The hype surrounding hair removal is hard to avoid. From billboards to magazines, we are bombarded with images of our fellow men that are completely hair-free. And there is no shortage of hair removal products and specialists advertising their services. But what are the choices? What do they do? What works? What doesn’t? Let’s take a look at a few of the more popular options:

Shaving

Using a sharp blade with a gel or moisturizer-based shaving lubricant can produce a smooth hair-free surface.

Pros: fast, inexpensive with good short-term results

Cons: hair grows back in a few days, risk of razor nicks and ingrown hairs

Best for : beard and other areas you don’t mind maintaining daily

Pain Factor:   1/5

Cost : 1/5

Waxing/Sugaring

Waxing removes the hair below the skin (root and all) by applying heated wax to the area, pressing a cloth or paper strip onto the wax and then pulling it quickly away from the skin – removing both wax and hair in the process. Sugaring is a similar process with a sugar-based paste used instead of heated wax.

Pros: moderately priced in a salon (less expensive home kits are available) with good results that last longer than shaving

Cons:   painful, hair grows back after a few weeks, can be messy if done at home

Best for : eyebrows, back, chest, legs, knuckles, toes and bikini line

Pain Factor:   5/5

Cost : 2/5 – 3/5

Chemical Depilatories

Chemical depilatories are creams and lotions that consist of various chemicals that break down and dissolve hairs above the surface of the skin. The technique is simple – apply the product, wait a few minutes and wipe away the product and the hair.

Pros: Fast, inexpensive with good short-term results

Cons: Hair grows back in a few days and you run the risk of hair re-growth that is darker and thicker, risk of skin irritation, can be messy and have strong odors

Best for : back, chest, legs, knuckles, toes and bikini line

Pain Factor:   1/5

Cost : 1/5

Electrolysis

Electrolysis is performed one hair at a time with a needle that delivers an electrical current to the base of each follicle. The result (often only after several sessions) is that the hair is unable to grow back.

Pros: Permanent hair removal in most cases

Cons: Very time consuming, very expensive, some pain involved

Best for : eyebrows, knuckles and toes. Larger areas like chest and back are possible, but will be a sizeable investment of time and money.

Pain Factor:   3/5

Cost : 5/5

Laser

Although there are several different types of laser and light-related treatment options, they share similar techniques. Concentrated light is used to heat the hair follicle and cause it to stop growing hair. Since the hairs are killed from the inside out, it may take a few days for the hairs to fall out.

Pros: Can be used on large areas quickly, long-term hair removal (permanent in some cases), works well on light skin and dark hair

Cons: Some pain involved (burning), fairly expensive, doesn’t work well on darker skin or light hair, results are not immediate

Best for : large areas like back and chest, legs, arms

Pain Factor:   3/5

Cost : 1/5

Now that you know your options and a little more about each process, all you need to do is decide which treatment option is right for you based on the body area you are interested in, your tolerance for pain and the amount of time and money you are willing to spend.

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