Hair today, gone tomorrow (From Living Northeast)

Hair today, gone tomorrow

11:32am Saturday 18th April 2009

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Jenny Laue goes in search of hair-free underarms in time for the summer months.

IF you’ve always wanted to get rid of that downy fluff along your jaw line or you just want to stop shaving the sensitive skin under your arms quite so frequently, a hair reduction treatment could be the answer.

The Ellipse IPL treatment promises to drastically reduce hair growth, so as to make razors, waxing or plucking nearly redundant. To check out if the dream of smooth underarms can become reality, I went to see Siobhan Caffery, an Ellipse franchise beautician at Saks Northallerton.

Before my appointment, Siobhan asks me not to shave for a week and not to use any deodorants or anti-perspirants under my arms that day, so when I arrive I feel a little bit self-conscious.

But that is quickly forgotten as she asks me to lie down and lift my arms so she can mark the area of hair growth with a red pen. It’s very tickly.

Next the hair is shaved, a clear odourless gel is applied and a patch test is conducted to find the setting most suitable for me and also to determine if I have any adverse reaction to the treatment. All I have is a slight reddening, and after a few minutes Siobhan gives the go-ahead for the introductory treatment to begin, prescribing six follow-up sessions.

Two weeks later I’m back to start the course properly.

I pop on the big block-out spectacles and within ten minutes the session is over.

The treatment itself is uncomfortable but bearable, rather like short bursts of hot fat hitting your skin or a rubber band being twanged against you.

IPL was developed in 1997 by dermatologists to treat skin disorders. It works by emitting a short flash of light that is attracted to the pigments in skin or hair. The heat from the light travels down the hair shaft to its base, or follicle, where it is supplied with blood and by damaging the base, the hair’s ability to grow is inhibited. This works best on hair in the growing stage, but not all hairs are in their growing phase at the same time, so to catch them all, the IPL treatment has to be repeated.

After six sessions with Siobhan, the hair under my arm is gone. A few have grown back, but I can count them on one hand and they are hardly visible because they’re really soft and fair. And the best bit is that I have stopped shaving completely, no more prickly regrowth for me.

I for one have chucked my razor and I’m ready to go sleeveless for summer.

■ Treatment on under-arm hair starts from £85 for one session and £425 for six. Prices vary for other parts of the body.

■ Saks, 10 Thirsk Road, Northallerton, DL6 1PF, or ring 01609-771477

SPECIAL OFFER

TO celebrate the Saks group’s 35th anniversary, Saks Northallerton is offering a 35 per cent discount on IPL treatments and courses booked from May 11 to May 16, 2009. To receive the discount and make an appointment, call 01609-771477. Mention offer at time of booking. Patch test must be carried out before course starts.

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