Body hair--everyone has it. The density and thickness of your body hair growth is largely determined by heredity, and sometimes your genes give you too much of a natural thing. If you want to reduce hair growth, there are numerous professional services, new consumer products and even prescription medications on the market that can give you very long-term--if not permanent--hair-free zones, even on large areas of the body. Consider both your long-term goals and the amount of discretionary cash in your beauty budget before you decide on your desire method of reducing hair growth.
Permanent Laser Hair Removal
Step 1
Consult with a medical professional, such as a dermatologist, to first discuss your long-term goals and the likelihood that laser hair removal will work for you. Mayo Clinic experts note that those with fair skin and dark hair have the best chance at success. According to the dermatologists who maintain the Hair Removal Journal consumer website, up to 90 percent of these "good candidates" may note up to 80 percent hair reduction after a course of treatment.
Step 2
Schedule and attend laser hair removal treatments at the recommended frequency. For good results, Mayo Clinic experts note that you can anticipate between six to eight treatments 6 to 8 weeks apart, along with routine maintenance treatments (the Hair Removal Journal notes that between four and seven sessions are required to see optimal results).
Step 3
Alternately, purchase a home laser hair removal device to reduce hair growth on your own time--and in private. In late 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the Silk'n and the Tria, both of which purport to give consumers between 50 and 70 percent reduction in hair growth after five treatments and ongoing home maintenance sessions. Like professional laser treatments, these home devices also work best for those with pale skin and dark, coarse body hair.
Electrolysis
Step 1
Consult with a skilled electrologist to discuss a course of action. Electrolysis tackles each hair follicle individually and involves inserting a slim probe into the skin to deliver a jolt of electricity to the root. Electrolysis offers a permanent form of hair removal and works for everyone, regardless of skin tone or hair color.
Step 2
Schedule regular sessions with your electrologist. Electrolysis is charged by the hour, rather than by the session. If you have a small area of skin to treat, such as the upper lip, this might take only an hour. Larger parts of the body, such as the legs, require numerous hours of electrolysis.
Step 3
Receive retreatment as necessary. Although electrolysis is very effective, this method of hair reduction works best on hair follicles that are in the active stage of growth. Some body hair will grow back until successfully treated.
Medical Intervention
Step 1
See your doctor if you're a woman suffering from hirsutism, a medical condition that causes hair to grow in places where men usually get hair, such as the face, abdomen or back. Mayo Clinic experts note that while hirsutism can run in families, sometimes there's an underlying medical cause that causes women to produce too much androgen, the hormone responsible for excessive and obvious terminal hair growth.
Step 2
Receive medical treatment if necessary. One of the most frequent causes of hirsutism is polycystic ovary syndrome, but too much hair growth can also be caused by tumors on the ovaries or adrenal glands as well, or the result of side effects of taking certain medications, such as steroids. Once the underlying cause of hirsutism is addressed, excessive hair growth resolves.
Step 3
Ask your doctor about your alternatives if hirsutism has no underlying cause. The Mayo Clinic recommends laser hair removal and electrolysis as two forms of hair reduction. But there is also a prescription topical cream, Vaniqa, that acts as a hair growth inhibitor on the face in women over the age of 12.
Tips and Warnings
- Around 10 percent of the female population in the U.S. suffers from hirsutism.
- It might cost a tidy sum to achieve long-term or permanent hair removal. According to the Laser Hair Journal, in October 2009, the national cost of a single laser hair removal treatment was $358; this price varies, depending on region. Home laser hair removal devices are slightly less costly in the long run, with the Silk'n priced at $400 and the Tria at $795. Electrolysis ranges between $45 and $125 per hour, again, depending on where you live. The FDA notes that laser hair removal treatments will permanently reduce the overall number of body hairs after a designated number of treatments, but they won't permanently get rid of all body hair. Home laser hair removal devices are not approved by the FDA for use on the face.
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