Epilators have evolved since they first hit the market. Although they aren’t trendy like other hair removal methods, they are still a fine choice for many.
A spring epilator, also known as a coil epilator, was one of women’s first mechanisms for hair removal.
Modern epilators have a different tweezing mechanism, although spring epilators are also available. Let’s discuss what spring epilators are all about:
What is a Spring Epilator?
Like a typical epilator, a spring epilator removes hair from the root. The first epilator to enter the market was the Epilady Classic Coil Epilator, which used a spring coil mechanism to remove hair.
The spring attached to a spring epilator somewhat resembles a tightly wound slinky. Women practiced hair removal with spring epilators for several years until the newer tweezer designs appeared.
Even though electrical spring epilators are not that common today, you can still find manual spring epilators in the market.
The coil mechanism makes epilation of sensitive areas such as the underarms, face, and bikini area difficult.
How Does a Spring Epilator Work?
The metallic spring on a spring epilator is wound into a circular shape. When the epilator turns on, it enables the spring to move and twist, creating little gaps in the middle to trap the hair. With constant twisting motions, the spring epilator is able to rip out the hair directly from the root.
Spring Epilator vs. Tweezing Epilator
The spring epilator used a wound-up coil as its primary mechanism of pulling out hair. It has an electrical body similar to other tweezer-based epilators, with the exact grip and battery output.
On the other hand, tweezing epilators have a rotating mechanism that tweezes the hair from the root when it comes in contact with the hair on the skin.
Both types of epilators remove hair from the root and need to be powered by a battery or an electrical source.
Other than this, both epilators provide the same result, although the experience of hair removal may be different. Spring epilators take a bit more time than tweezing epilators.
This is because the hair needs to enter the gaps in the wound-up coil for the epilating process to be successful.
Tweezing epilators work faster because their rolling mechanism can cover a larger surface area on the skin than the spring epilator.
Moreover, spring epilators cannot be used in delicate areas such as the underarms, bikini area, or the face.
However, you can use tweezing epilators on all areas of the body. There are several kinds of tweezing epilators available in the market that can target delicate areas and larger areas such as legs and arms.
One of the main reasons why tweezing epilators almost replaced spring epilators is because of the eye-watering pain that spring epilators can cause.
Spring epilators grab onto the hair and pull it out from the root in a much harsher way than a tweezing epilator. The sensation is similar to when your hair accidentally gets stuck in places where it is not supposed to.
Many women who used the spring epilator back in the day did not have a good experience, mainly due to the excessive pain that comes with it.
The tweezing epilator is painful, but the ultrasonic rolling mechanism is designed to take away as much pain as possible from a hair removal ritual.
Manual Spring Epilating Device
A manual spring epilator is a handheld device that has a similar wound-up coil-like mechanical version.
With two handles on the side, a user is supposed to move the coil in small repetitive movements against the skin to epilate the hair from the root.
This is a good option for those looking for a facial spring epilator because a manual spring epilator is mild enough for the face because it lacks an electric motor.
However, a manual epilator may not be such a good idea for larger surface areas such as the legs because manually pulling on the hair without the help of a machine can be beyond painful – and nearly impossible.
How To Use a Spring Epilator?
Using a spring epilator is pretty simple as long as you follow all the directions for a flawless hair removal result.
Step 1: Make sure your skin is dry. You can pat some powder on the skin to remove excess moisture.
Step 2: Turn the spring epilator on and gently let the coil touch the area with the hair.
Step 3: While pulling your skin tight, gently cover the surface area slowly with the spring epilator to catch all the hair.
Step 4: Always epilate the hair against the hair growth and not with it.
Step 5: Once you’re done, turn the spring epilator on again to remove any hairs stuck in the coil.
Step 6: Wash your skin with cold water to remove any loose hairs stuck on it, then pat dry. Do not rub your freshly epilated skin with a towel.
Step 7: If your skin is red and inflamed, try to soothe it with a cold compress or ice.
Step 8: Store your epilator in a cool and dry space until your subsequent use.
Pros & Cons of a Spring Epilator
Here are the pros and cons of using a spring epilator:
Pros
- Inexpensive— Spring epilators are way cheaper than tweezing epilators because they do not carry the latest technology. A wound-up coil is a pretty dated tool, which is why the price point is not as high.
- Removes the hair from the root – Even though it is painful, the spring epilator does a fantastic job removing hair right from the root for smooth, shiny, and hair-free skin.
Cons
- Incredibly Painful – Spring epilators are extremely painful to use on the skin because their hair pulling method is much harsher than a tweezing epilator.
- Not for delicate areas – Even if you end up with a spring epilator, you won’t be able to use it on your delicate parts such as the face, underarms, or bikini area. These areas are incredibly sensitive, which is why they will not be able to endure the pain.
- Outdated technology –The spring epilator was designed more than two decades ago. Since then, there have been a ton of advancements in the epilator game. Hence, with the new tweezing epilators in the market, the spring epilators seem unnecessary.
Side Effects of Using a Spring Epilator
Since an epilator pulls out hair right from the root, you may experience several side effects during or after every epilating session.
Pain
With almost any epilating device, pain is a common side effect. First times are incredibly painful, but you may get used to it if you persevere.
Undeniably, spring epilators are more painful than tweezing epilators mainly because of the difference in their mechanisms. If you are willing to use a spring epilator on your body, make sure you have a high pain tolerance.
Redness & Inflammation
Another possible side effect is redness and inflammation. If you have sensitive skin, this can be pretty uncomfortable for you.
The constant movement of the coil against your skin can trigger your skin’s natural response to protect itself. Hence, your skin could appear very red or even blotchy.
In most cases, the redness will be accompanied by inflammation making it sensitive to the touch. Try not to expose yourself to extreme temperatures or harsh products till your skin gets better.
Most redness and inflammation fade away in a few hours, depending on how sensitive your skin is.
Swelling
If your use the manual spring epilator on your face, especially on the upper lip area, there is a very high chance that it will swell up.
The upper lip is a sensitive area, which is why pain from the spring epilator will trigger the skin’s response to puff up and protect the damaged hair follicle from bleeding. A cold compress or ice may help you tone down the swelling if it gets too out of control.
Discomfort & Sensitivity
Ripping the hair from the root cannot be comfortable for anyone. It is best to prepare yourself for extreme discomfort and sensitivity during and after epilating with a spring epilator.
Try to avoid exercise, hot showers, and tight clothes so that your skin can have some time to breathe and recover.
The Bottom Line
Still have a question what is a spring epilator? Spring epilators, both manual and mechanical, are different from tweezing epilators but essentially do the same job.
However, there is no doubt that the tweezing epilators with modern ultrasonic technology can epilate the skin with lesser pain, making it a better experience for the user overall.