At-home hair removal

Hairstyles and beauty trends change constantly — fake freckles, anyone?¹ — but removing unwanted hair from the body never seems to go out of style.

And removing hair in your own home can be much more convenient and cost-effective than getting it done professionally^.2,3,4 Indeed, the average cost of getting your legs waxed at a salon or spa is anywhere from $30 to $100, and that doesn’t include gratuity and tax.⁵

The good news is you can get similar results at home for less than $20. Here we outline some hair removal and shaving products and offer tips from beauty experts about how to use them.

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At-home waxing

First came the miniskirt. Then came waxing strips, which were used to remove hair from newly exposed areas of the body starting in the 1960s.⁶ Y at-home waxing kits remain popular today.

Tiffani Hibbard, a sugaring hair-removal expert and the owner of The Sweet Spot Savannah,⁷ recommends testing a small area on your arm first to see how your skin will react to the product.⁸

Because the hair often grows back softer after waxing, “it typically only hurts the first or second time you use the strips,” says Ella Hartley, an aesthetician at Element Natural Healing Arts in Brooklyn, a certified beautician and a massage therapist.⁹

And by the way, make sure you actually have enough hair to remove before you dive in. Optimal hair length for waxing is about one-fourth to three-fourths of an inch long.¹⁰ If it's more than that, give it a trim to be within this length range first, or things may get messy. If it's less than that, your waxing kit may not work as well.

Then follow the instructions on the product's package. Some helpful tips for each step of waxing at home:

1. Wash and dry your skin. Before waxing, you’ll want to gently prep the area you plan on targeting to remove dead skin cells, dirt and any products (makeup, moisturizer, etc.) you may have used earlier.¹¹ Hartley also recommends applying a powder.

Compre baby powder options.




2. Apply the wax. Follow the directions on the package to see how to prep the wax and use the strips. If warming the wax is required, test the temperature to make sure it’s not scalding hot before slathering it everywhere.¹² Apply the wax in the direction your hair naturally grows, explains Hartley.¹³
 
3. Apply the strips. Follow the directions on the package, but, in general, you’ll be putting a strip over the wax, pressing it down firmly and then waiting for a few seconds.
 
4. Remove the strips. Pull your skin around the strip taut and then quickly pull the strip off in the opposite direction of hair growth. It’s best to do this in one fast, fluid motion, Hartley notes. She also advises against using wax strips on the same area more than once during a session because this can damage your skin. Hard wax, which adheres to the hair as opposed to the skin, can be used more than once but may be more time-consuming to apply.¹⁴
 
5. Soothe the skin. If you tend to bruise easily, Hibbard suggests applying pressure to the area after the wax strip is removed. You can also use cold packs and oil-free or noncomedogenic¹⁵ moisturizers and balms.

Note: Waxing should be avoided if you have taken isotretinoin¹⁶ within the past six months. You should also avoid applying retinoid creams to your skin two to five days before waxing,¹⁷ and you shouldn’t wax sunburned skin.¹⁸

How long does waxing last?

When done at home, waxing can last about two to six weeks.^19,20 The duration varies depending on several factors,²¹ such as:

• The type of wax used. Using hard or soft wax won't have a major effect on the amount of time your silky skin lasts. But hard wax may be better at latching onto and pulling out shorter hairs. Hard wax yanks hair at the roots versus breaking them at the surface, which could improve results.
• The area waxed. Your hair may be coarser on different parts of your body (like your legs), so those areas could grow back faster than areas with finer, softer hairs.
• Your growth cycle. Everyone is different, so the rate at which your hair grows back could simply be a matter of how fast your anagen phase, catagen phase and telogen phase²² (all part of the hair growth cycle) progress.
• Your lifestyle. Hormones, diet and genetics all play a role in hair growth, too.²³

To make your wax last as long as possible, hydration and exfoliation may help — so look for moisturizers and products to prevent dry or rough skin from surfacing.²⁴

Hair removal cream

Hair removal creams, otherwise known as depilatories, are also a great at-home option. Most work by breaking down hair proteins known as keratins, causing them to weaken and dissolve.²⁵ They are typically painless and can be slightly more user-friendly than waxing kits — but not using them as directed can lead to burns caused by the active ingredient, thioglycolic acid.²⁶

As with the waxing kits, Hibbard notes that you should test any hair removal creams on a patch of skin first²⁷ — like the inside of your ankle — before using them on your whole body.

Some helpful tips for each step of using hair-removal creams:

1. Buy the right product. You won’t want to use a cream meant for your legs on your face, for example.²⁸ The compounds used in hair removal creams have also come a long way in recent years, so read the labels and pick something appropriate.

Nair, which was first released in 1940,²⁹ recently added ingredients like coconut oil and cocoa butter to soothe the skin while the hair is being dissolved (check out Nair Hair Remover Sensitive Formula Shower Power with Coconut Oil y Nair Hair Remover Lotion, Cocoa Butter & Vitamin E). Other brands, such as Schick, offer products with vitamin E to smooth and exfoliate, like Schick Hydro Silk 2-in-1 Hair Removal Cream.

2. Follow the instructions. This is key because different creams call for different leave-on times. If all of the hair doesn't come off, you can always go in with tweezers or a razor after the skin has had time to recover.

3. Enjuagar Wash all the cream off — and with it your newly freed hairs — to avoid a chemical burn.

4. Soothe the skin. Similar to waxing, applying a gentle moisturizer after can help reduce irritation.

Note: It may be a good idea to consult a health care provider before using a hair removal cream, especially if you have sensitive skin or are dealing with a condition like eczema or psoriasis.

How long does hair removal cream last?

In general, hair will start to grow back within two to three days after you apply hair removal creams.³⁰ Unlike waxing, which pulls hair out at the root and therefore lasts longer, creams simply cause hairs to break, which may occur in different places. However, because they get absorbed into the skin, new hairs may come back finer.³¹

Afeitado

If waxing and creams don’t feel right for you, there’s always the tried-and-true method of shaving. Shaving with a razor is a good entry point for people who want to remove body hair.

The best way to do this, notes Hibbard, is to use a razor with two blades. "The first blade pulls the hair back like a rubber band, and the second blade cuts the hair," she says.

For fine areas, such as the eyebrow or upper lip, use a single-blade razor, which is designed for precision and to be gentler on sensitive spots.

Another important element is to moisturize the skin with a shaving cream or gel before you begin shaving.

How long does shaving last?

Because shaving only cuts hair at the surface, it quickly grows back within a few days,³² depending on the person. If you prep the skin beforehand and use a sharp razor, you can shave as frequently - or infrequently - as you want.

Hair removal aftercare

One of the best things to do after hair removal is to use after shave care, which can help calm and hydrate skin and may help target bumps and ingrown hairs. Some products also contain soothing ingredients like aloe, cucumber, lavender or chamomile.

To further allow your skin to heal after waxing, Hartley recommends avoiding sweaty activities or swimming for the next couple of days because they can cause hair follicles to become inflamed or infected, which can lead to itching, irritation, bumps on the skin and redness.³³

Este contenido es solo para fines informativos y no constituye un asesoramiento médico. Consult your health care provider before taking any vitamins or supplements and prior to beginning or changing any health care practices.