Hair removal is something that millions of people around the world actively take part in daily. Whether it’s waxing, shaving or even lasers, the pursuit of beautiful and smooth skin is a chase that is seemingly never ending. To try and help, we’ve broken down the best options into a simple and easy to read guide on what works and how it can be used.
Shaving – The hair removal method that has stood the test of time
Shaving is probably where everyone started when it comes to hair removal. It’s also probably the longest serving method of hair removal around the globe (besides tweezing) with records dating back almost 60,000 years of sharpened flints and clamshells being used as shaving apparatus. It’s quick, inexpensive and works for all skin types and areas of the body, which makes it one of the simplest and most effective ways to remove hair from the body. The downside with shaving however is that it poses a higher risk of ingrown hairs and after shaving (because only the hair visible on the surface has been affected) regrowth tends to happen rather quickly.
Waxing – A sometimes painful yet very effective method of removing hair all over the body
Waxing is probably the next method of hair removal that pops into peoples heads after they think of shaving, given that it’s one of the most popular beauty treatments for men and women who lead busy lifestyles but want to be hair free. In hair removal terms, waxing revolves around the application of warm wax to the surface of the skin which, after cooling slightly, is then pulled away. This pulls the hair from the skin and pulls the root as well, which provides longer lasting results than shaving, with smooth skin tending to last for around two to three weeks.
Depilatory Creams – Making the process as simple as possible
Depilatory creams are incredibly simple to use and can provide brilliant results, providing that they’re used correctly. Made up of a solution that contains alkaline ingredients, the depilatory cream is applied to the hair where it then breaks down the keratin structure internally in the hair. All you need to do is apply it to the area you want to remove the hair from, leave it for a few minutes to get to work (following the individual products instructions) and then wash or wipe it away. As the cream is removed, the hair is removed as well in a quick and pain-free manner. The downside though is that there is a possibility of skin irritation when using hair removal creams so it’s highly advised to undergo a patch test beforehand.
Threading – Precision hair removal using nothing more than thread
As the name suggests, threading involves using thread to pluck and remove unwanted hairs from the skin. As a method of treatment, it’s incredibly precise in the way that it is performed but it comes with the major downside that it really can’t be used on many areas of the body as a method of hair removal due to the amount of time that would be needed for it to work effectively. Generally, threading tends to be something that is performed locally to the eyebrows to shape them and leaves a more natural appearance when compared to waxing or tweezing.
Electrolysis – Permanent hair removal is just a zap away
When it comes to hair removal, electrolysis is the first option on the list that actually offers permanent hair removal as opposed to just a temporary solution (meaning you don’t need to bother with hair removal anymore). During treatment, an aesthetician inserts a tiny probe into the hair follicle to destroy it from the inside out with the use of heat energy. By destroying the follicle, hair can longer grow which means it’s a permanent solution, but it comes with the downside that depending on the area that is being treated, you could have thousands of hair follicles that need to be individually and very carefully destroyed.
Laser Hair Removal – Destroy your unwanted body hair with lasers
Onto the last item on our list and the second method of permanent hair removal, laser hair removal does what it says on the tin and removes your unwanted body hair by utilising laser light. Over the course of 6 sessions (to ensure the unwanted hair in the target area is caught at differing stages of its growth cycle), the laser light causes a thermal reaction within the hair follicles which destroy them and stop them from being able to contribute to any further hair growth. The key difference between laser hair removal and electrolysis is that it uses a handheld device to fire the laser light into the hair shaft rather than being inserted directly into the follicle, meaning that it is a completely non-invasive procedure. The biggest selling point however is that laser hair removal offers permanent hair removal for up to 90% of the hair in the treated area, meaning that barring a few straggling outliers, you won’t have to deal with unwanted body hair in that area ever again.
To find out more about laser hair removal treatments and how you could benefit from them, take a look at our dedicated laser hair removal page. To book yourself in for a consultation, all you need to do is contact our team using our contact form, live chat system of via phone on 0800 061 4512 where a member of our team would be more than happy to discuss your requirements.