There are a wide range of products that can be used for hair removal. Some can be used at home – they include shaving devices with creams, gel and foams; depilatory creams; wax; tweezers, and devices for performing electrolysis. Professional dermatolocist offices, beauty and skin care salons offer services for laser hair removal, waxing and electrolysis.
When choosing a hair removal solutions, and whether do perform at home or better suited for being handled by a professional, there are several factors to consider. They include the cost, length of time before regrowth of hair, sanitary safety, amount of hair and the area to be treated, and the ease of use.
| Method | Description | Pros | Cons |
| Shaving | Shaving or trimming is the most common method for removing hair. It is done by applying shaving gel or cream, then sliding a razor against the skin surface. | Simple, intuitive, inexpensive and quick. Men use it for removing facial hair, women usually use it for leg, arms, and underarms. | Shaving must be done frequently, the effects don’t last long. There is the risk of skin cuts and irritation. Shaving may cause ingrown hairs, and hair sometimes grows back thicker than before. |
| Threading | Threading is the process of trapping hair fibers in a tiny lasso, then using a twisting movement to pull it out. This motion doesn’t only move the hair, but it also takes out the attached hair follicle. The effects last for 6 weeks or longer. | This method must be done by an expert. Threading the hair is a very sanitary and hygienic procedure for a few different reasons. First, each thread used is thrown away after it’s used, and a new one is used next time. Second, there is no danger of breakouts caused by bacteria or dirt entering the skin, because only the thread touches the skin. Thirdly, there are no chemicals, medicines, or ingredients used which could irritate your sensitive skin. | This procedure needs to be done by someone who’s skilled and experienced, since improper threading can cause the hair to break. It can also only be done on facial hair. It leaves little room for error, and threading will hurt. |
| Waxing | Hot wax is gently applied to the skin, and a paper strip or thin cloth is pressed onto the preparation. It is then pulled away with a quick and sudden motion, taking hairs along with it. | Removes hair right from the root, and leaves your skin very smooth and hair-free for 4-5 weeks. Can be done at home, it’s simple and risk-free, and there are many products which can be used to do at home. | Waxing can be very painful depending on where it is done. When the skin is sensitive or sunburned, waxing should not be attempted. |
| Electrolysis | Electrolysis is the process of destroying the hair roots by inserting thin metal probes along the hair fiber, and into the hair follicle. An electric current zapps the blood vessel which makes the hair grow, and so eliminates any more growth in the future. | This is a permanent way to remove your hair. Since the process destroys the hair follicle, regardless of your skin type, the hair will be gone for good. | This is a lengthy process. The treatment must be done for each one at a time. It should not be done on large areas like the legs, as it is painful and expensive. If the surface and instruments are not well leaned, electrolysis can cause infection or skin damage. |
| Depilatory creams | A depilatory is a chemical paste or liquid which removes unwanted hair from the surface of the skin. | This is a painless process which can be done in the comfort of your own home.
Using depilatory lotions and liquids are designed for use on large areas of the body like on the legs, underarms and even on the bikini area. The depilatory creams have thicker consistency, so you can apply them to specific areas without having the risk of it spreading out and affecting areas that you don’t want treated. Because of this, creams are ideal for use on the face. |
Not for extremely sensitive skin. We recommend that you first test on a patch of skin: apply cream on an are the size of a dime, wait 15 minutes for it to take effect, then wash off, and check for possible bumps, redness or irritation before proceeding to a larger area like rest of the face, legs, underarms, or bikini line. |
| Plucking | This technique of hair removal requires the use of tweezers over an extremely little region. It’s typically employed on the eyebrows and many others. Eliminating the hair should also be accompanied by giving shape to the remaining hair. | Plucking is inexpensive because all you need are tweezers or an epilator | Plucking can indeed be painful. If the hair breaks off below the skin, it is possible to get an ingrown hair. After plucking, you may notice temporary red bumps because the hair follicle is swollen and irritated. |
| Laser | Laser devices emit gentle beams of light which pass through the skin all the way down to the hair follicle. The intense energy from the laser heats up and disables the hair follicle. | The treatment requires several iterations, but once an area was treated three to five times, it will be about 75% hair-free for a year or longer.
Useful for large areas of the body, like for the back or legs. |
There needs to be a strong contrast between the color of your hair, and the skin tone. The less the contrast, the harder it is for the beam of light to get down to the follicle and zap it.
There needs to be multiple treatments in order for catching all the hairs in the various stages of growth. Laser hair removal is Expensive, and the treatment can be painful. |
| Inhibitory creams | By spraying or rubbing hair growth inhibitor cream onto the skin, the ingredients penetrate the pores, reach down into the hair follicle, and change the structure of the hair follicle. Over time, the hair gradually becomes softer and finer, until eventually it disappears. | This is a painless solution, which can be done at home. | The solution is recommended to be applied to the skin after first using a hair removal method such as shaving or waxing. |