Throw Away Your Razor: New Shaving Alternatives

Women, and now increasingly men, often seek alternative ways of removing hair beyond a razor and shaving cream. According to Palm Beach, Fla., dermatologist Dr. Kenneth Beer, lasers offer the best option.
 

“Laser hair reduction is probably the most advantageous because usually you get about an 80 percent reduction after a few treatments, and that’s thought to be durable — so for multiple years,” he tells Newsmax Health. “So that tends to be the most cost-effective and the most efficient.”
 

Laser hair reduction procedures work by using light energy to kill the hair root. While they decrease hair growth, they don’t eliminate every last hair, and several visits are required depending on the type of laser used and the area of hair to be removed, he says. However, the time saved on waxing and shaving make up for the treatment costs, he reasons.
 

“Without a doubt laser hair removal is the best way to get rid of hair without using a razor,” he says.

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While women use lasers to get rid of facial hair, more men are opting for such treatments to thin out hairy areas, such as the back, chest, and upper arms.
 

Dr. Beer also recommends electrolysis, which uses extremely thin needles to deliver electrical shocks to the hair follicle and kill hair-producing cells.
 

“Electrolysis is nice because it focuses on specific hairs and can get rid of a few little hairs if they’re different colors,” Dr. Beer says. “So laser’s great for darker hairs, but if you have hairs that are light or white, then we would recommend electrolysis.”
 

Both methods can be considered permanent, he says.