Hair removal options are everywhere you look. Women and men both deal with the issue of hair growing everywhere but where that want it to almost equally. While options are plentiful, there is a big difference between good hair removal options and bad ones. What makes some of these options good or bad is based on numerous things including; budget, pain threshold, length of time removal is desired for, and the area you wish to remove hair from. Some options are great in one area but less than optimal in others. As a person that has invested somewhere in the five figure range on hair removal, this is first hand advice you will be receiving.
Shaving with a good old razor blade is always the default option. While regular shaving cream or soap is sufficient to get the job done, you are going to do your skin far more favors if you use a gel that includes a moisturizer and vitamins. The type of razor you use makes a big difference as well. The three for a dollar single blade razors are nicks and bumps waiting to happen. A double or triple edge razor is a far better option, but better yet is a straight razor like you barber/stylist uses. The caveat here is that if you don't have a steady hand you have no business using this tool. It is not for beginners, straight razor cuts are nasty. You also don't want to use one too close to your "nether regions." Shaving is a temporary solution to a long term problem. Even the closest shave needs to be updated almost daily if you want to stay really smooth.
Creams, powders, and sprays are available almost everywhere you turn, even in your spam mail. Most creams are garbage, however if you stick with those produced by a known brand name you are going to be pretty safe. Creams are the best known and are easy to apply. When using a cream be careful not to get any in an open cut of any sort as it is going to hurt. Sometimes it will hurt a lot, enough to want to kick the cat. Spays are mostly garbage, while powders like the Black magic line of products are exceptionally good. Powders are actually mixed with water to form a paste which is then applied and removed with a spatula or old credit card. No blade is needed. Creams are generally removed with a washcloth. Each works well and are great options to shaving. These will almost always make your skin smoother and contain moisturizers. Using these can buy you a couple extra days on your removal schedule depending on the natural rate of growth for your hair. Always read the instructions carefully to see where on the body the product is tested as safe for use.
Waxing and sugaring are further options. Sugaring isn't practiced anywhere near as widely as it once was in large part due to this style of removal having evolved to gentler practice of waxing if you can believe that. Waxing takes longer than other options but it also lasts longer as it pulls the hair out. Over years of repeated waxing many hairs will be removed with the root which means you will eventually have less to deal with. This is by no means something that happens overnight, nor is it a permanent solution, it is just something to be aware of. Waxing can be done professionally or at home. It does hurt at first but eventually you get used to it. Waxing is safe for any area of the body and is obviously not going to leave you dealing with razor bumps or rashes. For most people looking for a good intermediate solution to large or small areas, waxing is the top option.
When exploring permanent solutions there are two options; laser removal and electrolysis. Laser is good and the less painful of the two options as it only feels like a rubber band being snapped against your skin, but it doesn't work for everyone equally. In some cases it doesn't work at all and isn't even offered as an option by reputable practitioners. Laser hair removal works best on dark hair against light skin. For a person with dark skin it is particularly ineffective, for those with any skin tone and light hair, laser is okay at best. Laser treatment seems pricey, but if you consider that when it is completed you no longer have to deal with paying for hair removal products or spending any time dealing with shaving or waxing the rest of your life, it is a steal!
Electrolysis put quite simply is the best universal hair removal option available. It is pricey with an hour costing upwards of $65 for starters. Full removal of a male beard can take as much as 150 hours. For women however the removal they will desire is generally very small and can be done in three sessions so as to insure hairs in each growth cycle are destroyed. An upper lip hair removal for a woman via this method can usually be put to bed forever in only 3-4 hours total time over all visits which is very reasonable. Electrolysis does hurt. In a long session you will eventually numb to some degree, but it is still going to hurt. As with laser removal you have to restrict sun exposure for 48 hours following treatment. You will have bumps that resemble bee stings briefly. If at all possible you want to schedule sessions for a time when you can go home immediately afterward for a few hours. What makes electrolysis the best option though is it always works and it works on everybody, in addition to being able to be performed anywhere on the body.
With this brief overview of the most common hair removal methods you are now armed with the information to make the best choice for you. Weigh your needs against your desires and don't fall for any products advertising permanent removal aside from laser or electrolysis, you'll just be throwing your money away. Whether you decide to shave it, wax it, or kill it outright, always follow proper aftercare procedures of cleaning and moisturizing the area as per common sense and manufactures/removal experts advice.