Sandpaper comes in different ranges; the one recently trending in the viral Tik Tok video is 600 grit sandpaper. This is often used for industrial use best suited for polishing jobs. A similar beauty tool, hair removal mitts, have been on the market for a long time. These have been designed specifically for exfoliating legs and reducing hairs. However, this is not a long-lasting or permanent way to get rid of hair or even ingrown hairs.
A skin and laser expert from Pulse Light Clinic explained Sandpaper to use on your legs can lead to undesired problems and cause the following:
- Inflammation and post-inflammatory pigmentation – if you rub too hard
- Dry skin – following appropriate aftercare
- Scratches and irritation on the skin
- Varicose veins can be damaged
- Can make Eczema worse
- Hair follicle infection, also known as folliculitis which can lead to ingrown hairs, pigmentation, and scarring.
What’s the difference between Sandpaper and laser hair removal?
Laser Hair Removal
- Safe and effective for all skin types.
- The energy produced by a laser.
- Uses higher wavelengths.
- Quicker results in less time than other hair removal methods.
- Not suitable for red, blonde, grey hairs.
Sandpaper
- A textured paper for industrial use.
- Not designed for beauty purposes.
- Cheaper and from the comfort of your own home.
- Time-consuming and more painful.
- Can lead to further skin irritation and problems.
Coming to the effectiveness of these methods, Sandpaper removes hair from the surface of the skin. This means hairs will grow back in as little as a day. Experts would not recommend Sandpaper at all as a hair removal method unless it is specifically designed for beauty purposes. In the video, she mentions the half legs took 30 minutes with a few pieces of Sandpaper used. A razor would take 1 minute and without damaging your skin as much as Sandpaper.
If you’re looking for a long-term solution, opt for laser hair removal, which has been FDA-approved for safety and effectiveness. Laser hair removal can help prevent folliculitis, ingrown hairs, pigmentation, scarring whilst benefiting from up to 80% hair reduction.
Before starting any laser treatments, you should look into having a consultation with a specialist clinic where they will assess your hair and carry out a patch test to ensure there is no reaction with your skin and suitability to begin treatments. In most cases, you will require a course of 8 treatments with 4-8 week intervals depending on the body area and how far along the process you are.
Laser Hair Removal London methods are suitable for all skin types; for fair skin types, you want to ensure the clinic uses Alexandrite, and for darker skin types, the ND: Yag. Gentle Max Pro by Syneron Candela has both of these lasers built-in which means it can treat all skin types. This hair removal method means you will be left with smooth skin without any scratches or further damage to the outer layer of your skin compared to using the sandpaper method.
So, in a trend where there are up and coming beauty trends, you need to make sure you do your research. There are concerns when it comes to using sandpaper.
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