Alternatives to Shaving: Exploring 6 Safe Hair Removal Methods

Just like skincare hair removal is an essential part of our daily routine. Removal of body hair from the body makes us look more neat, presentable, and tidy. Shaving seems to be the quickest method of hair removal for this purpose.

What if I do not want to shave my hair? Luckily, there are a number of other alternatives to shaving that you can try if you are tired of using razors. Let’s see what those are and how they work.                                                                                 

Why Consider Alternatives to Shaving

Shaving hair removal is mostly preferred for facial hair removal as it gives your face a smooth finish. It is a great choice as long as you are expert at it. Otherwise, beginners often suffer from cuts and nicks caused by razor blades. Additionally, some other common drawbacks of saving include:

• Razor burns: These are the small itchy rashes formed on the skin due to friction between the blade and the skin’s surface
• Ingrown hair: Ingrown hair is the painful bumps formed on the skin when hair grows back into the skin. These are more common in those with curly hair
• Itching: You might feel itchy when the hair is growing back. It is because the shaving blade removes the hair from above the skin’s surface and irritates the hair follicles underneath. This results in continuous itching
• Folliculitis: It is the inflammation of hair follicles caused by infection. It may be due to improper aftercare, wrong shaving techniques, or using dull unhygienic blades

Even after all the care, some people claim to face irritation, redness, ingrown hair, razor burns, and bumps frequently after shaving. If you are going through the same issues, you should opt for safer hair removal methods. Let’s see what those methods can be.

Alternatives to Shaving

IPL Hair Removal Handset

IPL hair removal is a long-lasting technique for removing hair. It focuses on the hair follicles rather than superficial hair thus giving you long-term results. The light energy from an IPL device flows through your hair to the hair roots therefore damaging the hair follicles responsible for hair growth.

You can get it done at a clinic or do it yourself using an at-home IPL device. For example, Ulike Sapphire Air 10 is an  FDA-cleared at-home IPL device that offers nearly painless hair removal. It has different modes that can work even on thick and coarse hair.

Benefits of IPL Hair Removal

• IPL hair removal gives results as long as 6 months to 1 year
• It prevents ingrown hair which means almost no pain and discomfort after hair removal
• The Ulike Air 10 is easy to use so that even beginners can easily perform their hair removal session at home
• It has sapphire ice cooling technology that keeps a check on temperature and prevents burns
• The smart Skinsensor technology of Ulike auto adjusts the mode depending on your skin color. This prevents any accidents during hair removal

Downsides

• Since IPL hair removal depends upon melanin concentration, it is not useful for light hair like gray, red, and blonde
• It is unsafe for dark brown to very dark brown skin tones
• IPL hair removal at clinics is quite expensive

Waxing

In waxing hair removal, a sticky wax is used to remove hair from roots. There are different types of waxes available for different body parts. For instance, you can try hard wax for sensitive areas while hot wax for larger body areas. The results for waxing lasts for 3 to 5 weeks.

Benefits

• Waxing hair removal is inexpensive
• Since it does not require the use of any blades, even beginners can do it at home
• Waxing can be done on all areas of the body
• It works equally well for thin and coarse hair

Downsides

• It is painful
• There are chances of ingrown hair, skin irritation, and inflammation after waxing
• Incorrect waxing technique leads to uneven hair removal which results in uneven hair growth

Depilatory Creams

Depilatory creams are like lotion but with chemicals. These chemicals dissolve the protein bond of hair and weaken the hair structure. As a result, they can be easily wiped away using a spatula. The results after using depilatory creams also last longer than shaving.

Benefits

• Since there is no forceful removal of hair involved in the process, you will feel no pain during hair removal
• It is a cost-effective and beginner-friendly method
• The coarse hair on the body can be removed easily using depilatory creams
• The creams work within 3-10 minutes which is quite quick and time-saving as compared to shaving

Downsides

• The depilatory creams often leave a smell behind
• They might be irritating and cause rashes for sensitive skin types
• The ingredients such as calcium hydroxide in depilatory creams can cause allergic reactions

Epilating

Epilation is a hair removal technique that uses electrical tweezers to pull all hair in a certain area at once. These tweezers pull out the hair from the roots and make your skin hair-free for 3-5 weeks. It is quicker than using manual tweezers that pull a single hair at a time.

Benefits

• Epilation is quick and easy even for larger areas of your body
• It works more effectively than waxing and shaving for shorter hair
• With proper care and maintenance, you can use a single tweezer for a long so it is going to be cost-friendly

Downsides

• Since several hair is pulled at once, it is going to be slightly painful
• The forceful removal of hair causes redness and swelling

Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal uses light energy to target your hair. This energy flows down into the hair roots and burns the hair follicles. As a result, the hair growth stops for 1 to 2 years depending upon your hair growth rate. It is mostly done at clinics by the professionals.

Benefits

• With the evolving laser hair removal techniques, it now works even for darker skin tones
• The laser removes hair from the roots so there will be no chance of ingrown hair
• The light used by a laser device is coherent which makes the light more precise and effective for hair removal
• Only occasional touchups are required so it is low maintenance in the long run

Downsides

• You might feel temporary irritation after laser hair removal
• Similar to IPL hair removal, the laser also does not work for lighter hair colors
• It may be painful, especially during the removal of thicker body hair

Electrolysis

Electrolysis hair removal is an almost completely permanent hair removal method that burns the hair roots and retards the hair growth. The practitioner inserts a thin wire into your hair. A current flows down the roots of hair through this wire which causes damage to hair follicles and the existing hair also falls out.

Benefits

• The results for electrolysis hair removal last the longest. You might need no to very less hair removal treatments again after electrolysis
• There is no limitation of hair color or skin color for undergoing electrolysis
• It is an ideal method of hair removal for small areas like the face, chin, and upper lip

Downsides

• It is painful and expensive
• The process is time-consuming since the needle needs to be inserted into each hair manually
• Your skin might have temporary redness, irritation, and inflammation after the sessions

Conclusion

Shaving hair removal has greater chances of nicks, cuts, ingrown hair, and razor burns. Without proper technique and care, this hair removal method will not be very successful for you. So, if you are looking for a better alternative to shaving, you can try waxing, depilatory creams, or epilation depending on your requirements.

These methods work for all skin types and hair types and give results up to a month. On the other hand, if you are looking for methods that last longer try laser, IPL, or electrolysis.