Summer’s here and that means shorts, vest and bathing suits and the seemingly neverending battle with body hair. Society’s views on female body hare are changing, with women being encouraged to do whatever works for them, whether that’s sporting their natural body hair or removing it.
If you do prefer to get rid of your body hair, then there are so many options to choose from. Some are quick, some are cheap, some are long-lasting – rarely are they all three.
Depilatory Creams
These work by dissolving the hair above the surface of the skin. You then scrape off the cream, and hair with a spatula.
This type of hair removal has become less popular over the last 10 years. Using depilatory creams are not ideal if you have sensitive skins as they contain a lot of strong chemicals to dissolve the hair. It’s also not recommended for use in any intimate areas, so if you’re looking for a smooth bikini line, you’re going to need to use something else.
In terms of effectiveness, the depilatory creams aren’t much better than shaving in terms of how long it takes for the hairs to grow back.
Shaving
The trusty razor. In terms of body hair removal, the razor is quick and cheap. It’s what most women end up using if they’re pressed for time.
There are some downsides to using a razor. Firstly, that smooth feeling doesn’t last very long at all, so if you want to maintain a hair-free area, you’re going to have to shave every other day. Shaving this frequently can lead to irritated skin and ingrowing hairs, so make sure you’re using a good shaving gel to reduce friction.
If you’re concerned about how much plastic you’re using, then disposable razors aren’t good for the environment, and the branded razors that you need to buy blades for can be expensive in comparison to a pack of disposable razors.
Waxing/Epilation
Waxing is a good way to remove hair for longer periods (up to four weeks). If you get this done in a salon, warm wax is applied to your skin in the direction of the hair growth and then a strip of fabric is put over the wax and removed quickly in the opposite direction, removing the hair from the root.
This method of hair removal gives a super smooth feeling to your skin that shaving just can’t match. There’s also no stubble the next day.
There are a few downsides though. It can be very painful, although if you get waxed regularly, it will start to feel less painful over time. It can also be expensive if you’re getting it done by a professional. You can buy wax kits to use yourself at home, but it can be tricky.
Waxing also isn’t good if you’re in a rush as you have to let the hair grow to a certain length before it will work.
An epilator is similar to waxing in that it removes the hair by the root, meaning that it takes longer to grow back.
Handheld epilators are great for using at home for longer-term hair removal but it can be extremely painful until you are used to it. If you want to use it on any intimate areas, you need to have an extremely high pain threshold.
Laser/IPL (Intense Pulsed Light)
Women are looking for results that last for a long time, perhaps permanently. Laser hair removal is becoming increasingly popular to achieve this. It can permanently remove hair, leaving you free not to worry about it any more.
Ther are also handheld IPL devices that you can use at home which will drastically reduce the amount of hair and then only require maintenance treatment every month.
Laser hair removal can be expensive, but prices are dropping all the time. If you compare it to a lifetime of hair removal then its probably worth it. Make sure that you choose a reputable company.
