I've noticed that there's lots of threads about laser, electrolysis, epilation, waxing, and shaving - but not about using depilatory creams such as Nair or Veet. I wondered whether anyone uses these kinds of products as an alternative to shaving? They typically make for a longer gap before needing redoing than shaving does, and the hair grows back a little finer too (but it's chemicals).

Anyone? I'm thinking about the short-term removal of body hair until HRT/AA happens. I have a lot of it (Jewish heritage)!

Some folks can use Nair or some of the chemi stuff with no problem... I can't... I got the chem burn from hell when I tried Nair

Sure, the chem burn went away after awhile, but I'll never use Nair again

I used it once 11 years ago to bare my chest for a tattoo - all I got from it was the usual itchiness when the hair started to poke through again, same as with shaving. I know to keep it away from face and manparts/orifices, I will give it a trial run once I've moved and am not self-conscious about suddenly being hairless around a shared house!

I understand the advantage of waxing/epilating (if one can't afford the seriously permanent treatments) is that some of the hairs don't come back again afterwards. But this seems a quicker fix in the short term.

Until i could afford an epilator, i used them quite a bit. Nair and Neet are very harsh if you have sensitive skin but do seem to work well. Veet works well also but it's not quite as harsh. Sally Hansen is not as harsh but did not work as well for me. (I have finer hair to begin with) I did find a product that does help with the irritation from the chemicals afterwards. It called Perfect Finish Neutralizing After Wash and its put out by Epil Stop. It does 2 things it takes the smell of the chemicals down quite a bit and it also stops the chemicals from continuing to keep working. It does work very well. (I found also that if you do not get all the of the Nair or whatever you are using off they will continue to keep working and thats when i got some of the really bad chemicals burns)

I was amused to see they now do Veet For Men - they saw me coming . Good tip about the neutraliser, thanks - I'll see if it's available in the UK. And will think about epilators (it all seems rather ouchy...)

i love veet,
it used to burn when i first ever try it but now its meh nothing to even think about, just like epilating.  i ended up buying alot of it on special sainbury deals and after a year and half of hrt and hairgrow has been really supressed i now have a cupboards full of veet

it does its job well though i never tried face, i would imagine it to burn and if you wish to have that much pain just go start electro and be done with it

Quote from: yoxi on March 30, 2011, 05:29:37 AM
I was amused to see they now do Veet For Men - they saw me coming . Good tip about the neutraliser, thanks - I'll see if it's available in the UK. And will think about epilators (it all seems rather ouchy...)

I was able to find it here in the States but the only place in the area i found it was the Dollar Tree. I did do a quick search and there are some people in the UK that handle it on both Ebay and Amazon. So if you can't find it locally you may want to try that.

Ta - will hunt some down once I move house .

I have tried both.  Veet was a joke, did not even touch the hair.  The last time I used Nair I got burnt, so it is out.  So I use ether an electric razor or a regular one.

I have been use a HeadBlade once the is hair is manageable.  It is like rubbing you hand alond your leg.  I used it when I used to shave my head.  Don't ask. 

Dunno if I'd want to use a Headblade, but I like their funky video stuff . I reckon I'll try Veet For Men first (after clippering the hair short), and see what the result is like.

I'm with Virginia, I also got the chemical burn from hell with Nair.
Randi

Quote from: yoxi on March 30, 2011, 04:57:27 AM
I understand the advantage of waxing/epilating (if one can't afford the seriously permanent treatments) is that some of the hairs don't come back again afterwards. But this seems a quicker fix in the short term.

True... I wax my legs and now there are very few hairs that grow back    But everyone is different so results will vary

I use Veet and love it.  I have used it since I had way more hair, and it always worked, and left me with really soft skin.  I use it on places I don't want to say, and have never had a problem except on nipples.  I also use the afterwash you can get at Dollar Tree, to neutralize the chemical residue after.

While Nair has been effective for me, the burning afterwards just hasn't been worth it. I use a regular 5-blade razor for arms, legs, chest, face, naughty bits, and those parts of my back/shoulders that I can reach.

I've never tried, or even heard of, Veet. Maybe I'll give it a try.

They're probably all just the same product in different countries. Veet used to be called Immac in the UK, I think - I still have to remember not to call it that (ah, the Immac chiffon scarf test!)

I've used Nair before, I didn't get the chemical burn everyone else mentioned but it was sooo messy and it took quite a bit of scrubbing afterwards to get rid of the smell of it! (I just used it on my legs, when I was 14 and too scared to shave, lol) It says on the bottle that you have to time it, for how long you keep it on your skin before you rinse it off, so maybe those who got a chemical burn from it left it on too long    It worked, but it took a while because it left a few patches of hair so I had to do it again.

All of the chemicals burn me. Wet shaving brings me out in a rash. Epilating or electric shaver (same device, different heads! ) are about the only things that don't leave me looking a mess. Fortunately I was seriously not hairy even pre hrt

I used nair it works fine for my hand if you apply it in right way
but yes i get burn big time i think its bad math to remove the hair but still it easy
but it can burn you

I use the GiGi microwave formula wax... Never gotten a burn from it 

I might give the Veet cold wax strips a go (I don't have a microwave).