Explore the Different Hair Removal Methods for Smoothing Your Bikini Area

When we think of summer, we think of beaches and swimsuits. And what comes next? The hassles of keeping the bikini area presentable and perfectly smooth. There are several ways to remove hair from the bikini area, each with some advantages and disadvantages, so you'll have to pick the one that suits you best. The most common hair removal techniques for the bikini area are shaving and waxing. Other techniques include cream hair removal, and laser and electrolysis. Read the following list carefully to decide which way will best suit your needs

Shaving:
Shaving allows you to both remove hair and exfoliate the skin at once, and frequently. But this frequency can get annoying, especially that most people will need to shave daily to keep the skin smooth and hairless. Shaving also has its good points in being easy to do (doesn't require as much practice as waxing or sugaring), and razors are readily available everywhere. One thing to know about shaving gel is that the formula does not differ based on catering to men or women. Men's shaving gel is usually cheaper, so you may want to opt for that if you can find a scent you can live with. You can also use olive oil for an excellent moisturizing shave. NOTE: Shaving DOES NOT make hair thicker. Hair appears to be thicker because you cut it to a blunt end rather than a rounded, soft one.

Waxing or Sugaring:
Waxing and sugaring are essentially the same in concept, as they both pull out the hair from the root. Of course, yanking out those hairs can be a bit painful, but it also prevents them from growing back for a while. Waxing/sugaring also slow down hair the rate of hair re-growth, and damage the follicle to stop hair growth with continued use. Like shaving, this method also exfoliates the skin very well; but since it's only done every 2 to 4 weeks, you will need to exfoliate separately whenever you shower to avoid ingrowns. I see that waxing and sugaring are cheaper than shaving because they are done much less frequently and the kits used are usually inexpensive (around $10). Sugaring can also be made at home (Refer to my "Cheap, Efficient, and Extremely Effective Hair Removal: Sugaring" article that contains information about sugaring, and a recipe). One disadvantage to waxing/sugaring at home is that it needs some practice, but you can always make a trip to a specialized salon if it becomes too tedious at home. Also, you have to let hair grow to 0.25 to 0.5 of an inch for the paste to grasp the hairs effectively, so you will be running around hairy for a while in between waxing sessions.

Cream Hair Removers (Depilatories):
This method is similar to shaving, but hair grows back a bit slower than it does with shaving. Also, cream hair removers should be used on the bikini line only. They are too dangerously irritating to be used on sensitive areas, such as near genitals. With cream removers, hair grows back softer than it does with shaving because it is not cut to a blunt end, but more to a rounded one.

Laser and Electrolysis:
Laser hair removal is a (semi) permanent hair removal technique. I say "semi" because hair can grow back with changes in hormones. Laser can also be quite expensive, and is not suitable for sensitive skin types. Electrolysis is permanent in effect. Hair does not grow back, but the process is tedious and expensive. It is difficult to do large areas of the body with electrolysis, and extremely time-consuming. Both techniques are painful, with electrolysis being more painful than laser. It is extremely important to research appropriate places for such advanced hair removal techniques because mistakes can lead to permanent disfiguration of the skin. Never go to a cheap, untrusted aestheician! Make sure that you are willing to spend much time on laser or electrolysis because they require many sessions to remove hair completely.