The invention is directed to an appliance for the epilation of the human skin, having a housing to accommodate a motor and a drive mechanism for driving at least one clamping device (43) by means of which the user's hairs can be extracted. Moreover, means are provided to reduce the sense of pain during epilation. These means include at least one element (55) that is movable toward and away from the skin when the appliance is placed in epilating position on the user's skin. According to the present invention, the at least one element (55) has a free end (56) and is arranged adjacent to the side of the rotary clamping device (43). In consequence, the user perceives at least subjectively a reduced sense of pain during epilation. Still further, a method for epilation and a method for the use of the appliance of the present invention are described.