For many men and women, shaving every day or every other day is inconvenient. For some, shaving does not keep the hair off long enough. Although shaving does not make your hair grow faster, it also may not be a satisfactory method of removing hair for some people. If you want to achieve smooth skin and prevent your hair from growing back too quickly, you should become familiar with the steps that can benefit you.
Step 1
See your doctor if you think you are experiencing an abnormally high rate of body hair growth. Excessive unwanted hair growth is a condition known as "hirsutism." According to endocrinologist Dr. Geoffery Redmond, hirsutism is most often a symptom of a disproportionate amount of the male hormone testosterone in your system. This can be a very serious medical condition if left undiagnosed.
Step 2
Use a home body wax or depilatory lotion to remove your body hair. Waxing or using a hair removal lotion will remove body hair for longer than shaving because the root of the hair is removed from under your skin. It will also leave your skin smoother than shaving. While tweezing body hair also removes the root of the hair, it is not recommended because it damages your skin, according to Dr. Redmond.
Step 3
Talk to your doctor about the dietary supplements that are recommended by the University of Maryland Medical Center to slow body hair growth. If effective, your hair will grow back slower, which will leave your skin smoother for a longer period of time. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends saw palmetto at a dosage of 160 mg to be taken every day. They also suggest black cohosh, chaste tree (vitex) and spearmint tea.
Step 4
Ask your doctor about prescription treatments that can help prevent body hair from growing back. If you are unsuccessful or not satisfied with the results of home hair removal and dietary supplements, certain prescription treatments may help you keep your skin free of body hair and smoother for longer. For example, the prescription treatment eflornithine is applied to your skin topically and inhibits the enzymes that are responsible for body hair growth.
Step 5
Discuss an electrolysis procedure with your doctor. If you are unable to keep your skin smooth and body hair away for long enough, an electrolysis hair removal procedure will permanently deactivate the hair follicles, according to Dr. Redmond. Since this procedure can be quite expensive, you may want to exhaust the other methods first.
Things You'll Need
- Home body hair wax or commercial hair removal lotion
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