Taking care of body hair is a part of everyone’s beauty routine. However, hair removal can oftentimes be a nuisance, not to mention messy, painful, and ineffective, but it doesn’t have to be! Let us outline the pros and cons of some of today’s most common methods of hair removal options.
Shaving
Pros: Shaving may be the cheapest method per session and the simplest option. Plus, it doesn’t hurt (unless you nick yourself), is quick, and it’s the easiest travel option. Take a look at this blog for some stress-free shaving tips.
Cons: The cost of cartridges, shaving cream, and exfoliating products to prevent ingrown hairs can easily add up, especially over time. Skin irritation and cuts are common post shave and razor bumps are not an uncommon occurrence. Plus, there are some sensitive areas a razor just shouldn’t touch. The other big downside of shaving is that it needs to be done often, every two to five days depending on the area and how quickly your hair grows.
Waxing
Pros: Silky smooth results and reduced hair growth over time are the two main pros of waxing.
Cons: Unsurprisingly, pulling hair out right from the root is painful. Skin irritation, including redness, bleeding, and blisters, is common following waxing, because this method removes the top layer of skin along with your hair. While you may find your hair growing back finer than before, you’ll still have to commit to waxing approximately every three weeks. If you go to appointments at a professional waxing bar periodically, the costs can quickly add up.
Threading
Pros: Threading is the best option for small areas that require definition, like your eyebrows, and usually results in less redness than waxing. Hair often grows back finer than it was before.
Cons: This hair removal method isn’t an option for larger areas, so it is very limited in where it can be applied to. Of course, because you’re still pulling hair out from the root, threading can be painful and tugging at the skin can cause pustules. Threading can also cause cuts on the skin if not done properly.
Depilatory Creams
Pros: Depilatory creams remove hair by destroying the shaft. These creams are fairly affordable and easy to use once you get the hang of it.
Cons: Relying on chemical reactions to break down the hair shaft, depilatory creams can cause skin irritation, especially if you have a sensitive skin type. If you leave the cream on for longer than the package states or on a dry or damaged patch of skin, chemical burns and scabbing can happen too. These creams can also be messy, and they often don’t smell great.
Electrolysis
Pros: This method works well for hair reduction and has been shown to work well for all skin tones, even darker complexions, since it doesn’t target pigment.
Cons: Electrolysis delivers an electrical charge through a small wire to a single hair follicle to destroy the underlying root. The process can be painful, it can cause skin irritation, and treatment of larger areas can be time-consuming because each follicle is treated separately. Pigmentation is also common following electrolysis and as many as 30 sessions, if not more, may be needed for it to work, depending on how your hair grows and the area being treated.
At Home Hair Removal Devices
Pros: : Lower cost, the convenience factor, and the fact that it is a do-it-yourself option is appealing to many people.
Cons: These pulsed light devices target melanin using a broad spectrum. They risk damage to the skin surrounding the hair follicle for those with darker or tanned skin tones. There are also limitations on the number of pulses each device can deliver before its cartridge or the entire device must be replaced. For those treating larger areas long-term, the cost can run up much higher than you may expect and could lead to excessive electronic waste.
Laser Hair Removal
Pros: While not all laser hair treatments are safe for everyone, diode laser hair removal is safe for all skin tones, even tanned skin. These treatments are also fast with no downtime and minimal discomfort. Delivering energy directly to the hair follicle, the hair pigment absorbs this energy, destroying the follicle and preventing hair growth for hair reduction. These treatments are often performed by an aesthetics professional who will be able to tailor the parameters to your skin and hair type, setting up for a quick and comfortable experience.
Cons: Because hair grows in three phases—anagen (growth), catagen (transitional), and telogen (resting)—and laser hair removal targets follicles in the anagen (growth) phase, you’ll need multiple treatments for permanent hair reduction. After that in the long-run, you can ditch razors, waxes, creams, and tweezers for smooth, stubble-free skin.
To learn more about diode laser hair removal or have a customized laser hair removal treatment plan designed just for you, start by finding a certified treatment provider. Enter your details into the search fields below to find a certified provider near you.
