Which Hair Removal Method Is Right for You?

Deciding whether to remove body hair is something that all teenage girls and women do. Some choose to go completely au natural, and some will trim in some areas and remove in others. And some women will get rid of as much as they can. It's a personal choice, usually based purely on preference. Unless you're an athlete, who needs to cut down on resistance, that is. But if you do decide to remove some or all of your body hair, how should you do it? Most people start off shaving and often move on to waxing. Regular hair removal can become tedious, though. So some women look for more permanent methods. 

Which one should you use?

Justin Taylor

Shaving
For most girls, shaving is their first introduction to body hair removal. It's simple, easy and painless, providing you don't manage to cut yourself. Everyone can shave at home, without any special knowledge and equipment. All you need is a razor and your preferred product for lubrication. That could be shaving gel, body lotion or even hair conditioner. However, shaving can get annoying, as you have to do it often. The hair grows back quickly, requiring regular sessions. It's also not the most suitable method for hair removal in some places, such as your bikini line.

Waxing
If you're fed up with shaving, a lot of girls try waxing next. You might think it looks incredibly painful, but it's over in a flash. You can either have it done professionally at a salon or choose to do it at home. And you can have any part of your body waxed, from your legs to your underarms. When you wax, the hair grows back slower than with shaving, so you don't have to go through it as often. If you choose to get a home waxing kit, it can be a little more complicated. You may not get as smooth a finish, and you might be hesitant without someone else to rip off the band-aid, so to speak.

Hair Removal Cream
Another option to use at home is hair removal cream. You can use it for different parts of your body, and some women find it very convenient. Before using a cream such as Nair, make sure you test it on a small patch of your skin first. You don't want to find out you're sensitive to it after you've already slathered it all over your legs, or somewhere worse. Hair removal cream can be the better method for doing your bikini line, over shaving. You don't have to navigate awkward curves with a sharp object. However, some women find that cream isn't as effective as they would like.

Laser Hair Removal
Using methods such as shaving and waxing means you have to deal with your body hair on a regular basis. Some women decide that they've had enough, and they would prefer a more permanent solution. One of these comes in the form of laser hair removal, which aims to get rid of your body hair for good. It works by having laser beams target the hair shaft to kill off the hair once and for all. It works best on dark hair, especially when it's darker than your skin. Although it's a long lasting method, it usually requires between four and six sessions of treatment. Another treatment that's similar to laser hair removal is IPL or intense pulsed light.

Ian Brown

Plucking and Threading
When it comes to facial hair, you're unlikely to be shaving or waxing it at home. The method most girls use is plucking with tweezers. Some even use it to remove hair from other parts of their body. If you want to get your eyebrows under control or remove stray hairs elsewhere, plucking is useful for getting rid of just a few strands. Another method that you can get in a salon is threading, which uses a thread to remove hairs accurately.

Electrolysis
You can also remove hair using electrolysis. It uses a tiny needle to send an electric current into the hair follicle. You can have galvanic electrolysis, which chemically destroys the follicle. Or you can get thermolytic, which uses heat. You can have it on any part of the body or face, but most women choose to have it done on their face. For example, you might use it to remove hair on your chin or upper lip. It must be done by a professional - it's not something you can do at home.

If you decide you want to remove some or all of your body hair, you have a number of methods to choose from. However, remember that how much you get rid of, if any at all, is completely up to you.