Having body hair could be worse! Look at it from an evolutionary standpoint: at least you don’t have as much hair as our primate brethren and our former neanderthal neighbors. If we did and we still had our current obsession with being mostly hairless, we’d all have some serious, full-body razor burn. Or our hair removal technology would be way more advanced. In any case, we have relatively little hair that we’re trying to deal with compared to most of the animal kingdom, but many people still consider it to be too much. So how do you start to get rid of body hair? When you’re deciding how to go about ridding your body parts of their fur, some good things to consider are the amount of skin you’re trying to cover, how long you want it to be gone for, and how much money you want to spend. Oh, and how high your pain tolerance is because some of these methods aren’t for the faint of heart. Or stomach.
Best Ways to Get Rid of Body Hair
Shaving
Shaving is cheap and painless. If you don’t get carried away and shave off some of skin, all you need is a good razor, water, and some shaving cream, and you can go to town. This method is good for either large or small areas that you’re trying to clear, but easiest on flat areas like legs or underarms. You can shave areas like your face and bikini line, but just be extra careful to not cut that sensitive skin. Shaving keeps you smooth between one day and several days, depending on speed of hair regrowth.
Depilatory Lotion
Try a depilatory lotion or cream to remove body hair. Lotions work by frequently applying them to the desired body part, and the chemicals (commonly calcium thioglycolate) eventually make hair less noticeable. There are more powerful creams and sprays that work faster. Those you usually just have to apply, wait ten minutes or so, and then wash it off. Hair-free time for this one is similar to shaving, maybe a day longer. Again, beware on sensitive areas and if you have sensitive skin. No razor burn here but possibly chemical burn if your skin doesn’t react well. You can get products like Nair at Amazon.
Tweezing
Tweezing is great for smaller areas of body hair removal. Much less chance for irritated skin with this method, which is nice . . . unless you get too close to the surface of your skin and pluck that, too. This works really great on eyebrows, or if you just have a little patch of hair somewhere that you want to get rid of quickly, like if you miss a spot shaving. It’s also cheap since you only need a pair of tweezers. Tweezing does keep you smooth for a fair amount of time—about a week—but ingrown hairs are more common with this method.
Waxing
Waxing is a fast and effective option. You can wax pretty much anywhere—though I’ve never heard of anyone getting their head waxed. Keep in mind that the larger the area of your body that you want waxed, the longer it’ll take. There will be more pain to suffer through, too. You can pay a professional or do it yourself, but don’t expect your first at-home trial to go perfectly. Waxing quickly and without making a mess is almost an art form. You’ll be hairless for several weeks, but remember that sensitive skin might not react well to such harsh treatment. Veet has wax strip kit from Amazon that may help you here.
Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removallaser hair removal
Cost and Effectiveness of Body Hair Removal Techniques
It’s also a good idea to really research the expensive options before jumping into something. Look into the different clinics offering the high-tech services, as you don’t want to end up catching some disease just to save a few bucks. For those with sensitive skin, even the lower cost options deserve some research. See if you can find a sample of a depilatory cream and try it out on a patch of your skin before buying a whole bottle and ending up with chemical burns across your body.
I’m pretty sure how much you spend on your hair removal is almost always directly related to how long it lasts. There are a few exceptions to the rule, such as tweezing, and there are actually some decent cheap razors out there, although I’d still recommend the 4-blade razors with moisturizers attached. If you want longer lasting results, you’re going to be spending money at a salon to get waxed, or at a dermatologist’s office for laser hair removal or electrolysis. So, if you really don’t have the money, consider becoming a hippie and letting your body hair grow wild. Love is free, man.
Homemade Natural Sugar Hair Remover
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
Directions
Hair should be fairly long before sugaring. Heat ingredients on low in a saucepan, without boiling or burning. Once the mixture reaches 250 degrees F, allow to cool slightly and then pour into a reheatable glass container. Make clean cotton fabric strips an inch or two wide and six inches long. Cool mixture—it should be warm but not so hot that it burns you. Use a Popsicle stick to spread the mix onto a small patch of your target area in the direction of hair growth. Place cotton strip on top, press down, allow to cool, and pull it off quickly. Repeat until entire area is smooth. The leftover mixture can be reheated for later use.
Fixing Complications of Body Hair Removal
Ingrown Hairs
This is when a hair grows back and gets caught under the skin, continuing to grow while under there. Wash the area. Take a sterile needle, slide it just under the hair perpendicularly, and gently pull the hair end up out of your skin.
Chemical Burns
These can occur for some with depilatory products. Quit using the offending product immediately, gently wash your skin, and apply some antibiotic cream. If the burn is serious, see a doctor.
Razor Burn
It stings and it doesn’t look pretty. Avoid it by shaving carefully and with enough shaving cream or soap and water. Soothe it by moisturizing and not shaving again until it goes away.
Swelling, Stinging, or Sensitivity
This is mostly for laser hair removal. Your skin will probably be irritated for a short period of time afterwards, so gently wash it and don’t itch at it. OTC pain relievers can reduce pain and swelling.
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About the Author
Jacki Nilssen
