Some of the more popular methods of temporary hair removal are Shaving, Waxing, Depilatory Creams and Threading. It can be hard to decide which method to use. What suits one woman may not be the right hair removal solution for another. What does each method involve?

Shaving

Shaving is the cheapest and fastest way to remove unwanted body hair. Its downside is that it only last for a few days at most. Shaving only removes the hair above the skin line so its needs to be done on a regular basis to maintain smooth skin. Depending on your rate of hair growth you may need to shave underarm hair more often as it grows faster than leg hair.

Although wet shaving is best, dont allow your skin to soak for too long as this causes it to swell slightly and wrinkle which makes getting a close, clean shave more difficult.

Waxing

The longest lasting temporary hair removal method is waxing. Its the most effective method to remove hair on the legs and thighs. You can expect hairs to grow back over a three to six week period. Hair can be pulled out from the root after warm wax enters the follicle. Waxing can be painful for anyone with sensitive skin and before waxing again hair most grow back by about 1cm.

Before the actual waxing a preconditioning lotion should be used. The hot wax is then applied to the skin and covered with strips of cloth. As the wax hardens around the hair strands the strips of cloth are quickly pulled away. As this is done the skin is pulled taunt opposite to the direction the cloth strip will be pulled from.

Pain is obviously subjective but most women find waxing only mildly painful. Probably the best advice is to try and relax! Once you have had several wax treatments the easier it will become.

Depilatory Creams.

If you want to remove unwanted hair fast then depilatory creams may be a solution. They basically contain a chemical that reacts with the keratin that makes up hair. Once applied this allows the hair to be wiped away from the skin line.

Its often best to first apply a warm wash cloth to the area you are going to treat. This softens the hair and opens up the hair follicles. As some people can be sensitive to depilatory creams you should first test a small area on the forearm.

This type of hair removal should last for several days.

Threading

Threading is a method of hair removal where a doubled up strand of cotton is twisted around individual hairs. The cotton is then used to pull the hair out from the roots. Threading is now quite common in the United states but its origins lie in an ancient Middle Eastern technique. Its mainly used on upper lips and eyebrows and is faster than tweezing.