Compare Hair Removal Methods

Our society has placed a great deal of social and cultural importance on hair. Hair where hair oughtn't be, or unwanted hair that exceeds aesthetic standard has caused much concerns among millions of women, and a growing number of men. They use millions of dollars each year on products and services that promise smooth, silky skin free of "unsightly," "excessive" body hair.

There are a variety of home-use hair removal products are available over the counter, including shaving creams, foams, and gels; waxes; chemical depilatories; and electrolysis devices. Professionals at beauty and skin care salons and in dermatologists' offices provide waxing, electrolysis, and laser treatments to remove hair.

The safety, effectiveness, cost, and ease of use of the various methods, as well as the area and amount of hair growth to be treated, are some factors to weigh in choosing a method and deciding whether to go to a professional. Often, different methods are better suited for different areas. Visit hair removal tips.

Methods	Description	Pros	Cons	Best For	Popular Products
Depilatories	A chemical liquid or cream removes unwanted hair on the skin's surface.	Completely painless and easy to do at home. A depilatory lotion or liquid is designed for larger areas of the body such as the legs, underarms and bikini area. A depilatory cream has a thicker consistency so it can be applied to specific areas without the risk of it running on to skin you don't want treated. A cream is therefore ideal for the face.	Not for supersensitive skin. Always do a patch test first: apply a nickle-size amount of cream, wait 15 minutes before washing off, then check for any redness or bumps before proceeding to a larger area like legs, face, underarms, or bikini line.	Face, Underarms, arms, legs, bikini line	Hair No More Cream Kalo
Epilation	Epilation is hair removal at the root. A row of precisely placed tweezers gently removes the hairs (even those extremely short hairs of 0.5 mm) from below the skin's surface taking out the hair follicle.	Long lasting smoothness. Good for legs and arms	Some find it uncomfortable, especially on sensitive areas.	Legs, arms, bikini line	Emjoi Epilady
Waxing Sugaring	Wax or sugar is applied to the skin, and a cloth or paper strip is pressed onto the preparation, then quickly pulled away, taking hairs along with it.	Removes hair by the root, leaves skin super smooth and hair-free for up to four weeks. Simple, inexpensive, can be done in home.	The pain factor is relatively high. Shouldn't wax at certain times, for example, skin is sunburned.	Face, underarms, arms, legs, back, bikini line.	MOOM Natural Hair Removal Touchme Sugaring
Shaving Trimming	Shaving or trimming is by far the most common hair removal method.	Quick, simple, and inexpensive. Ideal for legs and underarms.	Effect doesn't lasts a long time. Risks of skin irritation and cuts. It may cause ingrown hairs.	Legs, underarms, bikini line.	Tend Skin Lotion reducing irritation and razor bumps
Hair Growth Inhibitor	By rubbing or spraying hair growth inhibitor onto the skin so it penetrates the pores, reaches the hair follicle, changes the structure of the hair follicle the hair gradually becomes finer and softer until it finally disappears.	painless, can be done at home.	The solution is best applied to the skin after using a hair removal method such as shaving or waxing.	back, shoulder, face, arms, chest, legs, upper lip, abdomen, bikini line, underarms	Hair No More Spray
Electrolysis	Electrolysis refers to the destruction of hair roots by inserting a very fine metal probes into the hair follicle. and an electric current cauterizes the blood vessel that makes the hair grow, thereby eliminating any future growth.	Permanent way to remove hair. The unsightly hair will be gone for good, no matter what your skin type.	Each hair has to be treated individually. not recommended for larger areas like legs. It's expensive, painful, time-consuming. It may cause skin damage or infection.	Facial areas, arms, bikini, underarms, legs, back
Lasers	Laser systems emit a gentle beam of light that passes through the skin to the hair follicle. The energy from the laser transforms into heat and disables the hair follicle.	Once an area is treated four to six times, the area will be about 80% hair-free for at least one year. Useful for large areas such as backs or legs.	The less contrast there is between your skin tone and the color of your hair, the harder it is for the light beam to seek out the follicle and zap it. Repeated treatments are necessary to catch all the hairs in their various stages of growth. Expensive, some find the treatment painful.	Legs, back, face, arms