Plucking or tweezing can mean the process of

human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...

hair removal Hair removal is the deliberate removal of body hair or head hair. This process is also known as epilation or depilation. Hair is a common feature of the human body, exhibiting considerable variation in thickness and length across different po ...

, removing

animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Biology, biological Kingdom (biology), kingdom Animalia (). With few exceptions, animals heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, ...

hair or a bird's

feather Feathers are epidermal growths that form a distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on both avian (bird) and some non-avian dinosaurs and other archosaurs. They are the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates and an exa ...

s by mechanically pulling the item from the owner's

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. In humans, hair removal is done for

personal grooming Grooming (also called preening) is the art and practice of cleaning and maintaining parts of the body. It is a species-typical behavior. In animals Individual animals regularly clean themselves and put their fur, feathers or other skin c ...

purposes, usually with

tweezers Tweezers are small hand tools used for grasping objects too small to be easily handled with the human fingers. Tweezers are thumb-driven forceps most likely derived from tongs used to grab or hold hot objects since the dawn of recorded history. ...

. An

epilator An epilator is an electrical device used to remove hair by mechanically grasping multiple hairs simultaneously and pulling them out. The way in which epilators pull out hair is similar to waxing, but unlike waxing, they do not remove skin cells ...

is a motorised hair plucker. Those under the influence of deliriants or

trichotillomania Trichotillomania (TTM), also known as hair-pulling disorder or compulsive hair pulling, is a mental disorder characterized by a long-term urge that results in the pulling out of one's own hair. A brief positive feeling may occur as hair is rem ...

may pluck their own hair out of habit. Roman baths employed personnel solely to pluck hair from their clients' bodies. In birds and animals, plucking is usually carried out by humans, sometimes called ''pluckers'', to the

carcass Carcass or Carcase (both pronounced ) may refer to: * Dressed carcass, the body of a livestock animal ready for butchery, after removal of skin, visceral organs, head, feet etc. *Carrion, the decaying dead body of an animal or human being, also c ...

of the subject as part of

food preparation {{catexp, articles about specific foodstuffs. See :Food and drink for more general topics relating to food. Food watchlist articles ...

Disadvantages

While plucking is a very convenient and affordable hair removal option, it has its disadvantages. If done incorrectly, it can cause trauma to the skin. Some examples of the negative impacts of plucking includes: * Folliculitis *

Hyperpigmentation Hyperpigmentation, also known as the dark spots or circles on the skin, is the darkening of an area of Human skin, skin or nail (anatomy), nails caused by increased melanin. Causes Hyperpigmentation can be caused by sun damage, inflammation, or ...

* Acne * Ingrown hairs * Infection

Alternatives to Plucking (Tweezing)

There are several alternatives to plucking that can produce the same or even longer lasting results.

Shaving

Shaving is a popular go- to hair removal method utilized by both men and women. This is done when an individual trims unwanted hair by a razor or other trimming device. Results can last for up to a week. It is recommended that a sharp razor be utilized to lower the risk of getting razor bumps or infection.

Waxing

There are two types of waxes. Stripless waxes, which is used for more sensitive areas of the body, is done when wax is pulled off of the skin with a strip. Stripless waxes are often utilized for facial skin or the groin area. Strip waxes, on the other hand, are used for larger areas of the body such as one's legs and arms. Nevertheless both techniques have lasting results for up to 3 weeks.

Threading

Threading is a Southeast Asian hair removal method. This semi permanent hair removal method is done when a cotton thread is pulled alongside the skin, removing the hair in a straight line. This removal technique is used for small areas of the body, such as for facial hair - especially eyebrows. Results last for up to 3 weeks.

Poultry

Feathers can be removed either manually or in a tumbling machine. Both methods require the feathers to be first loosened by submerging the slaughtered bird in hot water. Manual plucking involves pulling out the larger feathers then removing the down with a rubbing action. Automated plucking machines use rubber posts protruding from the inside of a spinning drum to pull the feathers from the bird. This process takes less than 30 seconds, whereas manual plucking typically takes several minutes.

References

External links

Tweezing or Plucking
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