The standards for soft and smooth skin has long been set as moisturized, without scar, discoloration or hair. Thus women all over the world for centuries have devised and discovered countless ways of removing unwanted hair in armpits, arms, legs, back area and even the face, ranging from literally pulling your hair out manually or waxing to the modern day use of laser hair removal technologies.

There has been a wide range of hair removal techniques some costlier than others. The more traditional methods such as plucking or tweezing as well as threading, while they may be cheap, they tend to be fussy, painful and requiring so much work. It keeps the area free from hair for weeks but hair is bound to grow back.

Shaving which is not as painful as plucking is also not that expensive. It is best done on wet skin, during or after a bath. However, the usual danger of having tiny cuts and nicks after the procedure is always there. Hair growth which tends to be coarse or even darker can immediately be observed after a few days.

Waxing on the other hand involves the application of wax on the affected area. A strip of cloth is placed over the wax which in turn is pulled off. The wax takes with it the hair, including its roots, leaving the skin smooth. This lasts for as long as six weeks but can be extremely uncomfortable especially during the procedure.

Another alternative is the use of depilatory creams. These removes hair from the skin's surface by dissolving the hair's protein structure until what's left can be washed or wiped away. Applying depilatories though can be very messy. Allergic reactions may also occur for those with sensitive skin causing rashes or inflammation.

Fast becoming popular in the cosmetic industry is the removal of unwanted hair through laser technology. Touted to be fast, less painful and less fussy than the usual shaving, waxing, using depilatory creams and even tweezing, practitioners boast that laser hair removal may also end up to be less costly that the traditional hair removing methods which needs to be done over and over again.

During the procedure, a diode laser emits pulses of light energy which are absorbed by the pigment or melanin of the hair follicle. This targets the roots of the hair root keeping it from growing new hair. Those who have availed of the treatment claim that it is virtually painless compared to waxing, feeling only a stinging sensation during the treatment. For permanent hair removal, an average of six to eight sessions are needed.

But just like any other medical or cosmetic treatment, laser hair removal can have it side effects such as swelling, redness, blistering or burns. These can of course be avoided when done by a competent professional and can all be treated with topical ointments. Occasionally hyperpigmentation may occur, wherein dark spots may develop around the treated areas. It takes a while before the discoloration disappears but it usually resolved without requiring any treatment.

As technology develops, more and more cosmetic techniques will ultimately be discovered and the quest for beauty will continue. In the end, the hair removal method that will suit you is ultimately your choice.