Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with hairremoval

Help me de-fuzz

hazelshade — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:36:30 -0800

Can you recommend a place to get laser hair removal done in D.C.? Quality of treatment is more important to me than lowness of price, but if you've found somewhere that's both good and not astronomically expensive, all the better!

Also, if you think electrolysis is better, can you let me know why, and any places you'd recommend that do that?

Thanks!

Should I get laser hair removal?

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:11:36 -0800

Thinking of getting laser hair removal on my front collar area. Good idea? I am a guy. My chest hair in general does not bother me, but I am considering having laser removal done on the small portion that pokes out of my t-shirt collar (pic).

I had a consultation at a laser hair removal clinic, where I was offered a series of treatments to remove the hair for a total of ~$400. They would probably treat the area visible in the picture above, and a bit underneath the collar.

The clinician told me the result would look fine, but I am still concerned about the risk of an unsatisfactory aesthetic outcome (such as it looking weird when my shirt is off or apparent that I have had hair removal done there). For those in the know, how "risky" is this area to treat?

(Side question for the hetero ladies: how distracting is it when a guy has hair in this area?)

Anonymous because of the linked picture and because of the potentially embarrassing subject.

Can I use a depilatory cream on my male genitals?

Anonymous — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:40:26 -0800

Can I use a depilatory cream on my male genitals? or Non-sharp ball hair removal suggestions. My scrotum is very wrinkly and loose, and it grows long, straggly hairs that I'd like to remove. Similar stragglers also grow around the base of my penis and up a few inches. I use a trimmer to keep the above-the-genitals patch tidy, but even with the plastic guard on it's too sharp and poky to be effective any further down. I can't use scissors or a razor either, again due to the looseness of the skin in the region (and because I have shaky hands).

Will Nair leave me screaming and scarred forever? I imagine waxing would for sure. Searching online I can only find totally unhelpful fake 'answers page' ads for 'bodygroomer' electric razors and the like. Are there any other options for hair removal from delicate man parts?

"If the question involves your genitalia, please ask anonymously"

Anonymous — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 10:09:46 -0800

Is there a non-laser way to thin hair while not totally removing it? I [female] would like less pubic hair. This is a comfort thing, not vanity.

The stuff is just too abundant. Long, thick, coarse. Scraggly, itchy. And ANY sort of shaving or trimming means weeks of being poked by the spikes that remain, so any hair reduction method that requires cutting is not desirable. Even waxing = spiky regrowth.

I am too old to have been caught up in the current pubic grooming fad so am irritated to be looking into this, but as I get older the bush is just getting more annoying.

I was just trying to figure out how the no! no! actually works with little luck. It appears it does involve having to shave the hair? Is there anything else on the market that will "achieve hair density reduction at home," permanently? I am fine with putting a bit of work into this now, not fine with anything that will want constant maintenance.

I am put off laser hair removal given the pain involved, but if that's the only way to go for this, please tell me as much...

I want to be smooth.

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:32:49 -0800

Question about best practices for hair removal in intimate areas. What is the best way to get rid of the coarse hair leading from belly button to parts south? Shaving there leaves ugly stubble--is wax worth it? If so, what kind would you recommend? If it matters, I'm a lady. As for my actual pubic area, it is already neat and trim. My question for that area is how to eliminate razor burn/bumps on my actual bikini line. I'd rather not wax there since I don't have a huge amount or anything particularly thick to shave--I'm not extremely hairy, just need to do some light but regular maintenance. Any tips, techniques, products, aftercare ideas are welcome. Thank you.

Can he really eliminate a shaver?

arnicae — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 13:38:50 -0800

Does laser hair removal really work? If so, can you recommend anyone in the Bay Area who is particularly good? Posting for a friend, but I'm curious as well. Like this previous poster, my buddy really hates his beard hair. He brings his electric shaver with him everywhere, and shaves 3-4x daily. He's been thinking recently about doing laser. After reading this question, he knows he needs to pay for good results, but doesn't know what that means!

He has extremely pale skin (the kind that would use the 'rice paper' make-up on stage) and dirty blonde-brown hair. I know that laser works best on people with a large degree of disparity between their hair color and their skin color- he has that. His beard hair is coarse and thick and he says he gets about a 30-30-30 blend of black, pale brown, and red hair on his beard area.

Everyone online seems to disagree on the rest of the details, however, including whether to use lightpulse or GentleLase or LightShear- or whether it matters. Jerry Kindall's blog post seems to have the most details but the prices quoted elsewhere seem to range from a $250 for all of the treatments to $800 to infinity, as well as how many treatments it takes to achieve success and what, precisely, "success" is.

A lot of guys seem to agree that even multiple treatments only decrease the amount of hair, never eliminating the need for shaving. Others say- at least for women and the bikini area- it totally works.

So, if you've tried laser beard hair removal:
Did it work? (And what does "work" mean for you- do you still have to shave?)
How many sessions did it take?
How much did it hurt/did it make you look like a leper?
How much did they cost?
Can you recommend someone in the San Francisco Bay area (especially ones that do group discounts, ha ha)?

For my own part, I'm kinda curious if any women have tried laser treatments on the bikini area, and how effective they have been (as well as any health risks?) Sounds like FergieBelle likes her results- any other opinions?

no!no!

you're a kitty! — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 00:34:53 -0800

Experiences with Sephora's no!no! hair removal device? Last time I was at Sephora I saw this product, and when I went home I looked it up online. Unfortunately the name makes it a little tough to search for, and there doesn't seem to be much information out there about it. The only review I could find was this one, and I can't tell whether it's actually a real review or some kind of sponsored thing, and either way it's just one data point - not really enough information on which to base that big a purchase.

So, have any of you tried this device? How'd it go? I'm curious about both its effectiveness and the practicality of the thing; if it takes an hour a day, I won't actually use it. And how is it for ingrown hairs? Does regrowth look like post-waxing hair (i.e. the end of the folicle grows in, so it looks finer at first) or post-shaving hair (thicker-looking and more stubbly because it was sliced off halfway down the hair)?

How to remove long hair on carpet?

icollectpurses — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 06:29:16 -0800

How can I best remove long hair on carpet without breaking a vacuum cleaner? I am moving and am stuck with cleaning the apartment cause my roommate left earlier in the month. She and I both have long hair and it's all over the carpet. I've run the vacuum through and it's not sucking it up. I tried a large scotch tape but the apartment is too big for me to be cleaning it that way. Do you have any suggestions on how to best clean long hair on carpet?

Solutions to survive the pain of laser hair removal treatments please!

iamkimiam — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 22:28:12 -0800

What can I do to make laser hair removal treatments more tolerable? I recently started laser hair removal treatments on my legs and bikini line. I prepaid for the treatments and am very interested in completing them...however, my first session was UNBEARABLE. I thought that I had a high pain threshold, but this was a whole different animal. Something about the way the lasers work...it was excruciating. I want to go through with the remaining treatments because I think the results will be worth it, but I'd like to hear about some pain management techniques or topical anesthetics that would be safe to try. My internet searching has been fruitless. Anybody been through this? How did you survive?

How do I get rid of nipple hair?

Anonymous — Tue, 01 May 2007 09:32:21 -0800

I'm a man, and I have nipple hair. I don't have much chest hair, so the nipple hair is really noticeable - it's thick and dark. I can't imagine waxing there, and shaving makes it worse. What's the best way to get rid of it, or at least control it, without laser procedure?

best moisturizer after hair-removal cream?

esolo — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 19:33:27 -0800

what is the best way to moisturize after using a hair-removal cream? I use creams to get rid of hair on my arms. My skin becomes quite red and irritated after (which is understandable, since i'm using chemicals to dissolve hair). I used just regular body lotions to soothe the skin (e.g. Keri lotion), but they don't seem to cut it. For some reason, the lotion does not get absorbed as usual, instead - it just forms a greasy layer and sits on my skin. It doesn't feel soothing either. So I'm sitting here with greasy arms that leave greasy marks on everything I touch. :)

I thought of baby oil, but i think it will do the same thing... It feels too oily and greasy for the job. Any suggestions?

P.S. I live in Canada.

Do Home Laser Hair removal devices work?

Wilder — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 03:41:12 -0800

Home laser hair removal devices? Has anyone tried one that works? There are quite a few back questions advocating laser hair removal as the most permanent solution. The cost is prohibitive, and regular salon appointments are problematic for me. But having said that waxing costs about £80 pm on average. I've seen devices advertised for home laser hair removal at about £100 to £200.
Does anyone have any experience?
(FWIW I have the pale skin and dark hair which is said to be the most sucessful combo for laser)

Lip waxing questions.

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 19:39:19 -0800

Lip waxing: I'm a girl with a heavy 'stache who has been shaving it every two days for years. Whether the shaving did it or not, the hairs are very thick and very dark. I would like to switch to waxing at a salon but have some questions. How long do the hairs have to be for the wax to work the first time? I've bought home waxing kits, and sugaring kits, and wax strips, and pretty much everything else, and none of them work. They just don't rip the hairs out. Do I have to grow it out for days before getting waxed? How many? (It's very visible by the third day.) And if I do this, how often will I have to go back? I'm hoping waxing will thin the hairs as well as let me go hair-free longer. How long might it take to thin them? Private replies can go to waxinghelp at gmail. Thanks so much for indulging an embarassing issue.

What is the best way to remove female facial hair?

Anonymous — Tue, 09 Aug 2005 12:05:56 -0800

What is the best way to remove female facial hair? I have plenty of white 'wispy' hair on my chin and upper lips. At the moment, this is kept under bay by regular plucking, but this is both time-consuming and ineffective.

I've been told (second-hand anecdote) that laser treatment is not that effective and would require me to stop plucking for six weeks, which on its own is something I'm reluctant to do unless I can be sure of the results.

Is there a best method and what would the success rate be? I am in the UK, so price approximations and recommendations for places (either London or the Midlands), would also be great.

Hair Removal

signal — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 15:31:59 -0800

My wife is thinking of buying this electric hair-removal gadget. It purports to burn the hair off at the root and, over time, reduce the overall amount and regrowth of body hair. We can find no online references to the apparatus other than sites selling it (in Chile), which in itself makes us suspicious, and wonder if anybody has tried similar gadgets, or knows if this kind of system can have any sort of unwanted side effects.

What is eyebrow waxing like?

Dreama — Sun, 17 Oct 2004 23:15:13 -0800

Eyebrow waxing: is it torture? Is it simple and easy? Somewhere in between? I've been offered a free "sculpting" by an aesthetician friend but I'm wary. I don't dig pain, especially not for something as frivolous as more shapely brows. (I swear I think about my eyebrows maybe once a year.) Should I do it? Should I run screaming far, far away from this friend and her implements of doom? If you've done it, share your experiences -- especially the worst of them.