Many people suffer from unwanted leg hair. The quickest solution is shaving, however, there are other options for leg hair removal. In addition to shaving the hair off, some individuals may use waxing, sugaring, depilatories, depilation devices, or lasers to remove the hair. The simple fact is, whether you are male or female, if you do not want leg hair, you have options. Which are best for you? That depends on who you are. Most women start off by shaving their legs as teenagers, and progress to other forms of removing that unwanted leg hair, especially as they notice that areas such as the knee and ankle can be difficult to shave.

The following is a quick look at the various options for removing unwanted leg hair:

Waxing:

Waxing is a popular form of hair removal for the legs. It offers the benefits of longer term hair removal then shaving, creams, etc. It is relatively inexpensive, it is easy to find a close by salon that offers this service, and it can be maintained for several weeks without any additional effort. You can wax at home or in a salon, although most recommend using a professional in order to get the best results.

If you are considering this option for leg hair removal it is good to know that you have to let your hair on your legs grow out at least a quarter, and often half an inch long between visits. It is fast, fairly painful, and sometimes expensive, but it depends on where you go. The results usually last 2-8 weeks. It is more like 2-3 weeks of smooth legs, followed by 2-3 weeks of letting the hair grow back out so you can go in again. If you learn how to wax at home it is a much cheaper option.

Basically the way it works is you, or a professional, spreads a hot wax on the areas where hair is being removed, a cloth strip is then pushed down onto the wax, then pulled off in the opposite direction of hair growth to remove the hair by the roots. It hurts, but the pain is temporary.

Shaving:

This is the most obvious and fastest way to remove unwanted leg hair. However, for many the idea of never shaving again would be akin to winning the lottery! Most people loath shaving. Shaving of the legs can be done in a number of ways, each involve using a razor. Shaving can be done with an electric razor or a regular, manual one. If a non-electric razor is used, a lathering agent, such as soap or a special "shaving cream" or foam, is usually a good idea, as it will help you to avoid razor burn. However, it is not necessary.

If you want to have completely smooth legs that are generally free from hair, you really have to shave them every day. Hair grows back very quickly because in this method all you are doing is cutting the hair off at the skin surface, not removing it by the root as you do in many other cases.

For the smoothest finish and the best results when it comes to shaving, shaving daily in the bath or shower, using some sort of lathering agent is best. While you can use an electric razor it is usually not going to be as nice. If you are a man shaving for the first time, use an electric razor first, followed by a manual one for the best, most painless results.

Shaving with a razor is painless, however, you can cut yourself or nick yourself.

Laser hair removal:

This is becoming an increasingly popular option for removing unwanted leg hair. The reason it is so popular is that it looks and feels smoother than shaving. It results in less "missed spots" and it can save several hours of time. It is also a far more cost effective method for removing leg hair then waxing and other methods (in the long run). Laser hair treatment to remove unwanted leg hair also hurts far less than waxing.

So what is the problem with laser hair removal? Well, the results are not immediate to start, it takes several treatments that have to be at least a month apart, so it could be several months before you get the desired results. In addition to that, it is not guaranteed to completely eradicate leg hair, laser hair treatment can reduce the amount of hair you have and it can also lighten the color of the hair and make it less noticeable, however, your hair may still be there. So, for some it is not worth it. In addition to that, not everyone can use this option. The best candidates are those with dark hair and light skin. Lastly, while it is more cost effective in the long run, upfront you do have to shell out some cash to get laser hair removal done on your legs, and some people simply can't afford the high upfront cost.

Depilatory creams:

Depilatory creams are chemical creams that help to dissolve the hair on your body, and thus remove it. This is an option for removing leg hair, but not a very good ones as it would take a lot of cream to cover the whole leg, it would be fairly time consuming, and expensive by the time you were done. In addition to that, like shaving it does not remove the hair from the root, just dissolves it down to the skin, which would mean that you would have to do it every few days for lasting results, again an expensive and impractical option.

Epilators:

An epilator is a small machine about the size of an electric razor that you use to basically pull out unwanted hair. It has rotating disks that pull unwanted hair out from the roots. It is fairly painful, but you do get used to it if you use it often. If you spend a little more on your epilation device you can get built in pain reducers to help it be a better option. This is actually a fairly effective, and inexpensive option for leg hair removal.

Electrolysis:

For permanent leg hair removal, your only option is really electrolysis. While laser hair removal has lasting results, they are not permanent. Electrolysis would be both time consuming and costly for a large area like the legs, however, if you can afford it and have the time, you will never have to worry about your legs having unwanted hair again. It takes several months to get the desired results, and several visits, but it is going to be permanent.

Leg hair removal for men:

Usually leg hair removal is a feminine pursuit, however more and more men are looking into this option. Once it was only something men who participate in swimming, cycling, or body-building pursued. However, today hairlessness is considered an attractive quality, so men are looking to remove unwanted hair just as women are. Wind and water resistance are no longer the reasons behind removing leg hair for men. However, the way the leg hair removal occurred for those reasons is the same methods used for other reasons. Basically, a man can remove leg hair the same way a woman does. However, because men's leg hair is typically thicker and longer it is good to do the following before attempting leg hair removal:

Trim the hair to be ¼ - ½ inch. This is effective for waxing, laser hair removal, or shaving. This will make leg hair removal less painful, and will mean fewer bumps and ingrown hairs as a result of the removal. It will also mean less dull razor blades, etc.

Whether you are a man or a woman, the cost, time, and effectiveness should be considered. Shaving is the quickest method and the cheapest, but does not last long. In fact, you probably need to shave daily to keep smooth legs. Waxing is quick, more expensive, and more painful, but must be done far less often.  Waxing usually leaves you with results for several weeks. Laser hair removal is not permanent, takes several months to see optimal results, and is expensive, but then lasts for a long time. You will generally pay a few hundred dollars for a single session to treat your legs from knee to ankle or thigh to knee and about $500 for your whole leg, and it usually takes three or four sessions. So, the best option for leg hair removal depends on your financial, time, and pain tolerance levels. For example, lasers hurt less than waxing, but cost far more. Shaving is cheap, but does not last long. So, it comes down to a personal choice and a matter of priorities. For a professional swimmer, or someone that needs to have leg hair removal, the cost of laser surgery is far more justifiable then for someone just sick of shaving.