Depilation Hair Removal For Men (2021)

Depilation hair removal for men is something most guys already do on a daily basis: Shaving.

Depilation is the process of removing hair above the skin using a mechanical (shaving) or chemical (depilatory) product. Unlike other hair removal options like waxing and sugaring, depilation does not take the hair out by the root so the hair removal lasts a few days at best.

Depilation hair removal is a very short term method of hair removal for men. Shaving is considered to be depilation and involves using a razor or electric shaver or trimmer. At worst the side effects are cuts, nicks and possibly ingrown hairs.

But chemical depilation can be dangerous given the products’ chemical composition. Let’s go into more detail.

Depilation Hair Removal For Men

Popular depilatory hair removal products include various shaving products and the use of chemical depilatory creams, lotions, gels, etc.

Because it can refer to various methods of hair removal discussing the Benefits and Considerations under one umbrella is difficult since various products offer different pros and cons. Plus the actual method of use clearly differs when considering shaving and chemical products.

For the purposes of this page, let’s stick with chemical depilation products as the focus of discussion. Here are some things to think about if you’re considering the use of popular chemical depilatory products.

Chemical Depilation Hair Removal For Men: Benefits

• Compared to hair removal options like laser and light treatment, depilation is relatively cheap.
• Products can be used at home.
• Hair removal can be completed quickly.
• Is available from different manufacturers in different forms such as creams, gels, roll-ons and rub-on lotions.

Chemical Depilation Hair Removal For Men: Considerations

• Results generally don’t last for more than several days.
• When the hair starts growing back, you have to live with the stubble or repeat the depilation to remove the hair again.
• Chemical depilatories tend to be messy and have a strong smell.
• Can cause skin irritation on some people.
• You have to be careful not to apply product to hair you don’t wish to remove.

Depilatories Are Not Appropriate For Removing All Hair

Depilatories are not appropriate for removing hair from all body parts. Specifically chemical depilation products should not be used:

• Near the eyes
• On eyebrows
• On skin with open cuts or sores
• Around the pubic or genitals area

You’ll most likely see the label on your chosen product telling you where and where you shouldn’t use the product so do pay attention.

To learn more about safe hair removal in general, the Food & Drug Administration has a great resource in that regard.

My Experience With Depilation Hair Removal

I’ve tried depilatory products to remove chest hair on several occasions several years ago. I have no idea why I did it either so please don’t ask. I’m not sure what I was thinking at the time but I admit to doing it.

I used a chemical product that had a strong smell and it was a fairly messy experience. I was paranoid about not getting any of the product on any hair that I didn’t want to lose!

I found that I needed to cover some parts of my chest numerous times to actually remove the hair since not all hair was removed the first time around.

Then I had to shower to remove the remnants of the product from my body. As listed above, the results last only a few days.

Given better results that I’ve found with other hair removal products, I have no plans to try these chemical products again.

Hair Removal Creams

One of the popular forms of depilation is hair removal cream that can be purchased at many retailers like drugstores or grocery stores usually in their pharmacy or skincare sections. Veet, Nair and Nads are three popular brands.

These creams are applied directly to the unwanted hair and are often left on the skin for several minutes or longer before being wiped off with a cloth taking the unwanted hair with it.

Hair removal creams usually contain chemicals that dissolve the hair and allow you to wipe away the hair after the cream has had time to work although you might have to rinse off the excess cream after use.

With regard to the results, at best you are usually left with a hair-free look for several days so in this regard the results can be comparable to shaving.

Unlike shaving though, some hair removal cream might not be usable on certain body parts such as the face although some are specially formulated to be used on sensitive body parts.

Also, some products might irritate your skin.

Your best bet is to carefully read the instructions and warnings on any hair removal cream you are considering and if you decide to use a particular product, test a small area on your skin to see the results.

Depilatory Hair Removal Summary

If possible, also try to smell the product before purchasing to ensure that the smell is not too strong. Some products have a very pungent odor that you might find hard to tolerate.

Personally, I have used hair removal creams on several occasions and while I was able to tolerate the smell and the resulting mess that I created when trying to remove the hair and cream from my body, I found that the hassle was just not worth the time and effort especially since the results only last several days at best.