Plucking is a form of hair removal that involves using tweezers to pull hair out at the root. Plucking is a simple method that lets you immediately remove hair from an area of your body that you can easily see. With all of the hair removal options available today, plucking remains a popular method.
Uses
Plucking is commonly used to remove small patches of stray hair, particularly on the face. Many women pluck their eyebrow hair to shape their brows. Plucking is also the most common hair removal method women turn to when they want to remove excess facial hair, such as stray hairs on the upper lip or chin, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Advantages
Unlike other forms of hair removal, plucking costs nothing because you do not have to keep buying equipment or pay a technician to remove the hair. If you do not have much hair to remove, plucking is a quick method of hair removal. Plucking often has long-lasting results. Hair may take three to eight weeks to grow back after being plucked, according to The Nemours Foundation.
Disadvantages
Plucking does cause some pain as the hair is pulled out. The method is not a good option if you have a large area of hair that needs to be removed. If you have more than a few hairs to remove, plucking can be more time consuming than other methods, such as shaving. It is also possible for plucking to lead to ingrown hairs, pitting or scarring, according to The Hair Removal Journal.
Considerations
Clean tweezers with alcohol before you pluck hair to avoid transferring infection-causing bacteria to your face. Occasionally, it is a good idea to sterilize your tweezers by boiling them. Wash the tweezers in soap and water, and boil them in a covered pot for 15 minutes, recommends the Ohio State University Medical Center. Store your tweezers in a clean container.
Warning
If you notice redness, swelling or pain in an area that you have plucked, see a doctor to rule out infection. If you want to remove nose hair, opt for trimming methods instead of plucking, which could lead to infection.
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