Hair Removal Information and Resources

For more shaving and hair removal resources, please visit our shaving section in our online directory. You can also view our new directory listing for body shaving and hair removal resources.

Introduction

Hair removal to some is considered essential while to others the over abundance of hair can cause low self-esteem to be seen in public with their hair. For men this could be unsightly hair on their backs, to women this could be facial hair. Regardless of what your reason for looking at hair removal, this section is about both temporary and permanent methods of hair removal.

If you want to remove body hair, you have a few options. It depends on how much hair you have, and where it is being removed from. For large areas that have a lot of hair, shaving is one of the more common ways to remove body hair. Many women shave their legs and arms because it can be done quickly in the shower.

Men also commonly remove body hair. They shave their chest, and sometimes arms and legs. If you remove body hair, the muscles become much more defined and appear to be more toned. That is why many men that lift weights, constantly remove body hair.

Shaving is a good way to remove body hair quickly, but it is needs to be done very often. Once you remove body hair by shaving you may be stuck doing it that way forever. Chest hair stubble is so itchy that it become unbearable, so it need to always be shaved and kept clean.

If you start shaving an area, the hair there will begin to get thicker and more coarse. If you try and wax after shaving for a long time, it will be very painful. The best way to switch gears is to use a hair inhibitor to try and stunt its growth before you try and wax it.

Common Hair Removal Areas

Temporary Methods

Depilation (removing part of the hair above the skin's surface) - results tend to last a few hours to a few days

Shaving or Trimming (manual or with electric shaver)

Depilatories (creams or powders which chemically dissolve hair)

Friction (rough surfaces used to buff hair away)

Epilation (removing the entire hair) - results tend to last for a few days to a few weeks

Tweezing

Waxing (hot or cold wax applied then removed with strips)

Sugaring (like waxing, uses a sticky paste)

Threading (also called fatlah or khite, a twisted thread catches hair as it is rolled across the skin)

Rotary epilators (device used to rapidly grasp hair and pulls then out)

Permanent Methods

There are some common methods for permanent hair removal. Here are the most common and most talked about methods

Electrolysis (A hair thin metal probe is slid into hair follicle and then causes localized damage to the area that generates hair)

Laser (Light is delivered into the skin where it targets dark material, usually the pigment in hair. This is intended to cause thermal and/or mechanical damage to the hair follicle). Interested in learning more about laser hair removal? Visit our directory for some of the North America's leading Laser Hair Removal Clinics, although these sites are trying to sell their services, many of them offer great information about the various types of laser hair removal.

Flashlamp (Similar to laser in terms of attacking the dark material such as the pigment in hair, by using a full-spectrum, non-coherent, light and low-range infrared radiation.)

Hair Removal Methods Comparison

	Best For	Pros	Cons	Hair Removal Hints	Cost
Shaving	legs Underarms	It's quick, simple, and cheap. It's ideal for legs and underarms.	Since shaving produces stubble very quickly, sometimes in under 24 hours, it's not great for removing hair from such areas as your face, arms and bikini line.	Use a moisturizing shaving cream, gel, or oil and a triple-blade razor (to nix more hair with fewer strokes) that has a moisturizing strip (to help the blades glide smoothly over your skin). Don't use your man's razor - it's designed for tough male face scruff, which is 50 to 60% thicker than your body hair. Hot product: Tend Skin. The best product for eliminating razor burn, bumps and ingrown hairs (based on customers' rating at Folica.com)	Shaving is the least expensive fuzz-busting method.
Electrolysis	Face Bikini Underarms	That unsightly hair will be gone for good, no matter what your skin type. A technician inserts a very fine needle into a hair follicle, and an electric current cauterizes the blood vessel that makes the hair grow, thereby eliminating any future growth. The sensation is similar to a static-electricity shock.	Going after hairs one by one is time-consuming and pricey, so electrolysis isn't recommended for larger areas like legs - it can take up to 50 hours just to do one calf, which could add up to $5,000. Fortunately, personal electrolysis device had been approved for home use, at a fraction of the cost.	The most popular home electrolysis device approved by FDA is: One Touch Home Electrolysis	An electrolysis by session by a professional costs about $100 for one hour. Personal electrolysis device: $39.95.
Waxing	Face Legs Bikini Arms Underarms	Waxing removes hair by the root, it leaves your skin super smooth and hair-free for up to four weeks.	The pain factor is relatively high (think of an adhesive bandage quickly ripped off). Also, there are certain times when you shouldn't wax: when skin is sunburned and the three days before and first three days of your period (since you're retaining water and skin is more sensitive). Women using any topical medications  or other drying oral medications should also avoid waxing.	Waxing is easy to do at home. Just make sure your hair in about one-quarter inch long so the wax can grip it. Popular products: One Touch® Deluxe Cordless Home Waxing System Nad's® Natural Water-soluble Hair Removal Kit Touchme® Sugaring Hair Removal Kit	Estimated price for in-salon waxing range from $10 for brows to $50 for legs. At home, try sugar-base waxs since they're water-soluble and won't leave you sticky.
Epilation	Face Legs Bikini Underarms	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). One single session will leave your legs smooth and beautiful for up to 4 weeks, instead of days. Long lasting smoothness.	Like waxing, the pain factor is relatively high.	If you are epilating for the first time or if you haven't epilated for a longer period of time, it is a good idea to shave or pre-cut the longer hairs first (with the shaver head). The ideal length of hair for epilating is between 2 and 5 mm. Make sure that your skin is completely dry and free from any grease or creams. Popular products: Emjoi Hair Removal System   Emjoi Optima Dual Opposed Tweezer System	affordable ($30 - $90 per set)
Depilatories	Face Legs Bikini Underarms	Completely painless and easy to do at home. These creams work by breaking down the structure of the hair, dissolving the right below the skin's surface.  Depilatory creams should keep you hair-free for several days.	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.	Use cream formula for areas like bikini line or underarms, because it's thicker and won't drip, whereas a spreadable lotion is best for legs since you're covering a broader area.For mustache, use a depilatory that's specifically made for the face since it will contain gentler ingredients. Popular products: Andrea Bikini Line Hair Remover  Andre Extra Strength Hair Remover for Men  Hair No More Advanced Hair Vanishing Creme	Very affordable.
Lasers	Face Legs Bikini Arms Underarms	Once an area is lasered four to six times, the area will be about 80% hair-free for at least one year and up to 10 year. Less painful than electrolysis.	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. Translation: Pale-skinned women with blonde hair and dark-skinned women with black hair may need more sessions to notice reduced hair growth. For optimum results, you have to stick to strict four-week schedule, since hair grows in monthly cycles.	You'll need to do some maintenance work at home between laser sessions to keep yourself fuzz-free. The options are either shaving or using a depilatory - if you remove hair at the root via waxing, the laser won't be able to find and zap the follicles during your next treatment.	One session costs between $150 and $250 for 15 to 20 minutes - enough time to cover your bikini or underarms but only half the time needed to do your legs.
Threading	Face	Removes unwanted facial hair from skin that's too sensitive for laser or waxing. "Threading is Middle Eastern technique that plucks hair at the root by using a twisted piece of thread," says Michelle Ornstein, owner of Enessa Wellness Spa in L.A. Since no chemicals are used, there's no way you'll have a reaction, and it only takes about 15 minutes to get both brows done.	Threading only works on flat surfaces - it's too difficult to maneuver around areas like your bikini line and knees. It also can't be done on anyone with bad acne. Since the string is basically dragged over the skin, it could irritate severe acne, causing it to rupture. (For people with serious acne, Ornstein recommends only electrolysis, sine it can be done one hair follicle at a time.)	While you're having your face threaded, don't forget about those other small furry areas like the line running from your belly button to your pubic bone or those annoying sprouts on your big toes - threading is ideal for those areas too. Also, don't attempt this at home - it takes most threaders months to learn, and if it's done incorrectly, you'll just pinch the skin.	Approximately $40 for a full face and $15 for the upper lip.
Pain Factor	No Problem   Little to none   Ouch   OUCH!   YOWZER!!