Plucking describes the process of removing human hair, animal hair or a birds feathers by mechanically pulling the item from the owner's body.
In humans this is done for personal grooming purposes, usually with tweezers. An epilator is a motorised hair plucker.
In birds and animals plucking is usually done by humans to the carcus of the subject as part of food preparation.
Roman baths employed individuals solely to pluck hair from their clients bodies.
Threading (epilation)
Threading is an ancient method of hair removal that is still used in parts of the Middle and Far East. Thin, twisted cotton threads are rolled over untidy hairlines, mustaches and so on, plucking the offending hair. In Western countries, threading can still be found being performed in beauty salons. Like other methods of hair removal which involve plucking, threading can result in ingrown hairs.
Threading is known as khite in Arabic, but in Egypt is referred to as fatlah.
Ingrown hair
Ingrown hair is a condition where the hair curls back or grows sideways into the skin. It may or may not be accompanied by an infection of the hair follicle (folliculitis) or "razor bumps" (Pseudofolliculitis barbae). It most commonly appears in areas where the skin is shaved (beard, legs), but can appear anywhere.
Anything which causes the hair to be broken off short with a sharp tip. Shaving is the leading cause, followed by tight clothing.
Symptoms
- rash (reddened skin area)
- itching skin
- hair which remains in spite of shaving
Treatment
- Applying aftershave lotion to reduce irritation
- Manually removing ingrown hairs with special tweezers
- Shaving in a different direction
- Allowing the hair to grow in order to cause the hair to come out straighter
- Using special razors that leave the hair longer
- Exfoliating with facial scrubs, sponges, towels, or creams containing acids
If the area is infected, see a dermatologist.
