From shaving to surgery, what is the best type of hair removal for you? We’ve done the research so you can make the right decision based on your body and your budget. These are the most widely available methods here in Australia.

Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal is one of the most expensive, most dramatic but also most successful ways to remove unwanted body hair. It can be used on several areas in the body including your back and your legs. How it works is the laser weakens the hair follicle over time. It can take around 7 sessions to effectively keep the hair from coming back and most people will require another session every year after. Costs are around $250 per session and multiple sessions are usually needed.

Laser hair removal is good for most areas of the body.

Micro Touch Laser Removal

You can now also purchase your own laser removal hair products that work by simply touching the hair. These systems are only recommended on facial hair and with varying degrees of success. Make sure you check product reviews on your potential purchase to find out which is the best value for money and most effective.

Electrolysis

Electrolysis is the only ‘permanent’ area removal system. It destroys the hair cell and thus enables it from growing back. It can be painful to have electrolysis as well as time consuming (every little hair must be touched) but it can be used anywhere on your body. The process can take as many as 25 sessions and each session can cost as much as $100.

Most beauticians will do electrolysis in their rooms. It is particularly good for facial hair.

Vaniqu

Vaniqu is a type of cream that blocks the enzyme that causes hair growth. Vaniqu is best for small areas on the body such as underarms and facial hair and it can take up to 6 months to see the full results. A tube is around $60. Purchase through a beautician or online.

Shaving

Shaving is one of the most popular methods to remove hair because you can do it yourself at home and razors are cheap as chips. However, shaving (like waxing) can cause ingrown hair and rashes and is a pain in the bum as it has to be done often. Invest in a good razor (try and avoid the $2 for a packet of 10) but you can expect the hair to grow back quickly and will probably need to shave every couple of days to one week. The good news is there are creams available that will help you if you suffer from ingrown hairs.

Never use a razor on your face, arms or bikini line. Stick with other methods for these areas.

Depilatory Creams

Creams or depilatories are pain-free but they do have their disadvantages. They work by dissolving the proteins that make up the hair. You spread the cream on the area of your body you want smooth and leave it for a certain period of time before rinsing it off. The creams will have a pungent smell and the hair does grow back (in fact starts growing right away). Creams cost around $15 per tube but depending on the area, you can get multiple uses from the one tube. Most women will use creams once a week to keep the hair from coming back. Depilatory creams are particularly good for the face, arms and bikini line.

Tweezing

Tweezing is best for certain facial hair such as the strays around your eyebrows. However, it can be painful and is time consuming. And, after all that hard work, the darn hair does grow back. Tweezed hair will grow back softer but it will still come back quite quickly. Tweezers are around $10 and a session to have your eye brows plucked by a professional will be around $15. You may be able to go around two weeks before you need to get out the tweezers again.

Waxing

Waxing is another painful method for hair removal but definitely one of the most popular because the hair grows back much smoother and less noticeable. It also lasts longer than some of the other methods above. You can have practically all body hair waxed from your eyebrows to your arms. An eye brow wax usually starts around $15 and this price will continue to grow depending on the area getting done. You will most likely need this done once a month.

If you are prone to ingrown hairs waxing might not be for you.