Introduction
Hair usually grows throughout the human body and becomes noticeable during and after puberty. People tend to remove hair from unwanted body parts for various reasons, such as cultural, hygienic, aesthetic, sexual, religious, or medical reasons. Hair removal, also called epilation, is the intentional removal of unwanted body hair. Removing unwanted hair from eyebrow regions defines the face and gives a good aesthetic hairline. There are various ways to remove them, such as threading, tweezing, plucking, laser and waxing. This article discusses eyebrow threading, which removes unwanted eyebrow hairs using a thread and shapes them for better esthetics.
What Is Eyebrow Threading?
Eyebrows are an important feature of a person’s looks. Eyebrows can define the face and be shaped for better looks in multiple ways. Eyebrow threading is the most popular and widely acceptable technique to shape eyebrows. It is a technique of removing unwanted eyebrow hair using a piece of thread. This technique is convenient, low cost, and has negligible complications.
Eyebrow threading has been practiced for several thousand years in multiple different cultures. There is no confirmed information on where it originated, but a popular theory believes it started either in Iran or India, where women thread their eyebrows carefully for cultural and cosmetic reasons. This ancient technique was also popular in China, where thin and shaped eyebrows were a mark of sophistication. Today, eyebrow threading has been adopted worldwide, and it enjoys immense popularity among women.
How Does Eyebrow Threading Work?
Eyebrow threading is a form of hair removal or epilation. It removes the complete hair, including its root, rather than cutting it. Before the threading process starts, the skin is prepared by wiping the area with a piece of cotton soaked in astringent. Astringent produces a cooling effect and numbs the skin, making the whole process less painful. Threading involves the usage of cotton thread. The thread is placed between the hands, occasionally one end between the teeth. Then the thread is twisted and rolled along the surface of the eyebrow hair to be removed, entwining the hairs in the thread. The wrapped hairs are lifted quickly from the follicle by pulling the thread in a certain fashion. This is repeated in quick and successive movements till all the unwanted eyebrow hairs are removed and the eyebrows are shaped properly. After the session, a soothing or antibiotic cream is applied to the threaded area. This process is relatively quick and takes about ten minutes if done by an experienced technician.
Eyebrow threading gives sharp, defined eyebrows enhancing the appearance of a person. The exact length of time the results of eyebrow threading last varies from person to person. But the approximate time the results last is between three to six weeks. As people thread regularly, the hair starts to grow back finer and sparse after repeated threading because they are pulled out at the root. Hence makes the process less and less painful and quicker as one keeps doing it.
Eyebrow threading is an excellent choice for those who want to keep their looks proper, precise, and clean but can not afford to spend time plucking the hairs on their own. It is best for those who prefer simple and hygienic processes for their beauty treatments.
Is Eyebrow Threading Painful?
Removing hair out of its follicle using thread sounds more painful than it is. Eyebrow threading is considered the most gentle way of eyebrow grooming because it is only pulling out the eyebrow hairs. It does not pull or prick the surrounding skin as it happens during waxing or microblading. However, people do feel a level of discomfort during eyebrow threading that they get used to. Most people say that this discomfort is worth it, given the natural and organic process of shaping the eyebrows.
What Are the Benefits of Eyebrow Threading?
Eyebrow threading has several benefits, and the list varies from person to person. Some of the common benefits of eyebrow threading include the following:
-
The speed of the technique is a major benefit. It is a relatively quick process. There is no waiting time, and it takes approximately ten minutes to complete. The process is simple mechanically, and if performed by an experienced practitioner, entire lines of hair can be removed in seconds.
-
It is less painful when compared to waxing or tweezing. Eyebrow threading removes multiple hairs at once with no anticipation; hence, there is little time for pain receptors or the brain to react between removals.
-
During the process, there is less or no contact with the skin, making it gentler for sensitive skin or acne-prone skin.
-
It is relatively easy to maintain threaded eyebrows by going for professional appointments every four to six weeks.
-
The whole process is cost-effective compared to other methods of grooming and reshaping the eyebrows.
What Are the Disadvantages of Eyebrow Threading?
Along with several benefits, eyebrow threading does have some disadvantages. Eyebrow threading can cause some irritation around the threaded area that may last for a few hours after the process. This can lead to puffiness, redness, and breakouts, especially with sweat or exposure to the sun. These problems are temporary and will resolve on their own.
This popular cosmetic procedure can have some significant dermatological side effects. These include verrucae (benign growth of skin) in threaded eyebrows, ingrown hair, erythema (redness), folliculitis (infection of hair follicles), molluscum (painless, dome-shaped, flesh-colored lesions) on eyebrows and hyperpigmentation. These complications are rare but possible. Hence it is crucial to get eyebrow threading done by an experienced professional.
What Are the Tips for First-Time Eyebrow Threading?
Before a person decides to go to their first eyebrow threading appointment, some things should be remembered.
-
Choose a facility that can be trusted with experienced professionals and has good reviews and a reputation for threading.
-
Never schedule an appointment immediately before a big event. Since threading can leave red and puffy skin for a short period of time, it is better to get it done one or two days before any important event.
-
Avoid wearing any makeup before going for the eyebrow threading.
-
Some facilities will offer to apply aloe vera gel after the threading is done; accept it as it helps reduce skin irritation. If not given at the facility, prefer to buy and apply.
-
Take a pain reliever before the appointment to help reduce any irritation and pain, making the process more comfortable.
Conclusion
People, especially women, do not like their eyebrows to look rough and prefer getting them groomed. Eyebrow threading is the best and most popular way to do so. Like any other cosmetic procedure, this technique also has pros and cons to consider. Careful selection of the facility and technician is important to avoid any dermatological complications.
