The Pros and Cons to Different Hair Removal Methods Guest Post

When it comes to hair removal, there are plenty of options for you to experiment with. However, the million-dollar question is what are the advantages and disadvantages to employing a certain method? Here, we’ll take some of the more popular routes and break down hair removal for all who are curious.
SHAVING
Pros: Shaving is quick, easy, and painless (assuming that you won’t accidentally cut yourself.) Large varieties of razors are available everywhere, and in most cases, they’re fairly inexpensive. Plus, if you decide to wear a dress to work the next day, it should be pretty easy pull it off at home. Obviously, if you’re in a rush, shaving would be your best option.
Cons: Let’s establish something before we continue: If you do not exfoliate your skin regularly, you absolutely will get ingrown hair. It’s a fact of life; if you don’t exfoliate, your skin will ultimately suffer. Now, that we have that out of the way, let’s talk about disadvantages. When you shave, especially without using a moisturizer of some sort whether it be regular shaving gel/cream or regular shampoo conditioner (yes, this is a thing), your skin can get irritated and it can get ingrown hair. Another unfortunate reality with shaving is that it doesn’t remove hair at the root, which means that you’ll be meeting your hair soon. That being said, if you don’t have time or the patience to maintain shaving, then it probably isn’t the best avenue for you to take.
WAXING
Pros: Waxing is quicker than shaving, affordable, and is easily accessible, whether you visit an esthetician or buy the wax yourself. Unlike shaving, waxing will remove your hair from its root, so the hair will grow back slowly. Because your hair is being ripped from the roots, your hair follicles will receive damage, which sounds bad, but it actually means that the hair growth will be reduced. Additionally, waxing prevents ingrown hair and is more precise (because missing a few spots when shaving is very common.)
Cons: Now, for cons. Do note that when talking about the pros to waxing, pain wasn’t mentioned. Beauty is pain, and waxing can be painful. Think of repeatedly ripping a fresh bandage off your skin and taking some hair in the process. That’s what waxing is about. If done improperly, waxing can lead to discoloration, burns, and irritation. Another down side to waxing is that you have to wait for your hair to grow out long enough for the wax to grab hold of it.
EPILATING
Pros: Like waxing, epilating is fast and is precise. It will rip your hair right from its root and encourage slower growth each time it is used. Not to mention, if you own an epilator, then you won’t need to worry about having to repurchase hair removal tools like shaving cream or waxing oil.
Cons: Epilators, while very useful, can be pricey and they aren’t sold everywhere like wax and razors. If you’re using an epilator for the first time, just be aware. An epilator is literally a product that holds multiple rotating tweezers. You’re essentially hardcore tweezing your body. It isn’t like waxing, where you get rid of your hair in one go. You have to deal with the stinging sensation of the tweezers pulling your hair from your skin multiple times at a fast rate. It’s painful, especially the first time (remember: patch tests are your friend. Conduct a patch test before trying new products.)
LASER HAIR REMOVAL
Pros: This procedure, while not permanent, can greatly reduce hair growth to the point where you can completely skip shaving. Additionally, it isn’t as painful as waxing and epilating.
Cons: Unfortunately, laser hair removal is expensive, with prices that range anywhere from $200 to over $1000. The procedure also occurs over numerous sessions and takes a lot of time. Another risk to laser hair removal that if an inexperienced technician performs the procedure, you could possibly receive burns and scarring from it.
THREADING
Pros: Threading is fast, as it can take anywhere from five to 15 minutes. It lasts a lot longer than shaving, and it results in body hair growing back finer. And, contrary to popular belief, threading doesn’t leave redness or irritation.
Cons: The main disadvantage with threading is that it is more painful than waxing.
CHEMICAL DEPILATORY
Pros: Like most of the other methods, chemical depilatories are easily accessible, inexpensive, and they’re quick. They’re also very easy to follow, so unless you don’t like to read the instructions on the back of the box, it isn’t very likely that you’ll sully your hair removal efforts.
Cons: This method is messier than all the others because you’re literally slathering hair removal cream on your skin and then wiping it off. That being said, another downside is that you’re working with chemicals that will remove your hair. It’s important to reiterate this here (again): remember to conduct patch tests! Especially with chemical depilatories, as they can leave your skin irritated, red, and very sensitive. They also do not remove your hair from its root, so it will grow back normally.