Excess or unwanted bodily hair sometimes becomes unsightly, and can cause embarrassment for many people. Luckily, there are many permanent hair removal methods that help to remove unwanted hair. Listed below are a few ways to eliminate bodily hair, with a brief description of each.
Hair Inhibitors
Hair inhibitors are basically a topical cream that is made from the enzymes of plants. This is considered a permanent way to remove hair, since the enzymes disable the system, which triggers the hair to grow. Made from natural, gentle ingredients, these hair inhibitors are safe to apply on the entire body and they will remove hair permanently. The best results occur when the inhibitors are used with other hair removal techniques. To get a good outcome, the hair inhibitors should be applied shortly after tweezing, waxing or shaving. Each person is different, although many users begin to see noticeable results in a month or more.
Laser Hair Removal 
Hair removal with a laser will permanently eradicate hair by using the energy and heat of the laser. Generally, laser hair removal is less painful and quicker than the electrolysis method, although there are a few side effects. Many users have experienced bumps, redness and skin discoloration. In addition, laser usage is not as successful in removing light-colored or fine hair. Laser hair removal can be quite expensive averaging at about $500. Larger areas of hair can cost significantly more. There are five types of lasers available:
- Ruby laser – is recommended for users with light skin.
- Alexandrite laser – is recommended for users with light skin.
- ND: Yag laser – can treat every skin color, although it has not been proven that this type of laser produces effective hair removal long-term
- Diode laser – can be effectively used on darker skin than the Alexandrite or Ruby. The Diode laser has a larger wavelength of light, which will penetrate the hair follicle, and not cause as much injury to the skin as the Alexandrite or Ruby.
- Ultimate or pulsed light (IPL) – there are five types of IPL machines available: VascuLight, Aculight, Quantum, Photo Derm, and Epilight. Each of these lasers’ capabilities varies. IPL machines can effectively treat every skin type.
Electrolysis
Electrolysis permanently removes hair by using an electric current, which eliminates hair by the root. Usually electrolysis is used to remove hair from smaller areas, such as the eyebrows, chin or upper lip, although it can be used for larger areas as well. This is an effective way to get rid of hair permanently, except there are a few drawbacks. It can be quite expensive.
Licensed electrolysis on average charge between $25-$100 per hour, and it usually takes about two to twelve hours to remove hair successfully. Many users have stated that this method is painful. Depending on pain levels, some people have compared electrolysis to tweezing, while others say it is excruciating. Even though electrolysis is considered permanent, users often have to touch up the area after a year or two.