How to Choose Your Hair Removal Method

I’m Hairy. How Can I Remove Body Hair?

You’ve got choices. There’s a hair removal method to suit pretty much any budget for time and money. The most obvious solution is to shave your body hair, but you can also wax it off with adhesive strips (including the famous bikini wax). There are depilatory creams that dissolve body hair. And there is electrolysis and laser hair removal, which produce the best long-term results.

What Methods Are Temporary?

If you shave your body you’ll notice that hair grows back after a few days. Waxes strip hair from the root and generally last longer, with results between four to six weeks. Depilatory creams are also temporary solutions, at around several weeks per treatment, and are a good hair removal method for people looking for longer results than shaving.

What Methods Are Permanent?

Electrolysis is a permanent hair removal method and so is laser hair removal. Electrolysis destroys the hair follicle, either with the galvanic or thermolytic methods. The former destroys hair with chemicals. The latter does so with heat. Laser hair removal destroys the hair bulb with a laser beam or light pulse, and while the effects are permanent, new hair growth often necessitates further treatments. Most men require five to eight treatments, and fewer for women.

Is Hair Removal Painful?

Sometimes. Shaving, while a temporary solution, is generally painless, though care should be taken to apply shaving cream first. Men using back shavers should not use the device in the genital region. Hair removal creams are often meant for specific body parts and formulated accordingly. You would not use a hair removal cream meant for pubic hair on the face. And the chemicals in hair removal creams can trigger allergies. Subsequently, it’s advisable to try different products. The infamous waxing method can be painful and comes with risk of infection. Have it done professionally, in a salon, to minimize both, at least for the first few treatments. Laser hair removal and electrolysis can also be painful, especially in the genital area

Are Some Methods Better For Specific Body Parts?

Yes. Laser hair removal and electrolysis are best for larger areas, like the chest, back and shoulders. They also remove pubic hair, but the treatment can be quite painful in this sensitive area. Waxing tends to work better on small areas, like the eyebrows, neck, arms and underarms. You can also wax your legs but may find the process takes longer. Use depilatory creams for the back, arms, legs and shoulders. You can also purchase hair removal creams for the genital area, but keep in mind this is a sensitive area that’s easily irritated. You can shave anywhere, but take care to avoid cuts in your nether regions.

Is it True That Laser Hair Removal Doesn’t Treat Light Body Hair?

This is true. Laser hair removal targets the pigment in body hair. Without that pigment, the laser can’t remove blonde, white or grey body hair. The technology is evolving, however, and this might be an option for people with light body hair in a few years. Electrolysis works on all pigments, but can be more painful than laser hair removal.

How Much Does Hair Removal Cost?

This varies per treatment. Razors tend to be fairly affordable. Disposable razors are usually less than ten dollars, and men can buy a back shaver for under $40. Razors and shaving cream often cost extra. A home waxing kit will run about $20. Have the treatment done in a salon and it’ll cost between $25 and $50, depending on what you need done. Depilatory creams are slightly more expensive than waxing, at approximately $25. Electrolysis treatment will cost around $60, but it’s not uncommon for a patient to require 25 to 30 treatments. Laser hair removal can cost between $250 and $500 for each treatment, depending where you live, with five to seven treatments often required for best results.

What’s The Best Hair Removal Method?

What’s your budget and pain tolerance? Shaving is the cheapest way to rid yourself of body hair, albeit with short-term results. Waxing lasts longer, but is more painful. Hair removal creams like Ultra Hair Away can be a good compromise between good results and budget concerns. If you want to permanently remove body hair, or just want to thin it out, and you have the means, electrolysis or laser hair removal are an effective, if not a painful way to rid yourself of body hair.

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