Most women are on a journey to discover the best hair removal techniques for them. Having smooth, silky skin sounds like a dream come true, right?
Removing body hair isn’t for everyone, but for those who opt for it, finding the best method of removal can be quite a process. The options are vast, and the effects are different for each hair and skin type.
If you want to learn more about what hair removal methods are out there and might work for you, stick with FreshFaceGuide as we dive deeper into it!
An Overview of Hair Removal
The desire to get rid of excess hair usually starts in childhood and lasts for the rest of one’s life. Many women and men are adamant about removing hair from their faces, underarms, legs, pubic area, and other areas of their bodies. There are a lot of ways to get rid of unwanted hair, but only a few of them are permanent.
There are hair removal techniques for everybody, whether you want something easy and quick, to something more high-tech – no matter how much you are willing to spend on your hair removal treatment cost, your schedule, or pain tolerance (because let’s accept it, sometimes hair removal can hurt), you can get that perfectly smooth skin!
Apart from convenience, always take into account your hair growth patterns, the type of body hair you have, and how easily your skin gets irritated. When it comes to permanent hair removal, for example, dark hair will behave differently than lighter hair, due to the differences in hair follicles, for example.
What Is The Best Hair Removal Method For You?
Before making a decision about which path to go down when it comes to hair removal techniques, let’s take a look at what options you have, and the pros and cons they bring!
1. Shaving
Perhaps the most well-known and used method to remove unwanted hair, we’ve all heard of shaving before. If you have a razor, some moisturizer, and perhaps a good shaving cream (or, for a hack, you can also use conditioner), you are good to go!
Pros: It’s cheap, painless, and convenient. All you need to do is jump in the shower with your razor and the job will be done in no time. As a tip, it is indicated to shave in the direction of hair growth, in order to avoid ingrown hairs and irritation.
Cons: Well, first, it causes ingrown hair and irritation. It is also the most temporary method, as it only takes a couple of days for the unwanted hair to make an appearance again. Since it doesn’t remove the hair from the root and rather just cuts it off at the base, while the fact that it grows faster or courser is a myth, it will grow with a blunt tip and become more noticeable.
2. Plucking
A famous method for the face and maybe some strays or ingrown hairs, but not very popular for actual hair removal overall. Can you imagine tackling your entire leg hair with a tweezer? We didn’t think so either
Pros: It’s easy to use and quick for unwanted facial hair (such as on your upper lip), for perfecting your brows, and for getting rid of some noticeable hairs that were missed by other hair removal techniques. It does also give you better control of the shape you are going to give your eyebrows.
Cons: It can hurt a little, and while for some women plucking eyebrows at home is a breeze, others might need to get it done at a salon in order to get their shape perfected, which can mean an added cost. For thicker brows, it is also time-consuming – we won’t even get into the time it would take to remove the hair on an entire arm or leg with tweezers.
3. Waxing
Warm wax is applied to the skin and spread in the direction of hair growth. As the wax begins to cool, the hair gets trapped in it. A strip of fabric is placed on the wax, which is immediately taken off in the direction opposite of hair growth, ripping away the hair from the root as it goes with it.
Now there is also the option of sugar waxing, which works the same but the ingredients of the hair removal substance are all-natural, water-soluble, and can nourish the skin.
Pros: It’s a more long-term solution, lasting up to 3 weeks. It pulls the hair from the root, therefore leaving the skin feeling smoother. It can be done at home, but it does require some previous knowledge, as going into it blindly can do some damage to your skin.
Cons: It’s on the more painful side, and is also a bit harsher on the skin, which means if you tend to get irritated easily, it might be the case here as well. If the hair is not properly pulled, and it rips, you may have some ingrown hairs to deal with. Last but not least, if hot wax is involved, be very aware of the risk of getting burnt.
4. Hair Removal Cream
These creams contain chemicals that melt off your hair. They should be applied with caution, for a limited amount of time and removed accordingly. Always make sure to read the label, as not all depilatory creams are the same, and some may not be suitable for sensitive areas such as your bikini line.
Pros: It’s cheap and available to do at home, necessitating very few instructions and not very much time.
Cons: These creams are extremely abrasive, and therefore require a skin patch test because allergic reactions can occur. If they are left on for too long, they can also cause burns and irritation.
5. Laser Hair Removal
Lasers produce light with different wavelengths, energy outputs, and pulse widths. The hairs that have been killed have been destroyed, but new hairs can sprout in their place. Consider it a permanent hair reduction rather than complete hair removal.
Most hair removal lasers focus on melanin, or pigment, and are hence designed to burn structures containing melanin. The more melanin there is, the more damage there is. The best results might occur, therefore, if your hair is dark and your skin on the fair side.
Pros: It’s the closest out of this list to be a permanent hair removal method, and therefore has long-term effects. It’s also useable on most parts of the body.
Cons: It’s for a very certain type of person: light skin, dark body hair, does not care about the hair removal treatment cost, and has a very high pain tolerance
More Tips for Removing Body Hair Effectively
These are just the most common hair removal techniques, but not the only ones existent. However, from permanent hair removal, to a quick at-home temporary fix, we cover the bases, so you can make an informed choice moving forward.
For more information, from hair removal treatment cost to the lesser-known methods to remove excess body hair, check out Fresh Face Guide and their highly informative articles!