The following are methods most people consider once an underlying hormonal problem causing excessive, unwanted hair growth has been ruled out, or dealt with.

• Electrolysis: Electrolysis is the only permanent way of removing hair, but it does require a time commitment. The Electrologist uses a very fine filament or needle, placing it alongside the hair shaft and into the hair follicle. A mild electric current then destroys the hair-growth cells within the follicle. The process is charged by units of time and, unfortunately, doesn’t come dirt cheap like shaving does. We frequently have clients say they thought it would be much more expensive and that is why they hadn't come in sooner, it is definitely an investment you are making in yourself. If you are dealing with unwanted hair frequently then it is very worthwhile to investigate it to see what your actual costs will be. Compared with laser, it is an absolute bargain as far as price goes. An hour of body waxing in our area costs a little more than electrolysis for an hour. Remember when you are done with electrolysis, you are done with the hair. As with any method, your results will be largely determined by the skill of your practitioner. Shop around and don't hesitate to set up consultations at several places and decide which works best for you. See the top of our site for tips on choosing an Electrologist.
• Tweezing: Tweezing is the cheapest method of removal, and is generally considered appropriate for eyebrows, since you may want to alter their shape from time to time and allow the hairs to grow back. "However, tweezing can cause scar tissue to form and can also stimulate the hairs to grow back stronger and coarser. Avoid using tweezers on sparse facial hair or as a way of removing large areas of unwanted hair on the legs and underarms."--Dr. Sara Rosenthal, Women and Unwanted Hair
• “Tweezer-like” Products: Although these devices are relatively cheap and convenient, the hair removal is temporary and, like regular tweezing, stimulates the hair follicle to grow stronger hair.
• Shaving: The problem with shaving for women is where they are shaving and where, on their bodies, stubble is socially and culturally acceptable. Shaving facial hair, for example, is stigmatizing; shaving underarm hair is not. In light of this, experts understand if women refrain from shaving the face if it doesn’t feel right, but they do not discourage shaving if the goal is to remove the hair without stimulating the roots. And if the goal is to permanently remove the hair, shaving is a better option than waxing, tweezing or sugaring if you’re having electrolysis treatment because of the potential skin damage associated with these alternate methods.
• Waxing: Waxing is basically large scale tweezing. It removes the hair for long periods of time without producing stubble. With the exception of hair that has been hormonally stimulated, hair that is waxed on areas such as the lower leg or underarm, may grow back fine or sometimes finer. However, like tweezing, waxing can negatively stimulate the roots and hair follicles on areas like the chin, breast, abdomen, and upper lip.
• Sugaring: Sugaring produces the same results as waxing, but doesn’t require as much heating. It can be messy and, as a result, is not exactly convenient. It is also a large-scale tweezing method.
• Threading: This is an ancient technique popular in places like India and the Middle East. It involves the use of a regular thread to remove hair from the surface of the skin. It is a variation on tweezing.
• Hair Removal Creams: These creams (also called depilatories) remove surface hair but they tend to have less of an effect on the follicle than methods like tweezing. Think of them as a chemical shave. And while they don’t provide a permanent solution, the hair may take longer to grow back than it would if you were shaving, and hair doesn’t grow back as stubbly.
• Bleaching: Bleaching kits do not remove hair at all, but can lighten the dark, fine hairs of the upper lip or arm to conceal Hirsutism. Use with caution as on some hair colors, it make it catch the light and ends up making it more noticeable, almost shiny.
• Home Electrolysis Kits: These tend not to live up to their claims, nor do any “patch” devices you may have come across on the home shopping network; both end up actually “tweezing” out the hairs instead of removing them via electrolysis. The good news is the DC battery that powers home electrolysis kits is not strong enough to do any real damage to your skin. We've tried them all and none of them work. Hair is just not a conductor of electricity, sorry.
• Laser: Laser treatment for hair removal is gaining popularity, but its success is really dependent on the hair and skin pigment. If you’re a person of color, the pigment in your skin will likely interfere with the laser beam’s reach. Similarly, if you’re fair-haired, the laser will likely be unable to grasp the pigment in your hair. This is an adequate method if you’re fair skinned, but dark haired. However, it is extremely costly, and its permanence is not guaranteed and can not be legally represented as permanent. It might work well in conjunction with a permanent method like electrolysis on large areas like a man's back or full beard removal. Make sure you are having laser treatments done by a trained medical doctor, not just a "certified" technician, certification can be as simple as a 4 hour course on how to operate the machine. Visit the FDA Laser Facts page for more information.

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