Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsShavingPluckingTweezingWaxingSugar WaxingThreadingDepilatory CreamsElectrolysisLaser Hair RemovalVaniqa

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Shaving

Plucking

Tweezing

Waxing

Sugar Waxing

Threading

Depilatory Creams

Electrolysis

Laser Hair Removal

Vaniqa

Hair removal methods range from easy and cheap (like shaving with a razor) to high-tech and expensive (like laser hair removal and electrolysis).

There are hair removal methods for every part of the body, skin type, time commitment, and budget. That said, very few methods get rid of hair permanently. The hair removal method that’s right for you will depend on your needs and preferences.

This article discusses 10 ways to remove unwanted body hair. It explains how each hair-removal method works and the pros and cons of each.

PeopleImages / Getty Images

A woman shaving her legs by the bath tub

Shaving is an introduction to hair removal for many people when they’re young. It’s also the most temporary method of hair removal and lasts one to three days.

Contrary to popular belief, shaving does not make the hair shaft thicker or darker. It also does not make hair grow faster or slower.

Pulling or Plucking

Physically pulling hair out of its follicle is an easy, cheap way to remove unwanted hair. It is best for single stray hairs that are long enough to grab.

What Is Trichotillomania?If you feel a strong urge to pull hair out of certain parts of your body and feel pleasure or relief when you do, talk to your healthcare provider. This is a sign of trichotillomania, a rare condition on the obsessive-compulsive disorder spectrum.

What Is Trichotillomania?

If you feel a strong urge to pull hair out of certain parts of your body and feel pleasure or relief when you do, talk to your healthcare provider. This is a sign of trichotillomania, a rare condition on the obsessive-compulsive disorder spectrum.

Tweezing is a common method for removing unwanted stray hairs and shaping eyebrows. It can take three to eight weeks for the hair to regrow after tweezing.

How to Combat Beard Burn After Kissing

Waxing can be done at home or in a salon. Wax clings to hair, making it easy to remove multiple hairs at a time. For best results, hair should be at least one-quarter inch (6 millimeters) long. The results can last three to six weeks.

ContraindicationsAccording to the American Academy of Dermatology, waxing should be avoided when using the following medications:Isotretinoin (within the past six months)AntibioticsTopical tretinoin (retinoid acid)These medications can thin your skin, making it more fragile. This could cause the skin to tear when the wax is removed.

Contraindications

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, waxing should be avoided when using the following medications:Isotretinoin (within the past six months)AntibioticsTopical tretinoin (retinoid acid)These medications can thin your skin, making it more fragile. This could cause the skin to tear when the wax is removed.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, waxing should be avoided when using the following medications:

These medications can thin your skin, making it more fragile. This could cause the skin to tear when the wax is removed.

Sugar waxing, also known as sugaring, is a popular form of hair removal that works in the same way that traditional waxing does.

Threading is a form of hair removal that’s most often used to shape eyebrows. It is typically done in a salon, and the results last three to six weeks.

Depilatorycreams, like Nair, contain a chemical calledthioglycolatemixed with sodium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide that literally melts hair away. Thioglycolate disrupts the chemical bonds that hold skin and hair cells together (disulfide bonds).

Electrolysisis a permanent form of hair removal that is performed in a salon. It takes several sessions to be effective and can take 12 to 18 months to achieve desired results.

Stay Out of the Sun

Vaniqa (eflornithine) is an FDA-approved, prescription-only topical cream that reduces and inhibits the growth of unwanted facial hair. Noticeable results are usually seen after four to eight weeks of treatment.

Summary

There are many options for hair removal, such as waxing, shaving, and electrolysis, and there are pros and cons to each approach. You might have to try more than one to find the hair removal method that works best for you.

A Word From VerywellUnwanted or excessive hair can negatively impact a person’s quality of life. There are many ways that hair can be removed, from shaving and plucking to laser hair removal. Each method has its pros and cons, but the best advice is to consult with a dermatologist.—WILLIAM TRUSWELL, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD

A Word From Verywell

Unwanted or excessive hair can negatively impact a person’s quality of life. There are many ways that hair can be removed, from shaving and plucking to laser hair removal. Each method has its pros and cons, but the best advice is to consult with a dermatologist.—WILLIAM TRUSWELL, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD

Unwanted or excessive hair can negatively impact a person’s quality of life. There are many ways that hair can be removed, from shaving and plucking to laser hair removal. Each method has its pros and cons, but the best advice is to consult with a dermatologist.

—WILLIAM TRUSWELL, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD

Willliam Truswell, MD

14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Nemours.Hair removal.Nemours.Shaving.American Family Physician.What should I know about removing unwanted facial hair?MedlinePlus.Trichotillomania.Nemours.WaxingAmerican Academy of Dermatology.7 Ways to remove unwanted hair.SugaringLA.Sugaring 101: How does it work?Glow Up Studio.Brow threading.MedlinePlus.Depilatory poisoning.Michigan Medicine.Electrolysis for removing hair.American Academy of Dermatology.Laser hair removal: FAQs.U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Eflornithine.Food and Drug Administration.Vaniqa.Kumar A, Naguib YW, Shi YC, Cui Z.A method to improve the efficacy of topical eflornithine hydrochloride cream.Drug Deliv. 2016;23(5):1495-1501. doi:10.3109/10717544.2014.951746

14 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Nemours.Hair removal.Nemours.Shaving.American Family Physician.What should I know about removing unwanted facial hair?MedlinePlus.Trichotillomania.Nemours.WaxingAmerican Academy of Dermatology.7 Ways to remove unwanted hair.SugaringLA.Sugaring 101: How does it work?Glow Up Studio.Brow threading.MedlinePlus.Depilatory poisoning.Michigan Medicine.Electrolysis for removing hair.American Academy of Dermatology.Laser hair removal: FAQs.U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Eflornithine.Food and Drug Administration.Vaniqa.Kumar A, Naguib YW, Shi YC, Cui Z.A method to improve the efficacy of topical eflornithine hydrochloride cream.Drug Deliv. 2016;23(5):1495-1501. doi:10.3109/10717544.2014.951746

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Nemours.Hair removal.Nemours.Shaving.American Family Physician.What should I know about removing unwanted facial hair?MedlinePlus.Trichotillomania.Nemours.WaxingAmerican Academy of Dermatology.7 Ways to remove unwanted hair.SugaringLA.Sugaring 101: How does it work?Glow Up Studio.Brow threading.MedlinePlus.Depilatory poisoning.Michigan Medicine.Electrolysis for removing hair.American Academy of Dermatology.Laser hair removal: FAQs.U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Eflornithine.Food and Drug Administration.Vaniqa.Kumar A, Naguib YW, Shi YC, Cui Z.A method to improve the efficacy of topical eflornithine hydrochloride cream.Drug Deliv. 2016;23(5):1495-1501. doi:10.3109/10717544.2014.951746

Nemours.Hair removal.

Nemours.Shaving.

American Family Physician.What should I know about removing unwanted facial hair?

MedlinePlus.Trichotillomania.

Nemours.Waxing

American Academy of Dermatology.7 Ways to remove unwanted hair.

SugaringLA.Sugaring 101: How does it work?

Glow Up Studio.Brow threading.

MedlinePlus.Depilatory poisoning.

Michigan Medicine.Electrolysis for removing hair.

American Academy of Dermatology.Laser hair removal: FAQs.

U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Eflornithine.

Food and Drug Administration.Vaniqa.

Kumar A, Naguib YW, Shi YC, Cui Z.A method to improve the efficacy of topical eflornithine hydrochloride cream.Drug Deliv. 2016;23(5):1495-1501. doi:10.3109/10717544.2014.951746

Meet Our Medical Expert Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

What is your feedback?