Girlology: A Girl's Guide to Stuff that Matters

What do you do with all that extra hair you get after puberty? The amount of hair you get will depend on your genetics. For instance, girls with Italian heritage will usually have more body hair, and girls from Asian descent may have very little body hair. Whatever your background, most girls have hair somewhere that they want to get rid of. What’s safest? There are lots of hair removal products and procedures out there. Some are cheap, some are expensive, some work temporarily, some are permanent, some hurt and some don’t. If you want to get rid of it, it’s up to you to find the way that works best for you. Here is a table of the various ways to remove unwanted hair and some comments about each method. It may not include every method out there, but it will give you some information on the most common ones.

MethodHow It WorksThings You Should KnowTweezing or pluckingUse tweezers to pull individual hairs out by the rootVery inexpensive and easy

Lasts longer than shaving

Hurts a little depending on the area you are pluckingShavingUse a razor to remove hairInexpensive

Easy and most common method of hair removal in the U.S.

Works best if you shave skin that has been lubricated with soap or shaving cream/gel

Temporary, sometimes requiring daily or twice daily use

Hair that grows back is coarse

Can cause skin irritation ("razor rash") or cuts; avoid this by using a clean, fresh razor and shaving hair in the same direction that it grows

Can transmit diseases through sharing razor with someone elseDepilatoriesCreams that are applied to the skin and unwanted hair; this dissolves the hair to the level of the skinEasy and inexpensive

May cause skin irritation

Should not use around the vagina or on sensitive areas

Some have an unpleasant odor TemporaryWaxing and other sticky gels or products that work by pulling hair out from the rootWarm or hot wax is applied over the unwanted hair and covered with a strip of cloth or paper; once the wax cools, the paper/cloth is quickly pulled off and pulls out all the hairs with itCan do yourself (buy a "kit") or have it done at a spa or salon by a professional (more expensive)

May cause minor skin burns, irritation or ingrown hairs

Hurts as the hair is ripped off, but the pain is over with quickly

Temporary, but lasts longer than shaving or depilatoriesPrescription creamCream is applied to areas of unwanted hair twice a day every dayRequires a prescription from a medical professional and is only approved for use on the face

Takes about 6 weeks to notice results

Stops hair growth at the root as long as you use it every day; doesn't work unless you use it every day

Expensive to use all the timeElectrolysisA very small needle is inserted into each hair follicle, sending a mild electrical current that destroys the follicle; the hair is then pulled out with tweezers and hopefully won't grow backRequires multiple treatments to remove all unwanted hair in an area

Can be painful, but prescription numbing creams can help

ExpensiveLaser hair removalA special type of laser or light is flashed from a device that is held over the area of unwanted hair, causing damage to the hair follicle so hair won't grow back out of itRequires multiple treatments depending on the amount and location of hair

Uncomfortable, but numbing creams can help

Works best on darker hair

Having a tan or sun exposure in the area will make it less effective and more difficult to get good results

Can cause skin burns and scarring

Safest and most effective when done by an experienced professional

Can be very expensiveBleachingBleaches dark hair blonde but doesn't remove hairWorks well for fine hair

Is not a hair removal method, but just "camouflages" the hair that is bothersome

Inexpensive and easy

The Inside Parts

Your inside parts are obviously hard to see. Kind of like seeing your heart or lungs. We know they are in there, but don’t expect to see them except in books or pictures. You’ll just have to trust us on this one. Let’s start on the outside and work our way to the innermost parts.