How To Remove Underarm Hair (Armpit Hair) At Home

A 2023 survey conducted on 6,615 US adults revealed 44% of them believe that women should regularly remove any armpit hair they have, while only 7% believe that women should not regularly remove armpit hair. Yet another 44% thought women should do whichever they prefer.

Those expensive salon bills to remove underarm hair might make you think about cheaper alternatives. And that is where you might ask: How to remove underarm hair at home? This article answers your query, and you provide all the information you might need on various underarm hair removal methods. These techniques will make your hair removal process easy and pocket-friendly. Continue reading to know more about these techniques to help you with easy hair removal at home and you can add them to your personal care regimen. Scroll down!

How To Remove Underarm Hair At Home

1. Remove Underarm Hair Using A Razor (Shaving)

You Will Need

• Sharp Razor
• Towel
• Shaving cream/Hot Shower
• Cucumber Juice/Coconut Oil

Prep Time

2 minutes

Method

1. Get into a hot shower or thoroughly cleanse your armpits with warm water.
2. Step out of the shower for a minute and exfoliate your armpit by gently rubbing it with a coarse towel.
3. Step back into the shower with your razor. Alternatively, you could apply shaving cream onto your armpit for lubrication.
4. Ensure that your razor is sharp and start shaving with your arms raised over your head. If you have sensitive skin, avoid shaving against the direction of hair growth. If you don’t have sensitive skin, you can shave across the grain for a closer shave. However, this might cause ingrown hair.
5. Shower with cold water or rinse your armpits with cold water after you’ve finished shaving. This will help close your pores and prevent infection.
6.  Pat your armpits dry with a towel.
7. Moisturize with cucumber juice or coconut oil.

How Often?

2-3 days depending on the rate of hair growth. Give yourself a week’s break every once in a while.

Pros

• Fast and efficient.
• Exfoliates your skin.
• Painless.
• Inexpensive.

Cons

• Hair grows back within a day or two.
• May cause ingrown hair.
• May darken underarms.

Tips

• Shave at night so that you can take your time while doing it. This also gives your underarms a chance to recover, and you won’t have to deodorize straight away.
• Keep your underarms hydrated so that the skin remains healthy. Use ingredients such as coconut oil or cucumber juice. Alternatively, you could use a deodorant with avocado oil.
• Rinse your blades after every shave and keep them clean.
• Replace your blades often to maintain proper hygiene and to avoid uneven shaving, always use a sharp razor for best results.
• If you don’t have sensitive skin, shave in all directions to give yourself a close and smooth shave.
• Use a mini razor for the hard to reach parts of your armpit.

Did You Know?

Straight, single-edge safety, double-edge safety, disposable, electric, and cartridge are the different types of razors.

2. Pluck Underarm Hair With Tweezers

You Will Need

• Tweezers
• Towel
• Aftershave

Prep Time

2 minutes

Method

1. Get into a hot shower or thoroughly cleanse your armpits with warm water. This will help soften your skin so that the hair slips out more easily.
2. Step out of the shower and exfoliate your armpit by gently rubbing it with a coarse towel.
3. Lift your arm over your head and start plucking. Ensure to pluck from the base and tweeze in the direction of hair growth to avoid ingrown hair.
4. Take regular breaks to keep your neck and arms from becoming stiff.
5. Finish with an aftershave

How Often?

Every month or every other month depending on how long your hair takes to grow back.

Pros

• Hair takes longer to grow back.
• Gentler on the skin than waxing.

Cons

• Painful.
• Takes forever!
• May cause ingrown hair.

Tips

• Tweeze in the direction of hair growth to avoid ingrown hair.
• Ensure that your tweezers are sharp and sterilized. You can use an emery board to sharpen them and rub alcohol on them with a cotton pad to sterilize.
• Wait until your hair has grown out a bit to pluck again. Waiting until your hair has grown to about a quarter of an inch is ideal.
• Tweezing might not be for you if you have really thick hair and are prone to ingrown hair, or if you have sensitive skin.

3. Remove Armpit Hair With An Epilator

You Will Need

• Epilator
• Towel
• Lotion/Aloe Vera Gel

Prep Time

2 minutes

Method

1. Ensure that your epilator is charged.
2. Get into a hot shower or thoroughly cleanse your armpits with warm water. This will help soften your skin so that the hair slips out more easily.
3. Step out of the shower and exfoliate your armpit by gently rubbing it with a coarse towel.
4. Raise your arm over your head and keep your skin taut. You could get someone to help you with this step.
5. Switch the epilator on and use it on the lowest setting. Holding it at a 45-degree angle, pull out a bit of hair until you get used to the pain.
6. Once you are ready, hold it at a 90-degree angle and glide it across your armpit. Do not press down on your skin as it might get caught.
7. Glide the epilator across your armpit in all directions until all of the hair is removed.
8. Your armpits might be red and sore once you are done. Apply some soothing lotion or aloe vera gel to help them recover.

How Often?

Every 4-6 weeks depending on how long your hair takes to grow back.

Pros

• Fast and efficient.
• Hair takes longer to grow back.
• Gentler on the skin than waxing.

Cons

• Painful.
• May cause ingrown hair.

Tips

• Trimming your hair to about 3-5 mm is the best option before you get started.
• A few anagen hair might grow out soon after you epilate. Epilate these to align your hair growth cycle.
• Exfoliate well around 2-3 days after you epilate to reduce the risk of ingrown hair.

4. Remove Underarm Hair By Waxing

You Will Need

• Wax
• Wax Strips
• Towel
• Talcum Powder
• Wooden Spatula
• Tweezers
• Baby oil
• Soothing lotion/Aloe Vera Gel

Prep Time

5 minutes

Method

1. Heat the wax in a wax heater or a microwave.
2. Wash your underarms with warm water to soften the skin.
3. Wipe your underarms clean with a towel and powder the area.
4. Apply the wax using a wooden spatula in the direction of the hair growth.
5. Hold your skin taut with your arms above your head and place the strip, leaving a free end with no wax on it. Rub the area in the direction of hair growth.
6. Quickly pull the strip against the direction of hair growth.
7. Repeat until your underarms are smooth. Pluck stray hair using a tweezer.
8. Use baby oil to remove the wax residue and wash your armpits with cool water.
9. Pat dry.
10. Apply some lotion or aloe vera gel onto the area to soothe it.

How Often?

Every 4-6 weeks depending on the rate of hair growth.

Pros

• Fast and efficient.
• Exfoliates your skin.
• Hair grows back slowly.
• Gives you a smooth finish.

Cons

• Painful.
• May cause ingrown hair.

Tips

• Exfoliate your skin a couple of days after you wax to prevent ingrown hair.
• Wait until your hair is about 1/4th of an inch before you rewax.
• You can pop a painkiller to reduce the amount of pain from waxing.
• Waxing can be messy and so it is better done in the bathroom, where cleaning won’t be as big a hassle.

Alexandra, a Youtuber, in her vlog, demonstrated a step-by-step guide to removing armpit hair at home, aiming for beautiful results. She opts for a natural hard wax suitable for sensitive skin. She showed her before and after pics and said,” Honestly, hair removal is always optional, but look at this before-and-after. It looks so fresh in the after. This is the way I like to do it (i).”

Trivia

It is believed that the ancient Egyptians were the first people to practice body waxing. They used a mixture of oil, sugar, and honey to prepare a sticky wax.

5. Remove Underarm Hair Using Hair Removal Creams

You Will Need

• Hair Removal (depilatory cream)
• Towel

Prep Time

2 minutes

Method

1. Conduct a patch test with the hair removal cream 24 hours before you use it to check compatibility with your skin. If your skin reacts badly, use an alternative hair removal method.
2. Wash your armpits and pat them dry with a towel.
3. Apply the hair removal cream and wait for the recommended amount of time.
4. Remove the product using the depilatory spatula that comes with the cream. Do this by scraping the product off in a downward motion.
5. Wash your armpits with cool water and pat dry.
6. If the cream comes with an aftercare lotion, apply it now.

How Often?

Every 3-4 days depending on the rate of hair growth.

Pros

• Painless.
• Removes hair in a matter of minutes.
• Gives you smooth skin.
• Not messy.

Cons

• Hair grows back fast.
• May darken armpits.
• Most hair removal creams don’t smell great.
• May cause ingrown hair.

Tips

• Do not use scented products such as deodorants for at least 24 hours after using a hair removal cream.
• Exfoliate after 2 days to prevent ingrown hairs.

6. Remove Underarm Hair With IPL Hair Removal Technique

You Will Need

• IPL hair removal device
• Towel
• Razor
• Aloe vera gel

Prep Time

5-10 minutes

Method

1. Use a razor to shave off the excess hair on the body before using the device.
2. Set the intensity level on the device, starting with lower intensity and then gradually increasing it.
3. Hold the device perpendicular to your skin and press it gently into the skin.
4. Gently glide it over the skin without lifting it off.
5. Apply aloe vera gel to soothe the skin.

How Often?

Once a week for 4-12 weeks.

Pros

• Offers long-term results.
• Convenient to use.

Cons

• Skin may remain sensitive for a few days post-treatment.

Tips

• Clean the device thoroughly to prevent any type of infection.
• Do a patch test to ensure that your skin responds well to the device.

Natural Remedies For Armpit Hair Removal

7. Turmeric Paste For Armpit Hair Removal

You Will Need

• 1/4 cup turmeric powder
• 3 tbsp Rosewater/Milk
• Towel

Prep Time

2 minutes

Method

1. Combine the ingredients until you get a smooth paste.
2. Wash your armpits and pat dry with a towel.
3. Apply the paste to your underarms and leave it on for about 30 minutes.
4. Soak a towel in warm water and wipe the turmeric off.

How Often?

Repeat this every day or every other day to reduce hair growth.

Pros

• Reduces hair growth and density.
• Does not damage your skin.

Cons

• Does not show immediate results.
• Does not remove hair completely.
• Simply thins out hair.

Tips

Do this at night when you are not rushed and can wash your underarms well when you shower in the morning.

8. Lemon And Honey For Armpit Hair Removal

You Will Need

• 3 tbsp Honey
• 1 tsp Lemon juice
• Towel

Prep Time

2 minutes

Method

1. Combine the ingredients until you get a smooth paste.
2. Wash your armpits and pat dry with a towel.
3. Apply the paste to your underarms and leave it on for about 15 minutes.
4. Soak a towel in warm water and wipe the mixture off.

How Often?

2-3 times a week.

Pros

• Reduces the rate at which hair grows and hair density.
• Does not damage your skin.

Cons

• Does not show immediate results.
• Does not remove hair completely.
• Simply thins out hair.

Tips

• Do this at night when you are not rushed and can wash your underarms well when you shower in the morning.

Hair removal is an important aspect of self-care for many people. Proper grooming is essential for smooth underarms and thus, this article shows you the different ways on how to remove underarm hair. Since salon trips can burn a hole in your pocket, you can always go for shaving, waxing, or hair removal creams. If you want to go for natural home remedies, you can use turmeric or lemon and honey to get rid of armpit hair. While all these methods are easy, reduce in-growth hair, and dead skin exfoliation, they only slow down the growth of hair and maybe painful at times. Ensure that you choose the method for your beauty routine that is budget-friendly and suitable for your skin type.

Infographic: Natural Ways To Remove Underarm Hair

There are various chemical-free, natural alternatives to remove underarm (armpit) hair. While the article covers all the effective ways to remove underarm hair at home, you best be aware of a few important yet easy home remedies made from ingredients available right in your kitchen. Check out the infographic below for more information.

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Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

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his article shows you the different ways on how to remove underarm hair. Since salon trips can burn a hole in your pocket, you can always go for shaving, waxing, or hair removal creams. If you want to go for natural remedies, you can use turmeric or lemon and honey to get rid of armpit hair. While all these methods are easy, reduce in-growth hair, and exfoliate dead skin, they only slow down the growth of hair and maybe painful at times. Ensure that you choose the method that is budget-friendly and suitable for your skin type.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do actresses remove their underarm hair?

Actresses and celebrities might choose hair removal methods like laser hair removal, electrolysis, depilatory creams, or waxing to remove their underarm hair.

How can I remove my underarm hair without darkening my underarms?

A laser hair removal method is the perfect choice to remove the underarm hair without darkening the underarms. Also, following the correct shaving procedure may help. Exfoliate your underarms and apply moisturizer and shaving cream before you shave.

Is waxing okay for a 15-year-old?

While waxing is okay for a 15-year-old, avoiding it is ideal as their skin would be much more delicate. However, professional supervision is advised if your child wants to get it done.

Is it better to pluck or shave your underarm hair?

Plucking your underarm hair can offer a longer-lasting effect than shaving. However, it can cause pain and discomfort.

Does toothpaste remove hair?

There are a few DIY methods that use toothpaste along with other ingredients to remove unwanted hair. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim.

What is the right age for waxing?

Some start waxing at around 13-15 years when the body hair growth starts. Though this is not an issue, it is best to carry out the method with the help of a professional to avoid injuries.

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

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Discover a simple and effective method to remove armpit hair at home without waxing. Learn the step-by-step process from this video and achieve smooth underarms easily and conveniently.

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Dr. Jyoti GuptaMD

   

Dr. Jyoti Gupta is a board-certified (IADVL) dermatologist specializing in cosmetic, laser, and hair transplant surgery. She has 10 years of experience, and has done over 1000 hair transplant surgeries and 3000 aesthetic procedures. She is renowned for using minimal combination procedures for her patients, providing long-term natural results. She has written extensively about chemical peels, anti-aging procedures, body hair...more

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