Hair Removal Spray: Is It Side Effects, Is It Safe, and More

Although depilatory creams have been used to remove hair quickly from the body and sometimes the face as well, the treatment could get a little messy. So, to make chemical depilation even more hassle-free, quick, and contamination-less, hair removal sprays were introduced.

Moreover, hair removal sprays are also popular among men as they help groom the large areas on their chest, abdomen, and back in a few minutes. Regardless of the popularity of their use, women and even men have their concerns about such sprays.

In this article, we have going to address those concerns about your safety. So, you can find information about the safety, the compatible areas for use, side effects, a better alternative, and more.

Additionally, if you are looking for a good-quality hair removal spray that is also user-friendly and gentle on the skin, check out the best hair removal sprays in 2023 here.

What are Hair Removal Sprays?

Hair removal sprays are depilatory sprays used to remove unwanted hair from the body by chemicals. These sprays are just like hair removal creams. In hair removal creams, a cream emulsion is used as the base in contrast to fuming ingredients used in hair removal sprays.

As a result, dispensing and even spreading the spray becomes easier and quicker. However, you also have to be more cautious while using the sprays so that you do not get the chemical-containing product into sensitive areas like your eyes.

How Do Hair Removal Sprays Work?

The principle behind the use of hair removal sprays is chemical depilation. These sprays contain active chemicals including sodium hydroxide, thioglycolic acid, lactic acid, and similar protein-dissolving ingredients.

Thioglycolic acid in hair removal sprays first creates a breach in the outer cuticle layer of hair strands and allows sodium hydroxide and other chemicals into the hair. Such chemicals melt away the keratin and other proteins of hair. Consequently, hair strands break and you can remove the hair by wiping them away.

Further, you can find details about how hair removal sprays work here.

Are Hair Removal Sprays Safe?

The one-word answer to this concern is Yes. Hair removal sprays are completely safe to be used on the skin to get rid of unwanted hair. Additionally, they are cleared by FDA and dermatologists also recommend some high-quality hair removal sprays.

Regardless of the safety of such sprays, their long-term use is not recommended because of the continuous exposure of the skin and body to chemicals. So, if you are looking for a short-term solution, hair removal sprays are safe and if you want to use them for a long time, we suggest you reconsider.

Is Hair Removal with Depilatory Sprays Painful?

One of the plus points of hair removal sprays that make women and even men choose them is the nearly painlessness. No matter how thick and coarse your hair is and how delicate your skin is, your hair will be gone absolutely with no pain by using de[ilatory sprays. So, these are a good alternative to painful shaving and waxing.

Can the Active Chemicals in Hair Removal Sprays Irritate the Skin?

Unfortunately yes. But the good thing is that in most cases, they are gentle on the skin. Hair removal sprays only irritate the skin when instructions are not followed meticulously, when the spray is applied over sensitive skin, or when you use them on already bruised, injured, or irritated skin.

This irritation is because of the protein-dissolving chemicals in hair removal sprays which begin to act on the vulnerable skin. So, as long as you do not keep them on for longer than 10 to 15 minutes, you are good to go.

Can You Use Hair Removal Sprays on Your Face?

Sadly no. Although nearly painless and safe for the skin, hair removal sprays cannot be used on the face. For the reason that our facial features like eyes and lips are sensitive and you cannot get the spray on your face without spraying it on such parts.

Moreover, you would want your upper lips and sideburns gone not the eyebrows and eye shadows, right? As the application of hair removal sprays cannot be precise, these are not suitable for the face.

Can You Use Hair Removal Sprays on Private Parts?

Yes, hair removal sprays can be used on private parts. You just have to be careful while spraying them so that you do not get them inside your intimate areas. Also, they are suitable to be used on the chest, bikini lines, and armpits.

What are the Possible Side Effects of Hair Removal Sprays?

Although not very common and not associated with the use for a few months or even years, hair removal sprays can cause the following side effects.

1. Skin Redness and Irritation

First things, if you leave the spray longer than 10 to 15 minutes, you would experience skin redness. This redness will be gone within a few days. Leaving the spray for a long time or using it on sensitive skin can cause irritation.

2. Chemical Reactions and Allergies

Although hair removal sprays are safe to use as explained above, they can cause chemical reactions and allergies. This is because the chemicals may react with the skin.

3. Aggravated Skin Sensitivity

Hair removal sprays come with a gentle formula but they might not suit sensitive skin. So, if your skin reacts to products adversely, it is best to avoid using hair removal sprays. And do a patch test if you want to try one.

4. Blisters and Peeling of Skin

Another side effect of hair removal sprays is chemical burns which lead to the peeling of skin or blisters. This happens when such sprays dissolve the proteins of the skin along with the hair.

5. Hyperpigmentation

The chemical makeup of hair removal sprays affects the production of melanin in the skin by stimulating melanocytes. As a result, areas of uneven skin tone and hyperpigmented skin can form.

What to Use if Not a Hair Removal Spray?

Now you must be wondering that if you cannot use hair removal sprays for a long time and shaving or waxing is too painful and inconvenient for you, what choice you are left with? Well, IPL hair removal can provide results better than shaving, waxing, or depilatory sprays with more safety and efficiency.

Plus if you are looking for a recommendation, the Ulike Air3 IPL hair removal Device is one of the top and most luxurious IPL hair removal devices in the market.

Advantages of IPL over Hair Removal Sprays

Let us see why we recommend using IPL devices over hair removal sprays below.

• No Redness, Irritation, or Skin Sensitivity

IPL hair removal has no chemicals. The IPL hair removal devices are gentle on second because of multiple safety mechanisms. So, you face no skin redness, irritation, or sensitivity by removing hair with IPL.

Additionally, Ulike Air3 has an exclusive sapphire technology that provides an ice-cooling effect to protect the skin and make hair removal nearly painless.

• No Changes in Skin Color

IPL hair removal might be based on the difference in the pigment of hair and skin, it does not interfere with the production of melanin in any case. So, your skin tone and hair color will remain the same after your treatment with IPL.

• Affordable Lifetime Solution to Hair Removal

A suitable and gentle hair removal spray costs $10 to $40 and lasts only a month or two. So, you must pay around $300 yearly to deal with unwanted hair. In contrast, you only pay once with a Ulike IPL device for the whole life making it a more affordable solution.

• Can be Used on Face and Intimate Areas

You cannot use hair removal sprays on the face and have to be cautious while using them on private parts. While with IPL devices, they are safe to be used on face and intimate areas with precision and safety.

• More Skin-Friendly

IPL hair removal is more skin-friendly because of the UV filters, skin tone sensors, ice-cooling technology, multiple comfort modes, and several intensity levels. This helps to customize the treatment according to the requirements of your skin and hair.

Comparison Table

This comparison table will help you determine the usefulness of IPL over hair removal sprays at one glance.

Conclusion

Although chemical-containing hair removal sprays are cleared by FDA as a safe method of hair removal, these sprays can cause chemical reactions, burns, hyperpigmentation, and irritation. So, we recommend using another hair removal method like IPL to keep your skin protected from chemicals and such side effects.