Deciding on the right hair removal method for you

Hair removal is an issue for most people, so how do you choose the right method for you?

Hair removal is an issue that affects many people. Whether it’s eyebrow maintenance, daily shaving or waxing, hair removal is something most people have to consider at some point in their lives. While in the past an individual merely had to choose between shaving and waxing, the world of hair removal is now quite extensive with different hair removal methods recommended for different parts of the body and hair types. 

What’s more, the issue of finance is now also a consideration with some techniques being up to several hundreds of dollars while others are under ten dollars. So how do you choose what suits you best?

Hair Removal Options

• Shaving – a razor that cuts the hair at the level of the skin, lasts only day or two
• Waxing – wax that pulls the hair out by the root, usually last between 3-6 weeks
• Bleaching – bleaches the hair colour without removing it, several weeks
• Laser - causes thermal and/or mechanical damage to a hair follicle while sparing surrounding tissues, sometimes is permanent but regrowth does occur
• Threading - rows of stray hairs are yanked out with twists of cotton thread, results can last up to two to four weeks, is best suited for those with extremely sensitive skin
• Electrolysis - hair-thin metal probe is slid into a hair follicle when electricity is delivered to the follicle through the probe, causing localised damage to the areas that generate hairs, supposed to provide permanent results if performed properly

So with this basic overview it then becomes a choice of whether to go for the expensive and permanent options or to use the temporary but far less expensive ones.  First up you need to consider both temporary and permanent hair removal techniques. This is where a question of money will come into it as the permanent options are usually far more expensive with electrolysis being around several hundred dollars for repeat treatments.

Choosing on hair removal technique based on body area

Face:  when it comes to facial hair removal it is the removal techniques that you can control best that are ideal, meaning the tweezers are a popular choice as they give instant results while also being able to remove a single hair at a time.

Of course, waxing is also a popular option but for complete area hair removal such as the upper lip or even eyebrow shaping.  There is also the bleaching option which is pain free, but be sure to test a small section out first to determine whether you are sensitive or not to the chemicals. If you are looking for a permanent option then laser or electrolysis should be considered as the price would be fairly low for such a small area.

Arms/Legs: much the same can be said for these areas except that due to the large amount of hair that would need to be removed, it is waxing and epilating that usually presents as the best hair removing option. However to avoid the “ouch” factor, hair bleaching is also recommended.  Shaving is best for a quick option while depilatory creams are also popular.

Bikini and other areas: the most common techniques used here are waxing, epilating and shaving although these options can often result in ingrown hairs and similar irritating side effects. Laser treatments are less expensive than electrolysis with permanent results supposedly achieved within 4-6 treatment sessions.

So which method works best for which hair type/body area?

• Plucking or tweezing is ideal for areas where either the hair is regrowing and sparse or smaller areas of skin, such as the eyebrows
• Waxing and epilating systems are best for large areas of skin, such as the legs, but they do require hair to be a certain length so preparation time is needed
• Shaving and threading can be used on almost every area of the body for immediate results, especially with shaving which can be completed in minutes. However the regrowth rate is high meaning daily maintenance
• Bleaching will only work for hair types that are thin and relatively dark originally, not ideal for areas such as bikini line or coarse hair
• Laser treatments are ideal for those with dark hair and fair skin as the laser sometimes cannot recognise and find the hair follicle otherwise.