How to Get Rid of Unwanted Arm Hair

Full, thick hair is glorious on your head, something you want people to notice. But when it comes to your arms, not so much.

Our specialists at Laser Bar and Spa know that arm hair is something you don’t want people to notice about you, especially if it’s thick and dark. Whether you want to remove the hair on your forearms or underarms (or both!), we’ve got you covered.

The problem with arm hair removal 

There are plenty of options when it comes to removing arm hair, but most of them have less-than-pleasant drawbacks — mostly because your arms are so visible. Shaving can lead to embarrassing stubble and ingrown hairs. And not only is stubble visible, but it also doesn’t allow for smooth arms.

At-home and professional bleaching can make dark hair less visible, but it won’t create that hair-free smooth sensation. Waxing your arm hair does create smooth arms right after your session, but in the following weeks, you’re stuck with stubble and regrowth before your next waxing session.

Enter laser hair removal. Laser treatments can remove unwanted arm hair without:

• Embarrassing stubble
• Messy (and irritating) depilatory creams
• Painful waxing sessions

In other words, laser hair removal treatments can do what other hair removal treatments can’t do.

Laser procedures for arm hair removal are customized based on the color and thickness of your hair. For example, if you have darker or thicker arm hair, you might need more sessions to get maximum results.

Because the laser energy only affects follicles while they’re in their growth stage, we strategically schedule your sessions to ensure that we treat all hair follicles on your arm or underarm during a growth phase.

To prepare your arms for laser hair removal, keep these tips in mind during the 2-3 weeks prior to each appointment:

• Avoid anything that removes your hair follicle, such as tweezing or waxing
• Stop applying self-tanning lotions on your arms
• Avoid excessive UV exposure, both from being outside and tanning beds
• Refrain from using sun-sensitizing drugs

When you arrive for your arm hair removal consultation, be sure to bring a list of any supplements or medications you take. Our team provides additional guidance if any of your supplements could affect laser hair treatment.

Getting ready for your big day

Make the most out of your session by shaving the treatment area up to 24 hours before your session. Believe it or not, shaving on the day of laser hair removal yields better results because the laser can better detect the hair follicle without the potential for singeing the hair shaft.

We know shaving your arms isn’t ideal as an everyday solution, but it does contribute to a better experience during your laser session. Use a fresh razor, and skip all in-shower lotions, body lotion, and perfume.

Trim your arm hair. Arm hair lies flat against the skin. Trimming arm hair length therefore greatly reduces its appearance. Use an electric hair trimmer with an adjustable blade to trim hair. Do not shave all the way down. Your shorter arm hair will make it look a lot thinner

Use a depilatory cream. A depilatory cream dissolves the hair from the base. This means that your arms will be smooth for about a week. The hair will also appear to grow back in softer than shaving. Do a patch test on your skin to make sure you do not have an allergy, then apply to your arms as indicated on the label. Exfoliate afterward to remove any remaining hairs.

• It is recommended that you stay out of the sun for 24 hours before and after using a depilatory cream.
• Consider applying a hair-inhibiting cream in between depilatory cream applications to keep hair thinner and softer.

Bleach your arm hair. If you have a lighter skin tone and thin hair, consider bleaching your arm hair. Bleaching uses hydrogen peroxide to remove the pigment from your hair.  This may greatly reduce the appearance of your arm hair by turning it a less noticeable shade.

Try sugaring for a treatment similar to waxing. If you don’t want to purchase a wax treatment, make your own hair remover at home using sugar and water. Combine 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and 2 tablespoons water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat. Pour into a glass container when it turns a ginger-ale brown color. Let cool slightly, then apply to skin with a butter knife. Pull firmly upwards and the sugar wax will remove the hairs.

• Try applying corn starch to your skin beforehand to get rid of excess moisture.
• Sugaring removes the hair from the root each time you do it, so if you continue the treatments every 6 weeks or so, you should notice your hair becoming finer and sparser over time.