Laser hair removal is the most effective way to permanently reduce hair growth. Photo by Craig Rasho

It’s almost summertime and that means no more hiding those unshaven legs under jeans and pants! It’s time to bare as much as you dare.

Of course you can shave everyday, but that’s a bit time consuming, not to mention the ugly ingrown hairs shaving can leave behind. There are depilatories, but again, this is a time-consuming process and can result in breakouts on sensitive skin. There are numerous and far more effective ways to remove unwanted hair and some methods can even reduce it permanently. This translates to more time for summer fun!

Waxing

This is probably the most widely used method of hair removal. It is relatively fast, provides reasonably long lasting results, usually affordable and can be found at almost every salon in town. It works by applying hot wax to the desired area and then yanking the hair out. If that sounds painful, it is. But the upside is that it’s fast and only hurts for a minute or two. The drawbacks can include redness and sensitivity in the area so it not something that should be done the day of a big event. Additionally, wax cannot grab short hairs so you must let the hair grow in between treatments which can mean a few days of looking ungroomed.

Sugaring

“This is a well-kept secret that originated in Egypt and has been around for a really long time,” says certified cosmetologist Patsy Kendall of The Hair Studio Sonterra. Sugaring is performed in much the same way as waxing and is comparable in price and pain level but Kendall says there are some important distinctions. First, the sugar is 100 percent natural. “You could eat it,” laughs Kendall. It is not heated, so there is no danger of the skin getting burned or scarred. Where wax actually takes off a layer of skin along with the hair, sugar gently exfoliates the area so there is less irritation. And, because sugar can actually penetrate the hair follicle, it is able to grab shorter hairs and, over time, can result in permanent removal. The last and perhaps most important difference is that a technician must go through training and be certified by the makers of the product before he or she can administer the procedure.

Threading

Here’s one you may never have heard of as it is a bit hard to find here in San Antonio. In Dallas, LA and New York however, it is a hair removal method in high demand. Threading can only be done on the face and is a very effective way of shaping the eyebrows as well as removing any hair along the upper lip.

According to Judy Royaee who offers this service at Jeanette’s, threading works by wrapping the hairs with a tiny cotton thread and then pulling them out. Again, there is a pain factor but it leaves minimal redness and can remove very short and coarse hairs more effectively than waxing.

Laser hair removal and electrolysis

These treatments are the only way to go if you want to throw away the razor forever. These procedures actually destroy the hair follicle so that it is incapable of growing hair. However, because hair grows in cycles, it takes several treatments over time to achieve a lifetime of hair-free skin.

“Only one-third of your hair is actively growing at any given time,” explains Dr. Steven Finder of Smooth Solutions. “You can only destroy the hair that is actively growing.”

Laser hair removal is expensive, but it’s fast and extremely effective. As for the pain level, it is uncomfortable but (in my opinion) less painful than waxing.

Because the laser uses the melanin in the skin as a target, people who are extremely tan or who have blond or red hair are usually not good candidates for laser hair removal. Electrolysis is often a better solution for these clients.

Electrolysis and laser hair removal work by injecting heat into the hair follicle. While laser hair removal delivers the heat through photons that are absorbed by the melanin in the hair, electrolysis relies on a probe that injects the heat directly one follicle at a time.

Dr. Finder recommends using these treatments in conjunction with one another. “The laser gets rid of the massive thick hairs and electrolysis can clean up whatever is left over.”