Hair Removal Methods - Go Beyond Shaving
Before you make the decision to pluck, wax, laser or electrolysis your unwanted hair, take a few minutes to review different hair removal methods.
Some treatments require you to grow your hair out a little more than you’d normally be comfortable with – if possible, check with your salon weeks before booking your first professional hair removal session.
Before any hair removal treatment you should always have a clean, dry target area. You can take an ibuprofen an hour before any hair removal, this will help relieve discomfort and keep any swelling or redness down.
Plucking - Just pluck and go. This is the cheap, instant option for stray hairs and unruly brows. It lasts for weeks, but can be time consuming for larger areas. (Tweezers, $5 - $30)
Waxing - Probably the most popular, and the “happiest medium” of hair removal treatments. It’s long lasting compared to shaving, visible regrowth is lessened over time (the hair follicles weaken from constant root removal) and you can do it at home almost as efficiently as your esthetician.
A word of caution: Even if you’re confident waxing your legs, you may want to trust your full bikini wax to a professional - it’s just too awkward and uncomfortable to do alone. Go to the salon at the beginning of the season, and feel free to do a touch up or two at home. (Waxing home kits $10-$20, or $25-$80+, at your local salon)
Laser - A pulse of light aimed at your hair’s root heats and disables the strand, leading to thinner regrowth and permanent results for some hair types and colors. A good technician can treat a large area in a matter of hours, for a hefty fee.
Lasers are quicker than electrolysis, but equally expensive. Try a few sessions on a test area before committing to the cost of a full course of treatments. Some hair types respond poorly. ($100+per session)
Electrolysis - The only guaranteed permanent solution, but also the most expensive and time consuming. A tiny surgical needle is inserted into each individual hair follicle to kill the hair at the root.
It could take more than 4 sessions at a steep hourly rate to eliminate unwanted hair – hair grows in cycles, and you’ll have to zap each hair at the right time in its growth, or the removal won’t last. This means, a full session every few weeks to ensure that hair in all different stages has been treated. ($100+ per session)
Some treatments require you to grow your hair out a little more than you’d normally be comfortable with – if possible, check with your salon weeks before booking your first professional hair removal session.
Before any hair removal treatment you should always have a clean, dry target area. You can take an ibuprofen an hour before any hair removal, this will help relieve discomfort and keep any swelling or redness down.
Plucking - Just pluck and go. This is the cheap, instant option for stray hairs and unruly brows. It lasts for weeks, but can be time consuming for larger areas. (Tweezers, $5 - $30)
Waxing - Probably the most popular, and the “happiest medium” of hair removal treatments. It’s long lasting compared to shaving, visible regrowth is lessened over time (the hair follicles weaken from constant root removal) and you can do it at home almost as efficiently as your esthetician.
A word of caution: Even if you’re confident waxing your legs, you may want to trust your full bikini wax to a professional - it’s just too awkward and uncomfortable to do alone. Go to the salon at the beginning of the season, and feel free to do a touch up or two at home. (Waxing home kits $10-$20, or $25-$80+, at your local salon)
Laser - A pulse of light aimed at your hair’s root heats and disables the strand, leading to thinner regrowth and permanent results for some hair types and colors. A good technician can treat a large area in a matter of hours, for a hefty fee.
Lasers are quicker than electrolysis, but equally expensive. Try a few sessions on a test area before committing to the cost of a full course of treatments. Some hair types respond poorly. ($100+per session)
Electrolysis - The only guaranteed permanent solution, but also the most expensive and time consuming. A tiny surgical needle is inserted into each individual hair follicle to kill the hair at the root.
It could take more than 4 sessions at a steep hourly rate to eliminate unwanted hair – hair grows in cycles, and you’ll have to zap each hair at the right time in its growth, or the removal won’t last. This means, a full session every few weeks to ensure that hair in all different stages has been treated. ($100+ per session)
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