Epilar System

Controversial & Unproven Methods Nonprescription Topical Preparations
#21

Indeed. This study is not proving anything. But it is still very encouraging, since testing on animals is always the first step, and the an efficient product on mammals not being efficient at all on humans doesn’t seem to be the rule to me, but more of an exception.

If you are saying placebo effect could lead to international success of an inefficient product, I don’t think this effect could be that important. Or at least you will have to point me out to such a successful product.

Usually, such inefficient products are designed to be sold under temporary names, or to a small amount of customers.

It’s not coming from France, but from Denmark, from what I’ve found. And I don’t know since when it’s been sold in the UK, but I bet it hasn’t been here for much more than 2 years.

I’ve found some french testimonials, but as the product arrival in France is not old, they are coming from persons who are actually following the treatment and can’t tell much about permanency/global efficiency. Also, the person sharing their experience are not many enough for me to judge from their testimonials alone.

Or the way other people take it, because of some habits they get. As on such a scam-fighting forum where suspicion is the rule. This is understandable since some posters are here only to advertise specific products, but this can also obviously lead to misreading of one’s post.

And can lead to throwing away a product because of the fear of a scam, whereas it could simply be leaved in a dark and quiet place while waiting for more detailed and trustwhorthy information.

#22

Can you post the links to the forums in the other language that you’re talking about? Some of us may speak the language.

What other pretendants to the title are you considering?

#23

Okay correction, your telling me it’s taken 10 years to get out of Denmark? Nearly every country has a regulatory body that reviews medical and healthcare products, especially if they claim that there method is permanent.

This is asked out fo pure interest, do you know where we could find a body backing up these claims?

Could you point us in the direction of these testimonials?

Kalo hair inhibitor would be one type of hair inhibitor that has few substantiated claims of permanence, yet many still seem to buy it then come back to let us know how it does not work and that is not just on this forum, but many others. And again, back to the point of electric tweezers, many thought that it worked and thought they saw the hair reducing, when in actual fact it was simply that the hair was being plucked.

I’d be happy to welcome the idea that a new product has come on the market that can offer simple and easy permanent hair removal, but from what your saying, there has been no long term studies (yet laser has been around as long and there has been several, which have lead it to be classed as a method for permanent hair reduction). The ones you have shown us have all been on lab rats. You haven’t prouced any testimonials yet for us, please share, regardless of whetehr there French or not (I have a couple of friends who speak fluent French who I could ask to translate for me).

How others percieve it? Isn’t that the whole concept of language? How you say something will effect on how someone reacts. The tone and context as well, if someone sitting there with mud all over them and you turn up and say “oh you clean today”, how would you think they would take it? Sarcastically or genuinley? And it’s the same in this situation, a couple of others have said that we haven’t come across any substantiated claims that it works, neither have we found that it is registered with any Health/drug organisations and then you argue quite persistantly that there is “a lot of professionals that use it, as to suggest that it works”, so now can you see why we, or at least me, think that your argueing that it does work.

Benji

#24

Here for the testimonials from a French forum.
http://www.beaute-test.com/forums/index.php?topic=102913&start=0

And here for the other pretendant I’m actually following (first deliveries will start in april, so it’s hard to find trustworthy testimonials about this one : only the alpha testers have written such reviews) :
http://www.e-swin.com/

#25

I read through most of the conversation on that forum. It sounds like a couple people are actually trying it, but no one claims to have any tangeable long-lasting results. It sounds very similar to several other products on the market that claim to do the exact same thing, after waxing first, which is the main problem with being able to judge results.

The problem is that it’s not any different from simple waxing. They’re saying the procedure requires it to be done every 6 weeks after waxing first, BUT you would see the same result at 6 weeks after simple waxing, without any expensive creams used afterwards. In between simple waxing sessions, it also seem like there is less hair and hair is growing in thinner. The key is to wait 8-9 weeks or longer, when you see the hair is back to what it was before.

It’s also interesting that at least one person, vivine, came back after 7 treatments to report that she thinks it will now take at least 10-15 treatments instead of the claimed 8-10. Sounds like it’s not working very well, or more likely, it’s still impossible to tell how it’s any different from just waxing (likely it’s not). And the cost becomes a lot more expensive than laser (it’s already expensive at 40 euro for underarms, considering proven professional laser treatments cost about the same).

So I’m not really convinced. At most, this is not any different than Vaniqa which slows down the growth, i.e. makes the hair grow in slower after waxing or shaving. It is not clear how this gel supposedly prevents the follicle from growing the hair, permanently. And considering the cost, it would be cheaper in the long run to remove the hair once and for all with laser and electrolysis instead even if it did just retard the growth for a while.

Btw, it seems that there are a few posts from questionable contributors. Companies often hire people to infiltrate consumer forums to start up discussion about their product. I can’t help but notice that there are a couple posts that fit this category here, given how little specific details they provide. You can usually tell when posts are by those who are actually using the product, especially those who are supposedly working at salons using it (i.e. they should have a large number of personal accounts to report based on how many people they’re treating daily). The real people tend to provide more details.

#26

For those that want to translate that first link posted by “november”, go to the menu bar and select “Tools”, then select “Translate” then Google: French > English . It’s not the clearest translation, but you can figure it out.

Just want to add that this thread was stated last year and the last post was recently made on 3-9-2008. I am seeing that one poster, “Gisjanmi” has posted on page 11 that after 11 treatments that she has as much hair and regrets not using the money for laser hair reduction. “Vivine37” has had 8 applicaions to her underarms, but is not always hairless. She thinks she may need 10-15 applications.

Now, the question that no one can answer yet is, "What will happen to the underarms when NOTHING is done to the area to remove hair for ONE YEAR. That would be important information. The unscientic answer is, it will all grow back as it was before Epilar and waxing was used.

We have been through all kinds of gimmicks before. Since this is a consumer website on hair removal, we are a very, very protective bunch that jump quickley on posters that wholeheartedly promote anything topical “pie in the sky” things like gels, powders, creams, lotions for hair removal. I personally would be delighted to have some miracle breakthrough that was so easy, safe and permanent. Yes, it would make me obsolete as a practicing electrologist, but I’m resilient and would pursue other things that interest me. Some of the cases I see for electrolysis care are so depressing and I would be most happy if there was something topical that could safely make hair go away —permanently. Always bring me back to wonder with examples like: if the U.S. Navy can shoot and destroy a satillite hundreds of miles away in outer space with one, deadly shot, then why can’t we kill any hair on the human body with a topical in the the privacy of our homes in a safe and cost-efficient manner???

Dee

#27

Well, maybe because those are funded by the government, and these are funded by companies looking to make a quick buck. :wink:

#28

Hi!
I have tried the Epilar System in Sweden and been through three sessions, without any visible results. Actually, I’d say my hair strays are even more aggressive now than they were a couple of yeras ago, but that could be due to hormonal changes as well of course. Anyway, I’m doing the Epilar thing on my thighs and on my thighs only! I’m really happy that I didn’t succumb to trying it on my upper lip, since it’d probably just cause those strays to grow out more aggressively as the hair done on my legs after waxing.
I really believe that people (like I) undergoing these type of fantasy treatments that seem to promise what you’ve only been dreaaming of for so long, do it because they couldn’t bare NOT to do it, you know what I mean? It’s like, it costs a hell of a lot money and you don’t really see any noticeable difference, but if I didn’t go to the session, I think I’d be stressed out, thinking that “shit, this would probably be the session that would make the difference”! It’s really banal, I know, but the human mind is pretty banal.
Anywho, I am slowly trying to process my brain into ditching Epilar and to keep at it with normal waxing on my thighs. Rumours say that eventually hairs will become finer and less aggressive from waxing, but is there anyone who could back that up for me?
And is it anyone who has experienced an efficient method in removing/reducing unwanted hair on thighs, at all? I’m not so keen on laser removal on thighs, because although my hairs now are dark, they’re at least pretty fine, and shaving them before laser would just be a bad idea, I’d think.

Have a nice day!
-Hanna

#29

Hi Hannahhannah,

Waxing does not reduce the hair permanently, it simply resinqs all the hair to grow all in one cycle, so it appears that the hairs aren’t coming back as quickly, as well a tapering the hair so it looks like it comes back finer. If it was left to grow all back, it would eventually come back as thick as it was before.
Except one must consider that the hair on their legs will eventually become thinner over age anyway.

The only permanent methods of hair removal or reduction at the present time are electrolysis and laser hair removal. Thank you for posting your opinion on this site as someone who has actually tried it, it does make you wonder what effects others are seeing.

Regards,
Benji

#30

Hi Benji,

My personal experience with waxing my legs has been different. I started in my teens when my leg hair was dense and thick. I’ve waxed my lower legs regularly for the past 10 years at least. My hair growth on my lower legs is much, much, less dense. The back of my legs especially, there is hardly any hair growth left. I don’t even bother to wax the back very often anymore as shaving is sufficient. And it’s going to sound bizzare but there are also large patches on my bikini line where hair just doesn’t grow any longer. It could be age but as I’m only 25, I don’t think it’s that yet.

#31

It seems many are quick to judge and not to actually try. I am speaking from experience as I am using it now. My Italian background ensures I always have hair to remove. I have always waxed my lip and eyebrows and it has always grown back. I have had 7 sessions of epilar,(applied after waxing). My lip is great, I cant count the hairs that are growing back on 1 hand. Eyebrows are nearly as good.
My only sceptical comment is how many more sessions will i need and how long will it last?

#32

This is temporary hair removal, so you will have the hair as long as you live. We can quickly judge the outcome for Epilar from the start because it is not based on known and tested scientific principles as related to what electrolysis and laser can do to affect hair follicles permanently.

Come back in a year or better yet, a year and a half, and let us know if you still have to treat the hair on your lips and eyebrows. We ususally don’t hear back from consumers who walk hopefully and trustingly into proceedures and products like Epilar, but I hope you are the exception Sue-Anne.

#33

Well, I am feeling really diappointed with Epilar. Have nearly finished the tubes having scruplously followed the directions .I would say pretty much NO effect actually. Maybe a few hairs less . Maybe.

Arms and legs I can and do wax no probs, but face/chin - I had high hopes of Epilar to fix that. I understand that coarse but light coloured facial hair ( which is what I’ve got ) is menopausally linked, might this be why Epilar doesn’t work,?

All I have left to try now is electrolyis. I nearly took the razor to it yesterday !