The Art of Tweezing
For a man to stay properly groomed, not only do they need to make sure that they are shaving and maintaining their hair properly, but they should also keep close company with a reliable pair of tweezers. Using tweezers can help you stay on top of hair splinters but it is important to understand what tweezers to use and how to use them, otherwise, you could do more harm than good.
Why Should I Tweeze?
Tweezing is a great method to get rid of unwanted hair splinters. If you’re not familiar with hair splinters, they occur when a strand of hair pierces the top epidermal layer of your skin. Hair splinters may seem rather innocuous, but do not treat these seemingly minor injuries lightly. Left unchecked, they can cause serious harm to you and your clients, especially if they become infected, and possibly requiring treatment with antibiotics. If an infection erupts, the area can swell and cause severe and uncomfortable pain. We highly recommend that you utilize best practices to help remove any hair splinters that come about; The most common areas being your hands and feet.
Selecting Your Tweezers
There are a few things that you need to consider when choosing your tweezers. First, make sure that you aren't using the same pair of tweezers that you would use to pluck your eyebrows and other grooming areas as this increases the likelihood of transferring bacteria to sensitive locations. Our goal is to minimize the risk of infection because hair splinters have already pierced the surface of the skin.
There is a small selection of various tweezers, depending on use cases. In terms of tweezer types, there are three different tips that you will come across: Straight, pointed, and slanted. Straight tips are used to remove larger amounts hair and are great for thick eyebrows, whereas slanted tips are better for awkward and more stubborn hairs. You are able to rotate around the root with slanted tips, allowing for greater control. For the removal of hair splinters, the best choice is the pointed tip, although slanted tweezers can be effective as well. The fine point of the tweezers will help you remove the hair with greater precision and alleviate any immediate pain.
We also recommend having a precision LED tweezer to improve visibility when you're targeting specific areas.
Reducing The Chance of Infection
Because there is always a lingering chance of infection, we want to take the appropriate precautions to reduce risk. To decrease the likelihood while using your tweezers, the best practice would be to dip a cotton ball or swab in some alcohol and wiping the tip after use. We want to be as sterile as possible when dealing with skin, and especially with multiple individuals. If you have come into contact with blood or other contaminants, an option is to place your tweezers into boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes before applying additional alcohol. Only use this method for tweezers that do not have electronic components. In most cases, using an antibacterial alcohol wipe will get the job done.
Storing your tweezers in a dedicated pouch will help reduce the chance of infection as well. If you place a vicinity where it is exposed to other items, there is a chance of cross-contamination with other tools. A case is also a great way to protect your tweezers, keeping the tips sharp and functional. A blunt tweezer tip can break or bend the hairs causing more pain, so be sure to look after them!
The Path To Mastery
In practice, there are many different ways that you can use this tool. For the best results, ensure that the target area of your skin is clean, and free of any lotions or oils. This will help give the tweezers a firm grip on the hair.
When using the tweezers to remove hair splinters, try not to push too hard as they may become deformed and lose their precision over time.
Removing The Splinters
For hairs that are stubborn and not easily removed by tape, use a sterilized needle to get underneath the skin and follow the path of the hair. Open the skin just enough so that there is enough hair for the tweezers to grab onto. Using the tweezers, clasp the hair firmly and pull it out in one motion. Once removed, rinse the area with warm water and dry it. Apply some antibiotic ointment and cover it with a bandage.
Preventing Hair Splinters
The best way to deal with hair splinters is to avoid them in the first place! When cutting hair, always wear socks and closed-toe shoes. This will mitigate the chance of getting pierced by any hair splinters on your feet. When wearing shirts, keep the sleeves long and wear gloves to decrease the chance of any splinters reaching your hands or arms. You should also aim to wear an apron that can be easily brushed. Lastly, keep the station and surrounding floor clean and free from falling hair after each appointment. At the end of the day, clean off your clothes and inspect any exposed areas of skin for splinters so you can take care of it immediately.
