The Ancient Art Of The Thread

Acknowledgement: this post has been created with permission from and courtesy of Thread in Shape, Australia by taking content from their website for educational purposes.

Eyebrow threading is an ancient hair-removal technique, practiced for centuries in India, Asia and the Middle East and now catching the attention of the western world. It is the best alternative to waxing and tweezing, especially for sensitive skin.

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Unlike waxing, threading does not remove a layer of skin, which can leave the skin on your face susceptible to sun damage. By far the least invasive method of facial hair removal, this method creates a graceful brow with clean, well-defined edges that frame the eye.

How it works?

A thin 100% organic cotton thread is doubled, then twisted. It is then rolled over areas of unwanted hair, plucking the hair at the follicle level. Unlike tweezing, where single hair is pulled out one at a time, threading can remove short rows of hair in one go. The movement of the hands plays a vital role in extracting the right amount of unwanted hair from the right spots.

I am afraid of pain. Is it for me?

Most people agree that threading causes less discomfort than brow waxing. Because it targets the hair, threading keeps skin irritation to a minimum. Excessive pulling on delicate skin around the eyes is eliminated, and for those sensitive to waxing or depilatory products, there is no exposure to irritants. Moreover some people have an allergy to wax related products so threading is safe for them and it also causes least irritation to their skin.

Which body areas are suited for threading?

Threading procedure can be applied to most areas of the face including eyebrows, upperlips, chin, neck, sideburns and cheek bones and in some cases even bridge of the nose.

Which is better: Threading or waxing?

Yes threading is known to be a superior option to tweezing, sugaring or waxing. That’s why salons in the States and now Australia have experienced an exponential growth in the demand for this service. Waxing can tug on, pull, stretch, and can peel off a layer of skin. Such harsh treatment can facilitate the development of wrinkles. With threading, there is none of that. You’ll simply look smooth, refreshed and hair-free. Some of the other benefits of threading are:

Less messy and time consuming than waxing.
100% natural; no artificial waxes, chemicals or invasive techniques used
Hair does not grow back as fast.
The skin doesn’t usually gets overly red and irritated.
Threading can target individual hair.
Hair only needs to grow just above the skin to get threaded.
Over time, hair becomes finer and more sparse.
Threading will pick up the finest hair from the surface of the skin.
Excellent option for those who use RetinA, and Accutane. Dermatologist recommended!
100% suitable for skin that is too sensitive for waxing or laser hair removal
Many people who breakout from waxing tend not to breakout from threading
Inexpensive alternative to waxing or laser

How long does threading last?

Depending on your hair type and area of the face, full re-growth can be anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks. Hair will start to grow back sparse and finer after repeated threading because hair is pulled out at the root, which gets weakened through this process. You can get re-threaded as soon hair grows just above the skin.

If I only use threading, what would be my approximate frequency of salon visits?

There cannot be a standard time for every time of hair but usually it would take between a fortnight to six weeks before you need to visit the salon again.

Threading does not require hair to grow long as the thread can “catch‘em young” while waxing requires significant growth before you can redo it.

After Care Tips

Don’t’s

Do not touch the skin for few hours neither apply any make up or perfume during that period
Do not take any thermal treatments for at least one day. This includes tanning, steam/sauna bath etc
Do not go swimming for at least one day

Do’s

Use anti bacterial face wash
Use toner containing either witch hazel or salicylic
Use anti bacterial or anti inflammatory substances like Neosporin or aloe-vera gel or cream.
If you experience any discomfort or have any doubts just consult a dermatologist.

Few myths busted about threading

myth 1: my hair will become darker and thicker over time
truth 1: on the contrary since the hair are removed from the root, they grow finer with time

myth 2: threading is unhygienic since the professional puts the thread in mouth
truth 2: it is true that certain portion of the thread need to be put in the mouth but that part never comes in contact with client’s skin at any time, so it is perfectly hygienic. The reason for putting in the mouth is to maintain tension in the thread so that it can apply the necessary force to pluck the hair from the roots.

myth 3: I have sensitive skin, so I should avoid threading
truth 3: skin specialists recommend threading as safe for use by people who have sensitive skin and use retin-A or accutane. However for people with over sensitive skin, the colour could become pink or red which lasts from few minutes to half an hour. In case you suffer from this, you can rub ice over the skin and avoid applying any lotion till it gets healed. Otherwise threading is fine and safe.

myth 4: I cannot specify my brow shape
truth 4: yes, you certainly can let the professional know about your desired shape. You can also get a natural arch shape if your eyebrows are not like that.

myth 5: people with ACNE cannot do threading
truth 5: this is not true, infact threading is the only safe method which can be used on such skin

myth 6: threading is not suitable for males
truth 6: on the contrary males certainly need to do threading if they want to maintain their natural shape of their eyebrows. This might come in handy when you want to go for an important job interview or just chill out in an impressive manner with your perfect date.

myth 7: I have cosmetic surgery so I cannot do threading
truth 7: it is partially true that you should not get threading done on your skin immediately after cosmetic procedure but after getting fully healed, it is okay to do so. Just consult your doctor for the safe time period and you should be fine.

Myth 8: I cannot get threading done after tanning
truth 8: yes, you cannot get threaded immediately after tanning but after two days it is fine to do so. Actually the skin becomes over sensitive after tanning so you should give a transition time for about two days.