What better way to start summer than with a fresh hair removal system? The No! No! system ($250.00, Sephora.com) is a system that uses a heat technology known as Thermicon to remove hair. Thermicon is a technology developed by Radiancy that may be summarized best in three almost-simultaneous steps:
- First contact. In first contact, the thermodynamic wire in No! No! transmits a thermal signal that separates the hair shaft at point of contact. (Like clipping your hair with heat instead of a scissors.)
- Crystallization. In crystallization, the thermal signal hits the uppermost part of the hair shaft, which makes the hair temporarily feel prickly at the touch.
- Disruption. This is actually, in my opinion, the beauty of the No! No! system, as No! No! is believed to disrupt cell communication between the hair bulge and root, which may be essential to hair regrowth. Over time, repeated disruption of the cellular communication between the bulge and root is believed to lead to lower hair density and regrowth.
Excitingly, in a published 2007 study in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, the No! No! system was found to remove hair as effectively as more expensive laser and light removal treatments.
After personal use of the system on my legs, I found that the amount of hair was significantly reduced after a months’ use. However, the system is not for the impatient: You have to slide No! No! over your legs at a 90 degree angle verrry sloooowly, as the light needs to be kept green on the system. If you go too fast, the light will turn red, indicating that the system is not working properly. In addition, after treating each area, you have to use the provided buffer to exfoliate the skin. The entire process with No! No! needs to be repeated 2-3 times per week; however, I will admit, the process got easier and easier (and hence faster and faster) by my third or fourth use.
No! No! is not to be used on the face, breasts, or genitals. Despite its nickname for “No hair!, No pain!,” if you hold the system over one area for too long, you will indeed experience a bit of pain as you burn your skin. So be sure only to use No! No! on your legs, arms, and underarm area.
For an at-home hair removal system, No! No! is a bit pricey, with the $21 blades and $7 buffers needing to be replaced every 3 months (approximately thirty hair removals later). However, considering that No! No! gives the same efficacy as professional laser and light hair removal treatments, it is in fact a cheaper alternative, which also gives the long-term effect of reducing the growth and density of hair in most individuals.
I like my No! No! very much. If you decide in fact to get one, be sure to read the user’s manual or watch the provided informational DVD before using. Be careful, be patient, and soon, you will have less hair than ever before, right in time for bikini season! 🙂