Laser, wax or epilate? How to get rid of unwanted hair
10.8.2023
Translation: Julia Graham
Sugaring, waxing, shaving or what about a more permanent option with laser? I’m here to guide you through the thicket of hair removal methods.
These days, opting for smooth or hairy legs has nothing to do with gender or conformity. You’ve got lots of body hair variations to choose from, starting at either ends of the spectrum: from Brazilian nude to animalistic with the free your pits movement. Ultimately, body hair is a matter of personal preference.
If you prefer to go bare and remove hair from your legs, underarms and intimate area, you can take a radical or spontaneous approach. Hair removal methods range from classic shaving to sugaring to permanent removal of the hair root via laser treatment. Here are the basics of hair removal methods – for at home or in the beauty salon. Thanks to expert Marisa Lacko-Winkler from the dermacosmetic institute Reviderm Skinmedics Baden for her input. We also covered the question of whether there’s even a lifelong solution to unwanted hair growth.
Fast, spontaneous, simple: hair removal at home
If you want to remove body hair, you’ve probably weighed up the advantages and disadvantages of different methods. How fast is it to do or get done? What are the costs involved, and how long do results last? When it comes down to it, our expert Marisa knows there’s only one deciding factor: «It depends on my priorities. Do I want permanent hair removal or am I looking for a quick, inexpensive, no-fuss solution?» Doing your own hair removal at home is particularly inexpensive and simple. The fastest method is shaving.
1. Shaving your legs and intimate area
Shaving is about as old as the idea that hair is only acceptable on some parts of the body. The first razors were used (by women) in ancient Egypt and later Rome and featured copper blades. Razors are used in the same way for removing unwanted hair to this day. For instance, according to Statista (site in German), wet shaving is the most popular body hair removal method amongst women (on par, incidentally, with not removing it).
There are many pros to shaving. It’s fast, can be done at home without any planning and doesn’t cost much. One thing to remember is you should always use shaving foam. The downside is «shaving often causes redness, skin irritation and ingrown hairs,» according to our expert. It can lead to dry skin and skin irritation, razor burn or pimples. But more than anything else, shaving doesn’t actually solve the problem of unwanted body hair. «Stubble often comes back the same day. This means you never have an even skin texture.»
Moreover, our expert Marisa advises that people with thick, bristly hair, ingrown hairs, and sensitive skin that’s prone to hyperkeratosis shouldn’t shave. For everyone else: use a sharp, clean blade and don’t shave against the direction of hair growth in your intimate area to avoid irritation.
Advantages of shaving: quick, easy, fuss-free
Disadvantages of shaving: results don’t last long, irritates the skin
Shaving costs: ranges from 2 CHF for a disposable razor and 40 CHF for a stainless steel razor plus 2 CHF for shaving foam
Shaving foam + Shaving gel
Quantity discount
CHF6.20 per piece for 3 units CHF92.–/1l
Gillette Venus Satin Care Aloe Vera
75 ml, Shaving gel
2. Depilatory cream
Another quick option for removing body hair at home is depilatory cream. This dissolves the hair on your skin using chemicals. «It attacks the skin’s natural acid mantle, thereby breaking the hair’s protein structure (keratin),» explains Marisa. What you’re left with is a gel-like substance, which you remove with a spatula to reveal smooth skin underneath.
The procedure is completely painless, quick and easy. However, the chemicals in the cream can cause skin irritation, so it’s not a good idea to use it haphazardly on all parts of the body. Marisa says, «It’s quite abrasive. So, you should only apply it to healthy skin and not to mucous membranes, for example in the intimate area. You also shouldn’t use the cream on any red or irritated skin.»
As with shaving, depilatory cream isn’t a permanent solution to unwanted hair growth, our expert concludes: «You’re only removing the hair on the surface; the roots are still there.»
Advantages of depilatory cream: quick and easy
Disadvantages of depilatory cream: only short-term results, harsh on the skin
Depilatory cream costs: ranges from 3 CHF to 40 CHF
Hair removal wax + Cremes
Quantity discount
CHF13.10 per piece for 2 units CHF137.–/1l
No Hair Crew Intimate
100 ml, 1 x, 135 g
Hair removal wax + Cremes
Quantity discount
CHF11.20 per piece for 2 units CHF78.–/1l
Veet In-Shower Hair Removal Cream
150 ml, 1 x, 198 g
3. Epilating
Epilating, on the other hand, isn’t at all pain-free. But there’s something to be said for it, too. That’s because epilating is the only method that combines fuss-free home use and long-lasting results. (Yes, you can also achieve this with cold wax strips at home, but more on that in a moment.)
All you really need is a good electric epilator and a high tolerance for pain. The device’s small tweezers pluck each hair individually from the root. For this to work well, the hair should be about 5 mm long and you need to go slowly. To give you an idea, it should take ten seconds from your ankle to your knee. Moreover, it’s easier to epilate in the shower as your skin is more relaxed from the warmth of the water.
But be careful: not all epilators can be used in the shower. Epilating your underarm and intimate area is only recommended if you have a high tolerance for pain.
Our expert also warns that if you’re prone to ingrown hairs, this isn’t the best method for you. «The way epilators rotate means that hair follicles can twist, causing ingrown hairs.» What’s more, hairs break off more often instead of being removed at the root.
Overall, however, «If you’re able to stomach a bit of pain, don’t have a tendency for ingrown hairs, don’t have hair that’s too thick and you like fuss-free methods that you can reach for any time, anywhere, epilating is a good option.»
Advantages of epilating: fuss-free, can use it whenever you like, up to four weeks of smooth skin
Disadvantages of epilating: painful
Epilating costs: ranges from 25 CHF to 270 CHF
Permanent and lasting hair removal: options in a salon
With most at-home hair removal methods, you’re quite literally not treating the root of the problem. Hair stubble is quick to return and smooth skin is a short-term pleasure. This leaves behind skin texture that’s often irritated and uneven. It’s different with in-salon treatments, such as waxing, sugaring and professional laser hair removal. Effects often last for weeks, months or years and, when done professionally, are less stressful for the skin than daily shaving.
1. Waxing
While you can get warm and cold wax strips for home use in any health and beauty retailer, our expert Marisa doesn’t recommend them. «With waxing, there’s a considerable risk of getting burnt, as it needs to be heated up in a container. One of my clients even needed a skin transplant afterwards.»
With cold wax strips, there’s no danger of burns, but hair follicles can’t expand well without heat. This means hair doesn’t come off as cleanly and is more likely to snap.
In a salon, however, it’s a different story. They know the right techniques and angle for pulling the wax strip off the skin. When you go for a professional treatment, you don’t need to worry about burns either. «The only drawback is that each hair grows independently of the others,» explains Marisa. «The hairs are never all the same length. But equally, it needs to be a minimum length in order to be removed.» You should allow four weeks in between appointments, and if necessary, put up with stubbly legs for a few days. The end result is smooth, good-textured skin, even if not all the hair is removed equally well each time.
You should also get your Brazilian done at a salon with hot wax. For the uninitiated, that’s waxing the bikini area. It’s better than messing around with warm wax strips yourself. Our expert points out that «it can be very painful, especially if you’re not experienced».
Advantages of waxing: inexpensive, up to four weeks of smooth skin
Disadvantages of waxing: time consuming, need to apply the wax many times, risk of burning yourself when DIY-ing at home
Waxing costs: starts at 8 CHF if you’re doing it yourself at home; salon treatments range from 10 CHF to 90 CHF per session depending on what part of you is getting waxed
2. Sugaring
Sugaring and waxing differ only in the product used, but the application is largely the same, with a few subtle differences. Instead of warm wax, a sugar paste is applied to the skin and pulled off with a strip of paper in a jerking motion.
The advantage of sugaring is that it’s gentler to the skin overall. «Sugar has a lower melting point, which is why you can work with a lower temperature, meaning there’s no risk of getting burnt,"» says Marisa. Another plus is that sugar is produced naturally in the body, making it anti-allergenic – and it’s antibacterial. Consequently, you can even apply the paste to sensitive skin.
In addition, unlike waxing, sugaring usually removes hair in the direction of growth, rather than against it. This makes it more pleasant than waxing, and you can opt for this treatment when the hair is shorter. However, depending on the salon and method, you can also work against the direction of hair growth.
Advantages of sugaring: can be carried out when hair is as short as 5 mm, anti-allergenic, up to four weeks of smooth skin
Disadvantages of sugaring: time consuming
Sugaring costs: ranges from 10 CHF to 90 CHF per session (depending on what part of you is being treated)
Hair removal wax + Cremes
Quantity discount
CHF11.10 per piece for 2 units CHF46.40/1l
Veet sugar paste
250 ml, 1 x, 440 g
Hair removal wax + Cremes
CHF17.70 CHF70.80/1l
Veet Sugaring sugar paste vanilla blossom
250 ml, 1 x, 361 g
3. Laser hair removal
If you want to draw a line under unwanted body hair, the only real option for permanent hair removal is via a diode laser in a dermacosmetic clinic. This is how Marisa explains it: «The diode laser is a focused beam of light that’s directed over the hair right into the hair root to destroy it.»
Unlike IPL (intense pulsed light) technology, the diode laser works on a very small area and with only one wavelength, which targets the root without losing energy. Diode lasers are therefore more powerful than conventional IPL devices. Incidentally, IPL isn’t a laser. Instead, it’s a collection of light pulses.
«IPL technology can slow hair growth to a maximum, but it can’t stop it,» says Marisa. That’s why even IPL devices you can use yourself don’t deliver what they promise: «Home devices are watered-down IPL technology from professional institutes. This makes them even less capable of permanently halting hair growth.»
However, our expert points out that there’s no lifelong solution for unwanted body hair. Hormonal changes, disease and medications can encourage hair growth at any time.
But, opting for diode laser treatment in a salon or clinic does mean no new hair will grow back for at least one to five years. For best results, you should avoid intense sun exposure for four weeks before your laser hair treatment, as it doesn’t work as well on tanned skin.
In general, the lighter the skin and darker the hair, the more successful laser treatment is. Incidentally, the laser can’t detect white hairs at all, and even if you’re a redhead, the chances are only 50/50, according to Marisa. If you follow all best practices, it takes an average of six to ten laser sessions to permanently remove all the hair.
Marisa Lacko-Winkler has one more tip for us when it comes to lasering. It’s very important to book in with a professional and not be misled by offers that are overly cheap. «From summer 2024, it’ll be easier to make the distinction, as that’s when Switzerland is introducing a regulation that requires laser providers have a certificate of competence.»
Advantages of diode laser: pleasant, up to five years of smooth skin
Disadvantages of diode laser: cost-intensive (per treatment), not suitable for white or very light hair
**Diode laser costs:**ranges from 56 CHF to 312 CHF per session, depending on which part of you is being treated
Header image: Shutterstock
Olivia Leimpeters-Leth
Autorin von customize mediahouse
oliver.fischer@digitecgalaxus.chI'm a sucker for flowery turns of phrase and allegorical language. Clever metaphors are my Kryptonite – even if, sometimes, it's better to just get to the point. Everything I write is edited by my cat, which I reckon is more «pet humanisation» than metaphor. When I'm not at my desk, I enjoy going hiking, taking part in fireside jamming sessions, dragging my exhausted body out to do some sport and hitting the occasional party.
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