Hair removal can be a confusing process when you don't know the options available to you. You can fight the growth of hair on a daily basis, or every few days thanks to various hair removal preparations available.
Shaving
Shaving is the quickest and cheapest method of hair removal. As shaving produces stubble very quickly, sometimes less than a day, it''s not a good method for removing hair from your face, arms and bikini line. It''s ideal for legs and underarms. Use a ladies razor as they are designed for finer hair than a mens razor. It is recommended to use moisturizing shaving cream, gel, or oil and a razor that has a moisturizing strip to help the blade glide smoothly over your skin.
Waxing
Waxing removes hair by the root and can leave skin smooth and hair-free for four to six weeks. There is a reasonable amount of pain involved, similar to a band-aid being ripped off. Hair growth needs to be about a quarter of an inch so the wax has something to grip, which can be inconvenient if you need hair-free legs all the time.
If you are waxing at home, use sugar-based wax as they are water soluble and don''t leave you sticky.
When you should not wax:
- when skin is sunburned
- a few days before and the first days of your period as your skin can be more sensitive due to water retention
Electrolysis
Remove hair permanently using electrolysis. This is performed by a technician who inserts a very fine needle into each hair follicle and an electric current cauterizes the blood vessel that makes the hair grow. This prevents hair from growing back again. The pain level is similar to a static electricity shock. The downside is that only one hair can be done at a time, so this method is best for smaller areas. If you are having this done at a salon it can be quite expensive to do larger areas because it will involve a lot of visits. Home electrolysis kits are available, but be careful to research which one you purchase as some claim to work and they don''t. Look for consumer opinions on different brands.
Epilation
Epilation is the process of removing hair at the root. A row of precisely placed tweezers gently removes the hairs (even those extremely short hairs of 0.5 mm). One single session will leave your legs smooth and beautiful for up to 4 weeks. The pain can be uncomfortable when you begin, some elilators come with a massager on them which helps to ''numb'' the skin a bit as they operate. The ideal length of hair for epilating is between 2 and 5 mm, so if your hair is longer it pays to shave first and epilate a couple of days later. Ensure your skin is completely dry and free from any grease or creams before epilation.
Depilatories
Depilatory creams work by breaking down the structure of the hair, dissolving the hair shaft to just below the skin''s surface. Depilatory creams should leave you hair-free for several days. You should always do a patch test first by applying a small amount of cream, wait 15 minutes then washing off. Check for any redness or bumps before using on larger area like legs, face, underarms, or bikini line. Use cream formula for areas like bikini line or underarms, as it''s thicker and will not drip. Use a spreadable lotion for legs since you''re covering a larger area. For facial hair, use a depilatory that''s made for the face as it will contain gentler ingredients.
