Laser hair removal is fairly new. For generations, women have been seeking out the perfect way to get rid of unwanted body hair and there have been a lot of advances in this area. Lazer hair removal is perhaps the most advanced, though and offers quite a few benefits.

Some of the other more traditional methods of hair removal include waxing, shaving, tweezing and electrolysis. Each has its own disadvantages and a few benefits.

Shaving: This is perhaps one of the most commonly known methods of getting rid of hair. Unfortunately, it is also the method with the most downsides. While razors are cheap, they run the risk of causing nicks which can become infected. Also, when the hair is sliced off flat, it grows back appearing thicker and darker and giving the opposite effect desired. Shaving sensitive areas, such as the face and bikini area, frequently results in ingrown hairs, which can be both painful and unsightly.

Waxing: This method can be painful, as it actually yanks hair out by the roots. However, it lasts quite a bit longer than shaving, runs fewer risks and is relatively easy to do at home. The downside is that you have to let the hair grow out quite a bit before waxing is effective.

Sugaring: Using sugar instead of wax, this is supposedly a more natural method of hair removal, but it still carries the disadvantages of waxing and adds a bit of stickiness to the whole situation. Some people claim it isn’t as effective, too.

Tweezing: Impractical for large areas of hair removal, tweezing is ideal for smaller areas such as eyebrows or the chin. It can be rather time consuming to pull each individual hair out by the root, though and they sometimes break off.

Threading: Similar to tweezing, threading pulls hair out by the roots, but it uses thread that is twisted to catch the unwanted hairs and then pull them out. It can be quite painful and requires skill to use this method.

Depilatory Creams: These are full of harsh chemicals that burn out the hair. They offer longer regrowth periods than methods like shaving, but are not as effective as waxing. The chemicals can irritate sensitive skin, as well.

Electrolysis: This is a more popular method of hair removal that involves zapping the root of the hair with small electric charges to kill it. While you will need several sessions, this can be a good way to eventually reach permanent hair removal.

Laser hair removal is a great alternative to all of the above methods. While these methods (apart from electrolysis) are all temporary and need to be repeated frequently over a lifetime, lazer hair removal uses focused light to target dark hairs and requires up to 8 treatments for full removal. A few people need touchups afterwards, but in general, the procedure is permanent.

Lasers target the dark hair, so those with blonde hair will find it ineffective. However, for anyone with brown or black body hair, it can be a good way to eliminate the unwanted hair. Thanks to the ability to work quickly, lazer hair removal is ideal for larger areas, not just eyebrows and chin. It can be used to remove hair on the stomach, legs and pubic area, as well, and is most effective where the hair is darkest and thickest. The light beam is actually fairly large, making it easier and faster to work with than other options such as electrolysis, which focuses on one hair at a time.

Laser hair removal is effective, painless and permanent, making it a more popular method of hair removal for those who aren’t interested in slaving over their bodies with hot wax and razors.