Hair removal terms: D

Eventually, I hope to link up glossary terms with corresponding pages, but for now, please use this glossary in combination with the search feature.

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Danazol: a drug sometimes linked to excess hair growth

Dapelle is a brand of electric tweezer

DC: direct current

Dectronique: a Canadian manufacturer of electrolysis equipment

Depilamax: a Canadian manufacturer of electrolysis equipment

Depilation: the temporary removal of hair

Depilatories: substances used to dissolve hair above the skin’s surface

Depilex: a UK manufacturer of electrolysis equipment

Dermabrasion: a cosmetic procedure used to smooth skin and reduce scars

Dermal papilla a tiny bulge at the root of a hair, believed to be one of the primary targets in permanent hair removal

Dermal sheath a lining around a hair

Dermatitis: also known as eczema

Dermatologist a doctor specializing in skin and hair conditions

Dermis the deepest layers of the skin, where the hair root is located

Dexamethosone: a steroid anti-inflammatory which sometimes causes hair growth

Diabetes: a disease where the body improperly produces insulin, sometimes linked to excess hair growth

Diathermy: another name for thermolysis

Diazoxide a drug sometimes linked to excess hair growth

Diet is sometimes linked to excess hair growth, especially in the extremely obese and extremely anorexic

Dilantin a drug sometimes linked to excess hair growth

Diode : a semiconductive material which mainly lets energy travel one direction and not the other. Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are used for the numeric displays on microwaves and VCRS as well as for lasers.

Diomed makes the LaserLite pulsed diode array laser

Direct current: also called DC, it is a type of electrical energy that travels in one direction. The other type is alternating current (AC). Direct current is used in the Galvanic electrolysis method to cause a chemical reaction in the hair follicle. Home needle electrolysis kits like One Touch use direct current supplied by a 9-volt battery.

Discrette Plus is an electric epilator made by Epilady

Discomfort due to hair removal varies greatly by individual and body area. Electrolysis is generally considered most painful, followed by laser, plucking, and waxing. Body areas most prone to discomfort are underneath the nostrils, around the lips, and the bikini zone.

Disease transmission via hair removal is quite unlikely if practitioners observe universal precautions regarding sanitation and sterility.

Disinfectant a solution used to kill bacteria.

Distorted hair follicles a relatively rare condition in which the follicle is not straight. This condition can make waxing and electrolysis more difficult and can lead to ingrown hairs.

Doctors sometimes perform hair removal, usually electrolysis or laser. Certain types of hair such as those in moles or warts should be cleared only with a physicians’s approval. Some states require that doctors only can perform laser hair removal, while others merely require a doctor to be present.

Do-it-yourself electrolysis involves using a hand-held electrified needle unit such as the $30 Inverness One Touch. The unit must have a needle to be permanent, and even then, it is dofficult to achieve permanent results without causing pain or even scarring.

Double-blind: a clinical testing method in which neither patient nor doctor know what medication or procedure is being used.

Draping: covering a work table or client with paper of cloth prior to hair removal. This is done for sanitation and for client

Drug treatment: excess hair can be increased or decreased by certain drugs. These drugs often affect hormonal levels. Consult a physician if a drug you are taking seems to be causing increased hair growth.

Dry heat ovens: a method for sterilizing medical equipment

Dynamic cooling: a method of epidermal cooling which cools the skin with supercooled liquid immediately before a laser pulse is applied. Dynamic cooling will probably eventually replace messier options such as cooled gels and air cooling

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