Removing unwanted hair can be time consuming and expensive if done at a spa or salon. Thankfully, there are plenty of hair removal methods that can be done at home. Some are easier or less painful than others. You can be hair-free for up to six weeks with some of the home removal methods.
Shaving
Shaving is the cheapest and most convenient method of at-home hair removal. Razors are readily available at drugstores, supermarkets, beauty supply stores and many other places. Shaving involves running a razor over the skin to cut away unwanted hair at the surface. Results are short-lived, however, with hair regrowth appearing within days or sometimes even within hours. Another drawback to shaving is the possibility of small nicks and cuts from the razor. Ingrown hairs are another potential problem.
Depilatory Creams
Depilatory creams, such as those made by Nair and Neet, dissolve the hair from the surface of the skin and break it off. It then can be washed or wiped off of the skin, leaving a smooth surface behind. Because they dissolve hair slightly below the surface, the results from using depilatories lasts from a few days to two weeks. Depilatories can be messy to use.
Plucking
You can pluck hair with tweezers or thread. It involves pulling individual hairs out of the skin. Plucking is only really viable for removing stray unwanted hairs in small areas, such as tweezing hairs around the eyebrow to shape it better.
Epilation
Epilation is like plucking except that it pulls many hairs out of the skin at once using an electrical device called an epilator. The biggest drawback to using epilation is that it is painful. For many people, however, the benefit of having hair that doesn't grow back for three to six weeks is worth the pain.
Waxing
There are two main forms of waxing: hot and cold. Hot waxing uses warmed and softened wax to spread over the skin surface. It is then pulled off rapidly, taking the hair with it as it goes. Using hot wax can be messy. Cold wax treatments do not require heating and are often bought in strips which can be pulled apart and placed on the surface of the skin to be pulled off along with the hair. Waxing can be used in almost any place on the body with unwanted hair. Companies such as Sally Hansen make cold wax strips in different sizes for use on different bodily areas, including face, legs and bikini area. Areas that have been waxed generally do not show regrowth for three to six weeks.
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