Dr. Guy Navarra | 12/01/2022
Most people have a love/hate relationship with their hair. After all, everyone wants thick, luscious locks on their head, and men like having the option to grow a beard. But hair anywhere else on the body is either tolerated or removed.
The most common hair removal areas for women include the legs, underarms, bikini line, and face. For men, excessive hair on the chest and back has got to go. People often turn to shaving, waxing, or laser hair removal to remove this unwanted hair. Compare the pros and cons of each method to help you decide which one is right for you.
Pros and Cons of Shaving
Almost everyone has experience with this hair removal method. Shaving involves running a razor blade over your skin to cut the hair off. For the best results, wet the skin and use shaving cream or gel. When shaving your face, shave “with the grain.” When shaving your legs, shave “against the grain.”
Pros
• Convenience: As long as you have the right gear, you can shave at home in just a few minutes.
• Low cost: Razors and shaving cream cost very little, allowing you to shave for months at a fraction of the cost of waxing or laser hair removal.
Cons
• Limited longevity: Shaving only removes the tip of the hair shaft poking through the skin, so it grows back within a day or two.
• Potential for skin infections: Improperly stored razors can harbor mold and bacteria, leading to skin infections if you nick yourself while shaving.
• Negative environmental impact: The EPA estimates that two billion disposable razors and refill blades end up in the landfill each year.
Pros and Cons of Waxing
Waxing is a more thorough hair removal method. It involves applying hot wax to the skin, laying a fabric strip over the wax, and yanking the fabric off quickly to pull out unwanted hairs. Waxing is a middle-of-the-road approach with characteristics that make it superior to shaving but inferior to laser hair removal.
Pros and Cons
• Mid-range convenience: Waxing can be done at home, but you’ll get better results with professional services.
• Mid-range cost: Waxing is more expensive than shaving but less costly than laser hair removal. However, getting routine wax treatments for years can eventually cost more than laser treatment.
• Mid-range longevity: With the proper technique, waxing pulls the hair out from the root. However, the follicle remains intact deep within the dermis layer of the skin, so the hair grows back within a few weeks.
• Excellent effectiveness: Like shaving, every hair can be removed in a single session. There are no restrictions regarding hair color and skin tone, meaning more people are candidates for waxing than laser hair removal.
• High pain level: As the most painful hair removal method, waxing is not for the faint of heart. It can also cause lasting damage to sensitive skin and lead to irritating ingrown hairs.
Pros and Cons of Laser Hair Removal
The most high-tech hair removal option involves aiming a concentrated beam of light at your skin, which targets the pigmentation in your hair. Heat travels down the shaft into the follicle, destroying it so the hair can’t grow back.
Is laser hair removal better than waxing and shaving? Weigh the pros and cons to help you decide.
Pros
• Excellent longevity: Most people pursue laser treatment because they want permanent hair removal. The results do vary by person and type of hair, but most of the effect lasts for a long time.
• Proven safety: Side effects are less common with laser hair removal than with waxing, so even people with the most sensitive skin can expect positive results.
• Low pain level: Laser treatment hurts much less than waxing. Plus, technicians usually apply numbing and cooling cream to reduce discomfort in the treatment area.
Cons
• High cost: As the most expensive option, laser hair removal should be considered an investment. After all, long-lasting results make it more cost-effective than waxing over time.
• Less convenient: Laser treatment cannot be done at home and must be performed by a qualified technician. Fortunately, appointments are relatively quick and require no recovery time, so it’s easy to fit them in on your lunch break.
• Limited effectiveness: You’ll need several treatments over the course of several weeks to remove all the hair in the treatment area. Lasers are also less effective against light-colored hair, meaning blondes may not be suitable candidates.
The Bottom Line
To summarize, shaving could be right for you if you want a quick and easy way to remove hair at home. You must simply be willing to shave every day to maintain smooth skin.
Waxing could be your preferred hair removal method if you want the results to last longer than shaving, but you need a more immediate outcome than laser hair removal provides. Waxing may also be a good choice if you have blonde hair or dark skin. Just be prepared for more pain and sensitivity.
Laser hair removal is better than waxing or shaving if you’re looking for near-permanent results without years of ongoing treatments. Also, this method is definitely the right call if you have sensitive skin or are prone to ingrown hairs.
Schedule Laser Hair Removal Service in Newburyport, MA
At Titan Medical Aesthetics, we focus on providing customized care for each of our valued clients using treatments proven effective for the face, skin, and body. Led by double board-certified physician Dr. Guy Navarra, our team, consisting of highly trained medical professionals NPs and RNs, is committed to providing an attentive and personalized medical experience for each patient, regardless of their goals. We work hard to ensure each of our valued clients are heard and understood, and we help them meet a wide range of aesthetic goals, from anti-aging to figure-slimming. Call us at 978.355.7280 or contact us through our website to schedule a FREE consultation.
