It can feel like there are an overwhelming number of choices when it comes to hair removal methods and knowing which one is best for you can be tricky if you haven’t tried them all out.
Here, we compare 5 of the most common ways to have hair removed from the body, helping you to compare and contrast methods and see which one might be right for you.
Can Hair Removal Treatments Benefit Your Mental Health?
As a form of beauty treatment, hair removal can in some cases actually improve the mental health of those receiving the treatment in question and can be used alongside other forms of therapies that benefit mental health. For example, people who are undergoing pet therapy may find that there are some stresses that come with looking after a pet for long periods.
Taking care of things like the nutritional requirements of dogs (including taking care of aspects of looking after a dog like ensuring they get the best dog multivitamins), or any other animal can leave people feeling like they need a little bit of ‘me time’ and thus, taking some time out for a beauty treatment; even one such as hair removal can do wonders for mental health.
Shaving
Shaving is a very common method of hair removal for both men and women. Shaving involves taking a razor along the skin to cut the hair close to the follicle. Disposable razors and shaving cream tend to be fairly cheap and you have the advantage of being able to shave in the privacy of your own bathroom, instead of having a professional do it for you.
However, nicks and cuts are common when it comes to shaving and it can be difficult to shave areas like the bikini line, where razor burn and ingrown hairs are fairly common. It’s also important to remember that after a couple of days you will likely start to see the hair return so it’s not a long-term solution.
Waxing
Wax is warmed and then put onto the skin in strips following the direction of the hair growth, then ripped up in the opposite direction. This removes the hair at the root which is made slightly easier by the warming of the wax.
Because waxing removes the hair at the root, the effects are long lasting, usually up to 4 weeks. Waxing can cause some irritation to the skin and can cause ingrown hairs but you can mitigate these effects by exfoliating before you wax. It can also be slightly uncomfortable or even painful to wax depending on your pain threshold.
Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal is a fairly new technology in the field of hair removal but is already loved by many. The laser damages the hair follicle, preventing future regrowth, making it the most permanent form of hair removal available. Laser hair removal in the UK is a more expensive option than something like shaving, but that is because you’re getting such long lasting effects.
Laser hair removal should be done by a trained clinician who will walk you through the process and help you get the best results possible. Click here to see the website of a reliable laser hair removal clinic you can trust. Another big advantage to laser hair removal is that it can also be used on any part of the body. You will need to sign up to a course of treatments over a few months to see the best results.
Sugaring
You may not have heard of sugaring before, but it’s actually becoming a much more popular method of hair removal. Its rising popularity is partially due to its gentle but effective nature. Sugaring involves a paste being applied to the skin and then ripped off to remove the hair.
In many ways sugar waxing, the results will look the same and like waxing will last for about 4 weeks. However, sugaring provides a gentle hair removal experience to waxing, partially because there are very few ingredients and rarely perfumes or colourings, which can irritate the skin.
This method of hair removal can remove hair anywhere waxing would; including face, bikini line and legs. Sugaring should really be done by a professional to get the best results.
Depilatory Cream
Many people will choose to use a hair removal cream which can be used on the legs, bikini line and even on the face. A depilatory cream works by breaking down the keratin of the hair, which means that once it has been applied and left the hair is so weak that it can be wiped away.
However, the strong chemicals in depilatory cream mean that some, especially those with sensitive skin, find the creams irritate the skin.
It is also important that if you were using a cream on your face, you look for a specially formulated facial depilatory cream as these are formulated to be gentler on the skin. Because the hair is only broken down at the skin’s surface, you will start to see hair growth within a couple of days.
Additional Considerations
In the UK, although there may be cases where as part of other courses of treatment or under certain circumstances people may be able to get free or reduced costs of hair removal treatments, these treatments do not qualify as ‘cosmetic’ procedures.
This means that unlike other treatments and even surgeries that fall into the remit of cosmetics, such as rhinoplasty (nose job) or tummy tucks, private healthcare in the UK as well as the National Health Service (NHS) would not cover the costs associated with hair removal treatments (more information). Therefore, as with other beauty treatments, those wishing to undertake things like laser hair removal or otherwise will need to pay the beauty clinic providing the service.
