Hair Removal 101: Which method should you use?

Who can forget that painful waxing scene from the 40 Year Old Virgin? That was almost enough to put us off waxing for life!

But what’s a girl to do when it’s time to groom all the whispies from other parts of your body? We may not have hairy sasquatch chests like Steve Carell, but there are a few steps in basic grooming that we have to take.

There are many methods of hair removal available on the market that do not hurt one bit. Depending on your type of body hair and preference, you may use one or a few of the methods on yourself.

Here, we break it down for you in terms of intensity and ease of use.

Laser/ Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)

What it is: The roots of your hair are destroyed by strong beams of light. It is one of the most effective ways of achieving permanent hair removal results. Lasers works better on women with darker hair and fair skin. IPLs cannot work on light coloured hair like blonde or grey hair as there is insufficient melanin in the follicle to absorb the light. There might be redness and slight burning after the session.

How long it lasts: Semi-permanent/ permanent. You’ll start seeing results in about 6 to 12 sessions depending on your hair type. Touch up bi-annually may be needed for some people as well. This cannot be DIY-ed, you need to go to a professional to get it done.

Electrolysis

What it is: A needle is inserted into each hair follicle to destroy the root with an electric current, carried out by a trained professional. It is usually done for facial hair as this takes a very long time. There is also the danger of swelling and slight scarring.

How long it lasts: Forever. But you’ll need to go back every 1 to 2 weeks until all the hair is gone.

Waxing

What it is: Sticky wax, hot or cold is applied to your skin before strips of cloth are placed on top of it. The strips are then yanked off with your unwanted hair. It can be used for arms, legs, armpits, and the bikini area. There are even waxing strips for the face.

How long it lasts: Your wax can last you any where from 3 to 6 weeks. Depending on your threshold of pain, this method can either be a dream or a nightmare for you.  Your hair also has to be a few centimetres long in order for the wax to work. You can wax at home, but we suggest going to a professional as yanking the strip in the wrong direction can cause potential in-grown hairs. And trust us, you don’t want them there.

Depilatory creams

What it is: Strong smelling creams that dissolve the hair on the surface of your skin. It works by dissolving the proteins in your hair, breaking them off at the root.

How long it lasts: A couple of days to a few weeks. There are formulas for the underarms and bikini areas, and normal ones for the rest of the body. The creams do not work well on coarse hair, and leaving them on too long can cause your skin to dissolve as well, resulting in a chemical burn. Follow the instructions on the pack for this one.

Epilation

What it is: A device which can be used on any area of the body depending on the attachment. It pulls multiple hairs out of your skin with each motion, much like tweezing.

How long it lasts: It can last up to 4 weeks. Hair also takes longer to grow back as it’s is yanked out by the roots. The grow-back also seems to be finer.

Shaving

What it is: Usually the most common method of hair removal; using a double or triple bladed razor blade cuts the hair really close to the skin for a clean and quick shave. Contrary to popular belief, shaving does not make your hair coarser, it merely feels that way due to the soft tip of the hair being shaven off.

How long it lasts: 1 to 3 days. It can work on any area of your body, but your bikini area might be prone to in-grown hair. So best to opt for the methods above for that area.

Cheryl Lee