Shaving Alternatives

What’s the best way to remove unwanted hair? The truth is, there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Wherever it grows—legs, underarms, face or bikini—learn about the multiple hair removal methods so you can zero in on what’s right for you.

Wet shaving

How it works:

A set of razor blades glides over wet skin and lathered shave gel to remove unwanted hair.

Venus razor blades are spaced close together and spring-mounted to individually adjust to a woman’s natural contours. This way, each razor blade stays in contact with the skin for a curve-hugging, close shave. TheVenus Embrace Refillable razor uses 5 blades surrounded by a Ribbon of Moisture for extra glide.

Suggested for: legs, arms, underarms, and bikini area

Advantages:

1. Quick, effective and safe to do daily
2. Painless
3. Inexpensive
4. Will even exfoliate skin while removing hair

Drawbacks:

1. To maintain your softest skin, you have to shave frequently.
2. If your hair is coarse—particularly in the bikini area—shaving can cause ingrown hairs. To minimize the risk, exfoliate the area, shave in the direction of the hair growth, and apply a moisturizer after shaving.

Electric (or dry) shaving

How it works:

An electric razor has a fine screen that glides across the skin’s surface, trapping the hair and cutting it off with a moving blade underneath.

Suggested for: legs, arms, underarms, bikini area

Advantages:

1. Simple and efficient
2. Easy enough to do every day
3. Can be done just about anywhere since no water or shaving cream is needed

Drawbacks:

1. Won’t give you the close shave that a razor in the shower would; results may not last as long as you’d like
2. Electric razors are expensive
3. Keeping up with tangled cords and battery charges might slow you down
4. If your hair is coarse—particularly in the bikini area—electric shaving can cause ingrown hairs

Depilatory

How it works:

Depilatory creams, lotions, roll-ons and foams all use a chemical compound to dissolve the hair at the surface of the skin. Approximately 3-10 minutes after application, the hair gets removed by rubbing the area with a washcloth.

Suggested for: upper lip, bikini area, underarms

Advantages:

1. Depilatory creams work by dissolving the hair shaft, leaving a rounded edge at the skin’s surface—so regrowth appears to be softer and take longer than after shaving
2. No risk of nicks and cuts
3. New products continue to appear on the market, promising easy application with less waiting time

Drawbacks:

1. Can irritate the skin or cause allergic reactions
2. Can be messy and require some waiting time to work
3. Many have an unpleasant smell
4. Can also be expensive for larger areas like legs and arms

Waxing

How it works:

Wax, hot or cold, gets applied to your skin in the same direction that your hair grows. Once it solidifies, it’s quickly stripped away in the opposite direction, pulling the hair out with it.

Suggested for: legs, arms, bikini area, eyebrows, upper lip

Advantages:

1. Gives you up to four weeks of smooth skin

Drawbacks:

1. You must allow hair to grow out approximately 5mm to be able to wax it
2. Can be messy and painful, and it can sometimes leave skin irritated
3. Can also lead to infection, because any dirt around the exposed skin can enter and clog your pores

Epilator

How it works:

Epilators look a lot like electric shavers, but they work by pulling body hairs out of the follicle under the skin, rather than cutting them at the skin's surface.

Suggested for: legs, arms, underarms, bikini area

Advantages:

1. Give you longer-lasting hair removal results
2. Your skin can stay smooth for up to four weeks and new hair appears to grow back finer

Drawbacks:

1. The process is slower because an epilator can’t pull a lot of hair at one time
2. Using an epilator can be uncomfortable at first, especially in the bikini area; the pain does subside with frequent use
3. You’ve got to grow your hair long enough to epilate, so you could have a few days of longer hair than you’d like
4. The initial cost of an epilator is also much higher than most at-home methods

Laser hair removal

How it works:

A laser passes a pulsating beam of light through the skin to your hair follicles. The intense heat from the laser targets the dark melanin found in hair follicles to prevent the hair from growing.

Suggested for: legs, underarms, arms, bikini area, facial hair

Advantages:

1. Professional laser treatment will destroy the hair follicle, but it is not a completely permanent solution.
2. Finding a professional certified in dermatology or cosmetic surgery means a more effective procedure with fewer risks.
3. Specialists have the ability to apply topical anesthetic, making treatments less painful than doing it on your own.
4. Convenient when you can do it in the comfort of your own home. Newly available at-home devices aren’t cheap—but present a good alternative.

Drawbacks:

1. Time-consuming and has to be repeated regularly for smooth skin.
2. Professional treatments can be painful and scheduling regular appointments is expensive and inconvenient.
3. The strength of the laser used by professionals leaves a greater risk of redness, swelling and skin sensitivity after the procedure.
4. Because at-home devices are much less powerful than professional laser equipment, they are unable to completely destroy the hair follicle.
5. Achieving hair-free results requires using the device regularly to prevent regrowth.
6. Though usually less painful than professional laser hair removal, at-home methods cause a warm, prickling sensation comparable to being snapped with a rubber band.
7. Though rare, potential risks to laser hair removal include blisters, scarring and changes in skin coloration.

Electrolysis

How it works:

A very fine needle gets inserted into the hair follicle, then transmits a mild electrical current designed to destroy the regenerative cells.

Suggested for: small to medium-size areas, particularly on the face, such as the upper lip, chin and eyebrows

Advantages:

1. The only method of hair removal that is permitted to be called "permanent."

Drawbacks:

1. Can be time-consuming and expensive, ranging between $40 and $90 per treatment of a small area.
2. May take multiple lengthy treatments over the course of several months to completely destroy all the hair follicles.
3. Can be painful and your skin may be swollen and tender after treatment.
4. Can cause tiny scars where the needle is inserted, though for most people they heal unnoticed.

Take it off your way

Nearly 40 million women think of Gillette Venus as their hair removal experts. That’s why we’re so interested in helping you find the method that’s right for you. Just remember, choosing the best way to remove hair is a highly personal decision, and no one solution is best for everyone. So if one method doesn’t appeal to you, try experimenting with another. It’s even OK to mix and match. Now go reveal the Venus Goddess in you!

References

(a) http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/for-women-only-best-options-for-hair-removal?page=2
(b) http://www.triabeauty.com/info/hair-removal-how-it-works.htm