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By BASRA HAIDER AL ARABIYALaser-hair-removal has served the Arabian woman well. We are perhaps more grateful for it than any other women, because the hair is dark, because there’s a lot of it; because-most of us are waxed at the tender age of eight or nine, the belief being that if the hair is removed before puberty then it has less of a growth spurt when everything else starts to grow.Growing-up in North America, I was spared this ordeal of getting waxed at a tender age. I personally tried waxing for the first time when I was 15, but did not stick to it, it was expensive to afford and the pain unbearable. But I soon realized that shaving was not the answer for me, either, as my-blonde sisters suggested; unlike their hair, my hair would grow back not only within a few days but sharp as needles, each leg hurting the other as I got under the covers, and-horror if you accidently rubbed arms with your date when you left the shaving a few days too long! I had no choice but to try and find another solution and until then to endure waxing.
Laser-hair-removal really works! In my case, I did it for the-first time in 2000. To my joy I read that a new laser machine had come out for brown skin tones! At that time, I didn’t have much of a choice as to where to go. Dubai had the option of two clinics that had-this latest laser machine I was after, a Diode.
At the time it was very expensive and I opted to go for the underarms, bikini-line and half legs and my first session was horrifically-painful and I thought I would be scared for life.
But, the marks went away and so did about 80 percent of the-hair in one session! Money well invested! Freedom! I have to admit-that to date it is still the best session I have had and it was in a plastic surgery clinic not at a dermatologist or beautician. Today, they have more-sophisticated Diode machines and a newer Yag laser, which is safer for almost-all dark tones, as long as the hair is darker than the skin-tone, the best being a Nd Yag.
The worse-experiences I have had in Dubai are in beauty salons. There is something that is called a pulse light system, and this was for a while allowed in beauty salons and was a cheaper option than the laser at a doctor’s clinic. Personally, it did not give the same permanent-results, and I was told I would need multiple sessions. My two experiences with the lamp-type hair removal system left me scarred for years on my face and my arms.
The one that burnt my facial skin was called a “Spa Touch 2 Photo epil`tion, but the technician insisted that the fault was hers and that the machine was excellent and that she had forgotten to pull my-skin taut while applying it. The one used on my arms was an IPL ( Intense Pulsed Light ) machine. However, IPL systems have evolved into a far more sophisticated--machines today that can treat from almost white to the darkest hair on all skin tones. The best being the AIPL Pulsar
For me, laser hair removal is the real deal. However, the operator-is of utmost importance, perhaps more than the machine itself. Many technicians and clinics are afraid of burning dark skin tones, sometimes they play it too safe, they keep the power--so low and in some cases, the laser can actually stimulate hair growth! Some clinics may continue the practice because it gets you to come back! Do your-research and find a doctor not beautician to work on you and endure the pain during the test path, for better results. Done right, it is worth it.
Do keep in mind that once the hair is gone, it does not come back. For example, the only regret that I have is when I actually had my-brow hair done at the suggestion of the technician, yes I too sometimes fall into the trap of giving over my decision making power over to an “expert,” so it has limited me to what I can do with my brows. And I am surprised to hear that most women request a full Brazilian I cannot help but think-- what if that trend changes too!
I say, “Viva Laser Hair Removal! Forever Silky Smooth!”
(Basra Haider covers the beauty-industry. She can be reached at: basra@consultant.com)
By BASRA HAIDER AL ARABIYALaser-hair-removal has served the Arabian woman well. We are perhaps more grateful for it than any other women, because the hair is dark, because there’s a lot of it; because-most of us are waxed at the tender age of eight or nine, the belief being that if the hair is removed before puberty then it has less of a growth spurt when everything else starts to grow.Growing-up in North America, I was spared this ordeal of getting waxed at a tender age. I personally tried waxing for the first time when I was 15, but did not stick to it, it was expensive to afford and the pain unbearable. But I soon realized that shaving was not the answer for me, either, as my-blonde sisters suggested; unlike their hair, my hair would grow back not only within a few days but sharp as needles, each leg hurting the other as I got under the covers, and-horror if you accidently rubbed arms with your date when you left the shaving a few days too long! I had no choice but to try and find another solution and until then to endure waxing.
Laser-hair-removal really works! In my case, I did it for the-first time in 2000. To my joy I read that a new laser machine had come out for brown skin tones! At that time, I didn’t have much of a choice as to where to go. Dubai had the option of two clinics that had-this latest laser machine I was after, a Diode.
At the time it was very expensive and I opted to go for the underarms, bikini-line and half legs and my first session was horrifically-painful and I thought I would be scared for life.
But, the marks went away and so did about 80 percent of the-hair in one session! Money well invested! Freedom! I have to admit-that to date it is still the best session I have had and it was in a plastic surgery clinic not at a dermatologist or beautician. Today, they have more-sophisticated Diode machines and a newer Yag laser, which is safer for almost-all dark tones, as long as the hair is darker than the skin-tone, the best being a Nd Yag.
The worse-experiences I have had in Dubai are in beauty salons. There is something that is called a pulse light system, and this was for a while allowed in beauty salons and was a cheaper option than the laser at a doctor’s clinic. Personally, it did not give the same permanent-results, and I was told I would need multiple sessions. My two experiences with the lamp-type hair removal system left me scarred for years on my face and my arms.
The one that burnt my facial skin was called a “Spa Touch 2 Photo epil`tion, but the technician insisted that the fault was hers and that the machine was excellent and that she had forgotten to pull my-skin taut while applying it. The one used on my arms was an IPL ( Intense Pulsed Light ) machine. However, IPL systems have evolved into a far more sophisticated--machines today that can treat from almost white to the darkest hair on all skin tones. The best being the AIPL Pulsar
For me, laser hair removal is the real deal. However, the operator-is of utmost importance, perhaps more than the machine itself. Many technicians and clinics are afraid of burning dark skin tones, sometimes they play it too safe, they keep the power--so low and in some cases, the laser can actually stimulate hair growth! Some clinics may continue the practice because it gets you to come back! Do your-research and find a doctor not beautician to work on you and endure the pain during the test path, for better results. Done right, it is worth it.
Do keep in mind that once the hair is gone, it does not come back. For example, the only regret that I have is when I actually had my-brow hair done at the suggestion of the technician, yes I too sometimes fall into the trap of giving over my decision making power over to an “expert,” so it has limited me to what I can do with my brows. And I am surprised to hear that most women request a full Brazilian I cannot help but think-- what if that trend changes too!
I say, “Viva Laser Hair Removal! Forever Silky Smooth!”
(Basra Haider covers the beauty-industry. She can be reached at: basra@consultant.com)
Haifa Wehbe was born in Mahrouna, a small Shia farming town in Southern Lebanon, but shortly after her family had moved to Beirut where she grew up listening to jazz and R&B and began to work as a full-time model at a young age. Wehbe won the title of Miss South Lebanon at the age of sixteen. Wehbe won an ancillary title at the Miss Lebanon competition, which she had to relinquish when it was discovered that she had already been married to nadim anntar(at age 18) and had a baby girl called Zeineb, disqualifying her.
Wehbe starred in the Pepsi-produced film Sea of Stars released in early 2008, along with Carole Samaha, Ahmad el Sherif, Wael Kfoury, Brigitte Yaghi, and Ruwaida al-Mahrooqi. On July 4, 2008, Wehbe released her third studio album Habibi Ana (حبيبي أنا, "My Love") which contains 15 songs including the lead single "Mosh Adra Astana". In the Middle East album sales struggled due to Haifa's lack of promotion as she was concentrating more on her acting and film career. In 2009 Wehbe starred in Dokkan Shehata, a high-grossing Egyptian drama film. The film was produced by Khaled Youssef. It was released in June 2009 and immediately became a huge success in the Middle East whilst gaining tremendous publicity.
Wehbe is a Shia Lebanese Muslim, and she has three sisters. Wehbe's brother died at the age of 24 during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Wehbe's daughter has been living with her father since her parents divorce. In 2008 Wehbe's daughter was married in a private ceremony. As of 2010, Zeinab Zaza and her father are living in Kuwait. In 2005, Wehbe announced her engagement to a Saudi businessman Tariq Al-Jaffali. After only a few weeks, she and her fiancé decided to split for personal reasons and family issues. On June 25, 2007, Wehbe survived an accident while filming a music video for the song "Hasa Ma Bena" in Lebanon. In the video, a single engine airplane was to chase Wehbe as she drove a car. However, the airplane inadvertently hit the car, taking off the front windshield of the convertible she was driving. Despite the severity of the accident, Wehbe suffered only minor cuts and bruises.
Haifa Wehbe was born in Mahrouna, a small Shia farming town in Southern Lebanon, but shortly after her family had moved to Beirut where she grew up listening to jazz and R&B and began to work as a full-time model at a young age. Wehbe won the title of Miss South Lebanon at the age of sixteen. Wehbe won an ancillary title at the Miss Lebanon competition, which she had to relinquish when it was discovered that she had already been married to nadim anntar(at age 18) and had a baby girl called Zeineb, disqualifying her.
Wehbe starred in the Pepsi-produced film Sea of Stars released in early 2008, along with Carole Samaha, Ahmad el Sherif, Wael Kfoury, Brigitte Yaghi, and Ruwaida al-Mahrooqi. On July 4, 2008, Wehbe released her third studio album Habibi Ana (حبيبي أنا, "My Love") which contains 15 songs including the lead single "Mosh Adra Astana". In the Middle East album sales struggled due to Haifa's lack of promotion as she was concentrating more on her acting and film career. In 2009 Wehbe starred in Dokkan Shehata, a high-grossing Egyptian drama film. The film was produced by Khaled Youssef. It was released in June 2009 and immediately became a huge success in the Middle East whilst gaining tremendous publicity.
Wehbe is a Shia Lebanese Muslim, and she has three sisters. Wehbe's brother died at the age of 24 during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Wehbe's daughter has been living with her father since her parents divorce. In 2008 Wehbe's daughter was married in a private ceremony. As of 2010, Zeinab Zaza and her father are living in Kuwait. In 2005, Wehbe announced her engagement to a Saudi businessman Tariq Al-Jaffali. After only a few weeks, she and her fiancé decided to split for personal reasons and family issues. On June 25, 2007, Wehbe survived an accident while filming a music video for the song "Hasa Ma Bena" in Lebanon. In the video, a single engine airplane was to chase Wehbe as she drove a car. However, the airplane inadvertently hit the car, taking off the front windshield of the convertible she was driving. Despite the severity of the accident, Wehbe suffered only minor cuts and bruises.
