Hair is a common characteristic that grows on everyone in any area that has hair follicles, excluding areas like the palms, eyelids, lips and the soles of the feet. One area in particular that can cause problems in relation to hair growth is on the legs, especially for women. Shaving your legs on a regular basis can be time-consuming, and can also leave you open to nicks, cuts, ingrown hairs and shaving bumps. Luckily, the progress of technology has introduced new ways to more permanently take care of leg hair.

Methods of hair removal are varied these days, so choosing which method is best for you and your skin’s needs is challenging. There are many effective methods, but some work better than others overall while others are ideal for a specific area on the body. What works well for facial hair, may not prove effective for the bikini area. Here are few of the available methods of removing unwanted body hair.

Shaving:

Shaving, which is probably the most popular method of hair removal, is also one of the cheapest. Razors cost only a few bucks for a pack and they can be used more than once. The blade tends to dull after extended use and it also rusts easily. Overall, this product works for convenience and price. But the results are not long lasting. Typically, a clean shave from a razor will only last a day or two. Razors are suitable for use in removing hair on legs, underarms and the bikini area.

Razors should not be used to remove facial hair, as the hair will grow back thicker and darker and will require regular maintenance. When using a razor, shave against the direction of hair growth to get the closest, cleanest shave. Soaking the area for three to five minutes in warm water will help open the skin’s cuticle, which will help the razor glide easily over the skin. Soap or preferably, a shave gel, will help soften the skin as you shave.

Waxing:

Another option is waxing. In order to wax, the hair needs to be long enough so that the wax can grasp the hairs. Wax is applied on the skin and the wax adheres to the hairs. A fabric strip, pressed on the skin, is pulled against the direction of the hair growth and the hair is pulled from the root. Waxing works well for hair removal for most areas including the legs, face, underarms and the bikini area.

The process is a painful one, especially in delicate areas like the bikini area and the upper lip. Not only is waxing painful, but it can be costly and time consuming, since the typical wax lasts up to six weeks and needs maintenance. But the end result can be worth all these pitfalls, especially when other methods of hair removal require daily or weekly upkeep.

Cream Depilatories:

Cream depilatories, such as Nair, can be used to remove hair from arms, legs, the bikini area and even the face. Some people have great success with Nair, a product that breaks down hair growth beneath the surface of the skin. Others complain that the lotion doesn’t fully remove all the hairs and acts better as a skin softener.

The product is applied to dry skin and wiped off with a wet cloth in a short span of time, usually 10 to 15 minutes. If this method works well at removing hair, it can be a savvy product, especially since the maintenance is not too taxing and the price is reasonable. Burning skin can be a drawback. Depilatories should not be used near eyes, the mouth or any open areas.

Other popular hair removal methods include tweezing, electrolysis and bleaching. Tweezing the hairs will remove them temporarily, while electrolysis will permanently zap hairs away. Tweezing is cheap, since it only involves the purchase of a quality tweezer, but it is time consuming and requires a lot of upkeep. Electrolysis, meanwhile, costs a lot and removes a small amount of hair at a time. Electrolysis is advisable for those who wish to permanently remove hair, especially in small area such as the eyebrows and the upper lip.