There are so many methods to remove one’s unwanted hair. In this post, I will go over the different methods, the pros and cons, and what you can do personally to treat and prevent hyperpigmentation, razor bumps, and ingrown hairs in the bikini area, underarm, and facial area. Everything in this blog post is based on my own personal knowledge and any specific guidance or advice should be taken by the person providing your individual service.

The different hair removal methods that will be covered are as follows:

LASER HAIR REDUCTION/REMOVAL

This is the closest you will get to permanent hair removal of all the options discussed.

PROS:

• Lasts 7-12 years once sessions are completed
• Hair growth is reduced by 75-95%

CONS:

• Expensive, approx $50-150 per session
• Inaccessible and safe spaces are hard to come by
• not all the hair is removed (see pros)

WAXING/SUGARING

Full disclosure, this is my preferred method of hair removal and the one I have the most experience in as an esthetician. So, this section will be filled a bit more than the others.

Waxing and Sugaring both pull the hair from the root. Overtime this damages the hair follicle and allows the hair to grow back thinner. You are less likely to cause ingrown hairs as a result. For the purposes of this blog when I speak about waxing, I am specifically talking about hard wax which adheres only to the hair which gives a gentler experience for the client. Soft wax uses a paper strip and the wax itself adheres to the skin and hair. Sugaring benefits are identical to hard wax. The biggest difference is the direction the hair is being pulled in. Sugaring paste is made from lemon juice, sugar and honey so many places will market this as a more natural, non-toxic alternative to waxing. However, I must point out that you aren’t eating it and the paste is not staying on your skin so, what it is made out of doesn’t really matter. Hard wax is also non-toxic.

Waxing should be done approximately every 4 weeks, of course your esthetician will be a better person to advise you on the frequency of appointments. Waxing too early or late can affect the growth cycle which in turn can cause ingrown hairs, pain, etc. Consistency will keep your appointments short and less painful. If you are on your period, you can definitely still get waxed but note that you may be more sensitive the week before and/or after. The advice I have given to past clients is take an ibuprophen at least 20 mins prior and if you wear tampons make sure you replace it right before your appointment. It is not weird or unclean to get waxed on your period. If you are told you cannot that is due to the waxer’s personal comfortability and in my opinion should be respected. Pushing a service provider out of their comfort zone will result in a less than comfortable experience for both of you.

The experience of your esthetician is going to lead to a more positive experience which will lead to your own personal preference. And as said before the benefits of both waxing and sugaring are similar enough that you cannot go wrong with either.

SHAVING/DEPILATORIES

Shaving is the most accessible form of hair removal. It is the one that you will find most skin care professionals will not recommend because it constantly causes ingrown hairs and hyperpigmentation. Depilatory creams, the chemicals can cause damage to the skin so I do NOT recommend these AT ALL.

Because I know you will shave regardless mainly because of cost and ease of use I want to guide you on how to do it effectively.

Something to note regarding shaving; you are cutting the hair at the thickest portion of the hair, which is why hair can appear thicker and in some cases the hair splits causing it to appear like more hair grows. The friction from shaving causes heat and that can result in hyperpigmentation. Shaving may result in cuts and knicks. When the skin heals it can become thicker than the surrounding skin which can make ingrown hairs more likely.

I hope this guide helps you make the right hair removal decision for you. Thanks for reading!