How to Remove Body Hair

The techniques for removing body hair all come with pros and cons.

Some are faster than others, and some last longer. The greatest considerations are their safety and the cost.

Women tend to be more concerned about removal of body hair than men. However, some males are unfortunate enough to have excessive body hair on areas that draw unwanted attention, such as the belly or back.

For them, excessive hair is just as much a concern as leg hair for women, and the removal techniques used will be basically the same.

The most inexpensive way to remove body hair, is shaving. However, depending on your body's make up, this may simply encourage the re-growth of the hair, and in thicker, coarser strands.

It can also be uncomfortable in such areas as the bikini or thong lines, where hair that begins to grow again can cause real discomfort and irritation. Shaved areas can re-grow in a week.

The next choice cost-wise, is depilatory creams. These are generally used on the legs, bikini areas, and sometimes the underarms. They are not considered advisable for the face, as skin there is more sensitive and can be irritated. This treatment lasts a little longer than shaving, but will need to be repeated in about ten days.

Waxing has been a favorite method of hair removal for many years. Individual technicians' methods may vary, but in general, hot wax is applied to the area, then a cloth is pressed on top, bonding all three together.

When the wax is cold, the cloth is pulled in the opposite direction to the hair growth, pulling hairs out by the root. The technician may then tweeze odd hairs that were not removed. This is a painful procedure, although you can get used to it. A wax will last approximately three to six weeks, and is the method most often chosen by men with excessive back hair.

Electrolysis is a very time-consuming and intensive method that is not always permanent. A sterilized needle is inserted at the base of each hair follicle, and a small electrical charge is passed through it to destroy the follicle.

Given that it's done one hair at a time, clearing any body area can take multiple treatments. It is also a painful procedure, and must be done by a qualified professional, or you risk scarring. Hair has been known to grow back, when the charge was not sufficient, or was applied improperly. A full course of treatment can cost as much as $3,000 for the legs.

Laser treatments are the newest procedure, and again, should only be done by a qualified professional, due to the technology involved. While it is the treatment with the best chance of being permanent, there is no 100% guarantee.

Some hair can grow back, but it is usually finer and softer. It is not a treatment for areas with deep-seated follicles such as the bikini line or underarms. Skin color is also an issue, since the laser tends to diffuse into the dark pigments of the skin, and the treatment may not work on those of some ethnic origins.

Blondes and redheads may also have problems due to the natural lightness of their skin. The ideal candidate for laser use, has light skin and dark hair.

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