
Is being a “kuru kuru Princess” really all it’s cracked up to be?
Our writer Go Hatori has recently begun ADA Treatment, which is a fancy term in Japan for “male pattern baldness help.” However, as a result, he had been getting patches of unwanted hair cropping up on his face and the back of his hand.
While searching for ways to deal with this newfound fur, Go learned about hair removal pads, sheets of sandpaper-like material that have come on the market in recent years. However, there appears to be a lot of different kinds and some lead to disastrous results such as friction-burnt skin or providing little-to-no hair removal.
Some lady used some hair removal pads on my arm yesterday! OUCH! Not the best thing to remove hair!! pic.twitter.com/yxFE0L7xLz
— Martyna Sobol (@el_martina) September 29, 2014
So, when faced with fear and uncertainty, Go did what he always does and headed over to the 100-yen store. This time it was Seria which came to his aid with their “Well-liked skin Hair removal pad.”
▼ That’s exactly how it’s written on the package, lest anyone talk smack about my translation.
It looked kind of like a makeup pad but instead was made of a coarse paper. It felt like shark skin or fine sandpaper.
The way it works is quite simple. Just strap it on your hand.
Then rub in a circular pattern.
And then do it some more.
After that, kind of look at it a bit, and you’re done!
It seemed all too simple, and when Go looked at the pad he didn’t see any hair.
Then, he looked down at his arm and…
▼ “Gyah!!!”
All of his new hair had vanished! He looked around and saw those problematic threads scattered around his desk in defeat.
All in all, Go was very impressed. He didn’t know paper could be used in this way, especially paper bought at the 100 yen shop. However, it was somewhat uncomfortable to do and left his skin feeling a little raw. The instructions also recommend using skin lotion after rubbing.
The package also says that it can be reused five more times, but Go felt he had enough. However, Go’s hair was rather scant. What if he had completely OD’ed on his AGA Treatment and ended up with something like my arm?
▼ Welcome to the jungle.
To find out I decided to take the next turn. Could the 100-yen Well-liked skin Hair removal pad cut through even this thicket?
▼ Hell no.
After considerable rubbing, only six hairs came out and strangely, the skin underneath it all still managed to become rather chafed.
So it looks like when it comes to Well-liked skin Hair removal pad, results may vary. It appears to work well for slight cases of unwanted hair, but falls way short of conventional methods to handle more heavy duty jobs.
It’s also important to note that these products are only intended for use on the strong skin of arms and legs. Facial hair and other areas are advised against, so if you want to get rid of those pesky nose hairs, don’t try to shove one of these things up there; leave it to the experts at GOSSO instead.
Photos ©SoraNews24
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
[ Read in Japanese ]













We test out wax hair removal strips from the 100-yen store on our hairy, manly legs
Our male reporter got hair removed from his “delicate zone”, dishes on the whole experience
We plump up our perms with a “Fairy Hair Curler” from the 100 yen store!
Tour our Japanese-language reporter’s apartment, a wonderland of 100-yen trinkets
“Hair Extension Bangs” from a 100-yen store: A bargain to beautify the bald and bereft
Studio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon
7-Eleven Japan to start selling Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches this summer
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino, tea and soda drinks for summer
Forget Tokyo go-karts – there’s a new way to sightsee on four wheels in Japan
Suspected Japanese ice cream cartel under investigation for price-fixing
Studio Ghibli adds new My Neighbour Totoro music box to its anime merchandise store in Japan
All-you-can-eat cheese restaurant in Tokyo is a hidden gem not many people know about
Pokémon coming to Japan’s highway rest stops with exclusive merch and stamp rally this summer
New Japanese overnight train coming to connect Tokyo with Tohoku in sleep-travel style
Universal Studios Japan is giving Frieren anime fans the chance to make unforgettable memories.
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam is getting a new look before its end-of-summer removal
Japanese bento shop touches hearts by selling super cheap boxed lunches for around a dollar
7-Eleven Japan joins the craze for Korean Gamja Cheese Balls
Starbucks Japan releases new limited-edition summer drinks…and a pastry for dunking
Lawson upsizes convenience store food for a limited time with two must-try Japanese meals
Uniqlo reveals third round of massive 100-year-anniversary manga T-shirts for Jump’s Shueisha
Even at twice regular Daiso price, this handy item is still great for summer travel in Japan
New official Ghibli anime food cookbook will teach you how to make Ponyo’s ramen and more
Japanese convenience store Lawson launches new “mini supermarket” chain, L Minimart
Japan’s real-world Pokémon hot spring’s first photos are here![Photos]
Kyoto public junior high school becomes first in Japan with a hoodie school uniform
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Pad Thai oatmeal?? Our reporter tries another oatmeal cooking experiment【SoraKitchen】
Let’s stick hot, cheap electronics near our eyes with Daiso’s heated eyelash curler!【Experiment】
Affordable luxury AND cheap beauty? We test Japan’s 100-yen Steam Face Mask【Photos】
We run a camellia oil-infused brush through our tresses and set them a-gleam, only spend 100 yen
Stretching the limits of Japanese budget belts with the Easy Stretch Belt from the 100 yen store
Which 100-yen shop product makes the best janky speaker? We test out 35 different items
We treat ourselves to overnight 100-yen curlers from Daiso: are they worth looking this goofy?
Are 100 yen shop Daiso’s Japanese radish seeds worth your time? Let’s find out【Experiment】
This “revolutionary” Japanese compression bottle is our 100-yen shop find of the week【Video】
We try out a 100-yen store bowl designed for microwaving frozen udon noodles
Testing out a Japanese rice cooker bag from a 100-yen store
This super-compact raincoat from one of Japan’s 100-yen stores can literally fit in your pocket
How to put together an earthquake/typhoon preparedness kit at the 100 yen shop
Does this egg timer from Japanese 100-yen store Daiso really work?
We sent two Japanese elementary school kids on a Mother’s Day shopping mission at a 100 yen store
Can these 500-yen (US$4.50) Daiso wigs make our 39-year-old writer look as fabulous as he feels?