1. What is Threading?

Threading is an ancient method of hair removal still used in many countries in

the Middle East as well as India and Pakistan. Called khite in Arabic and fatlah

in Egyptian, it's a less common method in the West for removing hair at the

root. Traditionally, threading is used on the entire face, including upper lip,

chin, eyebrows, sideburns and cheeks. Hair Threading can be done either at home

or at many salons. Threading is a great solution for removing fine hair like the

hair that grows above the lip. It's more effective than shaving, or bleaching,

but it can be as painful as waxing depending upon how sensitive your skin is and

how thick your hair grows.

The procedure is called Threading because you use normal sewing thread to remove

the hair below the root. Honestly, it's quicker and easier to have it done at

the salon but if you're into home remedies, here's what you need to know.

2. How does Threading work?

In general, cotton thread is twisted and rolled along the surface of the skin

entwining the hair in the thread which is then lifted out from the follicle.

Start with about 2 feet of strong sewing thread. Take one end of the thread in

each hand and knot them together so you end up with a continuous circle. Holding

the thread with both hands, wind the thread 10 times until it resembles a bow

tie. The wound portion should be in the middle. Next, slide the wound portion

towards one of your hands by spreading the fingers of the other hand while

closing the fingers of the other. Practice moving the wound area back and forth

by alternating the fingers that you spread and close. Once you reach the point

that you can easily maneuver the wound area back and forth, you are ready to

proceed.

Because you have more area to work with, practice the procedure on leg hairs

until you get the hang of it. Sit down on a chair and prop one leg up so it's at

a comfortable height. Select the hair that you want to target. Place the wound

side of the thread on one side of the hair and then lay the thread from the

opposite end around both sides of the hair. Now, do the finger stretching and

closing routine to quickly move the wound area to the other side of the thread.

This will capture the hair and pull it from the root. Repeat the process until

you have treated the entire area.

3. General Tips and Information

It sounds confusing. That's why it's recommended that you have it done at the

salon the first time. Pay attention to how it's all done, and then try it at

home. Threading is relatively inexpensive. Just think of paying to have it done

as tuition because once you learn, you can continue to do it at home. Depending

upon how quickly your hair grows back, you may only have to thread once per

month. There are no real dangerous side effects to threading although, if you

are especially sensitive to pain, you might find the process uncomfortable. The

up side is once you learn how to perform the threading procedure, you can do it

quickly and as frequently as you need to.

Threading is inexpensive, fast and neat. It's considered less painful than

plucking and it's Good for eyebrows and facial hair. Like plucking, results can

last up to four weeks.