Jen Jones
Trapped in a society that often emphasizes beauty and outward appearances, many men and women feel the desire to remove unwanted body hair. Some may choose to remove the hair for medical or athletic reasons, whereas many choose to remove it for aesthetic reasons. In recent years, male hair removal has grown in popularity extending beyond facial hair removal, and most notably seen with men opting to wax their chest and back. Whether you are looking into body hair removal for the main part of your body or your pubic region, it is important to look at the different types of body hair removal and choose the best method based on your needs and budget.
Body Hair Removal
Shaving of the body is the most common way men and women get rid of unwanted hair on their body, whether it is the legs, back, or chest. This inexpensive method involves three devices: a razor, shaving gel, and water. It is important to make sure that warm water is run over the part of the body you are shaving before applying the shaving gel. This will loosen up the hair follicles, making it easier to shave and reduce the risk of razor burn or ingrown hairs. If you are shaving during cold weather, you should exfoliate your skin before shaving. This will remove dead, dry skin and allow for a closer shave.
Another common method for body hair removal lies in waxing. When waxing your hair, you are pulling the hair out by the root by using warm wax and cotton strips. You can choose to wax your hair at home or at a salon. Advantages to this method include that the hair becomes softer and finer with each waxing session. Unfortunately, the hair should be at least 1/4" long, which means that you would have to let your hair grow out for six weeks.
A third and more expensive method to remove body hair is through laser hair removal. Although laser hair removal may be expensive at first, it is more cost effective than shaving or waxing in the long run. This method uses lasers to kill the hair follicle, leaving hair no place to grow.
Pubic Hair Removal
Similar to body hair removal, pubic hair removal uses the same three popular methods to remove the hair: shaving, waxing, and laser hair removal. Shaving the pubic hair can be a hassle since you need to shave daily to keep the area smooth and free from itching. Just like soaking the body before shaving legs is often necessary for some individuals, it can also be vital for pubic hair removal via shaving. Without the hair follicles loosened, the risk for ingrown hairs rises, causing pain in the pubic region. To prevent painful ingrown hairs, shave down with the angle of the hair instead of against it.
Waxing your pubic hair is commonly done in a salon, but it can be done at home as well. There are two different types of pubic hair removal via waxing that you can choose from: bikini wax (removal of hair from bikini line) and Brazilian wax (removal of all pubic hair). In order to wax this region, your hair must be completely dry and at least 1/8” long. If your hair is not dry, it will be less likely to adhere to the wax, leaving swatches of hair left after the procedure. You can also opt for laser hair removal for your chosen pubic hair removal method. This process can be costly and you often need to attend more than one treatment session to remove the hair permanently.
Unwanted body hair can be a time-consuming and expensive process to maintain and remove over the years, but fortunately there are permanent alternatives to the hair removal process. If your body hair lies in a portion of the body that enables a technician to use a laser, it may be your best bet to research the process and take advantage of laser hair removal. With patience and the best hair removal devices, painless removal is possible.
[page updated December 2008]