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How Does Hair Removal Spray Work? (& How to Use It)

By Mariela
Updated: August 18, 2023
7 minutes

Hair removal sprays are one of the least known but most feasible methods of removing objectionable hair from the body. Although you might be linking hair removal sprays with women as they are the ones mostly wanting to get rid of unwanted hair, these easy-to-use sprays are equally used by men to groom the thick hair on their body and look all-set to go shirtless.

So, let us find out what these small bottles hold, how they help in trimming unwanted hair, and how to use them safely. Also, let us discuss the pros and cons of such spray foams to decide if they are worth a try.

Lastly, we have another equally feasible, safer, and better method of hair removal for both men and women. So, to know about hair removal sprays, stay tuned.

What is a Hair Removal Spray?

Have you ever used a depilatory cream or even heard of it? If yes, hair removal sprays are actually depilatory creams in a spray form. And if you are completely clueless about depilation, let us tell you about it.

Depilation is a process where unwanted hair is removed from the body by the use of chemicals or mechanical force. It involves removing hair above the skin surface or near the roots. Regarding Depilatory sprays, they contain active chemical agents to help you remove hair without pain.

Are Hair Removal Sprays Safe?

If we talk about using depilatory sprays once in a while, they are surely safe as long as you do a patch test before using any spray to know if your skin can take it. Moreover, FDA cleared also helps in eliminating doubts regarding their safety.

However, the long-term or improper use of hair removal sprays is not recommended as they contain harsh chemicals that can damage the skin and even lead to the formation of blisters, chemical reactions, or burns.

How Does Hair Removal Spray Work?

Hair removal sprays are formulated with highly-potent chemicals like thioglycolic acid, this lactic acid, and potassium hydroxide. Thioglycolic acids break the out layer of hair strands, the cuticle, and allow other agents to enter the hair shaft.

Those agents reach the cortex of the hair, cause it to swell, and break the keratin protein in the hair. Consequently, the hair become so weak that they break when you wipe them with a spatula or a wet cloth.

Hair removal sprays work under the surface of the skin. So, their results last for a week or so in contrast to mechanical depilatory and shaving.

Pros and Cons of Hair Removal Spray

Pros

No Mess:

Hair removal sprays are a quick and easy method to remove hair at home without any mess as in waxing.

No Touching:

While you need to use your hands for an even application of depilatory creams, all you need to do is spray hair removal sprays to apply them on any area of the body without having to touch your skin.

No Pain:

Unlike waxing, shaving, or epilation, hair removal sprays are absolutely pain-free.

Not Expensive:

Hair removal sprays are one of the most inexpensive methods of hair removal. Most of them only cost $10-15 and can last for a month or two.

Cons

Specific Chemical Odor:

Because all hair removal sprays have the same active ingredients, they also have the same specific irritating chemical odor. However, some brands add fragrance-neutralizing agents to their formulas.

Allergic or Chemical Reaction:

Excessive use of hair removal creams can lead to skin redness, itching, burns, and even the formation of blisters.

Needs to be Repeated Every Week

As the hair follicles are broken in half rather than being pulled off from roots, hair starts to grow back after a few days making you bushy within a week.

Not for Face

Hair removal sprays are designed for large areas like the chest, arms, legs, or even intimate areas. But they cannot be used on the face as the facial hair are fine and fewer. Moreover, the skin on the face is delicate and sensitive.

Steps to Use Hair Removal Spray

As hair removal sprays are one of the easiest methods of hair removal, the steps to use them are also simple and easy.

Prepare your Skin

Before applying hair removal spray, make sure your skin is clean and completely dry. Because the spray foam might slip on wet skin and cause a mess.

Do a Patch Test

A patch test is an imperative protocol before using any product, especially a chemical-containing product on your skin. So, remove hair from a small area using the spray. Then wait for 24 hours to see if your skin has any adverse reaction.

If your skin stays healthy, you are good to use the product on larger areas.

Shake and Spray

As the sprays are either in a liquid or a cream form inside the bottle, they need to be shaken well before use to mix their constituents and get a good consistency.

After that, hold the spray can a few inches away from your skin and press its pump. It is best to create a thick and even layer of spray foam over the unwanted hair.

Wait and Wait

The active agents of hair removal sprays need a few minutes to act. So, wait for 4-10 minutes depending on how dense and thick your hair are. Also, never keep the spray on for more than 15 minutes as it can burn even dissolve the protein of your skin and burn it.

Remove a Small Section of Hair

After 4-6 minutes, wipe off a small area of the skin to check if hair comes out. If they do, you can wash the whole area. And if they do not wait for a few more minutes before cleaning your skin.

Wipe off the Spray Foam

Take a spatula or a damp soft cloth and gently remove the spray foam from your skin. The hair will be removed as the area is wiped off leaving you with silky hairless skin.

Rinse the Treated Area Thoroughly

Lastly, you do not want any product residues, right? Wash your body and the treatment area thoroughly with lukewarm water to ensure that there is no spray left behind.

Moisturize the Skin

Hair removal sprays are liable to dry out the skin. So, you should apply a good body moisturizer over the treatment area to counter the side effects of hair removal sprays.

Advantages of an IPL device over Hair Removal Spray

As hair removal sprays can not be a lifetime solution to removing unwanted hair safely. So, we recommend using an IPL device for benefits no other hair removal method can bestow you.

Therefore, the time and effort-saving Ulike Sapphire Air3 Hair Removal IPL device can become your go-to solution and a superior substitute to hair removal sprays with no side effects.

Let us see what makes Ulike IPL a better device.

Hair Removal without any Chemicals

Ulike sapphire Air3 hair removal IPL device uses intense light energy to break down the hair strands and kill hair follicles. There are no chemicals, no pulling of the skin, or no other agents used. So, you achieve salon-like hairlessness without any chemicals.

Additionally, it has three comfort modes to make this exceptional device even more gentle on your body.

No Irritation or Sensitivity

As there are no chemicals, there is no adverse chemical reaction caused by this elegant IPL device. Hair removal with Ulike is comfortable and pain-free.

Moreover, its upgraded ice-cooling technology adds to your comfort and even soothes the skin, and causes no irritation, redness, or burning.

No Pigmentation of Skin

Another side effect of hair removal sprays we did not mention earlier is hyperpigmentation of the skin after using them for months or years.

This is not the case with the Ulike Sapphire Air3 hair removal IPL device. First of all, you do not need to use it every week. And even if you use it regularly, it protects the skin rather than harming it.

Results that Last for Months

Ulike sapphire Air3 IPL handset works to kill hair-producing cells. So, it gives outstanding results within 3-4 weeks. And these results last for up to half a year.

During that time, you only need a few touch-ups once in a while.

Lifetime Investment

Hair removal sprays are cheap, right? Buying about 12 hair removal sprays each for $10-15 within one year is spending up to $180. And if you calculate the cost for 5 years, it is $900.

Now are hair removal sprays cheap? On the other hand, you only need to pay $379 once for 50+ years of hassle-free hairlessness.

Comparison Table

This comparison table will help you know more about the differences between IPL and hair removal sprays.

Parameter

Hair removal spray

Ulike Air3

Better Method

Mechanism of hair removal

Active chemical agents

Intense pulse light

Ulike

Cost

>$700 for 5 years

$379 for 50+ years

Ulike

Results lasting

1 week

6 months

Ulike

Safe for lifetime use

No

Yes

Ulike

Skin irritation

Maybe

No

Ulike

Pain-free

Yes

Yes

Both

Hassle-free

Yes

Yes

Both

Conclusion

Hair removal sprays use chemical agents to cut off the hair strands. They are a skin-friendly, nearly painless, and safe method of hair removal for short-term use. However, if you want a method that you can use forever, IPL is the one.

Moreover, hair removal sprays are a few easy step method of removing unwanted hair in the privacy of your bathroom at home, so is using a hair removal IPL device.

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