I'm sure the cash strapped among us who can't afford laser or electrolysis hair removal, have tried various other gadgets and "potions". What has worked best and what has failed horribly? I recently tried something called the Conair hair removal system. It looks like a massager device and has rotating "exfoliating" pad on the end. It promissed miracles, but delivered pain much worse than shaving burns. It's like taking a sheet of sandpaper and vigorously rubbing it over your skin. STAY AWAY from this product!

Hi Lakita,

I've tried two approaches to hair removal with mixed results.....

1) On facial hair, I tried "Sally Hansen's Cream Hair Remover for Face". That was a disaster.....

Following the directions exactly, I tried a small spot on my wrist first to see if it was safe. The next day, when I did my face, it resulted in a bad skin reaction. It left temporary chemical burns, that disappeared in about a week. I was concerned enough to see a dermatologist. Suggest you stay away from it.

2) A few months later, I tried the old tweezers method (Ouch! Ouch!) . At least there was no chemicals involved. I used a tweezers based epilator that , although a little painful, did a good job on my face and legs.
I also followed advise from some of the other girls here and took a hot shower, dried off, did the hair removal, stepped back into the warm shower and then applied a moisturizer. The result was silky legs, no red bumps and a face that didn't need anywhere near as much makeup to cover the "Shadow".

The down-side (in addition to some pain and cost $) is that the hair seems to grow back in with thicker hair folicles. I'm told that over time, the hair will grow in thinner, but that was from a g-girl. For the rest of you out there, short of laser, electrolysis or hormones, is this normal?

Hugz,
Michelle Lynn

We've used Silky Mitts- same principle, but like a little sleeve you place over your hand & rub away the hair. They're only 99p a packet & because they're "manual", less likely to overdo it.

Hello all,

Just a few words of advice on hair removal. First, I do not have heavy body hair, so take this with a grain of salt, but i have been a smooth grrrl for over 30 year and have learned a thing or two.

Number one, the best, least painful way to temporarily get rid of body hair is professional hot waxing. I did it on my arm and leg fuzz for 8 years, and over time, it does disappear. I only do maintenance now on a few spots with a Braun Silk Epil, and if you get waxed first, and are diligent on your weekly program, you can and do stay smooth. A few grrrlfriends of mine who do have stout hair have done this successfully for years with little discomfort or skin damage.

I tried laser on my face, but again, laser works on dark, course hairs, not my blonde peach fuzz. Success is heavily dependent on your skin type. Waxing the face is a bit more painful than arms and legs, but it can be done. Again, it is temporary, and I would not recommend using a silk epil on the face. A few grrls I know have tried it and and it is not fun.

My dermatologist recommended a relatively new method which I shall begin next week. This works on a radio frequency application to hairs, and he swears to me that it works, is permanent, and works on all skin types with no skin damage. I will try it with him and if it works, I will post the links to get more info. I just want to get rid of the blonde peachfuzz I get on my neck and cheeks, so again, if you are dealing with stout boi hair, wait til I get back to you. If this thing works on me, two grrrlfriends who do have male hair will try it, and I shall report the results to you. Again, I remain skeptical of the "magic solutions" but will give it a shot and let you all know. Huggs from Bobbi Satin

in england the conair hair removal system is called the babyliss simply smooth. i bought one, always eager to try new methods of hair removal. i soon realised i couldn't rely on it alone to remove all the hair on my legs or arms, it does actually work much like a disc sander, and smoothes away the surface of your skin. i found it did remove hairs, but i had to over-use it to achieve this, leaving me "sunburnt". i think it would be effective on certain types of hair, but not mine. however i do find that using it moderately after another method of hair removal can give good results. i either epilate my legs or use a cream, then for the next few days the babyliss can help keep stubble at bay, but avoid using it immediately after bathing, shaving etc.
although for me it's not really a hair removal product, i do like the silky smooth feeling after using it on my legs, the key is, don't overdo it. give it a few hours and use a gentle moisturiser too. here are some varied customer reviews, with some tips on how to use:
http://www.amazon.com/exe[...]=glance
incidentally, i tried the epilator (braun silk epil)on my arms once, i'm still regretting it 6 months later, several red marks where the hair follicles were damaged. i pray these will eventually disappear. just be careful when trying new products, some of them can be very harsh if you're a delicate little flower like me.
xx

Disc Sander? More like an Angle grinder! I bought one of these a few weeks back and have used it a few times and have also experienced the sunburn rash. It does leave the skin smooth but you have to be so carefull not to overdo it. Like anything it takes time for your skin to get used to this new kind of treatment, I'll stick with it for a few weeks and let you know if it gets any more effective .. or less painful.

Cerys x