PRO HAIR REMOVAL FROM WAXING TO LASERS WE ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS

Whether you're a man who shaves his face every morning or a woman who likes to have smooth legs, hair removal is very important this post should answer all your hair removal questions !

At the very least, though, choosing the right hair-removal method can make things easier, so let's consider all the options:

Shaving: We all know this is the easiest option - fast, cheap, and easy to do at home. But a razor cuts hair at an angle, leaving a sharp edge. If that hair is curly, it will fold over toward the skin as it grows out, and that razor-sharp edge will pierce the skin. The result? Ingrown hairs. (This is most common in men with curly facial hair and in the bikini area.) Other methods may work better if you have curly hair.

Waxing: Many people love waxing because they can do it and forget about pesky re-growth for weeks. But this method can lead to another stubborn skin annoyance: hyperpigmentation. Some people are prone to this excessive pigmentation, which occurs when more melanin is produced in some places than others. Heat further stimulates melanocytes, the skin cells where pigment is produced, to make melanin. Take, for example, dark patches on the upper lip, a common complaint among people prone to hyperpigmentation - those patches can be worsened by hot wax.

Even if you don't need to worry about these unwanted dark spots, hot wax can also result in plain ol' burns if used incorrectly. Are you are using Retin-A or another retinoid? Then your skin is more delicate and prone to burning. (If you're going to try waxing, you need to stop it 10 days before treatment in the areas to be waxed.) Always see a skilled professional if you're interested in waxing.

If you're a good candidate for waxing, though, this method will slowly damage the hair follicle to minimize re-growth. But take note: When you first wax, an area hair is actually stimulated to enter a growth (anagen) phase and hair growth speeds up! Don't worry - with time, hair will grow back thinner in areas that are regularly waxed.

Threading: This technique, popularized in India, uses a small thread to remove hairs one by one. It is my favorite facial hair removal method because it doesn't involve any potentially damaging heat. Threading can be particularly effective when used in conjunction with laser treatments (see below for more on those!) - threading offers instant gratification, while the laser provides a long-term solution.

Depilatories: These cream- or gel-based products contain strong chemicals that essentially "dissolve" hair. As you might imagine, they are not good for those with sensitive skin - and even those without sensitive skin should follow the product's directions carefully, as depilatories can give the skin a chemical burn. Clients often ask me if these products are safe in the long run, and the truth is, we don't know: There are no long-term studies on the safety of depilatories. However, they seem to be safe in those who don't experience immediate irritation.

Lasers: This method is highly effective for dark hair, but does not work on light hair. That's because the melanin in hair absorbs the laser's energy, allowing it to do its thing - the darker the hair, the more melanin it contains. Without that darkness, though, it's like the laser doesn't "see" the hair.

There are many types of hair-removal lasers, and they can be used in all skin types. The Cool Glide laser can even be used on the darkest skin, which wasn't always possible. Right after treatment with a laser, hairs remain in the skin, so don't expect instant gratification. Three to five days after treatments, though, the affected hair slowly falls out. Hairs will grow back, but they'll be thinner and lighter.

For optimal results, you'll typically need treatment every month for 3 - 6 months, and costs vary by the size of the area treated (usually $100 for 15 minutes). It could take hours to cover legs, for example, so this is not a cost-effective method for all areas - but treating the bikini area, underarms, and face is quick and really worth the money!

Vaniqa: This is the first prescription cream proven to minimize facial hair growth in women. Apply it twice a day, and after eight weeks your hair will grow slower. But it's not a hair removal product, and therefore must be combined with another method (for example, splurge on a laser treatment, then follow it up with threading and Vaniqa, and you'll dramatically reduce hair growth in both the short- and long-term). It's pricey, though (around $65 a tube), so this is another method that's best saved for the face, the area for which it's intended.