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a woman using an alternative to laser hair removal

5 Alternatives to Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal is one of a few reliable methods of hair removal available to people with unwanted hair. If you have body or facial hair that you struggle to remove, you have likely considered this procedure before. If you would rather try an alternative, there are several available to you with varying levels of results.

  1. Shaving

    Shaving is a favorite method of hair removal for several reasons. You are going to spend less money than with other hair removal options. You can do it in the privacy of your home. Contrary to popular belief, you can even shave anywhere on your body; your hair will never come in coarser or darker simply because you shaved it.

  2. Waxing

    Waxing is the act of covering the hair with sticky wax or a waxed strip and then ripping it off. The advantage this has over shaving is that the hair comes out at the root. That means results last longer. However, it is more painful than shaving. If you have never done this, go to a professional so you do not rip your skin off with the hair.

  3. Depilatory

    Depilatories are typically creams that essentially burn the hair off. They can penetrate into the root or work at the surface of the hair. These creams have varying effectiveness depending on the thickness and color of the hair. They can also irritate the skin quite easily.

  4. Plucking

    Plucking is a straightforward way to get hair off your body, though you may want to stick to doing it on small areas like eyebrows, upper lip, and chin. You pull out each hair by the root using tweezers, traditionally. There are some new methods, such as threading, electric tweezers, and coils that catch the hair.

  5. Electrolysis

    Electrolysis forces energy into the hair follicle and, if done properly, results in permanent loss of hair in that follicle. You can have this procedure done on small areas like the eyebrows and face. It is typically safe for those sensitive areas.

Last Updated: February 10, 2016