We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Are the Best Tips for Using Tweezers for Hair Removal?

By Christina Edwards
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 27,117
Share

Using tweezers for hair removal is a rather simple and inexpensive way to remove individual hairs. Salon experts have a number of tips to make this process as easy and painless as possible. Choosing the right kind of tweezers, for example, is important. It is also important to clean the skin before tweezing, use plenty of light, and pluck hair correctly.

When using tweezers to remove hair, choosing the right pair of tweezers can make a big difference. Although inexpensive tweezers may suffice, many salon experts recommend buying high-quality tools. These usually have tiny ridges on the tips to help grip the hair better. As a general rule of thumb, slanted tips work best for ordinary tweezing jobs, like shaping eyebrows. Pointed tweezers, on the other hand, are good for fine and ingrown hairs.

Choosing a comfortable pair of tweezers may be another consideration for some individuals. Some pairs of tweezers come with wide handles for more precision. Rubber-coated handles may provide a better grip, preventing the fingers from slipping off.

Before using tweezers for hair removal, it is important to have clean skin. Washing the area with soap and warm water, as well as exfoliating, before hair removal can help prevent infection and ingrown hairs. Warm water also will soften the hairs and open the pores, which can make the hairs easier to remove. Tweezing after a hot shower is best, but applying a warm washcloth to the area for a few moments has the same effect.

Using tweezers safely is also important, especially when tweezing around the eyes. Lots of light and a magnified mirror will not only help a person see the individual hairs better, but also decrease the chances of accidentally poking her eye. Some tweezers even come packaged with a light and magnifier.

Although this method of hair removal often results in little pain, some individuals may want to numb the area a bit before starting. Carefully applying a topical numbing spray or gel is one option. Some experts also recommend putting a pair of tweezers in the freezer for a time before using them for home hair removal. The cold metal can help numb the skin a bit.

To correctly use tweezers for hair removal, a person should gently pull the skin tight first. Then, she can grab one or two hairs at a time and firmly and evenly pull them out in the direction that the hair grows. To make finer hairs more noticeable or when shaping brows, the hairs can be colored with a white eyeliner pencil.

Red, irritated skin can be soothed after using tweezers for hair removal by applying aloe vera gel. Ice may also help relieve the pain, redness, and swelling in the area. To keep the tweezers clean and prevent infection, tweezers should be wiped with alcohol before storage.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
By fify — On Dec 11, 2013

I generally don't use tweezers for hair removal. I use other hair removal products like creams or hair removal wax.

I was gifted a great set recently though that has some very nice tweezers. One of the tweezers is made especially for ingrown hairs. It has a sharp end that can reach slight into skin to pull out ingrown hair. I've used it a few times and it works great. I think it's going to come in handy because I get ingrown hairs a lot.

By SarahGen — On Dec 10, 2013

@donasmrs-- Try the numbing gel, it will help. Also, you should be tweezing after a hot shower because hot water softens hair. This helps hair come out more easily and less painfully. This is what I always do.

I don't use numbing gel, but I do apply ice after I tweeze to reduce redness and any aching. It works well. I also make sure that I have good lighting and a close-up mirror before I use tweezers on my eyebrows. It's very easy to grab skin instead of hairs with a tweezer. I've done it a few times and it was very painful.

By donasmrs — On Dec 10, 2013

I think that tweezing is the best hair removal method for eyebrows. It's easier to shape eyebrows with tweezers because it's more precise. But it's very painful! I think I need to get some numbing gel.

Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-are-the-best-tips-for-using-tweezers-for-hair-removal.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.