Hair Removal via Rubbing Alcohol...and FIRE!
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Hair Removal via Rubbing Alcohol...and FIRE!
Okay, having searched here as well as Google with no luck, thought I'd ask here, since hair removal is a recurring theme. I've heard from at least two places about hair removal via alcohol...and a lighter.
A while back on Fox & Friends, Brian Kilmeade was told off-air in an interview w/Arnold Schwarzeneggar that it's the best way to remove body hair...and that BK was a wuss for not wanting to try it.
Supposedly (some) bodybuilders use this method, as it prevents bumps, cuts, rashes, ingrown hairs, etc., from razors and chemicals...assuming you don't get second- or third-degree burns in the process.
Apparently you put rubbing alcohol on the hair/skin, then burn it off with a lighter. The idea being, since it's the vapors that are most flammable and are above skin level, it burns the hair, but not the skin.
I also remember seeing on MTV about 20 years ago, Pauly Shore (yeah, that Pauly Shore, who ain't exactly Einstein) was burning his chest hairs off with a Bic lighter, no alcohol involved (at least not externally).
Anyone heard of this, or tried it? If it works, and doesn't make one end up in a burn unit, it'd be interesting...since I'm often mistaken for a Florida Skunk Ape.
A while back on Fox & Friends, Brian Kilmeade was told off-air in an interview w/Arnold Schwarzeneggar that it's the best way to remove body hair...and that BK was a wuss for not wanting to try it.
Supposedly (some) bodybuilders use this method, as it prevents bumps, cuts, rashes, ingrown hairs, etc., from razors and chemicals...assuming you don't get second- or third-degree burns in the process.
Apparently you put rubbing alcohol on the hair/skin, then burn it off with a lighter. The idea being, since it's the vapors that are most flammable and are above skin level, it burns the hair, but not the skin.
I also remember seeing on MTV about 20 years ago, Pauly Shore (yeah, that Pauly Shore, who ain't exactly Einstein) was burning his chest hairs off with a Bic lighter, no alcohol involved (at least not externally).
Anyone heard of this, or tried it? If it works, and doesn't make one end up in a burn unit, it'd be interesting...since I'm often mistaken for a Florida Skunk Ape.
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Richard Pryor.
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How about doing it while you stand on thin ice. By the time you light yourself on fire you'll fall through and have no problems at all.
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From "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" (a great and entertaining book about his life).
Originally Posted by Richard Feynman
For our finale, we did a trick that used something which we had discovered.
I would put my hands (secretly) first into a sink of water, and then into
benzine. Then I would "accidentally" brush by one of the Bunsen burners, and
one hand would light up. I'd clap my hands, and both hands would then be
burning. (It doesn't hurt because it burns fast and the water keeps it
cool.) Then I'd wave my hands, running around yelling, "FIRE! FIRE!" and
everybody would get all excited. They'd run out of the room, and that was
the end of the show!
Later on I told this story at college to my fraternity brothers and
they said, "Nonsense! You can't do that!"
"All right, guys," I said. "Let's go out and get some benzine."
They got the benzine ready, I stuck my hand in the water in the sink
and then into the benzine and lit it... and it hurt like hell! You see, in
the meantime I had grown hairs on the back of my hand, which acted like
wicks and held the benzine in place while it burned, whereas when I had done
it earlier I had no hairs on the back of my hand.
I would put my hands (secretly) first into a sink of water, and then into
benzine. Then I would "accidentally" brush by one of the Bunsen burners, and
one hand would light up. I'd clap my hands, and both hands would then be
burning. (It doesn't hurt because it burns fast and the water keeps it
cool.) Then I'd wave my hands, running around yelling, "FIRE! FIRE!" and
everybody would get all excited. They'd run out of the room, and that was
the end of the show!
Later on I told this story at college to my fraternity brothers and
they said, "Nonsense! You can't do that!"
"All right, guys," I said. "Let's go out and get some benzine."
They got the benzine ready, I stuck my hand in the water in the sink
and then into the benzine and lit it... and it hurt like hell! You see, in
the meantime I had grown hairs on the back of my hand, which acted like
wicks and held the benzine in place while it burned, whereas when I had done
it earlier I had no hairs on the back of my hand.
#12
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I see no problem at all with this idea.
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#13
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Try using a Bic lighter and an aerosol can of air freshener. It would probably be faster, and would cover up the smell.
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Yeah, cancer takes too damn long to kill you!
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See, this is why we can't have nice things. - - smarkinson
Where else but the internet can a bunch of cyclists go and be the tough guy? - - jdon
#18
Raising the Abyss
That's a great visual.
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"...in Las Vegas where -the electric bills are staggering -the decor hog wild -and the entertainment saccharine -what a golden age -what a time of right and reason -the consumer's king -and unhappiness is treason..."
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You are my new cycling hero if you can do that!
I will pull for you and carry all your water and food.
I thought, before double bladed disposables, shaving with single blade was manly. You just brought it to the next level!
(I feel like a woos buying those new fangled 3 bladed razors)
I will pull for you and carry all your water and food.

I thought, before double bladed disposables, shaving with single blade was manly. You just brought it to the next level!
(I feel like a woos buying those new fangled 3 bladed razors)
#21
Raising the Abyss
And just what is a "Florida Skunk Ape"???
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Give it a try and let us know how it works out. Pics please.
#23
Has coddling tendencies.
Because I'd never heard that method of hair removal before and I'm impressionable, I decided to experiment on my hands. As I was preparing by the bathroom sink, I began getting impressions of how quickly things could go wrong. Alcohol (90 percent) plus flame plus misstep = news story. The primary safety concern is keeping an opened bottle of alcohol and the cotton ball soaked with same away from the flame. I only had a Zippo lighter as a flame source so it was a bit clumsy applying the alcohol, then igniting the Zippo.
On the first attempt there wasn't enough burn time to fully remove the hair down to the skin. Stuble remained. Perhaps applying more alcohol would have done the trick. I thought of using a candle as the flame source so I could saturate the hair zone and quickly ignite it with the flame. But then I pictured myself naked, a bottle of alcohol, cotton balls and a lit candle nearby, and decided I just didn't want that as a lasting memory.
Result: Fail.
I do know a girl who uses her gas stove top to remove her arm hairs.
On the first attempt there wasn't enough burn time to fully remove the hair down to the skin. Stuble remained. Perhaps applying more alcohol would have done the trick. I thought of using a candle as the flame source so I could saturate the hair zone and quickly ignite it with the flame. But then I pictured myself naked, a bottle of alcohol, cotton balls and a lit candle nearby, and decided I just didn't want that as a lasting memory.
Result: Fail.
I do know a girl who uses her gas stove top to remove her arm hairs.
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