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Show AggieLife Wednesday, April 28, 2010 Page II Beauty worth the price of pain? Students speak out about the discomforts of hair removal By KASEY VAN DYKE staff writer From high heels, makeup, crash diets and fad workouts, women seem to try anything to look good. It's no wonder they will try anything from hot wax to physically pulling out hairs to get smooth skin. There are many methods of hair removal, some more humane than others. With the possibility of irritation, skin damage, allergic reactions and more, is the beauty worth the pain? One of the more common hair-removal methods is waxing. At-home kits are available at many grocery stores, waxing is a way to get rid of the hair with out the possibility of getting cut with a razor. On the other hand, the idea of ripping out all hair on a leg at the follicle with hot wax might seem like a type of medieval torture to some. Bre Walker, an undeclared sophomore, agreed, saying she'd only try waxing if she had to. She said, "I don't like the whole idea of hot stuff poured on me, then having my hair ripped out." Amy Pettit, sophomore in vocal perfomance, disagreed after having her eyebrows waxed. "I liked how it felt so smooth," she said. "It was worth the pain because it worked for days." A common practice in the Middle East, hair threading is similar to plucking with tweezers, but is faster, according to threadinghairremoval.net. The origins of the practice are unknown but it is reportedly taught to girls in the Middle East and India from early on. The website stated that the practice involves "crossing two pieces of thread in an X with one looped around the other so that it's connected in the center." The thread is then "worked back and forth in a way that gently pulls the hairs out of the skin in a neat row. This technique is reportedly more comfortable than waxing and faster than plucking, and, though it is cleaner and more precise than other techniques, there are downsides. Because the practice is less used in the U.S., not many professionals are trained to do it correctly, which can result in breaking the hairs, rather than ripping them out. Walker commented on this technique, saying she'd only try it because she's curious. Pettit echoed Walker's remark, saying the stipulation she'd need before trying thread- MS eye scan A BEAUTY SALON owner uses thread to pull out fine eyebrow hairs.Threading is an ancient hair-removal practice, offered in more and more salons. UTAH STATESMAN photo There are side effects with laser hair removal, including blistering, pain, swelling around the hair follicle due to excessive fluid, redness and inflammation, lasting one to three days, herpes simplex outbreaks and bacterial infections. These can be counteracted by topical creams and ice packs. While Pettit said she might try laser hair removal, Walker said she wouldn't, even if it is effective. "I hear a lot of people get burns," Walker said. "I don't want burns for the rest of my life, hairless or not." When asked why girls would put themselves through these painful ways of hair removal, Ren Gibbons, a first-year USU student, said it seems like an "image thing." "It seems to me," he said, "that girls probably do it to look good around boys." — k.vandyke@aggiemail.usu.edu Walk: Student participates in walk to end multiple sclerosis A quick painless eye scan may help doctors to monitor disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. 11 continued from page 9 1. Special scanning technique shows thickness of retinal ) nerve fiber layer 2. Thinning of retinal nerve fiber layer may reveal MS nerve damage Inner limiting membrane Pigmented layer 3. Retinal nerve fiber damage is an indicator for brain shrinkage, a marker of MS progression Light direction ing. "I'd do it if someone dared me," she said. "I wouldn't do it on my own time. I'd have to see how effective it is." One chemical form of hair removal, depilatory creams, has been met with some controversy. Depilatory creams dissolve hair, resulting in smooth skin. According to depilatorys. com, the most common forms of depilatories are in "gel, cream, lotion, aerosol and roll-on forms." While depilatories can be less painful than waxing or threading, all the creams come with the risk of allergic reaction. Depilatory creams are, like waxing, available over the counter, though they don't last as long. Like shaving, depilatory creams last as long as hair takes to grow back, because they don't attack the hair at the follicle. Both Walker and Pettit were excited about hair-removal creams, saying they sounded "cool" and awesome. Walker said she'd definitely try it, and Pettit concurred, saying she'd try it in a "heart beat." Hair removal has made its way into the medical community as well, in the form of electrolysis and laser hair removal. According to medicinenet.com , electrolysis devices "destroy the growth center of the hair with chemical or heat energy," after a probe is inserted in the follicle. The website goes on to cite the FDA as saying they "recognize only electrolysis as a permanent method of removing hair." After several treatments, this form of hair removal can be permanent. Unlike depilatories and waxing, there are no creams or solutions with electrolysis, though some treatments can result in red, irritated skin. One down side, electrolysis can be expensive, depending on the cost of the electrologist and the treatments. Though she would try the other forms of hair removal, Pettit said she'd shy away from electrolysis, saying she is a believer in "natural way" of hair removal. "It seems too scientific," she said. Walker agreed, saying she doesn't mind shaving enough to try something that could hurt her skin. One step beyond electrolysis, laser hair removal can destroy about 80 percent of hair after multiple treatments. During the treatments, laser pulses are sent to the desired area, killing the hair. Though some hair may regrow, it tends to be lighter and finer, according to the American Academy of Dermatology website, aad.org. _ • Retina captures light rays, converts them into electrical impulses, which travel along optical nerve to brain with MS. Established in 1989 as the society's only simultaneous national fundraising event and key awareness building weekend, Walk MS attracted 42,000 participants at 42 sites to raise $4 million. Since that time, the event has grown to attract over 200,000 walkers in nearly 600 locations, covering all 50 states who in 2009 raised over $44 million for the MS cause." Ogden had the great honor of hosting a walk a few weeks ago on April 10. Scheduling conflicts led to White being unable to take part in the Ogden walk, but she now plans to complete a walk in Cedar City on May 1. "Although I've done the walks for more than three years," White said, "for the sake of the hundreds of thousands of people that suffer from MS, I have to admit my motivation is selfish. I do it for my mother. I am not naive and realize that it may be years and years before there is a cure. Possibly past both my mother's and my lifetime. But wouldn't it be wonderful if there was a cure found in our lifetimes? I am not a scientist or doctor, I don't have the potential to actually find the cure. Raising money, spreading awareness and giving support to those with the disease is all I can do for now." One in every 300 Utahns is affected by MS in some way or other. It's a tragic trial that befalls many, but many have the chance to make a difference and help discover a cure. Participate in a walk, donate time and energy to end this debilitating disease. — jess.wallace@aggiemail.usu.edu Cross section of retina 0.02 in. (0.5 mm) Sorry... UtahStateUniversity No Pets! REVITALI CAINE SCHOOL OF THE ARTS ORCHESTRA 5114.?‘"°1 Sergio Bernal, Director PRESENTS He can't live with us but you can!! (fish bowls and small aquariums are allowed) • Each couple will receive Concerto Evening School Year: Private Bedrooms Utilities Included Cable TV Internet On-Site Laundry Your Relations hi p $2350-2850 ($200 Deposit) 454 N 400 E Logan .111% :111. • io •• Forest Gate 435-752-1516 University Pines www.universitypinesapartments.com two FREE one on one they perform favorite works of the solo repertoire! Wednesday, April 28, 7:30 PM paid to do it? sessions that are designed to address the unique needs in your relationship Greet the winners of the Concerto Competition as more out of • Want to get your relationship, and get • REVITALIZE is a USU sponsored research study esigned to strengthen your relationship Education provided by qualified consultants through the Family Life Center • Each couple who participates in this study will receive $20 REVITALIZE is a brief educational tool for couples. State-of-the-art assessment Kent Concert Hall instruments give you individualized, accurate, and objective feedback. Designed for all couple types. Tickets: $8 general, students free available at Caine School of the Arts Box Office, 435.797.8022, boxoffice.usu.edu To be the first to participate in this study contact the Family Life Center at (435) 797-7430 For more information call: Dr. Kay Bradford (435) 797 5454 - Aral' r. UtahStateth , rs y |