The latest trends, techniques, and insider secrets—revealed.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
Waxing and razors and lasers, oh my! Get on the right road to hair removal with our complete guide.
By Marlene Montanez

It’s annoying, difficult, even embarrassing. And as if dealing with unwanted body hair weren’t enough of a hassle, navigating your way through the current array of hair-removal options can be mind-boggling. There’s no one best method, since what works for each woman depends on several factors, including price, convenience, and comfort. But the good news (and yes, there is some good news): The options available for hair removal now are more effective than ever before. While it may seem daunting at first, with our comparative guide and handy cheat sheet, you can easily find the best method for you.

Old Guard
Shaving and depilatory creams are two of the cheapest and fastest solutions to removing unwanted body hair. With each of these methods, the results only last a few days, though, and darker-haired women may find that they leave a visible “shadow” of hair under the skin. In addition, shaving can lead to ingrown hairs and cuts, while depilatories, which chemically dissolve hair, can cause redness and irritation. The upkeep for both approaches is frequent, but if you need a quick fix, they may provide a good solution. Tweezing and threading offer more lasting results than shaving and depilatories but tend to be most suitable for grooming eyebrows and stray facial hair. Epilators, rotary devices that work similarly to tweezers, can be used on larger areas of the body. The results generally last from a few days to a few weeks, and the side-effects may include ingrown hairs, discomfort, and irritation.

Wax On, Wax Off
If you want longer-lasting results without spending the time and money some of the newer, high-tech methods require, waxing may be a good choice for you. The process, which entails applying hot wax to the skin and then pulling it away with a paper strip, is fast and relatively inexpensive, and the results last for up to a month and a half. The downside to getting waxed? Mild pain and redness afterward. Also, some women find the process messy and have difficulty removing all the hairs. Still, the method is safe and easy enough that you can have it done at a salon or in the comfort of your own home. Another age-old method, sugaring is quite similar to waxing, but it calls on a thick sugary paste as the medium instead of wax, making the cleanup easier.

The Body Electric
With electrolysis, a thin probe delivers electricity that damages each individual hair follicle. Surprisingly, the method has been around since the late 1800s (Dr. Charles Michel reportedly used electrolysis to treat patients with ingrown eyelashes in 1875). Multiple sessions are required, which means the process can be pricey, as well as painful and time-consuming, since each is hair targeted one by one. Electrolysis is one of the only methods technically defined as offering hair removal, rather than reduction, but it’s important that women find a trained, qualified professional.

Laser’s Edge
According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 1.4 million people sought out laser hair removal in 2004, up 53 percent from 2003. Although lasers are approved by the FDA, the agency defines most of them as an option for hair reduction, not permanent removal (reduction is defined as 85 percent or greater reduction of hair growth). Kimberly Smith, an aesthetician from the American Laser Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, explains: “What we mean by permanent reduction is that all hair that is aesthetically unpleasing or unwanted is removed. Very fine baby hairs will not be removed by laser, but most people do not believe those are aesthetically unpleasing anyway.” Faster and less painful than many other hair-removal methods, lasers work by sending a beam of light that destroys an entire group of follicles without harming the skin. Some patients may feel a light tingling sensation or redness after, but there is no downtime or anesthetic needed. Ideal candidates for laser hair removal are people whose hair is darker than their skin (anyone whose hair is lighter than their skin cannot be treated). Although there have also been some problems treating people with darker skin in the past, Smith explains that with “non-pigment-seeking lasers, it is safe for those with dark and African-American skin.”

Guiding Light
Also known as Intense Light Source (ILS) or the flashlamp method, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is a relatively new method that works similarly to laser hair removal but calls on different concentrations and wavelengths of light to achieve its results. Some critics believe there haven’t been enough years of research conducted on IPL or laser hair removal to conclusively prove what the permanent skin results are. But for many women, these higher-tech methods are topping the list as the quickest and easiest ways to reduce the growth of unwanted hair.

Vaniqishing Act
With all of today’s modern innovations, it’s hard to believe someone hasn’t invented a topical treatment to reduce hair growth. Well, actually, they have—it’s a prescription cream called Vaniqa (eflornithine). The only prescription cream available to reduce the growth of facial hair for women, Vaniqa must be used for at least eight weeks in conjunction with whatever hair removal method you are currently using to see improvement. For unknown reasons, Vaniqa does not work on everyone, and after stopping its use, hair does grow back at its regular pace again. But fortunately, it is affordable, at $45 to $50 for a two-month prescription. According to findings by Dr. Michael Gold, of the Gold Skin Care Center in Nashville, new research indicates that “combination therapy with Vaniqa and laser hair removal is the most effective way to manage unwanted facial hair.”

Photo Credit: Vladimir Ivanov

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