Waxing, shaving, laser, creams and electric epilation, are all different ways of removing hair in a variety of painful and painless methods. All promise legs that would make Elle McPherson cover up, and while unlikely, some are more effective than others:

Waxing: Perhaps the most well known and most painful form of hair removal. Despite the adverts, everyone knows this hurts. You can choose to do this at home, but if you prefer, you can pay for somebody else to hurt you. The process removes (This means rip, hence the pain) the hair from the root, so the regrowth takes as long as your hair folicles take to produce new ones.

Pros: Its effective, its lasts, and the legs normally have a very smooth finish. The hair growth feels softer to the touch and appears finer as the individual hairs are growing from scratch, therefore having a pointed tip. Rumour has it that sugaring is slightly less painful than waxing, but popular opinion is divided. To be fair, how can ripping a hair out of a folicle be less painful? The jury is still out.

Cons: Can be expensive if you pay a professional to make it slightly less painful. Some people can get ingrowing hair as the new growth gets trapped under some dead skin (regular exfoliation helps). The hair needs to be at least 5cm long to remove. So despite being hair free for longer, there is a period of time where you have to have hairy legs. Catch 22.

Costs: Home Kits from £6, professional from £10 for a half +.

Shaving: This is, without doubt, the most marketed form of leg hair removal, with Gillette and their “Venus” range advertised heavily in most media formats. If this option is to be taken, it is crucial to use both a good razor and base product like a shaving foam, gel or oil. It will depend on your skin type, but one of the most popular products is the King of Shaves oil. A range which now has a female friendly pink tube (ahem). While Gillette push their Venus range, the male range, in particular the Gillette Mach 3 Turbo, is often the same if not superior, for a slightly lower cost.

Pros: Pain free if you don’t cut yourself. One of the cheapest options. Quick and convienient, can be done in the privacy of yoor home.

Cons: Regrowth is quick, as you are only taking away the top part of he hair. Legs feel stubbly when hair grows through as the folicle has a flat end from where it has been chopped.

Costs: You can purchase a pack of disposable razors for £1, however to ensure a better finish and less risk of nicks/cuts premium razors start at £5 and go up.

Laser: Leg laser hair removal is becoming a more popular and effective option for removing hair on the legs. It works by destroying the hair and cuticle permenantly. However, as the hair folicle can only be destroyed at a certain stage of development, you will need to go for several sessions. Lasers produce a high-intensity ray of pure light which gives off heat energy. This energy is absorbed by different body tissues, depending on the colour of the laser beam. That’s why laser light can pass safely through the skin, and destroy targeted cells under the surface without harming surrounding areas. For hair removal, the heat energy damages the cells at the root of the hair, thus preventing further growth. As the legs have a relatively large surface area, laser hair removal on a leg can take from a hour upwards during each session. However if you want lasting hair removal may need 3 to 5 treatment sessions. The price per session can very widely depending on the patient’s hair thickness, density, and surface area. The area of the country you live in also may affect the price you pay.

Pros: If you have all of the the required treatments, hair removal can be permenant.

Cons: It’s painful, it is very expensive, each ‘treatment’ takes a long time. It probably won’t remove all hair permanently, but should reduce growth significantly, and any regrowth is likely to be paler and weaker. Lasers are targeted at pigmented tissue, so they don’t work on white, grey or platinum blonde hair. Most people have to return every 6 months for maintenance.

Costs: £400 for a whole leg upwards. You can also try the home use units now available.

Creams: A depilatory is a cream, liquid or foam that removes hair from the skin’s surface. They work by reacting with the protein structure of the hair, so the hair dissolves and can be washed or wiped away. Generally they take from three to ten minutes ‘developing’ time and come in a variety of types for individual skins, such as sensitive. Hair regrowth is slower than with shaving, but not as long as waxing, approx 4 days.

Pros: Easily available like razors, quick and can be done in the privacy of your own home.

Cons: Applying depilatories can be messy and many people dislike the odor. If you have sensitive skin, you might have an allergic reaction to the chemicals in the depilatory, which may cause a rash or inflammation. Depilatories may not be as effective on people with coarse hair.

Costs: From £3 for a tube.

Electric epilation: Electric epilators have rotating heads that grasp the hairs and pull them from the follicle. This method is slower than waxing, as it can’t pull many hairs at the same time. Regrowth is the same as with waxing although takes significantly longer to actually perform. Most epilators are also very loud a the motors turn, making your hair removing very obvious!

Pros: Convienient, it can be done in the privacy of your own home. No repeat purchase so very cost effective over a long period.

Cons: Painful and slow. Most have to be plugged into the mains, so will need charging or you’ll have to be next to a plug whilst using it.

Costs: from £40 upwards.

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