Ladies who know about Cosmetics

triceretops · Jul 9, 2007

I need to know about the best way/product to remove excessive hair. Would you wax it? Or are there other methods of removing unwanted hair, like laser or electrolisis? How does that work and how long would laser or electrolisis last?

Also, what kind of a product (brand name or generic term) would you use to hide large birth marks or livers spots? I'm thinking a skin cream of some type but I need something for a more serious aspect. Say some gal has very bad skin spots or blotches...what would she use to cover it with--something that would last?

Oh, hell, I just better come right out and say it--I'm trying to treat a case of hypertrichois...that is the werewolf syndrome--excessive body hair. (No, not me, for gawd's sakes).

I would imagine electric grooming razor first, then waxing or shaving, and then the body cream to cover those nasty skin pigmentations.

Could someone suggest the process to do this? Please site brand names that might be used.

Also, would it be common for a woman afflicted with this disease to receive estrogen supplements or shots in an attempt to halt or slow this down?

Tri

Bubastes · Jul 9, 2007

Can't help you much with the hair removal question except that, IIRC, laser is the most permanent way to get rid of unwanted hair.

For covering birthmarks and spots on the face, you use concealer. Ladies usually apply foundation to even out their skin tone, then apply concealer to areas that require additional coverage. Powder goes over all that to set the makeup.

For liver spots on the hands and face, some women use a fade cream like Porcelana or other cream with hydroquinone.

I hope this helps!

Siddow · Jul 9, 2007

For hair removal, your 'character' (hehe) might use a dilapatory(sp?) cream like Nair. You smooth it on and let it sit. It smells like sulfer while it's working. You wait a short while, then wipe off the hair with a cloth.

But waxing is also good, and can be done at home, but it's quite painful. Wipe on warm wax with a small paddle-like thing, press cloth onto the warm wax, press, hold the skin taut around the area and riiiipppp!

The problem with both of those solutions is that you have to have a certain length of hair to get them to work, about 1/4 inch or so. The result can last weeks for a normal human, but if your 'character' (hehe) has rapid growth, this could be a daily process.

For electrolosis or laser removal, they would need a professional to do it, unless they somehow got hold of the equipment and learned how to do it.

Concealer and foundation would be a quick solution to the pigment problem, but there's also age-spot creams on the market to fade discolorations. I don't have any product names, but you could probably google for it, or check out Sally Beauty Supply.

Maryn · Jul 9, 2007

One readily-available mark concealer is Physician's Formula products, originally designed to cover scars and birthmarks with a very heavy foundation. They moved on to marketing products to conceal lesser flaws and correct color variations like rosacea (overly pink skin) and vitiligo (loss of pigment). It's now in many drugstores. (It's also rumored to be what Michael Jackson uses on all the skin that shows when he's dressed, to cover vitiligo.)

Women with unwanted facial hair seem to go through various stages dealing with it. Many start with bleaching it--a white paste that stays on a while--then advance to shaving, then waxing or a depilatory, which requires that it be allowed to grow out.

A hair problem is most easily solved permanently through electrolysis or laser treatment, which needs to be done professionally. However, there are plenty of home-based treatment places. See the movie "TransAmerica" for how a transgendered character got some emergency hair-zapping done in someone's home beauty parlor.

Maryn, whose daughter's friend was forced to get her unibrow done before starting college

triceretops · Jul 9, 2007

Thanks for these wonderful anwers--you certainly nailed everything and I'm glad I waited before I wrote that scene.

Tri

sharra · Jul 10, 2007

try out this website :
http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic811.htm

It has quite a bit of info on it, including treatment & pathology.

scarletpeaches · Jul 10, 2007

Depends on where the hair is.

MonaLeigh · Jul 10, 2007

One thing about the laser treatment is it has to be done more than once. I had it done and it does grow back, maybe not as thick as it was. My cousin works in a spa and she said you have to go back a few times to get it to stop growing.

PattiTheWicked · Jul 10, 2007

As far as the makeup goes, there's a product called Dermablend which a lot of plastic surgeons used to recommend for patients who had problems with post-operative scarring. It can also be used to cover port-wine stains fairly successfully.

HoosierCowgirl · Jul 10, 2007

I'd go with Nair (chemical hair remover) for large areas like legs and wax strips for eyebrows. The strips are cellophane and you can cut them to shape, press on and peel off. It helps to grit your teeth and yell "Hoo-yah!" when you rip

Nair can be an irritant.

As for covering up marks there are lots of cosmetic products. Perhaps you'd go with a cover-up for the scar itself then a heavy coverage foundation.

Maybe a real make-up artist would know ...

JoniBGoode · Jul 11, 2007

I know that models use "body coverage" makeup to conceal scars, bruises, birthmarks, tatoos and other flaws. It's heavier, more opaque and more durable than regular makeup. It comes in different shades, so you can match your skin tone exactly. You can buy it at a department store beauty counter.

Here are some links for concealers that are used to hide birthmarks:

http://www.birthmark.org/cosmetic.php
http://www.camouflageskin.com/
http://www.dermablend.com/tipsfromthepros.aspx

I would imagine the challenges your character faces with hair removal are similar to those faced by men who pass as women, but more severe. Here's information on hair removal from a website for male-to-female transgendered individuals: http://www.translife.net/tg101/hair.htm

BTW- I can't use Nair, because it takes off a layer of skin, as well as the hair. (I end up with raw, painful red bumps that last for several weeks. I can't shave while they last.) I could be wrong, but I think I read somewhere that this is why depilatories never caught on for men's facial hair. Anything that was strong enough to remove a wiry beard was also strong enough to seriously irritate the skin.

HTH

sassandgroove · Jul 11, 2007

Also, I read an article in Prevention about Health Spas and there aren't any consistent laws they have to follow. Laser treatment can be a good option, but not at any spa. A woman in the article had 3rd degree burns and scarring, and another woman died.
Sass- who shaves. I use schick (but I do buy the pink ones even though the only difference is the color.) and I use cheapo shaving cream like - er - oh man I can't think of the name _ ah barbasol. Sometimes I buy the girl kind that smells flowery or fruity, but still cheap! Just don't skimp on the razor.

Kate Thornton · Jul 11, 2007

For sun and "liver" spots on hands, a product called Lumedia works wonders. I love it, but it's expensive ($90 a small bottle)

JoNightshade · Jul 11, 2007

Okay, my experience with hair removal...

For legs, Nair does NOT cut it. Not only does it only partially remove my hair (which is thick, not quite werewolf-rate, but pretty close!

), I get the whole breaking out in red rashes thing. Have to stick with shaving the legs. Frequently. I know women who shave their arms too. Ugh.

As for face, I go to a salon to get my lip/eyebrow waxed about once every 2 months. I tried using home waxes, but... uh... well, the first time I tried it I started with the right half of my upper lip. It hurt SO BAD I was standing there looking in the mirror, crying, going "How the heck am I gonna work up the guts to do the OTHER side?" It's 100% better to have someone else do it, because it requires major psychological prepping to do it yourself.

My husband is also hairy... our children are going to be monkeys! ::sob::

triceretops · Jul 11, 2007

Basically what I did was use the large shaving (grooming shears), then followed that up with the small hand shaver, and then waxed the more hard to reach places--ears, eyelids, toes and fingers and such. Then I went foundation followed by the dermal cream. I think that process makes sense. Of course, this lady was a captive in a compound, so there was no opportunity for her to get the electrolisis or laser treatments.

Thanks all for the precise answers.

Tri

PastMidnight · Jul 11, 2007

Another option for at-home hair removal is an electric epilator. Basically tweezes the hair off, like waxing, but not messy.

Ladies who know about Cosmetics

triceretops

Bubastes

bananaed

Siddow

I'm super! Thanks for asking

Maryn

Baaa!

triceretops

sharra

scarletpeaches

MonaLeigh

Wasting time

PattiTheWicked

Unleashing Hell.

HoosierCowgirl

JoniBGoode

sassandgroove

Sassy haircut

Kate Thornton

Still Happy to be Here. Or Anywhere

JoNightshade

has finally arrived

triceretops

PastMidnight

Oponionated