Body Hair Removal

Body hair can be pretty embarrassing to have in excess. While its of course totally natural and normal to have a lot of body hair, it has definitely developed a kind of stigma associated with it in some countries, including the U.S. Having a lot of body hair can make going to the beach or a public pool an embarrassing and uncomfortable event, when it is supposed to be fun and relaxing. Body hair removal is getting to be more and more common as this sort of stigma grows and spreads.

Americans like to find things to be ashamed of, this much I’ve learned. We are constantly looking for ways to hide our age, lower our weight, cover up blemishes, restructure our faces, and we are now getting obsessed with body hair removal. It seems like every time I turn on the television I’m seeing some new product designed for body hair removal being advertised.

One of the older tried and tested methods of body hair removal is of course waxing. This is my personal favorite. There’s nothing like getting hot wax poured all over you, then having your hair ripped out one strip at a time. If you’ve never had the pleasure of experiencing this form of body hair removal, I highly recommend it. Somewhere between medieval torture and a bad day at the dentist, getting your body hair waxed is a great way to spend an afternoon.

Of course, then there is shaving. Shaving is probably the most common method of body hair removal, if not the most efficient. While its relatively painless, your hair will just grow right back again within days, and you are limited to shaving areas you can reach. Body hair removal for your legs, armpits, and of course face is easy to do by shaving, but its pretty hard to shave your own back unless you have some amazing flexibility.

The most effective form of body hair removal that I know is electrolysis. This is a medical procedure involving lasers that permanently, or nearly permanently, removes hair by killing the roots. While it is actually pretty painless compared to waxing, the problem with this kind of body hair removal is it is expensive, and therefore not really feasible for large portions of your body.

There are some body hair removal lotions and creams I’ve seen, but I’m a little wary of any chemical that can dissolve your hair. Generally, that’s not a good sign, and probably means it’s doing all kinds of harmful things to your skin.