So, you’ve worked for months to achieve some pretty sweet abdominal muscles, and now you are ready to show them off for the summer. The last thing you want is a thicket of hair covering your abs and undercutting all that hard work you put in!
Even if you don’t have a defined 6 pack, most people would agree that everything looks more cut and clean when it is hair-free. Have you ever seen a bodybuilding competition with a bunch of hairy dudes?
Aesthetics is an important factor when it comes to presentation, and if you are like me, you always want to look your best, even while performing a HIIT circuit. You never know who could be looking!
With all the methods of hair removal out there today, it can be hard to find the correct method for you to get that shiny skin look and feel.
Each method has it’s own pros and cons: shaving is easy to do but that smooth skin feel is so fleeting, the stubble is sometimes back within hours! Waxing can be downright painful, but the results last for longer than a shave. Laser sounds like a godsend, but it is so expensive!
Don’t worry, we here at Ultimate Core Health have researched the various most popular methods and now present to you, the best ways to remove hair from your stomach!
Top Methods of Removing Hair
Table of Contents
Shaving
Shaving is an obvious and very simple method, and you most likely already have what you need at home! The actual process couldn’t be easier: simply apply your favorite shaving cream and drag a razor across your skin.
The main problem with shaving is that it does not remove the hair from the root, so it will start to grow back fairly quickly, leaving you with itchy stubble within a day or two.
On the positive side, shaving is definitely the easier and cheapest way to remove hair from your stomach. You’ve almost definitely got all the necessary equipment at home (if not, it’s easy to purchase) and you don’t have to be a dermatologist or other type of professional to shave.
Shaving is easy to do in the shower and doesn’t take too much time (though it can be time consuming depending on how much hair you have).
On the negative side, the results you get from shaving don’t last very long at all. you’d be lucky to get more than two days of silky smooth skin, and in reality you’ll probably just getting a few hours! Shaving can also cause ingrown hairs to sprout up in all kinds of undesirable places, which can be painful and leave your body looking like a hot mess.
Waxing
What is waxing exactly? Waxing uses natural methods made from resins and tree by-products to remove body hair, quite effectively. The main pro is that waxing removes hair directly from the root, and therefore the results lasts longer than shaving or chemical creams.
While you can perform waxing at home, I would strongly recommend going to a professional for the first few sessions to learn more about it and ask for advice before making your own waxes at home.
There are two different types of wax, hard wax and soft wax. Hard wax is applied and, true to it’s namesake, it hardens quickly and then it is removed by gripping the edge of the wax. Soft wax is more of a goo type substance, this type of wax is removed by a wax removal strip being placed and pressed against the wax, then removed quickly to rip the hair out of the pore.
I usually look at shaving as a short term solution, while waxing is more of a long term way to rid your body of unwanted hair. Waxing results last much longer (think weeks instead of days), and it protects you from any kinds of cuts you can get from shaving. It’s actually much less irritating in the short term.
Cons: Well, you probably already know this one, waxing hurts something crazy! Just remember that scene from 40 Year Old Virgin, and I think you’ll understand. Of course, the main character of that movie had ungodly amounts of hair, so those with less hair will find waxing not quite as painful.
Sugaring
Sugaring is somewhat similar to waxing, but with some important differences as well. Sugaring is a natural hair removal method that originated in Persia, and functions in a similar manner to waxing.
Making sugaring paste is fairly simple – it is usually some type of mix of lemon, water, and sugar which is melted at low to medium temperature, until it starts to resemble some of the candy concoctions you may have seen around Christmas time.
Just like waxing, sugaring also removes hair directly from the root, so the results last just as long as the waxing method. Also like waxing, sugaring has both hard and soft sugaring varieties, and the hard sugar is removed by pulling the edges of the sugared paste.
A soft sugaring mix can also be made, then applied to the skin and removed with a disposable wax strip.
Sugaring can be performed at home, and making your own sugaring mix isn’t too difficult. Just like waxing though, I would definitely recommend visiting a professional first before you start working on it yourself. It will give you an idea on how to perform the technique properly.
A simple sugaring paste has no additives, chemicals or preservatives commonly found in waxes. Maybe you’ve had a bad reaction to wax in the past – sugaring would work perfectly for you in this instance.
Once this mix has cooled, it is used in a very similar way to waxing by being applied to the skin and then removed.
The results from sugaring last up to 2 weeks before new hair growth starts.
Here is what the professionals say about this: According to L.A. Bikini, a popular hair removal studio based out of Utah, “Sugaring is the perfect waxing alternative as it gently exfoliates dead skin cells and gives you that sweet feeling you’ve dreamed of.”
Sounds truly “sweet” to us!
Any residue left behind from the sugaring process can simply be removed with water – unlike waxes where the residue is removed a post wax treatment or some type of oils.
Laser Hair Removal
Lasering could be a godsend for people wanting to permanently remove hair – that’s right, lasering is (for the most part) permanent. Lasering can be slightly uncomfortable (think small stinging sensations) but that discomfort doesn’t last long during the procedure.
Now, what many of my personal training clients don’t understand- is that it is going to take more than one session to be permanently free of hairs. In fact many professionals recommended 6 to 8 sessions. These sessions are normally placed 6-8 weeks apart, but after this period you are done for good!
No more maintenance visits or random visits in the future. Also, you’ll be free of ingrown hairs and irritation after the laser process.
There are few risks with laser hair removal, there is a risk of burning, discomfort, blisters, redness and scarring. Blisters and scarring are rare though – lasering is a pretty safe procedure.
According to Rachel Sharoff, licensed esthetician at Skintology Skin and Laser Center, “Any medications that are photosensitive need to be stopped at least one week prior to treatment”. Additionally (and both of these tips apply to waxing too), you will not want to be using strong actives such as retinoids and alfa hydroxyl acids.
While that might sound pretty amazing, there are also some downsides – namely, the price! As we said earlier, you will need to go to at least 6 sessions to see real results. Each session will cost between $50 and $300, depending on the area you are getting the laser hair removal on.
Depilatory Hair Removal
Depilatory itself meaning ‘removing hair’, but many chemical products that remove hair are often called depilatories. In fact, the meanings have becoming almost synonymous!
Haven’t had much experience with depilatory hair removal creams? Don’t worry, they are fairly simple to understand. First, a strong alkaline based product is placed on the area where you want to remove hair. This substance transform the hairs into a jelly-like substance that is easily removed.
The chemicals often used can include sodium thioglycolate, calcium thioglycolate, and strontium sulfide. These chemicals are used to break down the protein bonds that hold hair together.
The whole process takes about five to ten minutes to work, depending on the exact formulation and on how thick your hair is. If you get a version that is “moisturizing” or gentle, it could take longer than a stronger version.
When it comes to depilatory’s, some pros are that the process is fast, inexpensive, and very easy to use. You simply put on a cream and wait!
As for “cons”, many have a strong odor that can be unpleasant, due to the strong chemicals being used. The results also aren’t very long lasting – they last about the same length of time as shaving. Honestly, we say just stick to shaving if you are considering the chemical route! But to each is own, feel free to try it out and let us know what you think.
That’s All, Folks! Hair Removal in a Nutshell!
Well there you have it, how to remove hair from the stomach (and other body parts!). We hope you enjoyed it and learned something new and useful. Please contact us if you have any comments or questions, or topics that you would like to see covered in a future article!
Hey! My name is Stephen and I’m the owner of Ultimate Core Health. Since we started, we’ve grown into a trusted resource for unbiased, science-based articles and reviews on fitness, nutrition and supplements. Check me out on social media, feel free to add me if you want to talk health!