Several techniques can be employed at home to remove unwanted hair. Trimming, shaving, waxing or sugaring and using depilatory creams remove unwanted hair cheaply and easily. While there are more permanent forms of hair removal, including laser hair removal and electrolysis, these methods require a large investment and professional application.
Trimming
Trimming reduces bulk and length, resulting in a neater appearance. While trimming does not remove all of the hair, it is quick and easy. Additionally, you can go longer in between trims than you can with any other type of temporary hair removal. Other than the one-time, small investment in a good set of trimmers, this method costs next to nothing. The only cost you need to worry about is the negligible cost of the electricity used to run the device or the occasional battery.
Shaving
The most popular form of hair removal, shaving removes hair by cutting it off with a razor at the surface of the skin. Shaving is simple and cost effective. Women spend an average of 11 minutes shaving approximately 12 times per month. Most men shave every day, but they spend less time at it. Although shaving is quick, easy and cheap, it requires a lot of maintenance to keep the skin smooth. You can generally start to feel stubble within several hours after shaving.
Waxing
Waxing removes hair by pulling the hair and its root free from the skin, resulting in smooth skin for one to two weeks. While the initial investment to wax is higher than the cost of shaving, you will only need to wax once or twice a month, depending on your needs and the location of the hair growth. You can expect to spend twice as much on waxing over the course of a lifetime than you would on shaving alone. A 2008 Zoomerang survey reported that women spend close to $23,000 on waxing over their lifetime in comparison to $10,200 spent on shaving. The payoff is smooth skin, less maintenance and fine, sparse regrowth.
Dissolving
Depilatory creams keep skin smooth for about one week after application. Much like waxing, the hair grows back much finer after depilatory hair removal. However, the creams do not damage the hair follicles, so the hair grows back just as thick as before. Unlike waxing, depilatory creams are painless if used correctly. Hair removal with depilatory creams is a simple as rubbing on lotion and rinsing it away. Chemical burns can occur if instructions are not closely followed.
References
- The Free Library: Women Squander Time, Thousands of Dollars Removing Unwanted Hair
- "Milady's Standard Textbook of Cosmetology"; Milady, Diane Carol Bailey and Margrit Attenburg; 2008
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