Threading is an ancient method of
hair removal which originated in India, spread to the
Middle and
Far East, and is now gaining popularity in Western countries. It is equally popular with both men and women in Arab countries, although the men usually just do their ears and
eyebrows with thread and continue to shave the beard part of their face with a traditional
safety or
straight razor. It is also popular in
Persian culture where it is called
Bande Abru ("Abru" means eyebrow, and "Band" is the thread). Threading the entire face is widely spread amongst
Iranians, but it was originally practiced when a woman was getting
married or during special occasions. In ancient
Persia, threading was a sign that a girl had reached adulthood and become a woman.
Practitioners use a pure, thin, twisted cotton thread which is rolled over untidy hairlines, moustaches and so on, plucking the hair at the follicle level. Unlike tweezing where a single hair is pulled out each time, threading can remove an entire row of hair, resulting in a straighter line.
As the top layers of skin are not peeled or traumatized, threading is an alternative for those with sensitive skin or who use Retin-A, Accutane, and similar products.
External links
