The Best Hair Removal Options in Texas

Any Dallas gal worth her salt knows that hose are a definite no-no. What's a girl to do when warm weather makes her trade Chaiken pants for Tuleh dresses? Ensure that those gams are stubble free. There are oodles of options for hair removal, so consider price, pain, and permanence when choosing a service. By the way, those brows need a shape-up, too. Otherwise you'll be condemned to wearing bangs this spring.

Waxing
"Waxing is not for everybody," cautions Maria Bourland . "The amount of pain depends on experience, technique, and wax type. We offer a truly specialized service." It's not a permanent solution, but it results do last up to one month. Hair comes back in less thick and coarse than with shaving. European Skin Care by Maria is also known for some of the best brow-shaping in Dallas. Maria's tips: Don't take aspirin or use Retin-A before waxing. Afterwards, apply a cold compress to legs to reduce inflammation and pain.

Threading
Long practiced in India, China and Middle East, threading is a fast and effective hair removal option for sensitive skin. Cotton thread is twisted and pulled along the skin surface to hair directly from the follicle. When, performed by a professional, you should only feel a slight pinch. Maro Golgoun of Elegance Spa Salon says, [Threading] pulls the hair from the roots without disturbing the top layer of skin." Golgoun's tip: Unlike many procedures, threading works on all skin types, including tanned or damaged skin.

Electrolysis
Though it's not as scary as the name implies, electrolysis does cauterizing the blood supply that feeds the hair - hence a little pain. The process permanently removes hair if the sessions are timed precisely to the growth cycle. Lynne Rains, D Magazine's Electrologist of the Year, notes "Raising the hairline is a six year process. Brows, six months. Face, eighteen months. Legs, three years." At Great Skin by Lynne, she offers personal consultations to get the client's medical history and plan the procedure. The industry standard is around $1 per minute to remove hair from upper lip, chin, center brow, fingers, nape, ears, or to shore up a beard. Lynne's tip: Avoid sunburn before and after electrolysis, as well as to many processes (like microdermabrasion) at once.

Laser Hair Removal
Melanin-targeting lasers set on specific levels for different hair types "zap" hair follicles. As hair grows in three cycles - active growth, resting shaft, and dormant - several paced sessions are necessary for completely smooth skin. The process is generally priced per session, with four to six sessions spaced several weeks apart. "The question Does it hurt? is the one we get most often," says Asa Christensen of Smooth Solutions. "The response from clients ranges from not at all to tickles to really bad… but the results are well worth it." Asa's tip: Experience is key. Smooth Solutions has been in business since the FDA approved the procedure eight years ago, performing over 300,000 laser hair removals.

Sugaring
All-natural sugar paste is quickly gaining popularity in spas. "It extracts hair in its natural direction of growth," says Kim Lower of The Final Cut Salon & Spa. "Sugaring lasts longer than waxing, plus it's more gentle on delicate skin." The paste isn't as hot or sticky, so clean-up is easier, too. Expect to pay about $15 more per area than conventional waxing. Lower's tip: Take Motrin before sugaring to take the edge off the pain.