages of growth, electrolysis treatment may need to be repeated two or three times to make certain that all of the unwanted hair is removed. That means that the procedure could be a major investment, not just in terms of hard-earned dollars but also in terms of time.

The pain factor involved with this treatment will vary from woman to woman. Unfortunately, some women find it quite painful. It’s a bit like getting multiple shots in the area where the hair is being removed. Some aestheticians will use a special numbing ointment or cream that supposedly helps to alleviate some of the pain. Others say that simple inflammatory painkillers will quickly kill the pain following the procedure.

The consequence of this treatment lies in the hands of the person doing the procedure. One slip of the electrode could cause the loss of hair in the wrong place; removal of too much hair; leaving behind thin or sparse brows; or uneven or improperly arched brows. For that reason, it is important that anyone considering this procedure seeks out an accredited individual to perform the treatment. It is also possible that electrolysis will irritate the skin, cause temporary tiny bumps or even a short-term rash. Once again, cold water, applied with a cotton ball, should help to alleviate the problem.

Conclusion

The key to having a successfully shaped brow is to know exactly what is wanted going into the treatment. Thin or delicate brows will require more upkeep and probably more money than a more natural look. So anyone considering a brow shaping procedure should do his or her research before approaching any form of treatment. And while most aestheticians are well trained, there is always the chance of running into one of the handful or so who are not, so carefully research who will perform the treatment too.

But with a bit of effort beforehand into finding the right treatment, there’s no reason why you can’t achieve the most perfect, beautiful eyebrows that your face deserves!