Both men and women seek hair removal treatments to use at home to get rid of unwanted hair on different areas of the body. In some cases, it is a matter of normal hair growth that the individual wants to reduce or remove for aesthetic purposes. In other cases, hair growth may be abnormal, such as patches of hair growing on the back or facial hair growth on women.
Options
Many people choose to shave with a razor to remove unwanted hair at home. Electric razors are a faster way to shave and also tend to be less likely to cause nicks or scratches than using a hand razor. Cream depilatories work by chemically destroying hair and breaking it off level with the skin. Waxing and sugaring remove hair from the root after the person applies a strip or coating of wax or sugaring substance, which captures the strands and yanks them out when the person pulls the coating off the surface. An epilator uses mechanical coils powered by electricity or a battery to pull hair out by the roots. Plucking can be done with tweezers but is typically limited to a small area.
Effectiveness
Shaving and using depilatories tend to be short-lived, because the hair quickly grows out again and breaks past the skin's surface within a matter or days or hours. Methods that remove hair from the root last longer, sometimes leaving the area hair-free for up to six weeks. These types of hair removal treatments also cause the hair to grow in softer and lighter after repeated treatments.
Cost
Shaving generally has the lowest up-front cost for large-scale home hair removal, with disposable razors costing under $1 each. However, purchasing a more expensive electric razor or epilator may be more cost-efficient in the long run, because these items can be used many times. Waxing, sugaring and depilatory creams tend to be the most expensive, but many people prefer the results from these methods and consider them worth the cost.
Considerations
Before choosing a home hair removal treatment, one thing to consider is the level of pain you are willing to tolerate. Many people find epilators, waxing and sugaring to be beyond their level of pain tolerance. Another consideration is the area where you want to remove the hair, as some methods may not work in some areas. For example, epilators and depilatory creams are not recommended for eyebrow hair removal.
Alternatives
In some cases, removing hair at home can be difficult. The removal of pubic hair and back hair tends to be particularly problematic using home methods. In these cases, you might choose to get a professional waxing or sugaring done in those areas while treating the rest of the body at home. Longer-lasting professional methods of hair removal are also available, including laser hair removal and electrolysis.
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