Laser hair removal isn't the only way to get rid of unwanted body hair. There are many other methods. Some are more invasive than others, some last longer than others, and you're probably familiar with most of them:

• Shaving — Running a razor along the skin removes hair right at the surface.

  Benefits: Shaving is inexpensive, easy to do and portable.

  Drawbacks: Doesn't last long; can cause nicks, cuts and razor burn; those with dark hair might have a slight “shadow” even when legs are smooth.

• Waxing — Using a hot wax compress to pull out hair at the root.
  

  Benefits: Fairly long-lasting — Up to six weeks for some, usually inexpensive, and can often be done at home.
  

  Drawbacks: Painful, messy, can cause hair breakage which may lead to ingrown hairs, wax that is too hot may cause burns.



• Tweezing — Using tweezers to pluck out individual hairs by the root.

  Benefits: Easy, inexpensive, extremely portable, good for precision work such as eyebrows or individual chin hairs.

  Drawbacks: Painful, can't be used for large areas, can be hard to do effectively by yourself.

• Depilatory creams and lotions — A chemical solution is spread over the skin and dissolves hair just below the skin's surface.

  Benefits: Easy, inexpensive, widely available, portable.

  Drawbacks: Can be quite messy, may not work on coarse hair, not long-lasting, chemicals may cause skin irritation/burning/redness, chemicals may cause allergic reaction. NOTE: It's extremely important to test a small patch of skin and then wait 24 hours to see if you have a reaction before using a depilatory.

• Sugaring — Similar to waxing; uses a sticky solution that is spread over the skin. A cloth strip is then placed over the solution and quickly pulled away, removing hairs from the root.

  Benefits: Inexpensive, can be done at home, easier to clean up than waxing.

  Drawbacks: The solution can be difficult to apply and remove from the skin. Can be quite messy.

• Electrolysis — A very fine needle is inserted into the hair follicle; then an electricity is sent through the needle, killing the follicle permanently.

  Benefits: Almost always permanent, proven results, safe.

  Drawbacks: Can be quite painful, takes many sessions to complete treatment, very time consuming, can be quite expensive, can be difficult for large treatment areas, when not done correctly can cause irritation, infection and re-growth of hair.