How to Get Rid of Hair on Legs Without Using a Razor

Daily shaving can be time-consuming and irritating to your skin and hair. There are a handful of distinct alternatives to the razor that offer a longer-lasting, lower-maintenance solution to unwanted hair, as well as relief from daily razor burn and red bumps. By carefully choosing the hair-removal method that best suits you and your lifestyle, you can do away with the pitfalls of razor use for good.

Depilatories and hair-removal creams are chemically-based creams that dissolve the hair while leaving the roots intact. Once applied, the cream is left on for a short period of time, then washed off with water, making for simple and painless hair removal. Certain types of creams can have a strong odor due to the presence of sulfur, sodium hydroxide or other active ingredients. Most of the newest depilatories and hair-removal creams contain fragrances and anti-irritants for comfortable application. They are easily found in drugstores and come in lotion, spray, and gel forms for convenience.

Waxing is an effective way to pull multiple hairs from their roots at once. At-home waxing kits can be found in beauty-supply stores, or the process can be administered in a salon. Hot wax is applied to the leg in the direction of hair growth, allowed to set briefly, then swiftly stripped off in the opposite direction with a soft paper strip. The only drawback of waxing is that for some people, it can be irritating and cause temporary redness or sensitivity; however, the results of waxing can last up to a couple of weeks.

Electrolysis makes use of electric currents, delivered by very fine needles into the hair follicle, to destroy the hair at the root. Electrolysis is highly effective and often results in permanent hair removal; however, it can be painstaking and require multiple treatment sessions, since the method targets only one hair follicle at a time. Electrolysis also carries a risk of pain or scarring depending upon the quality of treatment, so it is important to choose an electrolysis provider carefully.

Laser hair removal is a method that employs light beams to penetrate the hair follicles and destroy them with heat, so that they will be unable to produce more hair. Successful laser hair treatment regimes require multiple treatments, and once a treatment course is finished, some regrowth is possible, though you can expect to permanently have less hair overall. The downside to laser hair removal is that it is significantly costlier than any other hair removal method, and it works well only for those with dark hair.