Laser or Razor? Shave or Light Wave? The Difference Between Hair-Removal Methods.

The Pain

The discomfort of hair removal is highly subjective—it varies according to pain tolerance, body part, and how thick and plentiful your hair is.

	Waxing Depending on how coarse your hair is and where it is, waxing can hurt a lot—you may feel as if your hair is being yanked out (which it is).
	Electrolysis While the technology has improved in recent years, using electricity to remove single hairs is generally more time-consuming and involves more discomfort than using lasers. Imagine an intense pinch and some heat.
	Sugaring Waxing’s gentler cousin, in which a warm sugar paste is used to pull hair from the roots. It’s less painful because sugar crystals adhere just to hairs, not to skin, which means less pulling and redness.
	Laser With sensations that range from pinpricks to slight burning, laser hair removal isn’t exactly comfortable, but many users report that it’s less intense than waxing.
	Shaving Unless you cut yourself or have extra-sensitive skin, shaving is minimally painful. The exception: Coarse-haired areas (bikini line, men’s faces) are prone to ingrown hairs and bumps.
	Depilatories Nair and other chemical hair-removal creams are smelly and messy but pain-free.

The Cost

Below are price quotes for one year of hair removal on the bikini line, but costs vary depending on products and practitioners. (Electrolysis is not included because it’s rarely used to remove all bikini-line hair.)

	Laser $735 for six 20-minute sessions at Shobha. (1730 M St., NW; 202-912-8455)
	Sugaring $636 for 12 15-minute sessions at Shobha. (1730 M St., NW; 202-912-8455)
	Waxing $528 for 12 20-minute sessions at Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa. (10213 Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda; 240-644-1319)
	Shaving $56 for 12 disposable Gillette Venus Embrace Sensitive women’s razors at Target.
	Depilatory $13 for three 1.7-ounce bottles of Nair Sensitive Bikini Cream at Walgreen’s.

The Results

Hair-removal methods can last anywhere from forever to a few days. Here’s how long results last for various methods.

	Electrolysis Dubbed permanent hair removal by the FDA; but it targets only visible hairs, so it can require frequent treatments over time.
	Laser Reduces hair by 80 to 90 percent but can require yearly touchups.
	Waxing Removes hair for weeks; long-term waxing can cause hair to grow back more thinly.
	Sugaring Removes hairs for weeks; long-term use can weaken hair follicles, resulting in finer regrowth.
	Depilatory Removes hair for several days; long-term use doesn’t affect regrowth.
	Shaving Removes hair for days; long-term use has no effect on regrowth.

Jennifer Barger (jnbarger@gmail.com) is a freelance style writer and personal shopper.

This article appears in our February 2016 issue of Washingtonian.

Jennifer Barger