Abstract: The invention is directed to an epilation appliance and a method for using the appliance, in particular for epilation of the human skin, with a hand-holdable housing which accommodates a motor for driving a clamping device (14), particularly a rotary clamping device, which is provided in the appliance and equipped with clamping elements (16) to grip and pluck the hairs, and with a component for reducing the sense of pain during the extraction of hairs, the component including at least one electrode. With the component an electric spark (76) is producible on the skin prior to the extraction of the hairs, the spark (76) provoking an additional pain corresponding in its pain characteristic to the pain of epilation, but preferably having a lower pain intensity.