10 Most Effective Hair Removal Methods for Hair-Free Skin

The most traditional methods include shaving, threading, plucking, or waxing while the new methods that allow long-lasting hair removal include IPL, laser, and shaving. So, this article will provide you with an overview of all these methods so that you can choose the method suitable for your skin.

Table of Contents:

• Part 1: IPL Hair Removal
• Part 2: Laser Hair Removal
• Part 3: Electrolysis Hair Removal
• Part 4: Shaving
• Part 5: Sugaring Hair Removal
• Part 6: Epilator Hair Removal
• Part 7: Waxing Hair Removal
• Part 8: Depilatory Creams
• Part 9: Threading
• Part 10: Plucking

Part 1: IPL Hair Removal

IPL stands for intense pulsed light. It is a high-intensity noncoherent and polychromatic light that produces light beams of broad spectrum wavelength. The light can target certain chromophores thus performing different functions. In , these chromophores are melanin pigments in your hair and skin. Let’s understand what the process is:

Average Cost	At clinic: $50-500 for one area per session At home: $329 (for Ulike Sapphire Air 3)
Pain Level	Low (Just like a snapping rubber band)
How long does it last	6-12 months
Benefits	● Long-Lasting ● Reduces risk of ingrown hair ● Clinically-tested ● Quick and efficient
Side effects	● Infection ● Skin discoloration ● Infection the eyes ● Pigmentary changes ● Scarring and blistering (rare)

Process

In IPL hair removal, the melanin absorbs light from the IPL device, this light changes into heat energy, and thus long-term damage to hair follicles. For at-home IPL hair removal:

• First, shave all the visible hair on the area where you need to choose the IPL device
• Adjust the intensity of the IPL device according to your skin sensitivity
• Then slowly move the device across the body for the time mentioned in the instructions

How to Get the Best Results?

To get the best results

• Keep your skin hydrated and regularly cleanse and exfoliate your skin before your sessions
• Avoid sun tanning before and after IPL hair removal
• Make sure you check your skin tone and hair color compatibility before undergoing treatment

Part 2: Laser Hair Removal

Similar to IPL, the laser also works on the principle of absorption by melanin and the destruction of hair follicles by a high degree of heat. The laser is a monochromatic, coherent light beam that targets a specific area only. Different lasers have been used for this purpose including the diode, Nd: YAG, alexandrite, and ruby laser.

Average Cost	$50-300 for small areas per session $250-650 for large areas per session
Pain Level	Low (Stinging pain)
How long does it last	2 years to 10 years
Benefits	● Long-lasting ● It gets rid of ingrown hair ● Economical in the long run ● Safe ● Precise and convenient
Side effects	● Redness and swelling ● Pigmentary changes ● Scarring and crusting

Process

In laser hair removal, a laser device emits a collimated light beam that selectively targets your hair follicles and damages your hair follicles. This is known as selective photothermolysis. As the hair-producing sacs are destroyed by heat, there will be no more hair production. The process is usually performed by the professionals.

Before going to professionals, follow these steps:

• Exfoliate your skin a few hours before your appointment
• A day before the appointment, remove your body hair by shaving
• Then, apply the numbing cream on the required area 1 or two hours before the treatment starts (optional)
• While going to the clinic, ensure that you are not applying any sunscreen
• After the process is done, you can use a hydrocortisone cream to soothe redness and inflammation

How to Get the Best Results?

To get the best out of laser hair removal:

• Avoid plucking or waxing your hair before the session. Instead, go for shaving
• Minimize your exposure to the sun before, during, and after the treatment
• Avoid using chemical products on the skin after your laser hair removal session

Part 3: Electrolysis Hair Removal

Unlike laser and IPL hair removal, hair removal involves the use of electric current to get rid of your hair follicles. This electric current flows through a needle into your hair follicles and disables them in a way that they can never generate new hair again. Let’s understand the whole procedure for electrolysis:

Average Cost	$150-10,000 depending on the area per session
Pain Level	High (tingling painful sensation)
How long does it last	Forever
Benefits	● Works independent of skin and hair color ● Treats and prevents ingrown hair ● A long-lasting solution ● FDA-cleared ● Works even for coarse hair
Side effects	● Pain ● Scarring and burning ● Irritation and skin damage ● Redness and burning sensation

Process

In electrolysis, a thin needle is inserted into your hair follicles that releases current and destroys the follicles. The existing hair is pulled out by a tweezer. Let’s see what preparation steps you need:

• Start drinking lots of water days before the appointment to hydrate your body internally
• Moisturize your skin with a gentle moisturizer on the day before treatment
• Do not use caffeine for a day before the appointment and on the same day as well and eat something healthy to feel energetic
• If you have a low pain threshold, you can apply an anesthetic cream
• Lastly, stop shaving 3-6 days before electrolysis so that the electrologist can see the hair and insert the needle

How to Get the Best Results?

• Moisturize your skin daily after electrolysis hair removal to support your protective barrier
• Keep drinking lots of water during your treatment sessions
• Avoid bleaching your hair before the hair removal session as it will be difficult for the professional to see and focus your hair
• Do not apply any moisturizer makeup or any product while going for the treatment

Part 4: Shaving

Shaving is an efficient hair removal method you can easily perform at your home. Shaving removes hair just above the surface of your skin so the results last for 2-3 days. All you need is a shaving razor and shaving cream or some other lubricant.

Average Cost	Shaving cream: $10-35 Razor: $5-10
Pain Level	No pain unless there is no cut
How long does it last	Two to three days
Benefits	● Nearly painless ● Quick and convenient ● Opens clogged pores ● Gets rid of your dead skin cells
Side effects	● Cuts and nicks ● Razor bumps and burns ● Ingrown hair ● Folliculitis

Process

Let’s see a step-by-step guide for shaving:

• Wet your hair before shaving so that it can soften and be easily removed
• Make a leather of shaving cream and apply the lubricant evenly onto the skin that needs to be shaved
• Now, take your razor and start removing the hair in the direction of your hair growth
• Rinse the razor with each swipe and clean the area thoroughly after shaving

How to Get the Best Results?

• Cleanse and exfoliate your skin properly before shaving
• Properly moisturize your skin before shaving to soften your hair and reduce friction between the shaving razor and the skin
• After you are done shaving, apply moisturizer and exfoliate regularly to minimize the chances of ingrown hair

Part 5: Sugaring Hair Removal

Sugaring includes the use of a sticky liquid with a gel-like consistency to remove hair from your body. It is often confused with waxing but the main ingredients used in making a sugar paste are lemon, water, and sugar. These ingredients stick to your hair and remove them.

Average Cost	$10-20 for small areas $100-150 for large areas $400-500 for full-body
Pain Level	Medium to high
How long does it last	4-5 weeks
Benefits	● Safe for sensitive skin ● Less irritant than waxing ● Easy to clean up the residues
Side effects	● Skin burning ● Folliculitis ● Bruising ● Soreness or irritation

Process

Let’s see the process:

• Heat the sugar paste.
• When the sugar paste is warmed up, apply it in the direction opposite to your hair growth.
• Let the paste dry and then remove it directly from your skin in the same direction as that of hair growth with a flicking motion.
• Lastly, pull off the dried mixture and get rid of all the paste thoroughly from your skin
• On pulling it, it removes hair from your roots and lets you enjoy hair-free skin for more than 4 weeks.

How to Get the Best Results?

For the best results:

• Avoid applying any harsh products on your skin after you have removed your hair
• Exfoliate your skin twice a week to minimize clogging of pores, acne, and ingrown hair
• Do not wear any tight clothes as they can cause more sweating and irritate your skin

Part 6: Epilator Hair Removal

Average Cost	$30-150
Pain Level	High
How long does it last	Upto a month
Benefits	● It is quick and you do not need to work hard for hair removal ● The new hair that grows back is finer ● Cost-effective ● Do not strip away your skin
Side effects	● Highly painful ● Might be uncomfortable in sensitive areas ● Redness and irritation

Process

To use an epilator for hair removal:

• Exfoliate your skin before epilation and then turn on your epilator
• Hold it at 90 degrees against the area of hair removal
• Slowly glide it against the direction of your hair growth and you are done

How to Get the Best Results?

• Before using an epilator, do a test on the back of your hand to see if you can use it
• Do not press the device too hard against your skin as it can cause skin damage
• Use the epilator 24 hours before your outing plans as the process might cause redness and irritation
• Clean your device properly before and after using the epilator

Part 7: Waxing Hair Removal

In waxing, a thick paste is used to pull out all the hair from the roots. This thick paste is called wax. The wax comes in various forms like hard wax which is in the form of beads, soft wax, hot or cold wax, and pre-prepared wax strips. The results last for 4-6 weeks.

Average Cost	$10-20 for wax $20-40 for wax kit
Pain Level	Medium to high
How long does it last	3-4 weeks
Benefits	● Convenient and quick ● Finer and sparser hair regrowth ● Exfoliates skin and gives it a shine ● No shaving bumps and cuts
Side effects	● Painful ● Cause redness and inflammation ● Allergic reactions

Process

You need to warm up the wax to attain a certain consistency before applying it. However, pre-prepared wax strips do not need any preparation and you can directly apply them without heating.

• During the process, you first need to heat the wax while stirring it regularly. Once you attain the gel-like consistency, let the wax cool down and then apply it in the direction of hair growth.
• Then press cloth on the applied wax, wait a bit, and remove it quickly against the direction of hair growth.

For pre-pared wax strips, you can directly apply the strips rather than wax and pull them against the grain

How to Get the Best Results?

• Ensure that your hair length is 1/4 of an inch so that wax can stick properly
• Stop using retinoids at least 2 to 5 days before you plan your waxing session
• After waxing, remove all the residues properly to avoid clogging of pores
• Keep applying a gentle moisturizer every day

Part 8: Depilatory Creams

have been around for a long time. These creams let you remove the hair without having to use any razors or strips. Once you apply the cream, it dissolves your hair by breaking down its protein structure. This results in hair removal just below the surface of your skin.

Average Cost	$5-15
Pain Level	No Pain
How long does it last	2 to 3 days
Benefits	● Affordable ● Fast and easy ● Affordable ● Good for both small and large areas ● Removes hair nearly painlessly and cleans your skin
Side effects	● Cause allergic reaction ● Chemical burns ● Stingy smell

Process

• Apply a thin layer of depilatory cream on your skin
• You need to apply a depilatory cream for 3-5 minutes for thin hair and up to 10 minutes for coarse hair.
• After this time, you can wipe off the cream using a spatula or a cloth.

Once you are done, clean the area with water and apply a chemical-free moisturizer on the area.

How to Get the Best Results?

• Do a patch test to check for any allergic reactions
• Buy the depilatory cream according to your skin type as the ingredients vary from one brand to the other
• Instead of removing the whole cream, remove it first from the small area to check whether it removes hair or not

Part 9: Threading

Threading involves the use of a thread to remove hair from the required area as the procedure is a bit time-consuming, so it is mostly preferred for face and eyebrow hair removal. The process only requires the right technique and you’ll get your perfect eyebrow shaping and smooth facial skin in no time. Let’s see the further details：

Average Cost	$10-15 for face (at salon) Practically costless (at home)
Pain Level	Low ( causes a bit of discomfort)
How long does it last	2-6 weeks
Benefits	● Non-irritating ● Pocket-friendly ● Sparser and thinner hair regrowth ● Precise
Side effects	● A bit time-taking for the whole face ● Infection ● Acne and breakouts ● Koebnerization

Process

In threading, the practitioner used a thin twisted thread to hold your hair between the threads and pull them from the roots. If you want to do it at home,

• You will need an 11-inch-long thread and then make it into a loop.
• Twist the central part of the loop and then place this part under the area that needs to be threaded.
• Then move the thread up and down with the fingers of both hands and pluck your hair out.

How to Get the Best Results?

• Avoid putting on makeup before your threading treatment
• Do not go to a hot bath or saunas after you are done with the threading hair removal
• You can apply cold compresses or use cold water on the threaded area to soothe the redness and swelling

Part 10: Plucking

Let’s get to know some further details:

Average Cost	$5-10
Pain Level	Medium to high
How long does it last	3 to 6 weeks
Benefits	● Precise and accurate ● Inexpensive and easy ● Provides a month of smooth skin
Side effects	● Irritated follicles ● Ingrown hair ● Might cause increased growth ● Infections

Process

• Sit in a good lightening and hold a mirror in your hand
• If you are plucking your eyebrows, determine their shape while for other areas, you can start plucking directly
• Hold the tweezer in your right hand and pull your hair in the direction of hair growth
• Pulling your hair with the grain helps avoid breaking of hair, and ingrown hairs.

The process pulls hair from the roots but as each hair is pulled individually, it can be a bit time-consuming.

How to Get the Best Results?

• If you break hair while pulling, keep it untouched, and trying to pull the broken hair can irritate your skin
• Choose the right pair of tweezers and press them together before plucking your hair to practice your grip
• Ensure that your tweezers are sterilized to minimize the risk of infection
• The best time to pluck hair is after a hot water shower as it softens your hair

Conclusion

The most common and convenient hair removal methods to get smooth and hair-free skin include waxing, shaving, plucking, sugaring, depilatory creams, and threading. These are short-term hair removal solutions while laser, IPL, and electrolysis are long-term solutions.

Knowing all these methods will help you understand their pros and cons and facilitate you in making a choice. However, before choosing one method, make sure you know your skin type, your individual preferences, your expectations, and your budget.