UNWANTED facial or body hair is an unspoken problem affecting many women

Hundreds suffer crippling embarrassment and even shun the social scene to hide at home, unable to face the public .

"Some women come to us with a full beard and have shaved every day for 10 years like a man," said Lynne Metcalfe, who runs The Beauty Box, in Thwaites House, Railway Road, Blackburn

"Having to shave makes women feel unfeminine and very self-conscious. They avoid going out and are terrified of anyone finding out."

That is why Lynne has hailed a new machine from America - the Transdermal Electrolysis System - as "a Godsend".

It does not involve a needle and is painless.

"Our clients think it is brilliant. They love it because it doesn't hurt," said Lynne. "There is no swelling afterwards and you can do much bigger areas, such as the legs and bikini line.".

Trained electrolysists Lynne and Sue Bunney have undertaken a massive 800 treatments since the introduction of the machine to her salon in October. "Literally hundreds of women suffer from unwanted hair but never talk about it and try to hide it," said Lynne. "Many doctors are unsympathetic, telling women the only solution is to shave . But there is help and it gives permanent results."

One 44-year-old lady who has benefited from the treatment said: "I have suffered since a teenager with facial hair. I had a full beard and shaved every day. My husband accepted the problem but it was awful for me. If I thought anybody knew about it I would have died."

She added: "I tried electrolysis but gave up and started shaving again because it was too painful.

"The difference this new machine has made to my life is amazing. It isn't painful at all and for the first time yesterday I looked in the mirror after three months of treatment and forgot about it."

The new system involves placing a probe, like a cotton bud, into ionised gel to transmit a galvanic current through the skin to the hair follicles. The current creates a chemical reaction, changing the water and salt present in the hair follicle to sodium hydroxide.

"Clients see results quite early on, with thick hair changing to down, but they must have regular treatment to get permanent results," said Lynne.

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