"If the question involves your genitalia, please ask anonymously"

March 10, 2009 10:09 AM

Is there a non-laser way to thin hair while not totally removing it?

I [female] would like less pubic hair. This is a comfort thing, not vanity.

The stuff is just too abundant. Long, thick, coarse. Scraggly, itchy. And ANY sort of shaving or trimming means weeks of being poked by the spikes that remain, so any hair reduction method that requires cutting is not desirable. Even waxing = spiky regrowth.

I am too old to have been caught up in the current pubic grooming fad so am irritated to be looking into this, but as I get older the bush is just getting more annoying.

I was just trying to figure out how the no! no! actually works with little luck. It appears it does involve having to shave the hair? Is there anything else on the market that will "achieve hair density reduction at home," permanently? I am fine with putting a bit of work into this now, not fine with anything that will want constant maintenance.

I am put off laser hair removal given the pain involved, but if that's the only way to go for this, please tell me as much...

posted by anonymous to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (8 answers total)

ThermiconTM works on the thermal principle of heat transference conducting a gentle pulse of heat down the hair follicle. The hair is then separated close to the skin while the signal continues to travel down into the follicle where hair growth takes place. In the follicle the ThermiconTM Effect is thought to disrupt the cell communication responsible for hair regrowth. The more often this happens, the more effective the treatment is.

from the no!no! website.

The no!no!... singes / "turns to ash" / disrupts cell communication of the hair (based on three different stages of hair growth) to remove it. I haven't seen anything on the website that mentions any kind of hair cutting.

Also, you might want to try Aveeno's Postively Smooth Moisturizing Lotion -- I use it wherever I shave and while it's not going to instantly reduce the amount of noticeable hair, it really does seem like the hairs are a little thinner and definitely less spikey when they start growing in again.
posted by alynnk at 10:45 AM on March 10, 2009 [1 favorite]

I don't find laser hair removal to be terribly painful. Compared to a bikini wax, for example, I would MUCH prefer to be zapped with the laser. It's also been very effective in thinning the hair dramatically, less effective in actually removing all the hair for good (although I do not keep up with the recommended timing regime, and go twice a year during Spa Week, so maybe that's my own fault). I take an advil before the procedure to reduce swelling and treat with aloe vera afterwards, but the pain of the actual procedure is really quite minimal. I hardly even flinch.

You can also do some research, as some types of electrolysis and some machines in particular are known for being less painful than others. The last time I had it done, I didn't even know it had started!

Aside from electrolysis, I can just recommend that after trimming, you use conditioner to soften the ends of the remaining hair. Seems weird, but it does seem to help with the pointyness.
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty at 11:18 AM on March 10, 2009

Some people have good luck with Vaniqa.

I also wholeheartedly recommend electrolysis. I had it on my face & underarms and it was the best thing I ever did for my appearance. I never did get around to doing the bikini area, though.

Have you not had good luck with electric trimmers? I find that it can cut the hairs short enough that they don't curl back around and stab me. At the same time, since they're being trimmed, rather than shaved down to the skin, it doesn't poke and itch when it grows back in. Works for me.
posted by jillsy_sloper at 11:48 AM on March 10, 2009

I am put off laser hair removal given the pain involved, but if that's the only way to go for this, please tell me as much...

Honestly, it's not so bad, and if you choose a good machine/operator, you may only need a few sessions months apart to get rid of it almost completely. I'm not saying it won't hurt, but the benefits really outweigh the costs. Electrolysis (in my experience) is waaay more painful, and most other methods simply don't last. Memail me if you want machine recommendations/discommendations.

As for no!no!, it's not permanent, but it's still pretty expensive and probably painful to boot.
posted by Sova at 1:39 PM on March 10, 2009

Here's an odd possibility: "thinning shears"

They wouldn't cause rash because you're not cutting the hair at the pore.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 1:48 PM on March 10, 2009

If you wax often enough, it will thin out on its own.
posted by availablelight at 2:25 PM on March 10, 2009

Look into a center that uses the Soprano XL laser, as it's completely and totally painless. I had a session done on my legs, and - honest to god - nearly dozed off because it just felt like a massage. I was amazed, befuddled, and deliriously happy.

Worth every penny :)
posted by Bakuun at 7:54 PM on March 10, 2009 [3 favorites]

If you wax often enough, it will thin out on its own.

If that were true, there wouldn't be any laser clinics or electrolysis technicians.
posted by jillsy_sloper at 1:47 PM on March 11, 2009